Growing up in Poland, pancakes meant one thing in our house: thin naleśniki, what most people here would call crêpes. That was what my mum made, and naturally, when I had my own children, that was what I made for them too. For years, I didn’t really think there was another kind of pancake we needed.
Then my children went to primary school and started specifically asking for American pancakes. Not my thin Polish ones. They wanted the little, thick, fluffy pancakes they had discovered somewhere along the way. So, thanks to my children, American pancakes eventually found their way into our kitchen too.
I used to serve them with homemade blueberry sauce, freshly whipped cream and plenty of grated chocolate on top. The blueberry sauce was probably more my idea of making breakfast a little more special. The kids, unsurprisingly, were mostly interested in the pancakes, cream and chocolate. And really, what more does a child need when there’s a plate of warm pancakes and chocolate in front of them?
Over the years, they became one of those simple recipes I could make without giving it much thought. I like using kefir because it gives the batter the thicker consistency I want for small, fluffy pancakes. Buttermilk works too, although I’ve learned that it can vary quite a lot. Some varieties are much thinner, which makes the batter spread more and gives you flatter pancakes.
These American pancakes are still incredibly simple: a handful of everyday ingredients, two bowls and a few minutes at the stove. They’re soft and fluffy, with just enough sweetness in the batter, and you can serve them with whatever you happen to fancy that day. Although in our house, chocolate has always had a fairly good chance of winning.
American Pancakes – Small, Fluffy and Made with Kefir
Course: BreakfastCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy20
servings10
minutes25
minutes52
kcalIngredients
200 g kefir
2 eggs
150g plain flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Optional for serving:
Homemade blueberry sauce
Freshly whipped cream
Grated chocolate
Directions
- In a bowl, mix the kefir, eggs and extra virgin olive oil until combined.
- In a separate bowl, mix the plain flour, sugar and bicarbonate of soda.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix gently until just combined. Don’t overmix. The batter should be fairly thick and slowly drop from a spoon rather than pour.
- Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium-low heat. Spoon small portions of batter onto the pan to make pancakes about 6–8 cm wide.
- Cook until you see bubbles appearing on the surface and the edges begin to set. Flip and cook the other side until golden.
- Continue with the remaining batter. You should get approximately 20 small pancakes.
- Serve warm. I love them with homemade blueberry sauce, freshly whipped cream and grated chocolate, or whatever you fancy.
Notes
- Kefir works best for these pancakes because its thicker consistency helps them stay small and fluffy.
If using buttermilk, keep in mind that some varieties are much thinner. Start with about 150–160 g, then add a little more if needed.
The batter should be thick enough to slowly drop from a spoon, not pour like crêpe batter.
Don’t overmix the batter. Mix only until the flour is incorporated.
Keep the heat at medium-low so the pancakes cook through without browning too quickly.
Depending on their size, the recipe makes approximately 20 small pancakes, around 6–8 cm each.
