A Flip of Flapjack History & A Stack of Pancake Recipes
In celebration of National Pancake Day we decided to offer up a brief history of pancakes and a selection of unique pancake recipes! Below the history bit, you will find a stack of 6 pancake recipes, 3 traditional, and three gluten-free offerings.
What’s on the menu? Honey-Drizzled Vanilla Bean Pancakes & Caramelized Bananas, Pumpkin Pie Pancakes, or Carrot Cake Pancakes w/ Honey Butter. For gluten-free / vegan options, we have Gluten-Free / Vegan Pumpkin Spice Pancakes, and two different recipes for Gluten-Free pancakes. Enjoy!
A Brief History of Pancakes:
Archaeological evidence suggests that our prehistoric ancestors may have eaten pancakes, the evidence also suggests that pancakes were likely the earliest and most widespread cereal food eaten in early societies.
Analysis of starch grains on 30,000-year-old grinding tools suggest that Stone Age cooks were making flour out of cattails and ferns—which, researchers guess, was likely mixed with water and baked on a hot, possibly greased, rock. The result may have been more akin to hardtack than the modern flapjacks, but the idea was the same.
The ancient Greeks and Romans also ate pancakes. The Greeks called their version, Tagenites. They were made with wheat flour, olive oil, and curdled milk and sweetened with honey.
Ancient Romans called their fried concoctions alia dulcia, Latin for “other sweets”. These were much different from what are known as pancakes today.
The Elizabethans ate pancakes flavored with spices, rosewater, sherry, and apples.
The Middle English word for pancake first appeared in English during the 15th century.
In the American colonies, pancakes (known as hoe cakes, johnnycakes, or flapjacks) were made with buckwheat or cornmeal.
Pancakes were considered a good way to use up stores of perishables like eggs, milk, and butter, as a last hurrah before the beginning of Lent, a period of church-mandated fast.
Thomas Jefferson was said to also be fond of pancakes. He sent a recipe home to Monticello from the President’s House in Washington, D.C. This recipe was picked up from Etienne Lemaire, his French maître d’hotel. Lemaire’s “panne-quaiques” were what we would call crepes today, but what we consider modern pancakes today, in Jefferson’s time, were known as griddlecakes, which contained a leavening agent resulting in a heftier and puffier cake.
The pancake’s shape and structure varies worldwide.
In Britain, pancakes are often unleavened and resemble a crêpe. (A thin Breton pancake, French in origin, which is cooked on one or both sides in a special pan). In North America, a leavening agent is used (typically baking powder).
American pancakes are similar to Scotch pancakes (or drop scones). When buttermilk is used in place of or in addition to milk, the pancake develops a tart flavor and becomes known as a buttermilk pancake, which is common in Scotland and the US.
A variation of the pancake, originating from southeast Europe, is a palačinke. This cake is a thin moist pancake fried on both sides and filled with jam, cheese cream, chocolate, or ground walnuts, but many other fillings—sweet or savory—can also be used.
Potato can be used as a major portion of the batter, resulting in a potato pancake (or Latke). Buckwheat flour can be used in a pancake batter, making for a type of buckwheat pancake, a category that includes Blini, Kaletez, Ploye, and Memil-buchimgae.
In many countries, including America, pancakes are typically considered to be a breakfast food.
The Pancake Recipes:
Honey-Drizzled Vanilla Bean Pancakes & Caramelized Bananas
INGREDIENTS:
Coconut oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup almond flour
2 eggs, whisked
1/2 vanilla bean
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1 tbsp brown/Muscovado sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
2/3 cup milk (or enough milk until the mixture is not doughy anymore – the thicker the mixture the thicker the pancakes)
PREPARATION:
Heat up some coconut oil in a frying pan and start making your pancakes, turning them over once bubbles start to form on the surface and when the bottom is golden brown. Make sure to re-grease the pan for every pancake to make sure it doesn’t turn dark brown/black.
Over your stack of pancakes, top with a spoonful of caramelized bananas.
PREPARATION:
Caramelized bananas for topping: 2 Bananas, sliced one inch-thick, Coconut oil, Honey
Prepare the bananas by slicing them around one inch-thick if you like a bigger bite. Thinner slices will cook quicker but will also break down more easily. Prepare a small pot or pan with a small amount of coconut oil and add the bananas. My bananas were frozen so it took a longer time to cook, but it also held together better and it doesn’t affect the taste. While it starts to sizzle you can add honey for sweetness.
Add chopped pecans or almonds, chocolate chips on top of finished pancakes if you wish!
Creator: Audrey Shiu
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Pumpkin Pie Pancakes
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1-1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp each baking soda and salt
1 can (14 oz) 2% evaporated milk
1 cup canned pure pumpkin
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup each vanilla yogurt and pure maple syrup
PREPARATION:
Combine both flours, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Mix well. In a medium bowl,
whisk together milk, pumpkin, sugar, eggs, butter and vanilla. (Before mixing wet and dry ingredients, preheat griddle to medium-high heat.)
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. Spoon batter by 1/3-cupfuls onto preheated griddle that has been lightly coated with cooking spray. Gently spread batter to about 4-inch diameter. Cook for about 1-1/2 minutes per side, or until pancakes are golden brown and cooked through. Be careful not to burn them.
Serve immediately, top pancakes with a dollop of real whipped cream, and maple syrup. If you want to be health-concious top with vanilla yogurt and maple syrup or honey instead of whipped cream.
Creator: Greta Podleski
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Carrot Cake Pancakes w Honey Butter
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/4 cups flour
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped & toasted
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
dash of ground cloves
dash of ground ginger
1/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cups low-ft buttermilk
1 tbs organic canola oil
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups finely grated carrot (about 1 pound)
Honey Butter:
3 tbs butter, softened
2 tbs honey
PREPARATION:
Combine flour with next 7 ingredients (through ginger) in a large bowl and stir. Combine brown sugar and next 4 ingredients (through eggs).
Add sugar mixture to flour mixture, stirring until moist.
Fold in carrots.
Coat a large non-stick pan with cooking spray and heat over medium heat.
Spoon 1/4 cup batter onto pan, spreading with a spatula. Cook for 2 minutes or until tops bubble and edges look cooked.
Carefully turn pancakes over; cook 1 minute or until bottoms are lightly browned.
Honey Butter: combine butter and honey in a small bowl; serve with pancakes.
Creator: Peggi Gell
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Gluten-Free Options:
Gluten-Free, Vegan, Pumpkin Spice Pancakes (Vegan & gluten-free)
INGREDIENTS:
3 cups roasted pumpkin puree (fresh pumpkin, seeded, then roasted at 400* F for 55 min, then pureed, or canned puree)
1/3 cup teff flour
1/3 cup tapioca flour
2/3 cup brown rice flour
1 teaspoon aluminum free baking powder
1/2 teaspoon aluminum free baking soda
2 teaspoons pumpkin spice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3 tablespoons granulated cane sugar or date sugar
2 tablespoons sunflower oil
2 tablespoons ground flax meal
2 tablespoons water
1 cup coconut milk (original flavor)
1/2 coconut yogurt (vanilla flavor)
1/3 cup vegan chocolate chips
PREPARATION:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
Combine water, flax meal, and oil in a small bowl. Set side.
Sift all the flours, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin spice, clove, set aside.
In a large bowl, add sugar, pumpkin puree.
Mix with a handheld mixer on medium speed until combined.
Reduce to low, add 1/3 of the flour, mix until just combined,
Add 1/3 of the coconut milk, repeat until all flour and milk has been blended.
Add the yogurt, mix until just combined.
With a mixing spoon, fold in chocolate chips until blended.
With a 1/4 cup sized bakers measuring spoon, spoon batches onto two parchment lined baking sheets or greased pans.
Use a smaller or larger measuring spoon for different sizes if desired.
Bake for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out just a little moist.
Let it cool 2-3 minutes before serving.
Creator: Jessica Glick
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Gluten-Free Pancakes (Not vegan)
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cups blanched almond flour
3/4 cup tapioca flour*
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons agave nectar
2 eggs
1/4 cup almond milk, or preferred milk alternative
1/4 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
1 1/2 cups warm water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
PREPARATION:
Start by making the buttermilk. Mix together the almond milk and vinegar, set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients: almond flour, tapioca flour, xanthan gum, salt, and baking powder.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together all of the wet ingredients: agave nectar, eggs, milk mixture, water, and vanilla.
Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry, mixing well. Add warm water one tablespoon at a time if the batter needs to be thinned out more.
Heat a skillet or griddle over medium heat.
Lightly grease the skillet and, using an ice cream scoop, pour in the batter. Then, spread it out with the back of a spoon.
Cook for 1 minute, or until the bottom of the pancake is firm.
Flip it over, squish it down with a spatula, and cook an additional 1-2 minutes or until done.
Set aside on a plate and repeat with the remaining batter. Makes 10-12 pancakes.
Creator: Cooking Gluten Free
NOTE:
These gluten-free pancakes can be served with or modified to be similar to the other pancake recipes. Here are some ideas:
Add in 3-4 Tablespoons mini semi-sweet chocolate chips or semi-sweet/ dark vegan chocolate chips
-OR-
Top with caramelized bananas: 2 Bananas, sliced one inch-thick, Coconut oil, Honey.
Prepare the bananas by slicing them around one inch-thick if you like a bigger bite. Thinner slices will cook quicker but will also break down more easily. Prepare a small pot or pan with a small amount of coconut oil and add the bananas. While it starts to sizzle you can add honey for sweetness.
-OR-
Add in chopped, toasted walnuts, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg, a dash of ground ginger, finely grated carrot. Top with honey-butter mixture: combine 3 tbs. softened butter, 2 tbs.
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Nourishing Gluten Free Pancakes (Not vegan)
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup buckwheat flour
1 egg
1 cup filtered water
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup soaked almonds
ghee or coconut oil for cooking
PREPARATION:
Mix flours, egg, coconut oil, water, nuts and seeds in a bowl.
Heat up skillet and add oil.
Use tablespoon to put into pan.
Flip once cakes bubble.
Repeat until all pancakes are made. (For crispier cakes, keep adding oil in between cooking)
Creator: Shoshanna Levy
NOTE:
These gluten-free pancakes can be served with or modified to be similar to the other pancake recipes. Here are some ideas:
Add in 3-4 Tablespoons mini semi-sweet chocolate chips or Semi-Sweet/Dark Vegan Chocolate chips
-OR-
Top with caramelized bananas: 2 Bananas, sliced one inch-thick, Coconut oil, Honey.
Prepare the bananas by slicing them around one inch-thick if you like a bigger bite. Thinner slices will cook quicker but will also break down more easily. Prepare a small pot or pan with a small amount of coconut oil and add the bananas. While it starts to sizzle you can add honey for sweetness.
-OR-
Add in chopped, toasted walnuts, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg, a dash of ground ginger, finely grated carrot. Top with honey-butter mixture: combine 3 tbs. softened butter, 2 tbs.
