10 Tasty Ways to Change Up Your Pancake Recipe

Pancakes are popular all over the world—for good reason! They are super quick to whisk up and use just a handful of ordinary ingredients. Their versatility makes them a popular choice for any meal of the day. Enhanced with sweet or savory toppings, pancakes even make for a filling main. And what is best—they are a winner for all ages!

With a very picky eater at home, I have been experimenting with different pancake alterations to make them more nutritious and introduce new flavors and ingredients. If shredded or puréed, then added to the pancake batter, even veggie-refusing toddlers will tuck in! 

15 min

vegetarian

189.4k

Fluffy buttermilk pancakes

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Simply take a basic pancake batter recipe like this one. Drop the sugar altogether and use ordinary milk, if preferred. Then, add a handful of different vegetables or fruit (best shredded or puréed, depending on your kids’ preferences) to the pancake batter before frying, and be surprised!

Ingredients that don’t change the basic taste and structure too much are best for the pickiest of eaters, and some flavor combinations are so delicious, you’ll just have to try! Here are 10 favorites:

Carrot & Coriander

If you are new to experimenting with different types of pancakes, carrots are a safe vegetable to start. They are sweet and a popular side dish for most kids. Use a very fine grater to shred the carrots as thin as possible so that they cook through. Add some chopped coriander for further variation.

Zucchini & Parmesan Cheese

Zucchini will barely change the taste of the pancakes at all. If your kids are skeptical of the color green, you can peel it first. If you are looking for more flavor, add Parmesan cheese. Here is an even more grown-up version for the brave ones: 

25 min

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Zucchini-Parmesan pancakes with dip

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Sweet Corn & Avocado

The clue is in the title—sweet corn will add sweetness! Mashed avocado makes for a nice topping, or enhances the creamy texture of the pancake overall if added to the batter. If your kids spit out anything in small bits, simply purée the sweetcorn together with the avocado before adding to the batter.

Kohlrabi & Green Onions

Similar to zucchini, kohlrabi won’t alter the pancakes’ color and taste. Add very finely sliced green onions for more bite.

Pumpkin Purée

One of our seasonal favorites, pumpkin purée tastes wonderful within pancakes. Add pumpkin pie spice and maple syrup if your little ones have a sweet tooth. 

20 min

vegetarian

2k

Gluten free pumpkin blueberry pancakes

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Wild Garlic

Sadly, wild garlic is only in season in spring. But it’s worth waiting for! As expected, wild garlic adds a subtle garlicky taste to the pancakes. Sweet potato or carrot mash work well as a topping. To make the pancakes, first chop the leaves, add them to the batter, and then purée for a very smooth consistency and delightful green color. If you are dying to try this outside of spring, or fancy serving green pancakes for Halloween, you can use spinach instead.  

Almonds

Nuts like almonds don’t only add bite to the pancakes. They can also replace other ingredients for a more varied diet. Use almond flour instead of wheat flour, or almond milk instead of cow’s milk. Also perfect for people with gluten- or lactose-allergies.

20 min

vegan

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Wholesome pancakes

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Apple & Cinnamon

Traditionally in Germany, pancakes are served with apple sauce. Many schools and nurseries still serve them that way. If apple sauce isn’t at hand, or your child prefers dry pancakes without sauces or sides, simple chop an apple or grate it, then add it to the batter. A pinch of cinnamon adds a warm, wintery flavor. 

25 min

vegetarian

43.6k

Fluffy apple pancakes

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Berries

Any red berries, fresh or frozen, work well within pancakes. Blueberries whizz and explode when fried, which kids love. They make lovely pink and purple splotches, and taste sweet and juicy. What’s not to like?

Raisins

For more sweet variations that aren’t quite as moist, why not use some dried fruit? Raisins are an all-time favorite with most kids, but prunes, apricots, figs, dates, or cranberries also make for nice options. 

25 min

vegetarian

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Kaiserschmarrn caramelized pancake

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How do you like your pancakes? Let us know in the comments below. Do you have a favorite pancake recipe of all time? Upload it to our app to share it with the community!