These Champagne Pancakes are a fun way to ring in the new year! Make them at midnight on NYE or as the first meal of the year on New Year's Day.
Some friends of Uncka's used to have a tradition of making and eating pancakes after the ball dropped on New Year's Eve as the first meal of the new year. He hopes to keep that tradition alive for Greyson, now that he is here and is such a pancake lover!
If you like to celebrate special occasions with pancakes, check out our other Holiday Pancakes! And always be sure to always serve them with WARM maple syrup, the real kind!
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Ingredients
These Champagne Pancakes start off just like our original pancake batter. I also add a bit of champagne or sparkling wine extract along with the vanilla. We then finish with a splash of champagne stirred in just before we cook the pancakes.
What you need:
- Unsalted Butter
- Whole Milk
- Vanilla Extract
- Sparkling Wine Extract
- All-Purpose Flour
- Granulated Sugar
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Kosher Salt, Morton’s
- Eggs
- Champagne or Sparkling Wine
- Whipped Irish Butter
- Maple Syrup
See the recipe card for full quantities.
Use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top of the post, or scroll to the bottom of the post to see the full recipe card with ingredient measurements and instructions.
Method
To make the pancake batter, melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat on the stove. When fully melted, add the milk to the pan warming it until no lumps of butter remain, do not simmer or boil.
Cold milk can make the butter lump up, just warm it enough that the butter remains liquid in the pan. If the mixture boils, let it cool to room temp or it will cook the flour when added to the hot liquid and you will get gummy pancakes, not light fluffy ones.
To form the batter, in a large bowl, stir the dry ingredients together with the milk/butter mixture and the extracts until well combined. Lastly, fold the eggs into the mix just until fully incorporated.
Let the batter rest for 10 minutes before you begin cooking the pancakes. This is the secret to extra fluffy, cloud-like pancakes. Fold in the champagne with a spatula just before you cook the pancakes.
To cook the pancakes, heat a griddle over medium heat on the stove, and be patient. Heat it for at least 10 minutes to get fully warm.
Cook 2-ounce scoops of batter on the hot griddle until the bubbles begin to pop. When most of them have popped, flip and cook only 30-45 seconds longer.
Uncka's Chef Tip
Stack the cooked pancakes up to ensure they finish cooking, the same way you'd stack tortillas and put them in a warmer or cloth to finish. Pancakes finish cooking all the way through in the same way as well as keeping the first cakes warm as you cook the rest. This ensures not wet or soggy middles.
To serve, stack as many pancakes as you like on a plate. Use a sparkler candle if desired and douse them in maple syrup.
Add a glass of real champagne for the adults and sparkling cider for the kids. After all, New Year's should be festive!
Substitutions
Let's chat about how to make these pancakes gluten, or dairy-free if you or someone you love needs to follow those dietary guidelines for their health.
- Flour - If you need to make these pancakes gluten-free, use a quality cup-for-cup flour swap. The one I linked here is really high quality and has great results.
- Milk - If you are dairy-free, you can use almond milk, but my suggestion is cashew for its higher fat content. Pancakes may stick a bit when using almond milk, and you may need to grease the griddle or pan more often during the cooking of your pancakes.
- Butter - You can use a vegan butter substitute or plant-based butter. A bit of a more economical swap is vegetable or canola oil.
- Champagne - If you are alcohol-free, swap the champagne for some sparkling mineral water, or even some sparkling cider. The bubbles help give the pancakes some extra fluffy and lift. Also, if you are concerned about the alcohol in the pancakes for kids, it cooks off completely when they are on the griddle.
Equipment
These are my favorite little skillets for making pancake toppings and syrups in. You can also toast nuts for use in them too.
My number one, most favorite tool for perfect pancakes is a Cast-Iron griddle. They build up a strong, natural, non-stick coating over time and make for BEAUTIFUL pancakes.
Be sure to season a new griddle, every time you use and wash it (with soap) with this cast-iron oil to build THE BEST non-stick surface.
I like a really sturdy, metal spatula for flipping pancakes. It helps them not stick to it, and makes for a perfect flip, no floppy half-turned pancakes, It's got to be THIS spatula for me!
The use of a 2-ounce ladle makes THE perfect-sized pancakes, in my opinion. They are just the right size and easy to flip.
My favorite knife and cutting board for working on the small details for fun pancakes like these are essential!
Storage
While pancakes won't spoil if left on the counter overnight, they are just like a cake, biscuit, or cookie in this way. I prefer to place them in a zip-top bag or air-tight container in the fridge.
You can also freeze pancakes. To do so, lay them flat on a tray, not stacked, then once frozen place them in a freezer bag and store for up to 3 months.
Reheat leftover Champagne pancakes, from the fridge or freezer, in a toaster, or toaster oven for best results.
Top Tips
When making the pancake batter, ensuring it rests for 10 minutes is a HUGE gateway to SUPER FLUFFY pancakes. This allows the leavening agent to fully develop and lets the gluten strands in the flour relax.
Exercise patience and let the griddle get really warm before you start cooking. A griddle that is too cool will cause the pancakes to stick to it. I use a really Well-Seasoned cast iron griddle that requires no buttering due to the amount in the actual pancakes.
If you can use a small amount of high-heat oil like vegetable or grapeseed to grease your griddle if needed. You should only need to do this once before you start cooking. Use a paper towel to spread an even and thin layer over your griddle.
I prefer to cook on medium, to just under medium heat so my pancakes can cook quickly. I also prefer only to cook 2 pancakes at a time so I have plenty of room to flip.
Be sure to stack your pancakes after cooking. This allows them to stay soft as well as allowing the middles to finish cooking while also staying a little JAMMY SOFT. That's what I call it anyway. It helps create super tender pancakes.
FAQ
Buttermilk! Buttermilk reacts with the baking powder and baking soda and gives LOTS of lift to the pancake batter, resulting in super light and fluffy pancakes.
Using all real and fresh ingredients gives your pancakes the best flavor and texture. Also, letting the pancake batter rest after mixing, for at least 10 minutes before you begin cooking them is a big factor in fluffy success.
Why are my Pancakes Rubbery?
Pancakes can become rubbery if you over-mix them. This is often why you will see recipes state to mix the batter till some lumps remain so that you do not overwork the flour. Overworking it can create too much gluten and make them rubbery.
Related
If you LOVE pancakes like Greyson and me, try these other great recipes:
More great recipes to LOVE!
A great spread for these pancakes would be to top them with some of Unckas Cinnamon Butter. It would pair really well with the champagne.
If you like a sparkling cocktail, try this Sparkling Elderflower Lemonade that Uncka created too!
Champagne Pancakes
These Champagne Pancakes are a great for ringing in the new year! Make them at midnight on NYE or as the first meal on New Year's Day.
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons Unsalted Butter, melted
- 1 ½ cups Whole Milk
- 1 tablespoon Sparkling Wine Extract
- 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
- ¼ cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Baking Powder
- 2 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt, Morton’s
- 2 lg Eggs, lightly beaten
- ¼ cup Champagne or Sparkling wine
- Whipped Irish Butter, for serving
- Maple Syrup, for serving
Instructions
- In a 2-quart saucepan on the stove, melt the butter over low heat. Add the milk to the pan and heat just till warm and any butter that solidified is liquid again. Do not boil. Let cool for 5 minutes, then stir the sparkling wine extract into the milk mixture.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, soda, and salt.
- Slowly whisk the warm milk mixture into the flour mixture, just till a lumpy mixture forms.
- Crack the eggs into the bowl and whisk just till incorporated.
- Let the pancake batter rest on the counter for 10 minutes.
- After the batter has rested for 5 minutes, warm the griddle on the stove, over medium-heat I suggest a cast iron griddle. It is important to let it get hot till it begins to smoke the tiniest bit, then you know it is ready to be cooked on.
- Turn the heat down two marks on the stove dial, just between medium, and medium-low.
- Just before you cook the pancakes, gently stir in the champagne.
- Using a 2-ounce ladle, drop 2 rounds of batter on the griddle at a time. Cook for 30-45 seconds, just till the edges begin to set.
- Flip and cook a further 45-60 seconds, then remove to a platter.
- Pancakes can be kept warm in a 200˚F oven if needed.
- To make whipped Irish butter, beat 4 tablespoons in the bowl of a stand mixer, I like to use my flex edge flat beater it gets the butter extra fluffy, and beat for 3-4 minutes on medium-high, with a pinch of kosher salt.
- Serve the pancakes with a dollop of butter on top and warm maple syrup, the real kind!
Notes
Substitutions
Let's chat about how to make these pancakes gluten, or dairy-free if you or someone you love needs to follow those dietary guidelines for their health.
- Flour - If you need to make these banana pancakes gluten-free, use a quality cup-for-cup flour swap. The one I linked here is really high quality and has great results.
- Milk - If you are dairy-free, you can use almond milk, but my suggestion is cashew for its higher fat content. Pancakes may stick a bit when using almond milk, and you may need to grease the griddle or pan more often during the cooking of your pancakes.
- Butter - You can use a vegan butter substitute or plant-based butter. A bit of a more economical swap is vegetable or canola oil.
- Champagne - If you are alcohol-free, swap the champagne for some sparkling mineral water, or even some sparkling cider. The bubbles help give the pancakes some extra fluffy and lift. Also, if you are concerned about the alcohol in the pancakes for kids, it cooks off completely when they are on the griddle.
Top Tips
When making the pancake batter, ensuring it rests for 10 minutes is a HUGE gateway to SUPER FLUFFY pancakes. This allows the leavening agent to fully develop and lets the gluten strands in the flour relax.
Exercise patience and let the griddle get really warm before you start cooking. A griddle that is too cool will cause the pancakes to stick to it. I use a really Well-Seasoned cast iron griddle that requires no buttering due to the amount in the actual pancakes.
If you can use a small amount of high-heat oil like vegetable or grapeseed to grease your griddle if needed. You should only need to do this once before you start cooking. Use a paper towel to spread an even and thin layer over your griddle.
I prefer to cook on medium, to just under medium heat so my pancakes can cook quickly. I also prefer only to cook 2 pancakes at a time so I have plenty of room to flip.
Be sure to stack your pancakes after cooking. This allows them to stay soft as well as allowing the middles to finish cooking while also staying a little JAMMY SOFT. That's what I call it anyway. It helps create super tender pancakes.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
10Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 343Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 68mgSodium: 570mgCarbohydrates: 49gFiber: 1gSugar: 27gProtein: 5g
Food Safety
There aren't many concerns when it comes to pancakes, but here are a few tips to help ensure the best experience with your pancakes.
- Ensure your pancakes are fully cooked, as eating raw pancake batter is not advised because it contains raw eggs.
- The USDA advises to not leave cooked foods at room temperature for longer than 2 hours, 1 hour if the environment is above 90˚F.
- That said, pancakes contain the same ingredients as cakes, biscuits, and cookies so they can be stored at room temperature.
- I personally advise keeping them in an air-tight container or zip-top bag and warming them in a toaster or microwave before eating leftovers.
- Never leave cooking food unattended.
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove.
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