Guests to the inn are treated to homemade breakfast treats each morning and this recipe is especially delicious when accompanied with a side of sausage and egg to round off the morning’s meal.
DRY INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tablespoons regular unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
WET INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
2 eggs, large
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon red food coloring
2 tablespoons white vinegar
4 tablespoons butter, melted
CREAM CHEESE TOPPING:
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
OTHER INGREDIENTS:
butter or cooking spray to grease griddle
For toppings (optional)
chopped chocolate
fresh strawberries and blueberries
fresh mint
powdered sugar
maple syrup
INSTRUCTIONS: Prepare cream cheese topping. Using an electric mixer whip cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Add the cream and continue to beat until the mixture thickens, approximately 2 minutes. Set aside or refrigerate if not using immediately.
-Mix all of the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Whisk thoroughly to combine until all the lumps are gone. Set bowl side.
-In a separate bowl, thoroughly mix the buttermilk, eggs, vanilla, vinegar and food coloring. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the buttermilk mixture. Stir until mostly combined. Add in the melted butter and fold gently to mix. Your mixture will be lumpy and a few lumps are OK! Do not over mix, your pancakes will be chewy, instead of light and fluffy.
-Heat a skillet or griddle over medium, or to 320 degrees. Add 1 tablespoon of butter (or use cooking spray). Pour batter in 1/4 cup measurements onto skillet or griddle and let cook until bubbles form on top of the pancakes, about 2-3 minutes. Flip and cook for 1-2 minutes more, until cooked through.
-Transfer hot pancakes to a baking sheet and keep them warm in the oven until ready to serve.
-Repeat the process with the remaining batter, adding extra butter as needed, until all pancakes are cooked.
-Serve with sweet cream cheese topping or powdered sugar, fresh berries, chopped chocolate, a spring of mint, and maple syrup. Enjoy!
NOTES: To make heart shaped pancakes you will need either a heart shaped pancake mold or a cookie cutter. If using the mold make sure that you grease the inside of the mold and only fill 1/2 way with pancake batter. Remove the mold when ready to flip. If using a cookie cutter, make pancakes like normal, and cut the shape out.
These pancakes reheat well! You can make them the night before and just reheat them for 30 seconds in the microwave before serving. Just be sure to pull the sweet cream cheese topping out of the fridge early enough that it can reach room temperature.
Heat the oven to 175 to keep pancakes warm while you are cooking the rest of the batch. You can place the pancakes on a sheet pan or oven safe plate.