I love it when I see the ruby-red stalks hit the grocery store, and making these Rhubarb Pancakes is a really fun and tasty way to use them.
Greyson may have thought at first bite it was a little sour, but he grew to love it after a few tastes. Uncka loves to experiment with rhubarb, and these pancakes were a whopping success!
These pancakes can brighten up your day when fresh rhubarb is in abundance during the summer months, but can equally brighten a cold morning by using frozen. Either works here, just take care to only cook gently it for a couple of minutes, so the rhubarb doesn't get too mushy and holds its shape nicely.
If you like to use up some of summer's other favorite fruit, check out THIS ONE. Also, be sure to always serve them with WARM maple syrup, the real kind!
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Ingredients
I typically make these rhubarb pancakes with fresh during the warm summer days. Cooking it up with some lemon and sugar creates this pancake topping that is like a natural Jolly Rancher compote. It is so good, sweet, and tart, in all the best ways.
But don't let that stop you from making them in the winter, frozen rhubarb can also be used.
What you need:
- Rhubarb
- Lemon
- Unsalted Butter
- Whole Milk
- Vanilla Extract
- All-Purpose Flour
- Granulated Sugar
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Kosher Salt, Morton’s
- Eggs
- 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 start, add the lemon juice and sugar to a pan along with the sliced rhubarb. Cook just till the sugar dissolves 2-3 minutes, the rhubarb will be perfectly tender, but not falling apart at this point. Turn off the heat and set the rhubarb aside until ready to eat.
Next, melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat on the stove. Add the milk and vanilla to the pan and just continue 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 becomes liquid again.
Stir the dry ingredients together in the bowl along with the milk/butter mixture. Fold in the eggs and a little bit of the cooked rhubarb, about ½ cup. Mix until a slightly lumpy batter has formed, it's ok for pancake batter to have a few lumps.
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.
Then drop 2-ounce ladles of batter on the hot griddle 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, stack the pancakes high and top with some of the cooked rhubarb and a little of the syrup from the pan. Finish with a hearty drizzle of REAL maple syrup!
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.
- Rhubarb - If I only have one or two stalks of rhubarb around I will also toss a few strawberries into the pan with it. If you can not locate fresh rhubarb, you can also use frozen, just be careful to cook it very gently. Because it was frozen it may get a little bit more mushy than fresh, but will still taste great!
Equipment
These are my favorite little skillets for making pancake toppings and toasting a few 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.
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 rhubarb pancakes, from the fridge or freezer, in a toaster, or toaster oven for best results.
If you have leftover cooked rhubarb topping for these pancakes, store it in the fridge. Warm it gently before serving as it may thicken up and set like a jam in the fridge.
Top Tips
You only need to cook the rhubarb in the lemon and sugar for 2-3 minutes just till the sugar melts. The lemon keeps everything bright and fresh and keeps the color really bright. If you overcook the rhubarb it will get very mushy, and it happens fast.
It will still taste good, but to get the pretty pieces you see in the photos, minimal cooking is key.
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
Can Rhubarb be eaten raw?
While rhubarb can be eaten raw, it is very tart, and the larger the stalks the more tough they get. It is typically best eaten cooked with a good amount of sugar to cut the tart flavor it has.
Baking Soda. It is what gives the pancakes their rise. The boost ensures a super fluffy, light, and airy finished pancake. Resting the batter also promotes rise. Letting the baking soda work for a while gives more lift.
Rhubarb has many antioxidants, one of which is anthocyanins which give it its red color. It also contains proanthocyanidins. These antioxidants have anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties, which can help protect you from health-related issues such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.
Related
If you LOVE pancakes like Greyson and me, try these other great recipes:
More of great Rhubarb Recipes
One of Uncka's favorite new rhubarb recipes is this Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp. It just screams summer and is perfect when topped with fresh ice cream.
It is a classic for a reason, this Strawberry Rhubarb Jam is so tasty, and would even be fantastic spread on these pancakes!
Rhubarb Pancakes
I love it when I see the ruby-red stalks hit the grocery store, and making these Rhubarb Pancakes is a really fun and tasty way to use them.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups fresh Rhubarb, sliced on the bias
- 1 medium Lemon, juices
- ½ cup Granulated Sugar
- 8 tablespoons Unsalted Butter, melted
- 1 ½ cups Whole Milk
- 1 ½ tablespoons Vanilla 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
- Whipped Irish Butter, for serving
- Maple Syrup, for serving
Instructions
- Start by cooking the rhubarb. In a skillet, add the sugar, lemon juice, and rhubarb, in that order. Heat on the stove over medium heat until the mixture comes to a boil. Stir and cook for only 2-3 minutes till the sugar is fully dissolved and the rhubarb is lightly tender but still holding its shape.
- To make the pancakes, 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 along with about ½ cup of the cooked rhubarb, if you leave the pieces large, fish a few out and chop them up small for in the pancake batter.
- 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.
- 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 generous spoonful of the cooked rhubarb along with some of the syrup from the skillet, a dollop of butter on top, and a drizzle of 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.
- Rhubarb - If I only have one or two stalks of rhubarb around I will also toss a few strawberries into the pan with it. If you can not locate fresh rhubarb, you can also use frozen, just be careful to cook it very gently. Because it was frozen it may get a little bit more mushy than fresh, but will still taste great!
Top Tips
You only need to cook the rhubarb in the lemon and sugar for 2-3 minutes just till the sugar melts. The lemon keeps everything bright and fresh and keeps the color really bright. If you overcook the rhubarb it will get very mushy, and it happens fast.
It will still taste good, but to get the pretty pieces you see in the photos, minimal cooking is key.
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: 486Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 85mgSodium: 730mgCarbohydrates: 79gFiber: 2gSugar: 51gProtein: 7g
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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