Easy and even a little wholesome, these pancakes are perfect for relaxed weekends.
Heyo, look at that. It’s been over a year since I’ve been here! Since Jackson was born, this space has sat largely unused. There have been fewer elaborate meals and long leisurely mornings folding pastry dough. There have been a lot more freezer dinners and takeout boxes and the mornings are spent deciding between a shower or ten minutes of folding laundry before Nate leaves for work and all hell breaks loose.
There have also been pancakes. Lots and lots of pancakes. It’s Jack’s most requested meal, and since Stella came along I’ve been trying to find little ways to make him feel special. Making them on the weekend ensures we all sit down at the table for a few minutes together, and I save the leftovers to toast off for Jack the next day or two. These are fluffy and delicious and easy to throw together when you’re half asleep. I sneak in a little whole wheat flour. If your family is finicky about that you can use all white flour, or King Arthur Flour makes a great blend called “White Whole Wheat”, which is a bit milder tasting and a great option for kids. Experiment with what ratio you like - my mom makes these for Jack with only 1/3 a cup of whole wheat and 2/3 cup white and I suspect it’s one reason he has become her little shadow.
BUTTERMILK WHOLE-WHEAT WAFFLES
Makes 12-16 pancakes
Ingredients:
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoons butter, melted, plus more for greasing if you’re using a pan or skillet
pure maple syrup, crème fraîche, berries or bananas, for seving
Instructions:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the egg and buttermilk. Whisk in the melted butter. Add the dry ingredients and stir just to combine. Your batter will still look a little lumpy.
If using an electric griddle (my choice for easy cleanup!), heat to about 350ºF. If using a skillet, drop a little butter in the middle and heat over medium until it sizzles. Drop your pancakes by a quarter cup or so and allow to cook until you stop seeing bubbles appear on the top and you can easily slide a spatula underneath. Flip to cook through, which should only take 30 seconds to a minute at this point.
Serve them hot. You can let people add the garnishes on their own, but for Jack I like to give him a tiny bowl of syrup on the side and he dips the pancakes into it. I keep everyone busy at the table with coffee and cocoa (and occasionally cartoons) while I’m flipping cakes.
adapted from The Fannie Farmer Cookbook