If there was ever a time to get festive with food it's around Christmas and these Reindeer Pancakes are perfectly fit for infusing the holidays with joy! You'll love seeing your little reindeer light up when this plate is placed in front of them.
Uncka continues to have to up his game for Greyson, and this recipe was very well received by him. He is getting to an age where this cute stuff really excites him and that just warms my heart!
If you like having fun with your pancakes as much as Greyson and I check out our other Holiday Pancakes! Also, be sure to always serve them with WARM maple syrup, the real kind!
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Ingredients
These Reindeer Pancakes start with a base of our traditional fluffy batter. You will also need some cooked bacon to help make the antlers of the deer and some maraschino cherries to give Rudolph's nose. He is the most famous reindeer of all!
Uncka likes to keep things fairly simple, so we just use candy eyes to complete the face. Because he knows when little hands are close by, you gotta be quick with breakfast.
What you need:
- Unsalted Butter
- Whole Milk
- Vanilla Extract
- Almond Extract
- All-Purpose Flour
- Granulated Sugar
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Kosher Salt, Morton’s
- Eggs
- Cooked Bacon
- Candy Eyes
- Maraschino Cherries
- 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 our classic pancake batter, melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat on the stove. When fully melted, add the milk to the pan only warming until no lumps of butter remain, the milk does not need to simmer or boil.
When adding cold milk it can make the butter lump up, just warm it enough that the butter stays liquid in the pan. But 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.
In a large bowl, stir the dry ingredients together with the milk/butter mixture until well combined. Then 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.
To cook the pancakes, heat a griddle over medium heat on the stove, and be patient. Heat it for at least 5 minutes to get fully warm.
To cook reindeer pancakes drop (1) 2-ounce ladle of batter on the hot griddle and (½) ladle to make the head and nose respectively. Using one more full ladle of batter, drop two more half ladles and elongate them to form "ears" and cook till it gets very bubbly and the bubbles begin to pop. Flip and cook 30-45 seconds longer till fully cooked.
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, place the ear-shaped pancakes down on the plate, cut a piece of cooked bacon in half, and place the two halves on the plate between them to form the "antlers".
Then place the larger pancake down with the smaller one toward the bottom to form the "nose". Add the candy eyes to make the face and place half a cherry at the bottom to be Rudolph's nose. Finish with a drizzle of warm maple syrup to make everything yummy!
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.
- Cherries - A raspberry also works great for a red nose or a strawberry cut in a circle in a pinch.
- Candy Eyes - If you don't have candy sprinkle eyes, you could also use a mini marshmallow cut in half with a mini chocolate chip in it to make eyes too.
- Bacon "Antlers" - While I really think bacon is the best thing to use here, you could also pipe some melted chocolate out to look like antlers. Or if your pancake skills are really good, you could make antlers out of pancake batter too.
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 reindeer pancakes, from the fridge or freezer, in a toaster, or toaster oven for best results.
Top Tips
The hardest part of this recipe is making the reindeer ear pancakes. To make them, drop a dollop of batter on the griddle, then drag from the center out to one side, this should form a leaf or "ear" shape. Continue cooking as directed.
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
Just like they do at IHOP we like to use baking soda and baking powder for extra lift in our recipes. It makes pancakes so fluffy they just might float away.
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 breakfast recipes to LOVE!
If you love being festive at Christmas time, try Uncka's Sugar Plum Cheese Danish which is just like Starbucks, but way better fresh from your oven!
For a fun twist on an adult beverage for the holidays, try this Peppermint Eggnog Chai Cocktail. It's super festive, and can be kept kid friendly for a special drink for the whole family!
Reindeer Pancakes
The time to get festive with food is around Christmas and these Reindeer Pancakes are perfectly fit for infusing the holidays with joy!
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons Unsalted Butter, melted
- 1 ½ cups Whole Milk
- 1 tablespoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 teaspoon Almond 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
- 6-8 strips of Bacon, cooked, for serving
- Candy Eyes, for serving
- Maraschino Cherries, for the nose
- 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 vanilla and almond 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.
- To cook reindeer pancakes drop (1) 2-ounce ladle of batter on the hot griddle and (½) ladle to make the head and nose respectively. Using one more full ladle of batter, drop two more half ladles and elongate them to form "ears" and cook till it gets very bubbly and the bubbles begin to pop. Flip and cook 30-45 seconds longer till fully cooked.
- 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 serve, place the ear-shaped pancakes down on the plate, cut a piece of cooked bacon in half, and place the two halves on the plate between them to form the “antlers”.
- Then place the larger pancake down with the smaller one toward the bottom to form the "nose". Add the candy eyes to make the face and place half a cherry at the bottom to be Rudolph's nose. Finish with a drizzle of warm maple syrup to make everything yummy!
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.
- Cherries - A raspberry also works great for a red nose or a strawberry cut in a circle in a pinch.
- Candy Eyes - If you don't have candy sprinkle eyes, you could also use a mini marshmallow cut in half with a mini chocolate chip in it to make eyes too.
- Bacon "Antlers" - While I really think bacon is the best thing to use here, you could also pipe some melted chocolate out to look like antlers. Or if your pancake skills are really good, you could make antlers out of pancake batter too.
Top Tips
The hardest part of this recipe is making the reindeer ear pancakes. To make them, drop a dollop of batter on the griddle, then drag from the center out to one side, this should form a leaf or "ear" shape. Continue cooking as directed.
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.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 458Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 93mgSodium: 894mgCarbohydrates: 62gFiber: 1gSugar: 35gProtein: 10g
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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