Happy National Pancake Day!
I try not to chase every food trend, but pancakes are my weakness. I keep coming back to them—call it pancake rehab, but I’m not ready to quit.
Over the years I’ve shared many pancake variations—red velvet, cake batter, chocolate French silk, white chocolate coconut, whole wheat chocolate peanut butter, peanut butter and jelly, apple bacon, and more. I love experimenting and clearly can’t resist another batch.
This recipe highlights cherries—specifically frozen cherries. I always have frozen cherries on hand for smoothies, and when warmed they burst with sweet, juicy flavor, which makes them perfect for breakfast pancakes.
And of course, vanilla beans. I love the concentrated, floral flavor of real vanilla seeds. They elevate the batter and the glaze in a way that extract alone can’t fully match.
These pancakes are made with vanilla bean-specked whole wheat pastry flour for a slightly heartier texture that remains fluffy and soft. I fold chopped frozen cherries into the batter (or drop them into each pancake as it cooks) and stuff the finished pancakes with a warm cherry compote. A drizzle of cherry juice and a creamy vanilla bean glaze finishes them off.
Whole Wheat Cherry Vanilla Bean Pancakes
3 to 4
Ingredients
Whole Wheat Cherry Vanilla Bean Pancakes
- 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs, well beaten
- 1 3/4 cups milk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- contents of 1/2 vanilla bean
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 cups frozen cherries
Vanilla Bean Glaze
- 1 heaping cup powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 1/2 tablespoons milk
- contents of 1/2 vanilla bean
Instructions
Whole Wheat Cherry Vanilla Bean Pancakes
- Stir together the dry ingredients. Add the beaten eggs, milk, and vanilla extract, then fold in the vanilla bean seeds. Mix until the dry ingredients are moistened.
- Chop 1 cup of the frozen cherries into small pieces. You can fold them into the batter (the pancakes will take on a reddish-blue hue) or drop the chopped cherries into each pancake as it cooks.
- Heat a griddle or skillet over medium heat. Pour about 1/4 cup of batter per pancake and flip once small bubbles appear on the surface.
- Heat the remaining cup of cherries in a saucepan or microwave until warm, then mash slightly with a fork. Use this warm cherry mixture to stuff between pancakes and spoon the cherry juices over the stack.
Vanilla Bean Glaze
- Place the powdered sugar in a bowl and stir in the heavy cream and vanilla until the mixture resembles a thick batter. Add milk one tablespoon at a time, stirring until smooth (about 3–5 minutes). The mixture may look lumpy at first; continue stirring until it comes together. Fold in the vanilla bean seeds and pour the glaze over the pancakes.
Did you make this recipe?
If you try it, tag your photo with #howsweeteats on social media — I appreciate seeing your creations!
What would your perfect pancake be?