Fry

Light & Fluffy Whole Wheat Pancakes

October 30, 2013
3.7
3 Ratings
  • Makes 12 three-inch pancakes
Author Notes

Is there such a thing as light and fluffy whole wheat pancakes? I've been searching for a good recipe for quite some time. The many recipes I've tried, never produced stellar results. I even resorted to buying a prepackaged mix which was a bad idea, as you might have guessed. Just when I was about to give up, I stumbled upon Alton Brown's recipe. To my surprise, fully whole wheat pancakes really do exist.

Alton's recipe is straightforward and simple. No whipping egg whites. No need for five different types of flour. These pancakes were on my plate, topped with a little pat of butter and drizzled with Maine maple syrup in no time flat. I enjoyed them with an extra-hot cup of coffee...bliss.
This recipe is adapted from Alton Brown's Fluffy Whole Wheat Pancakes. His recipe calls for buttermilk, more sugar, more butter and more salt. The buttermilk is a great idea. But, I don't eat much dairy. If tangy-buttermilk pancakes are your thing, go ahead and use it here. The batter will be thicker with the buttermilk. I swapped it for Silk Unsweetened Coconut Milk Beverage, which keeps them on the lighter side.

His recipe also calls for whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour. Instead, I use King Arthur brand White Whole Wheat Flour which makes them incredibly light and fluffy (secret ingredient). White whole wheat flour is a lighter whole wheat flour with a milder taste. Use it as you would regular whole wheat flour in baked goods, biscuits, muffins and, of course, pancakes. If you're trying to sneak more whole grains into your family meals, try using white whole wheat flour.

A pinch of cinnamon gives them a touch of cozy warmth. Better yet, warm some maple syrup with a pinch of cinnamon for a comforting Fall-inspired breakfast. The cinnamon pairs well with the wheat flour. These pancakes are filling, providing fiber and slow burning carbs to keep you going.

I use my nonstick Scanpan for this recipe. A griddle or a well seasoned cast iron skillet is fine too.

Don't over mix the batter. Over mixing produces tough pancakes. Some smaller lumps in the batter are okay.

If you have leftovers, wrap them well with plastic wrap and store in the fridge for a few days for quick weekday breakfasts.

Jilly Inspired

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 2 cups white wheat flour (see notes)
  • 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon of baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon of salt
  • 3 tablespoons of regular white granulated sugar or natural cane sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon (optional) 2 cups coconut milk beverage
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
  • Butter and/or neutral tasting oil for cooking
  • 2 cups coconut milk beverage
  • Serving suggestions: cinnamon-maple syrup, honey, berries, my easy brown sugar skillet apples
Directions
  1. Mix the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another bowl. Combine the wet and dry ingredients, but don't over mix. Set the batter aside for five minutes. Add some butter and/or oil to a non-stick fry pan or griddle. Heat the pan over medium-low heat. Using a 1/3 measuring cup or a large spoon, scoop some of the batter up and put it in the pan. Don't overcrowd the pan. Cook the first side until small bubbles form on the batter and the bottoms of the pancakes are golden brown. Flip and cook until the second side is golden brown. Adjust the heat as you go. Serve with any of the above suggestions or your favorite maple syrup. Enjoy!

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  • elizab
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2 Reviews

elizab November 16, 2019
I haven't made this recipe, though I am going to try it, but I wanted to point out that 2 cups coconut beverage is listed twice in the list of ingredients. I am assuming this is a copy error, and the recipe only calls for 2 cups coconut beverage, not four.
 
Juliann D. May 17, 2016
i have made these a handful of times. I will not look at any other recipe. If i have buttermilk on hand i use it. If i don't, i use regular milk. I have never used the coconut milk. I like my pancakes super thin so i add a tad more milk than it calls for. I also add vanilla. this recipe is so great and very simple.