Happy Saturday, everyone!!
We are officially EIGHT DAYS away from Christmas and I am super excited/unprepared.
But I do have one thing going for me… I know what my family and friends are going to be diving into during our myriad of parties/sleepovers/get-togethers.
(because food is the most important part of the holidays, am I right?)
My favorite tradition of the holiday season is the big holiday breakfast after a late night of festive cheer. I love sitting in my pjs at my huge dining room table with my family and friends, sipping on hot chocolate, and gorging on breakfast favorites. While my sister loves a big savory breakfast filled with scrambled eggs, sausage, and everything bagels, I am the complete opposite… bring on the SUGAR!
During the holidays, I love to indulge in big holiday breakfasts filled with waffles, pancakes, french toast, and pastries (okay, and eggs to balance everything out). While my mom would love to whip up french toast or waffles to feed a crowd, they take way too much time to make before the masses emerge from all corners of the house.
So pancakes are the sweet treat of choice.
They are easy to make, can be customized a million different ways, and everyone loves them.
This year, I wanted to try something special for our holiday breakfast tradition. So I decided to merge cinnamon rolls (another seasonal love) with pancakes… and what a great idea that was! My regular pancake recipe received a healthy shake of cinnamon in the batter and a swirl of brown sugar butter while cooking, leaving a sweet/crisp trail in the center of the pancake… perfect for a drizzle of syrup, a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream, and a liberal dash of cinnamon.
Basically, holiday on a plate.
(but still can be made in 30 minutes!!!!)
These pancakes start with the dry ingredients.
Flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and a good helping of cinnamon.
Whisk the dry ingredients together to combine.
Then pour over the wet ingredients – skim milk, eggs, and vanilla.
Again, whisk to combine… but don’t over mix! If you over mix, your pancakes will become flat and tough.
Pour out ¼ cup of batter on a preheated grilled that has been greased with vegetable oil.
Then pipe the “cinnamon roll” filling in a spiral pattern.
To make the filling, combine equal parts of softened butter and brown sugar in a bowl. Using a fork, work the brown sugar into the butter until thoroughly combined.
Spoon the filling into a small ziptop bag and then clip the corner of the bag – instant piping bag! Pipe the filling in a spiral pattern to mimic the cinnamon roll.
When the bottom is golden brown (I cook my pancakes for 90 seconds per side!), flip them over and cook until the other side is golden. Remove them from the griddle and keep warm in a 180-degree oven while you make the rest of the pancakes.
Serve up the pancakes with a drizzle of warm syrup, a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream and a (liberal) sprinkle of cinnamon.
Definitely a breakfast of champions!
Have a great weekend, everyone!
Your pancake obsessed friend,
Catherine
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 3½ tablespoons granulated sugar
- 3¾ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 eggs
- 1¾ cup + 2 tablespoons skim milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Vegetable oil
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 4 tablespoons brown sugar
- In a small bowl, combine butter and brown sugar.
- Using a fork, work brown sugar into the butter until thoroughly combined.
- Spoon the filling into a small ziptop bag. Snip the corner of the bag and set aside.
- Preheat your griddle over medium-low heat. Lightly grease the griddle with vegetable oil.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Whisk well to combine.
- In a small bowl, combine eggs, milk, and vanilla. Whisk to combine.
- Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Stir to combine.
- Pour ¼ cup portion of batter on to the griddle and squeeze a swirl of filling in the middle of the pancake. Cook pancakes for 90 seconds then flip and cook for an additional 90 seconds. Keep pancakes warm in the oven. Continue to cook pancakes until all the batter is finished. Serve with a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream and ground. Enjoy!
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