Strawberry Pancakes

Ingredients for Strawberry Pancakes

• All Purpose flour – just regular all purpose flour is the best here!
• Salt – just enough to make the flavors pop
• Baking powder – this is the KEY ingredient to make the fluffiest pancakes
• Baking soda – no, it is NOT the same as baking powder and YES, you need both.
• Sugar – a little sugar adds a hint of sweetness.
• Eggs – helps add structure, richness and lift!
• Buttermilk – buttermilk makes these pancakes as light and tender as can be!
• Vanilla extract – this is optional but highly recommended for the best flavor.
• Melted Butter – melted butter adds the best flavor, as well as richness
• Chopped strawberries – use fresh strawberries and dice them into small pieces for best results!

How to make Strawberry Pancakes

• Heat a large frying pan over medium-low to medium heat. Getting the right temperature is one of the most important parts of making pancakes. I usually have my burner set to the second to the lowest setting because my burners run pretty hot. When the pan is hot enough, a drop of water will skitter across the surface, evaporating immediately.
• Grease the pan with oil or butter. I prefer butter for the best flavor and it also helps the pancakes develop a golden brown color.
• In one bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and sugar, set aside.
• In a second bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk and vanilla until light and foamy. Whisk in the melted butter.
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring just to combine. Gently stir in the chopped strawberries. Don’t over mix, a few lumps are fine.
• Pour the batter in 1/4 cupfuls onto prepared pan.
• Cook the pancakes until bubbles start to form on top and the sides start to set, 2-3 minutes. Flip and cook for another 2 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Serve right away, or keep on a baking sheet fitted with a cooling rack in a 200 degree oven. Serve with more strawberries and whipped cream if desired.

How to make sure your pan is the right temperature

The first secret to great pancakes is making sure your pan is the right temperature. If your pan is too hot, the pancakes will burn on the outside and be raw in the middle. If your pan is not hot enough, the pancakes will take forever to cook. It is more likely your pan will be too hot, so keep the heat low and turn it up if you think it is necessary. When the pan is hot enough, a drop of water will skitter across the surface, evaporating immediately. However, if you add butter to grease the pan and it sizzles, melts and starts to brown very quickly, your pan is probably too hot.

How to know when to flip pancakes

Once you get the right temperature, your pancakes should cook on the first side in 2-3 minutes. The edges will set up and bubbles will form on the top. You should easily be able to slide a spatula under the pancake – if it feels like the pancake will fall apart, it likely is not set yet.

Tips for making the best pancakes

Here are a few tips to make the best fluffy homemade strawberry pancakes:

1. Measure correctly: When measuring the flour, use the spoon and level method rather than the scoop method.  What that means is, spoon the flour into the measuring cup, then use a knife to level it off.  This will help keep you from adding too much flour to the batter, which makes the pancakes dense instead of fluffy.
2. Easy does it: Don’t over mix the batter!  This is very important.  Mixing the batter for too long will make the pancakes tough. Just stir the ingredients until no dry spots remain, but don’t worry about lumps.
3. Get the temp right: Be sure your pan is not too hot.  I usually keep my pan at medium or just under medium.  If your pan is too hot, you will get a burned pancake that is raw in the middle.  Pay attention to this and adjust the heat as needed while cooking – you might need to turn it down.
4. Use buttermilk:  Buttermilk helps make your pancakes fluffy because of how it reacts to the baking soda.  It also make your pancakes more tender.

Can Strawberry Pancakes be frozen?

Yes! Let your pancakes cool completely in a single layer on a baking sheet fitted with a cooling rack to prevent them from getting soggy.  Then individually wrap them in plastic wrap and store in a freezer bag.  Or if you have the freezer space, you can leave them on the baking sheet, place the whole thing in the freezer and let them freeze solid.  Then individually wrap or place a piece of parchment paper between each pancake, and store in a freezer bag. Pancakes should be used in 1-2 months.

How to reheat frozen pancakes

Here are three ways to reheat frozen pancakes:

How to reheat pancakes in the oven.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and warm up pancakes on a baking sheet covered in foil for about 10 minutes.

How to reheat pancakes in the microwave

Place up to 6 pancakes in a single layer on a microwave safe plate. Reheat for 20 seconds for 1-2 pancakes, and 60 seconds for 4-6 pancakes.

How to reheat pancakes in the toaster.

Not the best method, but fast. Place one pancake in each slot and toast on the light setting.  This method is more likely to dry out your pancakes.

How to make heart shaped strawberry pancakes

If you want to make these strawberry pancakes extra special for Valentine’s day, an anniversary or just for fun you can make them into heart shapes using pancake molds. I have some I bought at target a few years ago, but I found some similar ones HERE.

What to serve with Pancakes?

• Oven Baked Bacon
• Homemade Whipped Cream
• French 75 Cocktail – if you are having a special brunch!

More pancake recipes you will love

• Buttermilk Blueberry Pancakes
• Carrot Cake Pancakes
• Pumpkin Pancakes