Return to top
featured in… The Huffington Post CookingLight Reader's Digest Women's Health BuzzFeed Glamour Whole Foods Oprah Winfrey Network CNN Food Network Healthline Shape

Hello! Iโ€™m Anjali. Iโ€™m a board certified health coach, author, wife, mom and food lover from the SF Bay area (now living in Seattle, WA!); with a passion for delicious food and a desire to make healthy eating easy, tasty and fun! Learn more about me here and stay for a while!

Anjali Shah

Santa Pancakes

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure.

These adorable Santa pancakes have the perfect sweetness of fresh strawberries, bananas, and fluffy pancakes! If youโ€™re looking for some fun and simple Christmas pancake ideas, these are exactly what you need!

Overhead shot of a santa pancake on a wooden cutting board.

Whatโ€™s more festive than Santa Claus pancakes? With the hustle and bustle of Christmas morning, the perfect in-between treat and activity are making these easy Santa pancakes. The fresh fruit and banana beard make this a healthy and fun Christmas breakfast for both kids and adults!

Special holiday season brunches are made even more memorable by the addition of this favorite pancake recipe. These pancakes are vegan and plant-based, but still easy to make and fun for the whole family.

These Santa pancakes with strawberries and bananas are naturally sweet and tasty, and takes ordinary pancakes to a whole new level! Kids will love that they can decorate their breakfast themselves. If youโ€™re looking for easy Christmas pancakes, this recipe is for you!

๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿณ Why Youโ€™ll Love Santa Pancakes

  • Simple Yet Creative: These pancakes are a blank canvas for all different types of Santaโ€™s to be made. These easy Christmas pancakes are tasty and straightforward so thereโ€™s no hassle and clean up is a breeze.
  • Fun Christmas Morning Breakfast Idea: This Santa breakfast idea is the perfect festive way to start the day on Christmas morning! The creative design goes deliciously well with the soft golden-brown pancakes. Both parents and kids alike will enjoy designing their fun breakfast treat.
  • Topping Options Are Endless: These toppings are fruity and flavorful, but theyโ€™re also easily interchangeable with other tasty fruits and ingredients you may have around the house.
  • Whole Grains: These adorable Christmas pancakes are also healthy! These whole-grain pancakes will keep bellies full and bodies energized for the rest of the holiday festivities. The whole grain flour is a great pairing for the delicious berries and bananas.
  • Naturally Sweet: Holiday cheer doesnโ€™t have to come with artificial sweets. This Santa pancake recipe calls for coconut sugar instead of white sugar and is topped with fruit instead of other sugar-laden toppings.

Latest Recipe Video!

๐Ÿฅ˜ Ingredients

These fruity Santa hat pancakes are made with a simple pancake batter to create healthy and fluffy pancakes. Read on to see what youโ€™ll need. For the full recipe and exact ingredient amounts, see the recipe card below!

Ingredients for easy Christmas Santa pancakes on a white background.

Pancake Ingredients

  • White Whole Wheat Flour: The base of the dry ingredients for heavenly round pancakes. Whole wheat flour has added nutritional value to set you and your family up for high energy without the sugar crash. 
  • Baking Powder: To ensure soft and fluffy pancakes that will melt in your mouth.
  • Salt: Just a touch of salt enhances all of the classic pancake flavors.
  • Coconut Sugar: To keep this healthy Santa pancakes recipe lightly sweetened.
  • Olive Oil: To keep these jolly Santa pancakes moist. Be mindful of olive oil that may be expired as that will change the flavor profile of the pancakes. 
  • Unsweetened Almond Milk: A great blank slate for moist non-dairy pancakes.
  • Vanilla Extract: For added depth of flavor in these fun Santa pancakes. For the best flavor, use pure vanilla extract.

Topping Ingredients

  • Strawberries: Tart strawberry slices to create Santaโ€™s red hat and to complete Santaโ€™s rosy red nose.
  • Bananas: Ripe banana slices for Santaโ€™s beard and the tip of his hat.
  • Candy Eyes: A fun way to add an animated sweet treat for these festive Santa pancakes.

๐Ÿฒ Ingredient Substitutions

  • Oil: Depending on what you have available, you can substitute olive oil with canola oil or coconut oil. However, take note that this will affect the nutritional value.
  • Milk: Use any non-dairy milk you like (soy milk, oat milk, or full-fat coconut milk) or swap for whole milk if you arenโ€™t concerned about the dairy.
  • Santa Eyes: If you cannot find candy eyes, chocolate chips will do the trick for Santaโ€™s eyes.
  • Santa Beard: If youโ€™re going for extra sweet and fluffy, create a whipped cream beard.
  • Dry Ingredients: Instead of mixing the dry ingredients from scratch, you can also use a pancake mix to save on prep time. Make sure to follow the directions on the boxed mix for making the pancakes, and then decorate following the instructions below.

๐Ÿ”ช How to Make Santa Pancakes

Mix Batter: Preheat a griddle or skillet over medium-high heat for a couple of minutes. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Set aside.

All of the dry ingredients for santa pancakes in a glass mixing bowl.

Whisk Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, beat together the oil, milk, and vanilla.

A mixing bowl of milk and oil with a whisk.

Add Wet & Dry Ingredients: Add the oil mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just combined.

Cook Pancakes: Use a ยผ cup measuring cup to scoop the batter onto the hot griddle. Cook until the pancakes begin to bubble, then flip the pancake and cook the other side for two to three minutes until they are golden brown. Continue cooking the batter until all the batter has been cooked.

A plate of cooked pancakes next to a striped red towel.

Decorate Santa Face Pancakes: Allow the pancakes to cool slightly, then use the banana slices to create a beard on the bottom half of the pancake. Use the strawberry slices to make Santaโ€™s hat on the top of the pancake. Decorate the top of the hat with a banana end and add a row of banana slices along the bottom of the hat. Use a strawberry end as Santaโ€™s nose and add two candy eyes above the nose to complete Santaโ€™s face.

Overhead shot of Santa pancakes on a wooden cutting board.

๐Ÿ’ญ Expert Tips

  • Donโ€™t Over-Mix. When mixing the dry and wet ingredients, create a well in the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. This prevents you from over-mixing the batter which results in a tough dense pancake.
  • Let The Batter Rest. Allow the pancake batter to rest for 10-15 minutes before cooking. This allows the batter to hydrate and create those little fluffy bubbles we all love.
  • Prepare The Griddle. Make sure your skillet is greased well for the perfectly browned pancakes that flip easily without sticking. You can use melted butter or olive oil.
  • Consistent Pancakes. Use an ice cream scoop or measuring cup to dispense the batter. This results in even pancakes. For larger pancakes, leave the batter on the pan for 30 seconds to 1 minute longer. Furthermore, creating oval pancakes works best for Santaโ€™s face.
  • Look For Bubbling Pancakes. Itโ€™s a good thing when the batter starts to bubble. This tells you that itโ€™s time to flip the pancakes.

๐Ÿ“– Variations

  • Snowman Shape Pancakes: Scoop the pancakes onto the griddle in large, medium, and small scoops. Serve the pancakes in the shape of a snowman. Decorate with chocolate chips for the eyes, coco whip cream for the body, and wedges of orange for the nose! Itโ€™s a great way to use the remainder of the batter and another fun holiday breakfast!
  • Candy Cane & Holiday Shapes: Experiment with other holiday-themed shapes. Candy canes, ornaments, wreaths, and Rudolph are a few of our favorites. Decorate with Christmas decorations, try out coloring the pancake dough with food coloring, and finish off with relevant sliced fruit and coconut whipped cream.
  • Gluten-Free Pancake Christmas Breakast: For gluten-free pancakes, use gluten-free flour thatโ€™s made with xanthan gum which will ensure that the pancakes bind and raise well.

๐Ÿฝ Serving Suggestions

These festive Santa pancakes go well with all things breakfast. Here are some great examples: 

๐Ÿซ™ Storage Directions

  • Refrigeration: Keep undecorated pancake leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5-7 days. Decorated pancakes and pancake decorations will only last for up to 1 day as the toppings will degrade.
  • Reheating: Reheat these Santa breakfast pancakes in the microwave on medium heat for 30-60-second intervals until they are heated through.
  • Freezing: Leftover pancakes can be frozen in a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag for up to 3 months.
Closeup overhead shot of a santa pancake on a wooden cutting board.

๐Ÿฅž More Delicious Pancake Recipes!

Want to Save This Recipe?

Enter your email & Iโ€™ll send it to your inbox.ย Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!

Save Recipe

By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from The Picky Eater.

Love this plant based breakfast recipe? Please leave a 5-star rating ๐ŸŒŸ in the recipe below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page!

You can also FOLLOW ME onย FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, andย PINTEREST to see more delicious, healthy, family-friendly food, and if you have any questions, Iโ€™m here to help!

๐Ÿ“‹ Recipe Card

๐ŸŽฅ Watch How to Make It

https://youtu.be/i9lfDgh6Au0
Overhead shot of a santa pancake on a wooden cutting board.
Print Recipe
5 from 9 votes

Santa Pancakes

These cute and festive Santa pancakes are the perfect breakfast treat on Christmas morning. With a red strawberry hat, and white banana beard, these pancakes are deliciously fun!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegan
Servings: 10 pancakes
Calories: 131.3kcal
Author: Anjali Shah

Ingredients

Shop Ingredients on Jupiter

Equipment

Instructions

  • Preheat a griddle or skillet over medium high heat.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Set aside.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk the oil, milk, and vanilla together.
  • Add the oil mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just combined.
  • Use a ยผ cup measuring cup to scoop batter on to the hot griddle. Cook until the pancakes begin to bubble, then flip the pancake and cook the other side for two to three minutes.
  • Continue cooking the batter until all the batter has been cooked.
  • Allow the pancakes to cool slightly, then use the banana slices to create a beard on the bottom half of the pancake. Use the strawberry slices to make a hat on the top of the pancake. Decorate the top of the hat with a banana end and add a row of banana slices along the bottom of the hat. Use a strawberry end as Santaโ€™s nose and add two candy eyes above the nose.

Notes

Storage Directions
  • Refrigeration: Keep undecorated pancake leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5-7 days. Decorated pancakes and pancake decorations will only last for up to 1 day as the toppings will degrade.
  • Reheating: Reheat the pancakes in the microwave on medium heat for 30-60 second intervals until they are heated through.
  • Freezing: Leftover undecorated pancakes can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Recipe Card Notes
  • Donโ€™t Over-Mix. When mixing the dry and wet ingredients, create a well in the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. This prevents you from over-mixing the batter which results in a tough dense pancake.
  • Let the Batter Rest. Allow the pancake batter to rest for 10-15 minutes before cooking. This allows the batter to hydrate and create those little fluffy bubbles we all love.
  • Prepare the Griddle. Make sure your skillet is greased well for the perfectly browned pancakes that flip easily without sticking. You can use melted butter or olive oil.ย 
  • Gluten-Free: For gluten-free pancakes, use gluten-free flour thatโ€™s made with xanthan gum which will ensure that the pancakes bind and raise well.
  • ย 

Nutrition

Serving: 1santa pancake | Calories: 131.3kcal | Carbohydrates: 23.6g | Protein: 2.5g | Fat: 3.6g | Saturated Fat: 0.5g | Sodium: 76.2mg | Potassium: 254.4mg | Fiber: 3.5g | Sugar: 10g

18 responses to “Santa Pancakes”

  1. What a fun and festive idea for the holidays! My kids will love waking up to this cute breakfast idea, indeed!5 stars

  2. I can’t wait to serve these super fun and festive Santa pancakes to my grandkids. They are going to love them.5 stars

  3. These are not only adorable but they are also super delicious. I can’t wait to make these again on Christmas morning for the kiddos!5 stars

  4. The kids loved these santa pancakes! They turned out perfectly fluffy and the decorated toppings were the cherry on top.5 stars

5 from 9 votes (1 rating without comment)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating





Subscribe to newsletter

Copyright 2024 The Picky Eater®, LLC. All rights reserved.