Chocolate Chip Pancakes
Get ready for a total breakfast treat — Chocolate Chip Pancakes! This easy recipe makes a stack that is sweet, light, fluffy, and completely crave-worthy. Add a drizzle of warm maple syrup for the perfect finishing touch!
My family goes crazy for Chocolate Chip Pancakes on lazy Saturday mornings! We love a special spread of pancakes, waffles or French toast — I make at least one of them every weekend.
I usually whip up our family-favorite buttermilk pancakes, but it’s also fun to change up the flavors — sometimes adding an overripe banana (like in these banana pancakes) or seasonal pumpkin and cozy spices (like in these pumpkin pancakes).
Today, I’m sharing our new favorite pancake recipe – delicious chocolate chip pancakes! They are easy to make with a cup of chocolate chips and the perfect ratio of all of the typical ingredients. These have a crisp exterior with a soft, fluffy interior. They are total perfection… almost like dessert for breakfast!
Ingredients needed
This chocolate chip pancakes recipe uses pantry staples. Grab the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Nutmeg is an optional ingredient, but is the perfect touch to add a lovely depth of flavor. The wet ingredients are milk, an egg, butter and vanilla extract. Nothing too complicated! Here’s a note on each of the ingredients:
- Flour. Regular all-purpose flour or whole wheat pastry flour work great for this recipe. If you want to make gluten-free pancakes, use King Arthur Measure for Measure flour!
- Salt. Enhances all of the flavors.
- Baking powder. Will help these get nice and fluffy.
- Sugar. You’ll need just one tablespoon of sugar to add a touch of sweetness.
- Nutmeg or cinnamon. For a warm, cozy taste!
- Chocolate chips. You can use any chocolate chip variety in this recipe. Even white chocolate chips are delicious, especially when paired with macadamia nuts! Mini chocolate chips work too!
- Milk. You can use any milk you’d like.
- Egg. One egg not only adds fluffiness, but also helps the ingredients bind together. Read this for the best way to crack an egg.
- Melted butter. A little bit of melted butter gives these the perfect texture and richness.
- Vanilla extract. Use pure vanilla for the best flavor.
- Other mix-ins. These are super versatile! Feel free to swap the chocolate chips for any other favorite add-in: peanut butter chips, dark chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips, banana chunks, nuts, or blueberries. These are also absolutely incredible without any extras!
How to make this recipe
These fluffy homemade pancakes take only slightly longer to make than pancake mix from the store. And once you take one bite, you won’t be able to go back. No comparison! Here’s the easy method:
- Mix dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, sugar and nutmeg. Add chocolate chips into the flour mixture and toss to combine. (Note: picture below does not show this.)
- Add wet ingredients. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and stir in the milk, egg, melted butter and vanilla; mix until just combined. Do NOT overmix. Some small lumps are fine.
- Let batter rest. For best results, rest the pancake batter for 5 to 10 minutes. This will allow the gluten in the flour to relax and the starch grains to swell and will make for the most light and fluffy flapjacks.
- Cook. Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat to medium-high heat. Butter the surface and once hot, pour out about 1/4 cup batter for each pancake. After about 3 minutes and when bubbles begin to form on the surface and the edges of the pancakes and they look set, flip and cook the other side until cooked through and golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy. Top with any favorite toppings. We love maple syrup and a few extra chocolate chips!
Expert tips
This recipe is simple and straightforward, but I do have a few tips to give you the most perfect, fluffy chocolate chip pancakes.
- Ensure your baking powder is active. If you’re unsure if your baking powder is still good, you can test it by mixing 1 teaspoon of baking powder with 1/3 cup hot water. If the baking powder is fresh, the mixture should produce lots of bubbles.
- For best results, use room temperature egg and milk. You can even warm the milk up just a bit and melt the butter by stirring it into the milk. This will help to make the pancakes fluffier.
- Do NOT over mix the batter. This may cause your pancakes to be flat and heavy. It’s okay if there are some streaks of flour left behind.
- Let batter rest for about 5 to 10 minutes. This allows the gluten in the flour to relax and the starch grains to swell. These will be more likely to come out light and fluffy.
- Don’t press down on the pancake with the back of your flipper. This can cause it to flatten and it won’t help them cook any faster.
- Only flip once. Flipping these back and forth causes them to deflate and become dense, so when it’s time to check if they’re done on bottom, just barely lift them to take a peek.
Frequently asked questions
Yes! We like to add the chocolate chips to the flour mixture. This helps to keep them from sinking to the bottom of the pancakes and also keeps you from overworking the batter. However, you can fold them in once the wet and dry ingredients have been combined.
To keep the chocolate chips from melting in the pancakes, store them in the freezer. Don’t take them out until it’s time to put them in the batter. They’ll still warm up and get soft, but they won’t melt as quickly!
To keep pancakes warm in between batches, preheat your oven to 200 degrees F. Once they are cooked, transfer them to a large baking sheet and put them in the oven to stay warm.
Toppings
While I honestly love to eat these with just a little butter and syrup, there are so many fun topping options to try. You could even set up a full spread with different toppings for a special occasion. Below are some ideas:
- Powdered sugar. Dust it over the top with a sifter or spoon.
- Fresh fruit. Strawberries, raspberries, cherries and/or sliced bananas are delicious choices!
- Whipped cream. You can add a dollop of whipped cream for the ultimate topping. Grab my homemade whipped cream recipe for major deliciousness.
- Caramel sauce. A drizzle of salted caramel sauce would be amazing!
- Sliced almonds or chopped pecans. Love that nutty flavor and added crunch!
- Nutella, almond butter or peanut butter. This is the way to go for a little extra decadence!
Serving suggestions
These easy chocolate chip pancakes pair well with a variety of breakfast sides. Below are some of my favorite sides to serve with them:
- Hash browns or breakfast potatoes. Yes, please!
- Fresh fruit or fruit salad. To keep this breakfast on the lighter side, fruit is such a great option.
- Yogurt. Serve on the side or add a spoonful on top.
- Bacon, sausage, or ham. Anyone else love the bacon/maple syrup combo?
- Eggs. Scrambled on the side, or perhaps over easy and served on top.
Storage tips
- Make ahead. The batter can be made in advance. You can refrigerate it for up to 4 hours before you plan to use it.
- Storing leftover pancakes. Cool completely and store in an airtight container or ziplock bag for up to 5 days in the refrigerator or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Reheating. You can rewarm in a toaster or microwave when you’re ready to eat.
How to freeze
These are very freezer friendly. Once they have cooled to room temperature, freeze them first on a large pan or plate. When they are slightly hard, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag. They will keep well in the freezer for up to 3 months. Freezing them first, separately, keeps them from sticking together.
To reheat from frozen, you can either heat them in a toaster oven, microwave, or a warm oven. You can also reheat without thawing them first.
These are everything you want in a pancake. They’re soft and so fluffy… each mouthful melts in your mouth… you’ll be reaching for more than one. Stack. Possibly.
More breakfast recipes
If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment and if your family loves it as much as mine does, be sure to give it a five star ⭐️ rating! Also, tag @kimscravings on Instagram with a picture of your creation. Be sure to subscribe to our mailing list to receive more healthy delicious recipes straight to your inbox.
Chocolate Chip Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 3 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon white sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg or cinnamon
- 1 cup chocolate chips, optional (these pancakes are great plain too or choose a different add-in from below)
- 1 ¼ cups milk , (add 2-3 additional tablespoons, if the mixture seems too thick)
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Optional mix-ins: white chocolate chips, banana chunks, macadamia nuts, blueberries
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients. Add chocolate chips into the flour mixture and toss to combine.
- Make a well in the center and stir in the milk, egg, melted butter and vanilla; mix until just combined. Do NOT overmix. Some small lumps are fine. Let batter rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Heat lightly greased or buttered skillet or griddle over medium to medium-high heat. Portion out 1/4 cup scoops of batter onto skillet or griddle, cooking in batches as needed. You may need to gently spread the batter out some. When bubbles begin to form on the surface and the edges of the pancakes look set (2 to 3 minutes), flip and cook the other side until cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve warm with maple syrup and butter and/or other favorite toppings.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
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