Carrot Cake Pancakes (Printable Version)
Spiced fluffy pancakes loaded with grated carrots, walnuts, and warm cinnamon-nutmeg flavors for a cozy breakfast.
# What You Need:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 tbsp brown sugar
03 - 2 tsp baking powder
04 - 1/2 tsp baking soda
05 - 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
06 - 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
07 - 1/4 tsp ground ginger
08 - 1/4 tsp salt
→ Wet Ingredients
09 - 1 cup milk
10 - 2 large eggs
11 - 1/4 cup vegetable oil or melted butter
12 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
13 - Zest of 1 orange (optional)
→ Add-Ins
14 - 1 cup finely grated carrots (about 2 medium carrots)
15 - 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
16 - 1/4 cup raisins (optional)
→ For Serving
17 - Maple syrup, to taste
18 - Cream cheese glaze or yogurt (optional)
19 - Extra chopped walnuts
# How-To:
01 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt until evenly distributed.
02 - In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, vegetable oil or melted butter, vanilla extract, and orange zest if using until smooth.
03 - Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the pancakes light and tender.
04 - Gently fold in the grated carrots, chopped walnuts or pecans, and raisins if using, distributing them evenly throughout the batter.
05 - Place a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat and lightly grease with oil or butter.
06 - Pour 1/4 cup of batter per pancake onto the hot skillet. Cook until bubbles form across the surface and edges appear set, about 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and cook an additional 1 to 2 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.
07 - Continue cooking the remaining batter in batches, re-greasing the skillet as needed between each round.
08 - Serve the pancakes warm, topped with maple syrup, cream cheese glaze or yogurt, and extra chopped walnuts as desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- They taste like dessert but are perfectly acceptable at nine in the morning, which is basically a superpower.
- The orange zest is the sneaky little detail that makes people close their eyes and ask what that amazing flavor is.
02 -
- Grate your carrots on the finest holes of the box grater because coarse shreds make the pancakes fall apart and create an uneven texture.
- Let the batter rest for five minutes before cooking and you will notice noticeably fluffier pancakes, as the baking powder activates and the flour hydrates.
03 -
- Wipe your skillet clean between batches with a paper towel and reapply fresh butter or oil to prevent dark spots and bitter flavors from building up.
- A tiny splash of extra milk thins the batter if it thickens while sitting, keeping every batch as fluffy as the first.