Christmas morning pancakes

These Christmas morning pancakes are fluffy, tall, sweet and delicious. Best of all? They take just minutes to prepare, so they're the perfect treat for impatient tummies, keen to get on with opening gifts!

The pancakes are made with a simple blend of milk, eggs, vanilla, self-raising flour, sugar and baking powder. You'll whisk the ingredients together to a smooth batter, then spoon into a hot buttered pan, while they'll rise and turn beautifully golden. Flip, fry and done!

You'll then stack your gorgeously fresh pancakes onto plates, scatter with festive sprinkles and drizzle with fresh cream. SO GOOD!

Here's how to make enough Christmas morning pancakes for four excited people.

Instructions

Put the milk, egg and vanilla in a bowl.

Whisk until well combined.

Add the flour, baking powder and sugar.

Whisk until you have a thick, smooth batter.

Heat the pan over a medium heat. Add a little butter and melt to grease the pan.

Spoon the mix onto the pan, about 2 tbsp per pancake. Make sure to space them far enough apart that they don't merge into one.

After about 1 minute, the upper side of the pancakes should be starting to bubble and the underside should be golden. 

Flip and cook for another minute or so until both sides are golden.

Turn onto a plate and repeat until all the pancakes are cooked – if you wish, you can keep them warm by placing them on a baking tray, covered with greaseproof paper in a low oven

To serve, pile one or two pancakes on a plate and scatter with sprinkles.

Pile another one or two pancakes on top.

Add more sprinkles.

Aren't they pretty?

To complete, drizzle with cream and scatter with yet more sprinkles. After all, this is an extra special Christmas morning pancake breakfast.

Are you tempted to try these Christmas morning pancakes this year? What do you usually have for breakfast on Christmas morning?

Pointers, tricks and troubleshooting tips for the perfect Christmas morning pancakes

Are Christmas morning pancakes easy to make?

These pancakes are a simple fluffy batter that you can pull together really quickly, and you should be able to fit two or even three in the pan at a time to cook so you’ll be done in no time at all. Top with sparkly Christmas sprinkles to get into the swing of Christmas!

Will I need any special equipment for this recipe?

Everything you need should be easy to find in the average kitchen. You’ll need a bowl and whisk as well as weighing scales and measuring spoons to make the batter. A large nonstick frying pan to cook them in, and a baking sheet if you’d like to keep them warm in the oven as you cook the rest of the pancakes. 

How can I tell if cream has gone off?

Similar to milk cream will sour when it goes off. Firstly check the Best Before Date to give you an indication whether or not the cream is still ok to use.

Check it has been stored correctly and kept in the fridge. Have a look at the cream, it will start to split when it's going bad, you can pour a little out to see if it's lumpy.

If it's really gone bad mould might be forming around the lid, a very clear sign this is no longer safe to eat. Always practice proper food hygiene to reduce the risk of foodborne illnesses. 

Are Christmas morning pancakes suitable for vegetarians?

Yes, this yummy breakfast morning recipe is vegetarian as it contains no meat, poultry, or fish. Make sure to check the sprinkles are suitable for vegetarians. 

Are Christmas morning pancakes suitable for vegans?

This recipe isn’t vegan as it contains egg, milk, and cream. Why not give my vegan fluffy pancakes a try instead they are so delicious. 

Are Christmas morning pancakes gluten-free?

For these Christmas breakfast pancakes, I’ve used wheat-based self-raising flour so they are not gluten-free.

I haven’t tested this recipe with gluten-free flour and baking powder yet, but it should work ok, give it a go and let me know how you get on! 

Are Christmas morning pancakes safe to eat while pregnant?

There isn’t anything in this recipe that would usually be a problem for a pregnant woman, as long as all the ingredients are in good condition, and the pancakes are prepared and cooked hygienically. 

Advice regarding egg safety does vary from country to country so please check information local to you so you’re fully informed. 

If you have any worries or concerns please seek help from a qualified health professional. A Mummy Too does not offer medical advice. 

What goes well with Christmas morning pancakes?

If Christmas sprinkles are too much for breakfast these pancakes work perfectly with all the classic pancake companions, fresh fruit, and berries like chopped banana and blueberries. If you have some smoked salmon in for Christmas it's delightful with these pancakes with a dollop of plain yogurt and a squeeze of lemon. 

Can I make Christmas morning pancakes without sugar?

Yes, if you want to make these pancakes a little less sweet you can leave out the caster sugar and they should turn into lovely savoury pancakes.

Without sugar, they may not brown in quite the same way but they will still be utterly delicious.

If you’re serving with fruits and Christmas sprinkles this will bring plenty of sweetness without adding sugar to the pancake batter. 

Can I add extra fruit to this recipe?

You can easily turn these into fruit pancakes if you like, studded with blueberries or raspberries.

Once the batter is in the pan drop four or five blueberries into each pancake, if you’re using raspberries you might want to cut them in half lengthways so they cook quicker in the pancakes.

The berries will cook and go jammy, don’t worry if they look burnt this is just the colour coming out of the blueberries! Wipe the pan between each batch with some clean kitchen towel if you have particularly juicy fruit. 

A much easier way to add fruit would be to pile some chopped fruits like bananas, apples and berries on top for serving. 

How should I store Christmas morning pancakes?

Any leftover pancakes need to be kept in the fridge or freezer. If you’re keeping them in the fridge just cover them on a plate with a beeswax wrap to protect them.

For freezing, I would recommend separating each pancake between a piece of parchment or baking paper to protect them and stop the pancakes from sticking together.

Once you’ve created a stack wrap it well with cling film or put them into a freezer bag, add a final layer of tin foil if you want some extra protection. 

How long do Christmas morning pancakes keep?

These pancakes will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days, and in the freezer when well wrapped will keep for up to 2 months. 

Can I leave Christmas morning pancakes out on the counter?

Other than when serving no, these pancakes shouldn’t be left out on the counter as this will increase the risk of bacterial spread.

Any leftovers need to be cooled and put into the fridge as soon as possible. 

Can I make Christmas morning pancakes ahead?

Yes, these pancakes keep well both in the fridge or freezer and reheat pretty well so if you want an even easier Christmas morning breakfast then get ahead and make up a batch of pancakes in advance.

If you want to make them a day or two ahead simply pop them in the fridge, any further in advance they’ll need to be kept in the freezer.

Make sure to get your pancakes cooled and into the fridge or freezer quickly to keep them at their best. 

Can I keep Christmas morning pancakes in the refrigerator?

Yes, any leftover pancakes will need to be kept in the fridge or even the freezer if you want to keep them for longer.

Can I freeze Christmas morning pancakes?

Yes, these pancakes freeze well, if I have time I’ll make a double batch and put some in the freezer for another day when we fancy pancakes.

Make sure to wrap them well to protect them from freezer burn, they’ll keep in the freezer for up to 2 months.

I find it best to thaw them out overnight in the fridge so they are ready to warm up by morning. Once defrosted the pancakes need to be consumed within 24 hours. 

What is the best way to reheat Christmas morning pancakes?

You can either heat these pancakes up in a frying pan or if you have a lot to heat up you can do so in a low oven. 

When heating up in a frying pan, over a medium heat melt a small amount of butter in the pan, add the pancakes, and heat on each side for a few minutes, you should be able to fit three or four in the pan at the same time. 

To reheat in the oven, preheat the oven to 160C/320F (140C fan) and put your pancakes onto lightly greased baking trays, warm in the oven for about 10 minutes. 

Can I make Christmas morning pancakes in a different quantity?

If you want to make more or less of this recipe then you can.

This recipe serves 4 and uses one large egg, so if you wanted to make less it might be a little tricky, these pancakes freeze well so I would suggest making up a batch for 4 servings and freezing the ones you don’t need.

To make more, click on the number of servings on the recipe card below and a slider will pop up that you can move up and down to get the number of servings you wish to make. The ingredients will update automatically so you’re ready to go. 

Can I make this recipe in a stand mixer such as a KitchenAid or Kenwood Mixer?

Pancake mix is quite delicate and the kind of thing you don’t want to overwork so it’s probably better to simply mix by hand rather than getting the stand mixer out. 

How can I make sure Christmas morning pancakes are perfectly cooked?

These pancakes are ready when they’ve turned a lovely golden brown on each side and look firm and set. Have a look at the photos above so you can see when the pancakes are ready to flip. 

Why did my Christmas morning pancakes turn out burnt and stick to the pan?

The pan was probably too hot, or not enough butter added to the pan to stop the pancakes from sticking.

If you’re first batch burns, all is not lost, take the pan off the heat, and turn the heat on the hob down, give everything 5 minutes to cool, and try again, you can make a mini test pancake if you think the pan still might be too hot. 

It may take a little longer, but cooking pancakes low and slow is a good method to make sure they are beautifully set and not burnt. 

Why did my Christmas morning pancakes turn out wet and thin?

Perhaps too much milk was added to the batter so it's become more like a crepe. Make sure to weigh out the ingredients carefully, you want the batter to be quite thick so the pancakes hold their shape.

Thinner crepe-style pancakes will still be yummy so just go ahead and make stacks of those instead if your batter is too thin. 

If you find the pancakes are not cooked after a few minutes in the pan, you can keep them in longer until they are done.

The recipe is a guide and things vary in different kitchens, the type of frying pan or if you’re using a gas hob versus an electric or induction will all affect the cooking times so be patient and give the pancakes a chance to cook. 

Why didn’t my Christmas morning pancakes rise?

In the pancake batter there is baking powder and self raising flour so you shouldn’t have any problems with the pancakes rising. 

A few tips and things to keep in mind, firstly the raising agents in the flour and the baking powder will get to work the moment they come into contact with liquid from the egg and milk, creating tiny bubbles of carbon dioxide that make the pancakes light and fluffy.

If the batter is left out on the side for ages there is a higher chase that all those little bubbles will burst and disperse out of the batter so the pancakes won't rise as well. Another thing to be mindful of is to no over mix the batter as this also knocks out those tiny bubbles of gas. 

Why did my Christmas morning pancakes taste bland?

This is a simple quick pancake mix that I’ve served with impactful and festive sparkles. If this is not to your tastes, you can add any number of toppings to create your perfect Christmas breakfast. 

How can I add/change the flavours in this dish?

The toppings are the easiest thing to change with pancakes. Serve yours with simple sprinkles and cream or fresh fruit. You could make savoury pancakes and serve them with crispy bacon or smoked salmon. 

What is the origin of pancakes?

There is archaeological evidence to suggest forms of pancakes have been made by humans even in prehistoric societies. Various forms have developed over thousands of years in most cuisines around the world from thin savory crepe sort of style pancakes, to thick fluffy pancakes like these. Fun to think you’re eating a little bit of history and something people have enjoyed eating for a long long time!

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