Whole Grain Pancakes
This favourite flavour is often our first heat, the first cooking of the day for my family. A batch of these pancakes is a great way to spin a strong dose of whole grains into a get-out-of-bed treat and to kick-start a nutritious day.
Ingredients
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole-wheat, grain or almond flour
1 cup oatmeal flakes
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg or cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups any milk or water
1/4 cup vegetable oil or melted butter
2 tablespoons honey
2 eggs, 4 for added richness
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup whole-wheat, grain or almond flour
1 cup oatmeal flakes
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg or cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups any milk or water
1/4 cup vegetable oil or melted butter
2 tablespoons honey
2 eggs, 4 for added richness
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
A preheated pan is the first secret to pancake perfection. While you mix the batter, preheat your largest, heaviest skillet over your sweet spot, the medium to medium-high heat that gives the batter time to cook through while the surface browns. Your preheated skillet is at the perfect temperature when a few scattered water drops dance on it (just right) without evaporating (too hot) or just pooling still and simmering (too cool).
Whisk together the dry ingredients, including the brown sugar, if using, to distribute the fine powders evenly among the coarser ones.
Whisk together the wet ingredients and then pour them into the bowl of dry ingredients. Lose the whisk and grab a wooden spoon so it won’t clog in the batter. Stir the batter until it is smooth, but don’t overmix.
Spoon the batter into the preheated pan, evenly filling it with a lot of little pancakes or a few large ones. Smaller ones are easier to flip and are easy to pass out to a hungry crowd.
Watch for bubbles. As the batter heats through, the baking powder will activate and release leavening bubbles that rise to the surface. Keep an eye on them. At first, they’ll burst and disappear, but as the batter cooks through they’ll leave behind a telltale hole.
When the pancakes are evenly covered here and there with holes, it’s time to flip. Because the batter is heated through, and the first side is already browned, the second side cooks faster.
You can get ahead of a crowd by stashing a plate full of pancakes in a warm oven. Cover the plate with a bowl, and they’ll stay fresh and warm while you cook more.
Whisk together the dry ingredients, including the brown sugar, if using, to distribute the fine powders evenly among the coarser ones.
Whisk together the wet ingredients and then pour them into the bowl of dry ingredients. Lose the whisk and grab a wooden spoon so it won’t clog in the batter. Stir the batter until it is smooth, but don’t overmix.
Spoon the batter into the preheated pan, evenly filling it with a lot of little pancakes or a few large ones. Smaller ones are easier to flip and are easy to pass out to a hungry crowd.
Watch for bubbles. As the batter heats through, the baking powder will activate and release leavening bubbles that rise to the surface. Keep an eye on them. At first, they’ll burst and disappear, but as the batter cooks through they’ll leave behind a telltale hole.
When the pancakes are evenly covered here and there with holes, it’s time to flip. Because the batter is heated through, and the first side is already browned, the second side cooks faster.
You can get ahead of a crowd by stashing a plate full of pancakes in a warm oven. Cover the plate with a bowl, and they’ll stay fresh and warm while you cook more.
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Recipe Submitted by
Chef Michael
I’m a FoodTV host, cookbook author and official food ambassador for Prince Edward Island, more importantly I’m a Dad and passionate home cook!
Variation
The first three cups of flours and grains can easily be custom blended. Use any mixture you like as long as it measures three cups in total. You may also use any milk, like cow, soy, rice or a blend. Honey adds lots of complex aromatic flavour but you can also add 1/2 cup (125 mL) brown or white sugar to the dry ingredients. If you like experimenting with spices, you can brand every batch with a new name and a new spice flavour. Simply varying your choice of spice completely changes the flavour of the pancakes. Just for aromatic kicks!
Just curious where the brown sugar is on the ingredient list and how much? I love brown sugar and would hate to leave it out..
The first time I made these, I ended up penning a huge X over the recipe in the cookbook. Then, after reflecting that MS recipes have never previously disappointed, I retried the recipe, and realized I just needed to thin out my batter with milk! Now I make huge batches and freeze them do they’re always available!! Love them with raspberries!
Being French Canadian, I wasn’t raised with pancakes but with crêpes. I have been looking for a good pancake recipe for a some time now. This is it! I now like pancakes! Thank you! ;-)
These are the absolute best pancakes I have ever tasted. I made a fruit sauce with blue and blackberries to go on them, they were a total hit with my company….
Hello Michael; I have been following your tv series for some time now and love your approach to creating meals for your family. I was given a signed copy of your cookbook from the Cookbook Store in Toronto for my birthday. I love it and made several recipes so far. My daughter has recently been diagnosed with gleutin free and lactose free restrictions. With that in mind how do I adapt this recipe to suit her needs and create waffles (her fav). I appreciate your consideration;
Anne Marie
Thank you Michael for showing the rest of Canada and the world what beautiful intelligent people reside in the Atlantic provinces. Just watching your other series of Chef at Home. There is a wonderful blueberry maple recipe that you share there which we are definitely going to try. Congratulations on this new site. All the best to you, Rachel and Gabe. Away in BC but my heart is still home in Newfoundland. You bring a bit of home to us with all you share. Take Care!
I’m allergic to eggs as well, I found this info to be helpful (I use the egg replacement powders quite a bit and find they work just fine):
If eggs are binders in a recipe, it can be replaced with Arrowroot, Soy, Lecithin, Flaxseed Mix, Pureed Fruits or Vegetables, Silken Tofu, Unflavored Vegetarian Gelatin Powder (agar agar). The ratio is, for every egg replaced, 1/4 cup of the substitute is used.
If eggs are leavening agents, Buttermilk, Yogurt, Baking Soda, Commercial Egg Replacement Powder such as Ener-G can be used.
If eggs are moisturizers, Fruit Juice, Milk, Water or Pureed Fruit can be used.