Let Me Tell You About These Pancakes (Before You Judge)
Okay, so here’s the deal: last Sunday, after a couple cups of strong coffee (and, fine, a slightly questionable attempt at making real churros the night before), I woke up craving churros but not keen on wrestling with hot oil at 9 am. Enter: my Spanish Churro-Inspired Pancakes. Basically, this is what happens when you mash together the cinnamon-sugar goodness of street-fair churros with lazy weekend pancake vibes—my kind of hybrid breakfast. Plus, the first time I made these, my brother ate six and didn’t even bother with the fork. I’ll take that as a win, yeah?
Why You'll Love This
Honestly, I make these whenever I want churro flavor without having to deep-fry; pancakes are just way easier (and less perilous—I once set off the fire alarm frying churros at midnight, but that’s another story). My family goes crazy for them, maybe because they’re fluffy but have that signature cinnamon crunch. Or maybe because I’ll actually let them drown their pancakes in chocolate sauce on a school day. Who knows?
Oh, and sneaky bonus? These pancakes make the house smell amazing. You know how shops use those fake cinnamon roll candles? This is the real-deal air freshener, trust me.
Gathering the Goods (Ingredients)
- 1 and ½ cups all-purpose flour (or sometimes I use half whole-wheat—don’t tell the kids)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (I’ve swapped in coconut sugar, works fine)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt (Grandma swore by fancy sea salt, but table salt’s grand)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (or a full tablespoon if you’re a cinnamon fiend like me)
- 1 and ¼ cups milk (any—dairy, oat, even almond; I’m not picky)
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons melted butter (or just vegetable oil when the butter is MIA)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- For topping: ¼ cup granulated sugar mixed with 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- For serving: Chocolate sauce (store-bought is fine; I sometimes just melt dark chocolate chips with a splash of milk—really quick!)
How I Actually Make These (Step-by-Step Directions)
- In a big bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. (If a small kid wants to help, let them toss the flour and watch the little mushroom cloud—just, uh, prepare for clean-up.)
- In another bowl (yep, I know, more dishes), mix milk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla. Combine until it sorta looks uniform—no need to beat it like it owes you money.
- Pour the wet into the dry ingredients. Stir just until lumps are mostly gone, but don’t overthink it; pancakes get tough if you go on stirring forever. Actually, I find it works better if you stop just before you think it’s ready.
- Heat a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat. (If you don’t have one—no worries, a regular frying pan works too, just keep an eye so they don’t burn. I learned that lesson the hard way...)
- Grease the pan with a dab of butter or oil. Ladle about ¼ cup of batter per pancake. Cook for about 2-3 minutes until bubbles form and edges look set. Flip, and cook for another minute or so. This is where I usually sneak a taste (call it quality control).
- While the pancakes are still warm, toss them gently in your cinnamon-sugar mix. Or just sprinkle on top—sometimes I skip the tossing when I can't be bothered.
- Stack, drizzle with chocolate sauce, and serve right away—you want that cinnamon-sugar sticking to the warm pancakes.
Notes (A.K.A. Things I've Learned the Hard Way)
- Don’t overmix the batter. I know everyone says this, but seriously, it does matter. Once, I ignored this and you could bounce a pancake like a rubber ball. Not great.
- The cinnamon-sugar sticks best if you toss the pancakes while they’re fresh from the pan. Wait too long and it’ll just fall everywhere. (Learned that the sticky way.)
- If the batter seems thick, add a splash more milk. I probably err on the side of too thick pancakes, but that’s just me.
Variations I’ve Tried (Some Good, Some Questionable)
- Replaced half the flour with oat flour—came out nuttier, a little denser. Not bad, actually.
- Added orange zest; my aunt swears by it for a hint of Spanish flair. I liked it, though my youngest thought it was “weird”.
- Once tried stuffing caramel pieces in before flipping. It sounded genius, but… epic sticky mess. Maybe skip that one.
Equipment You Actually Need (Or Not)
- Mixer? Sure, if you want, but a whisk and a fork does the job
- Nonstick skillet or griddle, but really, any pan that isn’t ancient and warped should be fine—I've made these in camping pans before, believe it or not
- Ladle or cup for pouring—sometimes I just eyeball it; they never come out all the exact same size, but who's measuring?
How to Store (Like These Will Last)
If you do manage to save extras, pop them in an airtight container in the fridge. They’ll be fine for about 2 days… though honestly, in my house it never lasts more than a day! Pop them in the toaster or give them a short zap in the microwave to warm up. I tend to think they get slightly better the next morning, though maybe that's just me staving off responsibility with leftover pancakes for breakfast.
How We Serve These at My Place
We’re a big “stack and share” family. I load up a plate, drizzle chocolate, everyone grabs a pancake (or three), and we usually end up fighting over the stickiest one. Oh, sometimes someone (naming no names, Dad), will sneak ice cream on top. Can't say he's wrong.
Lessons Learned (Pro Tips, or 'Oops' Moments)
- I once tried rushing the cooking on high heat. Nope! Burnt outside, raw inside. Medium heat’s the way, even if you’re impatient.
- Don’t swap out all the white sugar for brown; the pancakes turn out too molasses-y. A little swap is fine, all of it… not so much.
- If the cinnamon-sugar topping looks sparse, just make more—hard to overdo. Or actually, can you? I haven’t found that limit yet.
Real FAQ Because Friends Actually Ask
- Can I make these gluten-free? Yeah, honestly most GF pancake mixes swap just fine here, though they’re sometimes a bit more crumbly. Maybe add a splash more milk.
- Do I really need chocolate sauce? Of course not, but... do you want to be the person who skips the chocolate? I could never. That said, fruit works too, if you're feeling virtuous.
- Can I prep the batter overnight? Well, you can, but it thickens up in the fridge. Just give it a good stir and a little extra milk in the morning.
- Why are mine coming out flat? Usually, it’s old baking powder. Or maybe the batter’s too thin. Try a fresh batch of powder—saves the day for me every time.
- How do I know when to flip? Bubbles! And when the edges look a bit dry. The first one’s always the “ugly tester,” don’t sweat it.
And, not strictly related, but every time I make these, my dog parks herself under the table. She knows the pancake dance. Legendary crumbs, apparently!
Ingredients
- 1 and ½ cups all-purpose flour (or sometimes I use half whole-wheat—don’t tell the kids)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (I’ve swapped in coconut sugar, works fine)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt (Grandma swore by fancy sea salt, but table salt’s grand)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (or a full tablespoon if you’re a cinnamon fiend like me)
- 1 and ¼ cups milk (any—dairy, oat, even almond; I’m not picky)
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons melted butter (or just vegetable oil when the butter is MIA)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- For topping: ¼ cup granulated sugar mixed with 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- For serving: Chocolate sauce (store-bought is fine; I sometimes just melt dark chocolate chips with a splash of milk—really quick!)
Instructions
-
1In a big bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. (If a small kid wants to help, let them toss the flour and watch the little mushroom cloud—just, uh, prepare for clean-up.)
-
2In another bowl (yep, I know, more dishes), mix milk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla. Combine until it sorta looks uniform—no need to beat it like it owes you money.
-
3Pour the wet into the dry ingredients. Stir just until lumps are mostly gone, but don’t overthink it; pancakes get tough if you go on stirring forever. Actually, I find it works better if you stop just before you think it’s ready.
-
4Heat a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat. (If you don’t have one—no worries, a regular frying pan works too, just keep an eye so they don’t burn. I learned that lesson the hard way...)
-
5Grease the pan with a dab of butter or oil. Ladle about ¼ cup of batter per pancake. Cook for about 2-3 minutes until bubbles form and edges look set. Flip, and cook for another minute or so. This is where I usually sneak a taste (call it quality control).
-
6While the pancakes are still warm, toss them gently in your cinnamon-sugar mix. Or just sprinkle on top—sometimes I skip the tossing when I can't be bothered.
-
7Stack, drizzle with chocolate sauce, and serve right away—you want that cinnamon-sugar sticking to the warm pancakes.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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