Perfect for a breakfast or after school snack, these Hot Chocolate Pancakes will satisfy your sweet tooth! Top with butter and powdered sugar, whipped cream, or eat plain!
I love making these Hot Chocolate Pancakes for my kids. They’re so moist, they can be eaten plain, which means no sticky syrup mess!
I’ll make them in the afternoon just before I leave to pick the kids up from school. I wrap up a stack of pancakes in aluminum foil and pack them in an insulated lunch box.
When I get to school 20 minutes later, they’re still steaming-hot for an award-winning after school snack! What a treat!
Hot Chocolate Pancake Ingredients
Flour: all-purpose. Measure by gently spooning flour into the measuring cups and then level off the top. Alternatively, measure by weight.
Cocoa Powder
Sugar: granulated
Baking Powder
Baking Soda
Salt
Egg
Buttermilk: If you run out of buttermilk, you can substitute with “sour milk” or yogurt whey. Use slightly less than the amount called for in the recipe. See below for sour milk instructions.
Butter, melted: or substitute with vegetable oil or any other neutral oil
Vanilla Extract
How to Make Sour Milk
Sour milk is the easiest buttermilk substitute. Because it’s thinner than buttermilk, I use slightly less than the recipe calls for when I’m making pancakes. This keeps them fluffy and tall, instead of becoming thin and dense.
Add 1 Tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar to a glass measuring cup. Fill up to 1 cup line with milk. Stir. Let sit 5-10 minutes before using.
Easy peasy!
Tips for Perfect Hot Chocolate Pancakes
The most important thing is to cook pancakes over MEDIUM-LOW HEAT! If you use heat that’s too high, you’ll burn the outsides while leaving the insides raw. Cook your pancakes low and slow!
It may be a bit difficult to tell when these pancakes are done since they won’t change color. You’ll know they’re ready to flip when the sides are dry and tiny bubbles pop on the top. Then flip and cook just 1 minute more.
Serving Hot Chocolate Pancakes
These pancakes are tasty and moist enough to eat plain! Of course, you can eat them the traditional way with butter and syrup.
For a little more pizzazz, try butter and a sprinkling of powdered sugar or top like you would a mug of hot chocolate and dot them with homemade whipped cream!
Storing Chocolate Pancakes
Keep tightly covered in the fridge for 1-2 days.
Can I Freeze Hot Chocolate Pancakes?
Yes! I’m a big fan of making a double batch and freezing the extras. Store them in a storage baggie, Tupperware, or wrap in aluminum foil. For easy removal, place a layer of wax paper between pancakes. Freeze up to 1-2 months for best quality.
Next time you want chocolate pancakes, just grab them and microwave until warm.
Happy Baking!
Hot Chocolate Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (125 grams by weight)
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder (26 grams by weight)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1 ¼ cup buttermilk (sub: 1 cup sour milk or 1 cup yogurt whey)
- 2 Tablespoons butter, melted (sub: 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk egg, buttermilk, melted butter and vanilla.
- Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Add the buttermilk mixture and stir. Small lumps left in the batter are ok.
- Preheat griddle or frying pan over medium-low heat. Place a dot of vegetable oil on a paper towel and run it over your cook surface.
- Drop batter by 1/4 cupfuls. Cook until sides are dry and tiny bubbles pop on the top. Carefully flip. Cook about 1 minute more.
- Remove to plate to serve.
- Store tightly covered in fridge for 1-2 days, or freeze for 1-2 months.
Notes
- To make sour milk: Add 1 Tablespoon lemon juice (or vinegar) to a liquid measuring cup. Add milk up the the 8 ounce line. Stir. Let sit 5-10 minutes before using.
- You can swap out vegetable oil for the melted butter.
- Serving options:
- Butter and powdered sugar
- Butter and syrup for traditional pancakes
- Whipped cream for a true hot chocolate finish
- Plain for a less-mess option
- To store: Place in storage baggie, Tupperware, or wrap in aluminum foil. For easy separation, place a piece of waxed paper between each pancake.
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