Pancake Mix-Ins That Put All Other Breakfasts To Shame

Go beyond blueberries and chocolate chips.

By Lynn Andriani

Maybe you're a pancakes-every-weekend person and want to up your game. Perhaps you've written off the American classic as too sweet or heavy. Either way, these ideas, which range from a mac 'n' cheese cake to one studded with healthy quinoa, will change the way you make breakfast.

Take this standard recipe for homemade pancakes -- and then try one of the 10 different twists we've come up with.

Master Recipe

Serves 8

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk

Directions

Mix together the flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk the eggs into the milk in a liquid measuring cup and pour into the dry ingredients, stirring. Add mix-in of your choice (see options, next page).

Preheat a griddle or nonstick pan over medium heat; coat with nonstick spray if necessary. Ladle spoonfuls of batter onto pan. When bubbles appear on the surface, flip each pancake and continue cooking for 30 seconds to a minute more, until the second side is browned.

9 Ways to Give Pancakes a Makeover

Nut Butter Pancakes

Mix-in: 2 Tbsp. almond, peanut, cashew or other nut butter (chunky or smooth)
Topping: Chopped, toasted nuts and maple syrup

Apple Cinnamon Pancakes

Mix-in: One Granny Smith apple, grated; and 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Topping: Plain Greek yogurt

Mac 'n' Cheese Pancakes (inspired by Shopsins)

Mix-in: Pour batter onto pan and gently lay about 1 Tbsp. warm, buttered (cooked) elbow macaroni in the center, then a sprinkling of shredded cheddar cheese. Flip pancakes and continue cooking, mac 'n' cheese side down.
Topping: Butter or maple syrup. Or both.

Lemon and Poppy Seed Pancakes

Mix-in: 2 Tbsp. lemon juice, 1 Tbsp. lemon zest and 2 Tbsp. poppy seeds.
Topping: Sliced strawberries or blueberries and syrup.

Quinoa Pancakes

Mix-in: Reduce flour amount to 1 cup and milk amount to 2/3 cup. Stir in 1 cup cooked quinoa.
Topping: Agave syrup, chopped dried fruit.

Elvis Pancakes

Mix-in: Crumbled bits of bacon (about a third of a slice in each pancake).
Topping: Peanut butter and sliced bananas.

Coconut Pancakes

Mix-in: Reduce flour to 1 1/2 cups; use 1 cup coconut milk plus 1 Tbsp. canola oil in place of milk.
Topping: Shredded coconut and guava butter.

Prosciutto and Mozzarella Pancakes

Mix-in: 1/2 cup diced prosciutto and 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella.
Topping: A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Carrot Cake Pancakes

Mix-in: 1 cup shredded carrot, 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. allspice, 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
Topping: A spoonful of vanilla Greek yogurt.

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