Gingerbread Spice Pancakes
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Make a batch of these fluffy, spiced gingerbread pancakes for a relaxed winter breakfast or holiday brunch.
A stack of the best homemade pancakes on a relaxed, lazy morning — doesn’t that sound like a perfect way to start the weekend?
These gingerbread pancakes will remind you of a gingerbread cake or spice cookie, because they’re seasoned with traditional aromatic dessert spices like cinnamon, cloves, ginger and nutmeg.
To add depth of flavor and ensure that each bite is fluffy but not dry, I added a bit of cocoa and some molasses to the batter.
Because isn’t a delectable cake-like texture exactly what you’re looking for in a pancake?
Pancakes are always a comforting, homey option for breakfast (and even dinner), but these spiced-up cakes will elevate a dreary, chilly morning and make a weekend brunch extra-special.
Fun facts about spices used in gingerbread:
- The scent of cinnamon (and cassia) has been shown to be a mood-lifter. The spice is one of the most-used in the world.
- Ginger has long been a medicinal remedy for digestive ailments. And in colonial times, gingerbread cookies were allegedly used as bribery to sway voters from one candidate to another.
- Cloves are powerful and pungent — a little goes a long way in cooking. In addition to being used to treat toothaches, cloves are a key ingredient in ketchup.
- Large (we must assume very large) doses of nutmeg are poisonous and can cause hallucinations akin to an LSD trip. Culinarily, nutmeg is essential in pumpkin pie, eggnog and French four-spice.
Gingerbread Spice Pancakes
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- â…› teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup (110 g) dark brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup (60 ml) vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) molasses
- 2 cups (500 ml) milk
- Powdered sugar
- Maple syrup, warm
Instructions
- Sift the flour, cocoa, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a large bowl.
- Whisk the eggs sugar, oil and molasses in a medium bowl. Stir in the milk.
- Pour the egg mixture over the flour mixture and mix just until dry ingredients are moistened.
- Spray a griddle with non-stick spray or grease with butter; place over medium heat until hot.
- Spoon about 1/4 cup batter for each pancake onto griddle. Cook until small bubbles emerge and start to pop on the surface of the pancakes; turn with a spatula and cook until second side is lightly browned.
- Dust the pancakes with powdered sugar and serve with warm maple syrup.
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.
Hey, I’m Karen
Creator of Familystyle Food
I’m a food obsessed super-taster and professionally trained cook ALL about creating elevated dinners with everyday ingredients. Find simplified recipes made from scratch and enjoy incredibly tasty food! Read more about me here.
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Maybe on Sunday — I can see them in my future!
Just made these for breakfast and I will definitely make them again. The biggest plus, (beside the deliciousness!), is that I already had all the ingredients in my kitchen. Easy, fast and taste like a holiday!
Patt that’s just what I like to hear!
i would so love to make these as I love just about anything gingerbread! Unfortunately I have a diabetic in my house, and I don’t know if I could safely use the molasses or not. But they look and sound lovely!
I made these this morning and they were FANTASTIC! My sons topped them with whipped cream.
I really like the sound of these pancakes. I’ll have to make the, soon with all those homey flavours 😀
Thanks, Annemarie, I’m glad you stopped by. But I think pancakes can be had any day of the week!
Deborah, they can make you happy, for sure.
Half-Baked, I hope you like them.
Yes, Deborah, now I really want to go camping to try them out!
Tartelette, you are so right.
Jenny-on-the-spot, I’m glad you came by, and happy you love food too.
Proud Italian Cook, I do try. If you ask my kids on some days, they might not agree.
Thanks, Lisa.
Such a sweet way to contain flu cooties! 🙂
I do love gingerbread and I love new ideas for pancakes. This recipe sounds like a winner!
What a nice Mom you are to make these delicious pancakes! I love gingerbread, I can just imagine the smell as these were cooking!
Ooh, those look incredible! I lu-huv gingerbread-anything… well, maybe not gingerbread with pepperoni on it, but ya know 🙂
Stumbled here via Mammlogues… you have a lovely site… Your header is delightfully wonderful to look at. My eyes just want to rest there. I love green… your write about food – I love food!
They sound so tempting! People forget that gingerread is not only for Christmas season!
Best wishes for a quick recovery (and isolation of germs)! These pancakes sound great. I love gingerbread but never thought of making it this way. I am thinking these would be great on a cool morning camping, or even with some whipped cram and sauteed apples as a dessert!
I adore gingerbread. I’ll have to try these!
These sound amazing – and like a perfect pick-me-up breakfast!
I clicked through from Blogher when I saw this – absolutely salivating over the prospect, only sad that the weekend is now done so I’ll have to wait 6 more days to try it out. Great blog you have!
Amy, I hope you like them and not just for breakfast.
Liza, and you should know!
Thanks, Jenny. My kids love the extra little sweetness any way they can get it.
Emiline, you must be in need of some comfort food yourself! Feel better soon…
Cathy, I think these would be a great late-night breakfast, if you know what I mean!
Those look wonderful. I never thought of gingerbread as a pancake flavor. They are on my list.
Oooh, nice. These sound and look so good. And a bit of cocoa powder in the batter, too.
Hope A feels better soon. I know how she feels. I’ve been trying to stay in my room myself.
Yummy Karen,
These sound delicious! I’m definately going to try these. I love the look of the powdered sugar sprinkled on top.
Those would taste great any time!
Wow, these sound great! I’m definitely going to try them soon.