Description
These Gingerbread Pancakes are fluffy buttermilk pancakes infused with warm spices like cinnamon and ginger, enriched with molasses for a true gingerbread flavor. Perfect for a cozy holiday breakfast or any special morning, they are topped with maple syrup or optional whipped gingerbread butter for an extra indulgent touch.
Ingredients
Scale
Pancake Batter
- 1 ½ cups (187.5 g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 3 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ⅓ cups (327 g) buttermilk
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 3 tablespoons molasses
Toppings
- Maple syrup, for topping
- Whipped Gingerbread Butter (optional, for topping)
Instructions
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and kosher salt until evenly combined.
- Combine wet ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, large egg, melted and cooled unsalted butter, and molasses until smooth and well incorporated.
- Make batter: Pour the wet ingredient mixture into the dry ingredients and stir gently just until combined. If the batter is too thick to pour, add a small amount of extra buttermilk to loosen it slightly.
- Preheat skillet: Spray a nonstick skillet or griddle with cooking spray and heat it over medium heat, aiming for about 300°F to ensure even cooking without burning.
- Cook first side: When the skillet is hot, pour ⅓ cup of batter onto the skillet, spreading it if necessary to form a roughly 4-inch diameter pancake. Cook for 3-4 minutes until bubbles form and start popping on top and the underside is golden brown.
- Flip pancakes: Carefully flip the pancakes using a spatula and cook for another 3-4 minutes until the second side is also golden brown and the pancake is cooked through.
- Repeat batches: Wipe the skillet clean with a paper towel before starting the next batch to prevent sticking and ensure even cooking. Continue cooking remaining batter in batches, avoiding overcrowding the pan.
- Serve warm: Serve the pancakes warm topped with maple syrup and optionally whipped gingerbread butter for added flavor and richness.
Notes
- Use room temperature ingredients to ensure smooth batter and consistent cooking.
- If you don't have buttermilk, substitute with milk plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar and let it sit for 5 minutes to curdle.
- Adjust spices to taste—for a stronger ginger flavor, increase ground ginger slightly.
- Wiping the pan between batches prevents burnt bits from affecting the flavor of the next pancakes.
- Whipped gingerbread butter adds extra festive flavor but maple syrup alone complements the pancakes well.
- For an even fluffier texture, you can separate the egg, beating the white to soft peaks and folding it into the batter last.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 pancake
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 250 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
