My Christmas morning breakfast ain’t complete without a stack of these gingerbread pancakes with eggnog maple syrup, boos. They get BIG flavor from the molasses, nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon, and are super easy to make. That’s my #1 rule when cooking during the holidays. I also love that these gingerbread pancakes turn out so fluffy. They soak up the syrup like a dream! Which by the way tastes a thousand times better if you make it with my homemade eggnog. Get into it.
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How to Make Gingerbread Pancakes
These step-by-step photos show how to make Christmas gingerbread pancakes, but be sure to check the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and detailed instructions. Skip to the → Gingerbread Pancakes Recipe
1. Whisk the dry ingredients
Add cake flour, sugar, baking powder, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt to a large bowl. Whisk until combined.
2. Mix the wet ingredients
Whisk together the sour cream, eggs, molasses, melted butter, and vanilla in a separate bowl. Stir in the half-and-half.
3. Gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry
Mix just until combined. The batter will be lumpy. Let it rest.
4. Cook the gingerbread pancake batter
Heat a cast-iron skillet and grease it with butter and a little oil. Pour in about ¼ cup batter per pancake, cook until bubbles form and the bottom browns, flip, and finish cooking. Keep pancakes warm in a preheated oven.
5. Make the eggnog maple syrup
Add eggnog and maple syrup to a medium pot and whisk over medium-high heat until warmed through.
6. Pour the warm eggnog syrup over your pancakes
Garnish with sugared cranberries, and enjoy!
PRO TIP: I can’t stress this enough, boos. Let the batter rest while your skillet heats! I tested this recipe both ways and resting really does make a difference. The flour hydrates, the batter thickens, and the pancakes cook up fluffier.
Full Gingerbread Pancakes Recipe
Gingerbread Pancake Recipe
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Ingredients
For the Pancakes
- 2 cups cake flour 266 grams
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup sour cream room temperature, 227 grams
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons molasses
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter melted and cooled 28 grams, plus more for cooking and serving
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cup half-and-half room temperature, plus up to ¼ cup, as needed 320 grams
- vegetable oil or other neutral oil for cooking the pancakes
For the Eggnog Syrup (optional)
- 1 cup eggnog
- 1 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/8 tsp kosher salt
- sugared cranberries for garnish for garnish, optional
Instructions
For the Pancakes
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, ground nutmeg, and salt until combined.
- In another large bowl, whisk together the sour cream, eggs, molasses, melted butter, and vanilla until combined. Stir in the half and half. Gently stir the wet ingredients into the dry just until combined-the batter will have some lumps. Let sit for 10 minutes to hydrate-this will give you fluffier pancakes.
- Place a large rimmed baking sheet in the oven and preheat to 200°F.
- Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-low to medium heat until hot. Grease the surface with a small pat of butter and a small drizzle of oil. When the oil starts to shimmer and the butter foam subsides, add about ¼ cup of batter to the skillet. If the batter is not pourable, add 2 more tablespoons of half and half to loosen it up a bit.
- Cook until bubbles begin to form on top and the pancakes are golden brown on the bottom, 2 to 3 minutes, then gently flip and cook until golden on the bottom, 2 to 3 minutes. Resist the urge to flip the pancakes back and forth, as it will only toughen their texture.
- Transfer the cooked pancakes to the oven to keep warm and repeat with remaining batter, adding more butter and oil to your skillet as needed and adjusting the heat to prevent the pancakes from burning without cooking through.
For the Syrup
- Add eggnog and maple syrup to a medium sized pot over medium high heat. Whisk together and heat until warmed then serve with pancakes. Optional: Garnish with sugared cranberries.
Notes
How to Store
- Fridge: Keep leftover pancakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. The eggnog maple syrup can be stored separately in a jar and chilled too.
- Freezer: Lay the pancakes on a baking sheet and freeze until solid, then transfer them to a freezer-safe container or bag. They’ll keep for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Warm the pancakes in a 350°F oven for 10 to 12 minutes in a covered baking dish. If you’re in a rush, pop a few in the microwave in 20 to 30 second bursts until heated through.
Nutrition
Recipe Tips
- Bring everything to room temp so the batter mixes smooth. That means your eggs, sour cream and half-and-half.
- Don’t overmix, y’all. A few lumps are fine. Too much stirring will make your pancakes tough.
- Watch the heat. Every stove acts different, so adjust as you go. If the pancakes brown too fast, turn it down. If they stay pale and won’t flip clean after a couple minutes, turn it up.
- Use a big, flat spatula. A tiny one will have your Christmas morning pancakes folding up like laundry!
- Pour the batter slowly with a ladle or measuring cup. It helps you get those neat, even circles every time.
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Recipe Help
Your pan was probably too hot, cooking the outside faster than the inside. Turn the heat down a bit and give the batter time to cook through.
Honey or maple syrup, boo.
If your pancakes are too thin, add a tablespoon of flour to the batter and gently mix it in. Add a little more as needed until it thickens up. If your pancakes are too thick, loosen the batter with a small splash of half-and-half and stir.
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Welcome to my club, girl! I’m absolutely in love with pancakes and I actually can’t wait to make them for Christmas. So yummy. They must taste absolutely delicious with a cup of hot chocolate :). Breakfast of champions, heh :)?
Oh my gosh, that stack of pancakes!
Wow Jocelyn! These look incredible. So perfectly holiday! Wish I had that plate full in front of me right now!
Well this is another bit of amazing-ness from you! LOVE the eggnog syrup
You truly are the pancake queen! These look incredible, I love all the warm, seasonal flavors!
Your “spirit animal” lol! They are mine too! These look amazing, I especially love the syrup!
My students are so into spirit animals. I’ve always had a hard time imagining mine, but if it’s food, well then, yeah. That’s much easier to think about! And pancakes are a great choice. With eggnog syrup, too, and I had no idea that was a thing!
This looks yummy! you have inspired me to attempt this recipe!
OMG I WANT EGGNOG SYRUP
We are all about pancakes especially during the holidays! Love the gingerbread and eggnog syrup!