Chocolate Pancakes are the most soft and fluffy and decadent breakfast on the planet! For chocolate lovers these chocolate pancakes with chocolate sauce are an absolute must!

 

 

Light and fluffy pancakes cannot be better than when they are also made of chocolate! And with the Chocolate Ganache? Holy. Moly.

Hold the phone while I go make another batch.

I love that this chocolate pancake recipe is easy for beginners! No complicated steps to get this rich breakfast.

I also love that just because you’re eating a chocolate pancake doesn’t mean you have to compromise on the thick and fluffy texture! They turn out perfect!

Plus these perfect chocolate pancakes use all simple ingredients you’ve probably already got on hand!

And eating chocolate pancakes is seriously the perfect way to start the morning. There is nothing better!

 

 

What Ingredients are in Chocolate Pancakes?

This may be a simple recipe but traditional pancakes have never been better! And the chocolate syrup topping? Perfection!

• Milk: Use both milk and buttermilk to get that perfect texture.
• Eggs: The large eggs help hold the pancakes together and also help them puff to perfection.
• Oil: I prefer to use oil in this recipe as I like how fluffy they are with it. If you try butter, let me know how it turns out!
• Vanilla: Vanilla extract adds just a touch of vanilla flavor that compliments the chocolate well.
• Cocoa Powder: Any sort of unsweetened cocoa powder will work in this recipe so don’t run to the grocery store for anything special.
• Sugar: Use both granulated sugar and light-brown sugar. They work together to get just the right sweet flavor.
• Baking Soda: I wouldn’t swap with baking powder as it would change the texture too much.
• Flour: All-purpose flour. I haven’t tried other flours so I don’t know how they would turn out.
• Salt: Salt actually increases the flavor of everything else in the pancakes.

Pro Tips:

• If you don’t have buttermilk, make some at home using regular milk and vinegar.
• Don’t forget the Homemade Ganache! It may be optional but once you try it you’ll realize why it’s not!
• Another ingredient (side dish) I highly recommend is bacon! It tastes SO good with chocolate ganache!
• Add pure maple syrup, whipped cream, banana slices, strawberry sauce, fresh fruit or almond butter! Yum!

 

 

How to Make Chocolate Pancakes

Follow this easy recipe for fluffy chocolate pancakes! Grab your large bowl and get to mixing!

1. Mix Wet Ingredients: Mix the wet ingredients together well before continuing to the next step.
2. Add Dry Ingredients: Be careful not to overmix as it can deflate the pancakes.
3. Cook: You’ll cook until golden brown on both sides.

Pro Tips:

• Use a large non-stick griddle or frying pan to keep your pancakes from sticking.
• A non-stick spray can also help you to get the pancakes flipped without burning them.
• Cook over medium heat to high heat. 350 degrees for those who have a specific temperature griddle.

 

 

Can I Add Chocolate Chips to Chocolate Pancakes

You can definitely add chocolate chips to chocolate pancakes! Absolutely! Yes please!

For extreme chocolate lovers, gooey chocolate chips are all the rage! While they are totally optional I love adding them to all my pancake recipes, including chocolate pancakes!

You can add even add white chocolate chips for a new kind of flavor too!

They’re also good to try in Gingerbread Pancakes, Pumpkin Buttermilk Pancakes, and Valentine Pancakes!

Put the chocolate chips in the pancake batter when mixing or drop them on top of the pancakes while they cook on the first side.

 

 

How do You Know When to Flip Pancakes

There’s a lot of questions about when to flip pancakes and for good reason! If you flip pancakes too early, they totally flop all over and aren’t cooked correctly.

And if you flip the pancakes too late they are burned on one side. Here’s how to flip pancakes the perfect way.

The pancakes need to have bubbles forming on the top that have popped. The popped bubbles should leave a space in the pancakes and you should be able to see the holes dotting the top of the pancakes.

If the holes immediately fill in with more batter, it’s still too soon to flip them. Over medium high heat the pancakes should take about 1-2 minutes until they’re ready to flip.

When you’re ready to flip them be sure to put the spatula all the way under the pancake and then flip with a confident flip.

 

 

Can You Use Chocolate Milk in Pancakes?

Did you know that you can  use chocolate milk in pancakes?! Really you can!

There is some popularity for just replacing regular milk with chocolate milk to get instant chocolate pancakes.

However, I find that the addition of cocoa powder actually gives a much better flavor than just adding chocolate milk.

I haven’t tried adding chocolate milk to this recipe in particular because with the Chocolate Ganache sauce and cocoa powder, I just don’t think they need it.

If you do make the swap, let me know how they turn out!

 

 

What Makes Pancakes Fluffy?

There’s actually a few things that help to give pancakes their fluffy texture.

First, is the baking soda. Obviously baking soda helps things to rise so that’s a no brainer.

Next is the batter. The thicker the batter, the fluffier the pancake. While a thin batter will produce a thin pancake.

Finally is the vegetable oil. I find that that butter actually makes a thinner pancake that isn’t quite as fluffy as I’d like. So stick with the oil.

That’s it! If you follow this recipe exactly as written you should have a stack of chocolate pancakes ready to devour.

Are Chocolate Pancakes Healthy?

Chocolate pancakes are like eating dessert for breakfast! And I’m totally a “eat dessert first and meals later” kind of gal!

So chocolate pancakes for breakfast are a total favorite around my house!

But… especially with all the extra Chocolate Ganache, it’s much more of a dessert!

So serve it for special occasions like birthdays, mother’s day, holidays, (or really any day, I won’t judge!)

While healthy chocolate pancakes would be a fun new recipe too, just accept this is as good as eating chocolate cake for breakfast!

 

 

Can Dogs Have Chocolate Pancakes?

No! Dogs absolutely cannot have chocolate pancakes. Chocolate can be toxic to dogs, even in small amounts so chocolate pancakes are out.

If you notice your dog has eaten chocolate pancakes be on the lookout for signs of digestive problems.

Don’t hesitate to call your vet if you need to.

Can You Freeze Chocolate Pancakes?

Yes! Chocolate pancakes freeze beautifully and can easily be taken out of the freezer for a later snack or quick breakfast.

Place the pancakes in a single layer on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.

Then flash freeze by tossing the baking sheet into the freezer for 1 hour. This keeps them from sticking to each other.

Remove from the freezer and place the pancakes in a freezer safe bag or container.

Frozen chocolate pancakes will last for up to three months in the freezer.

 

 

How to Reheat Chocolate Pancakes

If you’ve ever wondered how to reheat chocolate pancakes, it’s easy!  Simply reheat pancakes in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time. 

They reheat pretty quickly and you don’t need to totally recook them so just heat until warm.

If they’re frozen they may take more than one 30 second cook time.

 

 

Does Pancake Mix Go Bad?

If you’re using a bagged pancake mix, you can actually use it for up to a few months past its expiration date as long as it still smells and tastes okay.

Pancake batter on the other hand, won’t last very long after you mix it together.

If you make pancake batter in advance, it should stay good in the fridge for up to 3 days before cooking.

Be sure to keep it in an airtight container to keep bacteria from growing.

If it starts to small, develops mold, or other signs that it’s going bad, toss it out! Better safe than sorry!

But making it in advance can actually be a good way to get breakfast on the table even faster!

And you know you don’t want to wait for those chocolate pancakes! The homemade chocolate sauce will last a few days too!

 

 

More Chocolate Recipes You’ll Love…

• Cream Cheese Cookie Dough Dip
• Dr. Pepper Float
• Revel Bars
• Chocolate Zucchini Cake
• Peanut Butter Truffles
• Rolo Cupcakes
• Eggless Cookie Bars
• Chocolate Cobbler
• Dessert Cheese Ball
• Cookie Dough in a Bowl
• No Bake Monster Cookies
• Chocolate Pringles
• Classic Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Chocolate Pancakes are the ideal breakfast! So light and fluffy and yummy! Chocolate perfection in every bite! Enjoy!

 

Originally Posted: May 15, 2015

Photos and Text Updated: August 29, 2022

 

 

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