Mini Pancakes (Silver Dollar Pancakes Recipe!)

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These mini pancakes are the perfect recipe to enjoy for breakfast or brunch. Way better than IHOP silver dollar pancakes, these homemade pancakes are fluffy, soft, and a little bit sweet with cinnamon, sugar, and vanilla. This easy recipe is vegan with a gluten-free option! These baby pancakes are healthy, fun to eat, and perfect for toddlers, big kids, and adults!

In the mood for the best pancakes? Ready in 15 minutes and suitable for easy mornings at home, these silver dollar pancakes are great for mini pancake cereal recipes, pancake bars, and holidays, too. Serving brunch? Prepare a batch of these fluffy pancakes when you’re in the mood for a delicious recipe! These pancakes are soft and fluffy in the middle and balanced with crispy edges. ‘

One of my favorite brunch recipes, these fluffy pancakes are delicious served with a variety of toppings you will enjoy. Feel free to switch things up throughout the year and create your own seasonal recipes to keep this pancake recipe fun! This homemade recipe is versatile, made with simple ingredients, and is super easy to customize.

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These dollar size pancakes happen to be a family favorite recipe — my husband and kids can’t get enough of these thick pancakes! They’re pillowy soft, the perfect size for little hands, and great for soaking up all that yummy syrup.

We like this recipe way better than regular pancakes!

👩🏽‍🍳 Why This Recipe Works

• Versatile: You can modify these easy pancakes to suit any dietary needs or taste preferences! They also go great with any type of side or fruit. Craving breakfast for dinner? Go all out with these pancakes and dress them up however you would like!
• Quick: Great for those busy mornings when you need to feed the kids breakfast in a short amount of time, these easy mini pancakes are made with basic ingredients and come together in under 30 minutes!
• Great for Meal Prep: Want to make sure breakfast and brunch is taken care of for the week? Make a batch of these sand dollar pancakes to quickly warm up during the busy work week.
• Healthy: Naturally dairy and refined sugar-free, these healthy mini pancakes are the perfect low sugar meal whenever you want something light to keep you energized.

🥞 Why Are They Called Silver Dollar Pancakes?

These tiny pancakes are called silver dollar pancakes because they are much tinier than your traditional flapjack! If you can believe it, they actually were created in the 1800s, and got their unique name because they were the size of a silver dollar in the US at that time. These little pancakes are traditionally 2-3 inches wide, and are also sometimes called hotcakes.

🥘 Ingredients

You can easily locate these simple and easy to find ingredients at your local grocery store. For the full recipe and nutrition info, see the recipe card below.

Dry Ingredients

• Flour: For these whole grain mini pancakes, we used whole wheat flour due to its additional fiber and minerals. You can also use all-purpose flour for this pancake recipe, but it won’t be as healthy.
• Baking Powder: To help create fluffy, thick pancakes that rise well.
• Sugar: Coconut sugar is a healthy alternative to cane sugar. You can also use date sugar. If you’re not avoiding refined sugars, then regular cane sugar would also work.
• Cinnamon: Naturally anti-inflammatory, ground cinnamon brings a bit of spice to these small pancakes.
• Salt: Kosher sea salt is used to make the perfect balance of sweetness. Just a pinch of salt is needed!

Wet Ingredients

• Milk: We used unsweetened soy milk in this recipe to keep it plant-based, but you can use any type of milk. Whole milk, almond milk, coconut milk, or oat milk would all work.
• Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice and Vanilla Extract: Gives these pancakes a bright, sweet flavor without needing extra sugar. Also, the lemon juice and soy milk come together to create thick fluffy mini pancakes similar to buttermilk pancakes.
• Coconut Oil: Make sure the coconut oil is melted prior to using in this recipe. You can use avocado oil or olive oil, but I wouldn’t recommend any other vegetable oil (like soybean oil or canola oil) for this recipe.

🍽 Equipment

You will need Measuring Cups & Spoons, Mixing Bowls, a Griddle or Large Nonstick Skillet, and a Spatula.

📖 Variations

• Gluten Free Mini Pancakes: You can substitute a 1:1 gluten free baking flour for these pancakes. Almond flour or gluten free oat flour could also work – we haven’t tested it but it should work!
• Chocolate Chip Pancakes: Add chocolate chips to middle of each mini pancake while they’re cooking (before you flip them) to make them that much sweeter!
• Gingerbread Pancakes: For gingerbread pancakes, simply add ¼ to ⅓ cup of molasses, one teaspoon ginger, and ½ teaspoon of all-spice.
• Protein Mini Pancakes: For an extra kick of protein, add your favorite nut butter to this silver dollar pancake recipe such as almond, peanut butter, or cashew butter. You can also add 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder into the batter!
• Sugar Free Pancakes: Instead of coconut sugar, you can use monk fruit sweetener, or granulated Swerve for these fluffy sand dollar pancakes.
• Make Pancake Mix! Mix all of the dry ingredients together and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks! When you’re ready to cook the pancakes, just add the wet ingredients and stir to combine!
• Blueberry Pancakes: While the pancakes are cooking, add a few blueberries to the batter before you flip them!
• Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes: Instead of plant based milk, use an equal amount of buttermilk. The recipe won’t be vegan friendly, but it will still be vegetarian friendly and delicious!

🔪 Instructions

See the complete list of ingredients and detailed instructions in the recipe card below!

Combine Dry Ingredients: First, in a mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients – combine flour, baking soda, salt, sugar, and cinnamon.

Add Wet Ingredients: Combine milk, lemon juice, melted coconut oil, and vanilla extract in a small bowl. Add to flour mixture. You will end up with a nice, thick batter ready to be poured onto your skillet.

Cook Pancakes: Next, place a little bit oil to a heavy skillet or griddle over medium high heat. Scoop out a tablespoon of the pancake batter and drop batter into the pan. Cook on medium heat to medium-low heat until the pancakes start to bubble on one side.

Flip Pancakes, Repeat: Next, flip the pancakes and cook until cooked thoroughly on each side. Repeat these steps with the remaining batter until it is all gone.

Serve: Serve a big stack of these sand dollar pancakes with fresh fruit or your favorite toppings!

❓Recipe FAQs

👨‍👩‍👧 How To Serve

• Serve these pancakes with your favorite smoothie recipes.
• Prepare these mini pancakes for breakfast with healthy cinnamon rolls.
• Healthier pancake toppings: Fresh berries, diced or stewed apples or pears, sliced bananas, sliced strawberries, pumpkin puree, citrus fruits, crushed nuts, a dusting of cinnamon, plain coconut yogurt or regular yogurt, pumpkin pie spice or nutmeg, or a drizzle of nut butter (peanut or almond butter would both work!)
• More decadent pancake toppings: Try maple syrup, nutella, powdered sugar, chocolate or caramel sauce, whipped cream, fruit compote or a scoop of ice cream!
• Enjoy these pancakes with any other breakfast recipe, or all on their own!

🧊 How To Store

I love making a double batch of these pancakes because they store so well in the fridge or freezer!

In The Fridge: Store leftover pancakes in an airtight container or bag in the refrigerator for up to five days.

In The Freezer: You can also flash freeze these pancakes in a freezer-safe container or ziplock bag for up to six months. When ready to enjoy the pancakes again, just allow them to thaw in the fridge overnight, then warm them in the microwave on a microwave-safe plate.

💭 Expert Tips

• Be careful not to burn the pancakes. Keep a close eye on them while they cook! Also make sure to cook them on medium to medium low heat so they cook evenly and have a lower chance of burning.
• Cook the pancakes until they are golden brown.
• Don’t over mix the batter or the pancakes will be flat.
• Spray oil or unsalted butter can be used instead of coconut oil while cooking these pancakes.
• Flip when small bubbles form in the batter.
• Feel free to use a hand mixer when mixing this pancake batter.
• Use a condiment squeeze bottle or piping bag to evenly (and easily) transfer the batter into the nonstick or frying pan.

🍏 More Yummy Recipes!

• Apple Cinnamon Pancakes
• Oat Flour Pancakes Recipe
• Spinach Pancakes
• Nutella Waffles
• Almond Milk Pancakes
• Biscuits Without Baking Powder
• Low Calorie Biscuits
• Healthy French Toast Recipe
• Easy Healthy Pancakes Recipe

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