Once you’ve gathered your ingredients, many of which are pantry staples, this recipe comes together in minutes. You sift together your dry ingredients with a fine mesh strainer and, in a separate mixing bowl, whisk together your wet ones. I like to use oil instead of melted butter in this recipe since it makes for a taller, fluffier pancake but feel free to swap for butter if that’s your preference. Or, make both and do a taste test to see which version is your favorite.

The last step is to pour the wet ingredients into the dry, stirring just until combined. Be careful not to overmix your batter as it will cause your cooked chocolate pancakes to be flat and dense instead of the thick and fluffy ones you’ve been dreaming about the night before. If you’re using chocolate chips, this is the point at which you mix them in. I prefer using a rubber spatula to gently fold them in to avoid overmixing the batter. Once everything is mixed, set the batter aside to rest while you make the chocolate sauce.

The chocolate sauce is a simple ganache made with bittersweet or semisweet chocolate bars and heavy cream. To make your morning even easier, the sauce can be made in the microwave and only dirties up one bowl. Be sure to microwave the ingredients in 20-30 second increments, using a whisk to stir between each time, so it gets evenly melted and not burned. Once a smooth and pourable consistency, you can set aside your chocolate sauce and begin cooking your chocolate pancakes.

Once rested, your batter is ready to be transformed into fluffy chocolate pancakes.

Heat up a griddle or skillet over medium heat and coat with butter or oil. The first pancake is never the best, so don’t worry if at first it doesn’t seem right. Any pancake recipe works best with patience and perhaps some whipped cream to cover up any mistakes. 😉

For each pancake, pour 1/4 cup of batter into the skillet. Let it cook, untouched, for 1-2 minutes, until the surface has some bubbles. It’s important not to flip your pancakes too early, so you may need to turn down the heat if the bottom is browning too fast. Once flipped, cook the other side for another 1-2 minutes and transfer to a plate. Cover loosely with foil so the cooked pancakes stay warm while you are finishing the rest. Make sure you re-grease the skillet with butter or oil before every batch of pancakes to prevent sticking. Serve the chocolate pancakes immediately with the chocolate sauce drizzled on top (rewarm in the microwave for a few seconds if needed). Everyone in the family can enjoy this chocolate pancake recipe. As a nice sweet treat, these rich and chocolatey pancakes are the perfect way to add some excitement to your morning.

Pancakes

1 1/3 cups (185g) all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (25g) cocoa powder (I use Dutch-processed)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/3 cup (65g) granulated sugar
1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
3 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil (or 45g melted butter)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup (85g) chocolate chips or chunks
butter or oil , for cooking
Chocolate Ganache Sauce
140 g (5 oz.) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream

140 g (5 oz.) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream