Pancake Bites
When you need an easy breakfast the the kids will love for busy mornings these Pancake Bites are the answer! Made in a mini muffin pan, topped with their favorite toppings, easy to freeze, light and fluffy bites of pancake goodness.
You can customize them with your favorite toppings for a fun bite-sized breakfast! We love these mini pancakes with berry smoothies for a delicious star to the day.
You Will Love This Easy Pancake Bites Recipe
This recipe is the best way to make homemade pancakes without all the fuss! No standing at the stove flipping pancakes – instead, you bake these little bites in a muffin pan for an easy breakfast.
Pancake bits (or pancake muffins) are one of my favorite breakfast hacks. You can make them with different mix-ins and toppings and they’re so easy to make. My kids love to dress them up with sprinkles and chocolate chips, but I always make sure there are a few with fruit, too!
What I love best is that we can make a big batch for the week for an easy on-the-go breakfast. Or, pop them in the freezer to have on hand when you need a fun morning treat! Oh, and pair them with some croffles or peanut butter banana muffins for extra extra fun!
Pancake Bites Ingredients
- All-purpose flour – For the best results, lightly spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off. This will ensure you don’t add too much flour.
- Granulated sugar – For a little sweetness.
- Baking powder – So your pancake bites puff up when they bake.
- Salt – You only need a little to enhance the flavor!
- Buttermilk – This adds a subtle tangy flavor and lots of moisture so your pancake bites are soft and moist. You can also use whole milk or 2% milk.
- Large eggs – It helps if your eggs are at room temperature so it’s easy to mix them into the batter without overmixing.
- Melted butter – Let it cool before adding it to the batter.
- Vanilla extract – or try almond extract for a different flavor!
- Toppings – We love cereal, chocolate chips, fruit, jelly, bacon, sprinkles, fruit, and nuts. You can use one topping for all of them or mix it up with a variety.
- Maple syrup – For dipping!
Helpful Tools
How to Make Them
Dry ingredients: Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
Wet Ingredients: In a small bowl, beat the buttermilk, eggs, butter, and vanilla.
Combine: Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and stir just until combined.
Toppings: Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin pan. Sprinkle the toppings over the top of each one.
Bake: Place the pan in the oven and bake the pancake bites for 10 minutes or until golden brown.
Serve! Remove them from the pan and serve warm with maple syrup for dipping.
How long do pancake bites keep?
Once they are cool, store them in an airtight container for up to five days. Or, you can place them in a freezer bag and they will keep well in the freezer for three months. Thaw them in the fridge or at room temperature before serving.
Try These Topping Ideas!
- Chocolate: Use milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate, or semi-sweet chocolate chips.
- Sprinkles: These are great for holidays – just match the sprinkles to the holiday theme!
- Nuts: Chopped nuts like walnuts, almonds, and pecans are all great choices.
- Meat: Make sweet and savory pancake bites and sprinkle crumbled cooked bacon or crumbled cooked breakfast sausage on top.
- Fruit: Drop some blueberries, chopped strawberries, or raspberries on top!
- Cereal: Try Fruity Pebbles or Cocoa Pebbles on top for a fun twist.
- Jelly: Swirl some jelly on top of the batter or top your baked pancake bites with some.
You can also mix the toppings into the batter instead of sprinkling them on top. This works well with the fruit, sprinkles, nuts, and chocolate chips.
Tips for the BEST Pancake Bites
- Don’t overmix the batter! When you combine the dry and wet ingredients, mix long enough to absorb the flour but not too much. It’s okay if there are some little lumps.
- Add toppings but not too many toppings. If your toppings are heavy, use a light hand adding them. If you add too much your bites won’t puff up as much.
- Don’t overbake them. Check on them early and once a toothpick comes out clean, they are done. If you overbake them, they will dry out.
Breakfast is a whole lot more fun with these pancake bites! Your kids will love to help make them and you’ll love how easy they are. Give them a try this week!
More Fun Recipes to Try
- Homemade Uncrustables are your favorite peanut butter and jelly sandwich in a fun mini snack!
- Ants on a Log are so simple and the perfect after school snack.
- For another easy breakfast recipe, try our Cinnamon Roll Waffles!
If you take a picture and share these Instagram make sure to #kidsactivityzone or tag us @kidsactivityzoneblog so we can see them!
Mini Pancake Bites
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk
- 2 eggs
- 4 Tablespoons butter melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Toppings: cereal, chocolate chips, fruit, jelly, bacon, sprinkles
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 400° Fahrenheit. Spray a mini muffin pan. Set pan aside for later.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
- In a small bowl beat the buttermilk, eggs, butter and vanilla together. Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet mixture gently stirring until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared mini muffin pan, filling them to the top.
- Sprinkle desired toppings on each of the mini pancakes.
- Place the mini muffin pan in the preheated oven at 400° Fahrenheit and bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown on the top.
- Remove and serve with warm maple syrup.
Notes
TRY THESE TOPPING IDEAS!
- Chocolate: Use milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate, or semi-sweet chocolate chips.
- Sprinkles: These are great for holidays – just match the sprinkles to the holiday theme!
- Nuts: Chopped nuts like walnuts, almonds, and pecans are all great choices.
- Meat: Make sweet and savory pancake bites and sprinkle crumbled cooked bacon or crumbled cooked breakfast sausage on top.
- Fruit: Drop some blueberries, chopped strawberries, or raspberries on top!
- Cereal: Try Fruity Pebbles or Cocoa Pebbles on top for a fun twist.
- Jelly: Swirl some jelly on top of the batter or top your baked pancake bites with some.
I haven’t made these yet but they look super cute and easy! Do you think you could make these in a regular muffin tin? What would the adjustments be? Thank you!
Just bake them a little bit longer!