by Micky Ellenbecker, Purchasing Assistant
You want to feed a crowd, and pancakes are often a crowd pleaser. However, standing over a griddle flipping cakes for 30 plus minutes is less desirable, or maybe you’re like me and avoid large gadgets that have limited uses and therefore don’t own a griddle. Well, let me introduce you to sheet pan pancakes! I have fully embraced the sheet pan technique for many meal applications, but I was a bit skeptical when it came to making pancakes in such a fashion. I’m happy to report that I was pleasantly surprised and they turned out great; fluffy and satisfying like any other pancake. The sheet pan approach lends itself more easily to mix and match toppings before throwing them in the oven, such as dividing them into 1/4 berries, 1/4 pre-cooked sausage or veggie sausage, 1/4 nuts, or 1/4 chocolate chips. I’ve also been pleased with these as reheated leftovers. I don’t know about you, but I love me some leftovers (I reheated them in the oven at 350˚F for 10 minutes). In the end, my house doesn’t smell greasy or smoky from pan frying, I’ve got more time to prepare side dishes, and we can all sit down to eat together since the pancake readiness isn’t staggered. Personally, I don’t think I’ll ever make pancakes in my iron skillet again. I hope you enjoy!
Classic Sheet Pan Pancakes
Adapted from melskitchencafe.com
2 1/2 c. buttermilk (can sub milk if desired)
2 large eggs
6 Tbs. melted butter (can sub canola oil)
1/4 c. sugar
3 c. all-purpose flour
1 Tbs. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
desired toppings of your choice
maple syrup for serving
Directions: Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Grease an 18x13-in baking sheet. I prefer butter, but a cooking spray will also work.
Whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, melted butter, and sugar. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, using a spatula to gently fold together and being careful not to overmix.
Transfer the batter to the prepared baking sheet and spread evenly, and add desired toppings. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for a few minutes, cut into squares and serve with your favorite sides!
Sheet Pan Pumpkin Pancakes
Adapted from easyweeknightrecipes.com
2 c. buttermilk (can sub milk if desired)
1 large egg
1/4 c. granulated sugar
1/2 Tbs. vanilla extract
2 Tbs. molasses (optional)
4 Tbs. melted unsalted butter (can sub canola oil if desired)
1 c. pumpkin puree
2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/3 tsp. ground ginger
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
½ tsp. salt
2/3 c. chopped pecans (optional)
maple syrup for serving
Directions: Preheat the oven to 450˚F. Grease an 18x13-in. baking sheet. I prefer butter, but a cooking spray will also work.
Whisk together the buttermilk, egg, sugar, vanilla extract, molasses, melted butter and pumpkin puree. You can take the step to mix the melted butter and pumpkin puree together first to minimize the butter resolidifying into small pieces when it hits the cold buttermilk, but in my experience the pancakes turn out fine either way.
In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt together. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, using a spatula to gently fold together and being careful not to overmix.
Transfer the batter to the prepared baking sheet and spread out evenly. Sprinkle the top with the chopped pecans and/or any other desired toppings before putting in the oven.
Bake for 14-18 minutes, or until the pancake has puffed up and starts to pull away from the edges of the pan. Let cool for a few minutes, cut into squares, and serve with your favorite sides!