The Fluffiest Double Chocolate Pancakes

These double chocolate pancakes are soft, thick and fluffy, with a rich cocoa batter and pockets of melted dark and milk chocolate throughout. The batter is intentionally thick, which helps the pancakes rise properly in the pan rather than spreading thin. A simple finish of maple syrup, icing sugar and white chocolate buttons turns a weekend breakfast into something a little special.

A stack of thick double chocolate pancakes with maple syrup, icing sugar and white chocolate buttons.

Weekend mornings call for something a little slower than the weekday rush allows, and these pancakes are made for exactly that pace. The batter is mixed thick on purpose, studded with both dark and milk chocolate, so the pancakes hold their height in the pan instead of spreading flat. Browning the butter first adds a nutty warmth that turns a simple stack into something worth lingering over with coffee. A dusting of icing sugar, a drizzle of maple syrup and a few melting white chocolate buttons finish them properly, no extra effort required.

Prep: 10 min · Cook: 35 min · Serves: 4 · Cuisine: Australian · Category: Breakfast

Ingredients

Double Chocolate Pancakes

Method

  1. Place the flour, cocoa powder, caster sugar, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine and break up any lumps of cocoa.
  2. In a separate jug, whisk together the milk, egg and vanilla until smooth.
  3. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, then continue cooking until it turns golden and smells nutty. Remove from the heat and let it cool slightly.
  4. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients. Pour in the milk mixture and browned butter. Gently whisk until just combined. The batter will be thick, which is what gives these pancakes their fluffy rise.
  5. Fold through the dark and milk chocolate chips.
  6. Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium-low to medium heat. Lightly grease with a little butter.
  7. Spoon or scoop the batter into the pan, using about 1/4 cup of batter per pancake. Cook for 3–4 minutes, or until the edges look set and a few bubbles appear on the surface. Flip carefully and cook for another 2–3 minutes, or until cooked through.
  8. Transfer to a plate and cover loosely to keep warm while you cook the remaining pancakes.
  9. Serve warm with maple syrup, a dusting of icing sugar and white chocolate buttons, if using.

Serving Suggestion

These pancakes sit happily alongside other sweet brunch favourites if you are feeding a crowd. A plate of Golden Vanilla French Toast with Warm Raspberries, Blackberries and Maple alongside the stack turns a simple breakfast into a proper spread, or keep things lighter with a bowl of Baked Oats with Berries on the side to balance all that chocolate.

Notes

This batter is thicker than a standard pancake batter, so resist the urge to add extra milk even if it looks too stiff. It should be scooped, not poured.

Try not to over mix the batter. Overmixing is what makes pancakes tough rather than soft.

Keep the pan at a moderate heat. If it runs too hot, the outside will colour before the centre has had time to cook through.

Using a mix of dark and milk chocolate chips gives a better balance than only one type, since the dark chocolate adds depth and the milk chocolate keeps things sweet and soft.

Leftover pancakes reheat well. Warm them gently in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds, or until soft and warm again.

The Grace Table Tip

Browning the butter before mixing it through the batter takes only a few extra minutes, but it adds a warm, nutty flavour you would not get from melted butter alone. If you are short on time, plain melted butter still works, the browned version is simply worth it when you have a few extra minutes to spare.

This recipe uses lactose-free milk, which is what we use at home for dietary needs. Regular dairy milk works just as well in the batter if that is what you have on hand.