These Restaurant Pancakes Go Way Beyond Buttermilk
No disrespect to that box of Bisquick you grew up with, but did you know you can make pancakes with sourdough and buckwheat and even flour? Chefs do. Across the country, they’re upping their breakfast games, transforming the ho-hum flapjack into a must-order item. We talked to six chefs who are making versions we’d love to wake up to any day about their secret weapon ingredients.
Barney Hannagan, Chef, Proud Mary, Portland, OR
“Our signature hotcake uses a batter I’ve been perfecting with another chef since 2013. We make our batter fresh to keep it fluffier and use a self rising flour to make them more consistent. We throw a cookie crumb on there, shower it with edible flowers like nasturtium to give pops of those pinks and purples to go with the strawberries, and finish it off with a dulce de leche whipped ricotta.” (This is the pancake pictured above.)
Alex Manley, Director of Baking and Pastry, June’s All Day, Austin
“We love leavening batter with our mother, a wild yeast starter we use for our country loaves. Sourdough pancakes have a nice tang, are thinner than classic buttermilk pancakes, and have a texture that’s less cakey and more airy.”
Emily Yuen, Executive Chef, Bessou, NYC
“To make our Japanese-style pancakes nice and tall, we whip egg whites and fold them into the batter. I love how they get crispy edges from the sizzling pan we pour the batter into yet remain light and fluffy on the inside.”
Roxana Jullapat, Baker and Co-Owner, Friends & Family, L.A.
“Because it’s naturally free of gluten, buckwheat is easy to stir in vigorously without making tough pancakes; in fact, the buckwheat makes them quite tender. The flavor is subtle and aromatic but also has a nice earthiness.”
Jason Wilson, Chef-Owner, The Lakehouse, Bellevue, WA
“We make our pancakes with coffee flour, which is made by milling the usually discarded coffee fruit into a powder. It doesn’t taste like coffee—there are more floral, citrus, and roasted-fruit notes. I pair it with cocoa powder for rich flavor plus vitamins, fiber, and protein.”
Jaime Young, Chef and Partner, Sunday in Brooklyn, Brooklyn
“Adding malt powder (made from roasted barley) to our pancakes gives them a deep caramelized flavor profile. We top the pancakes with hazelnut maple praline sauce and brown butter to accentuate those caramelized notes.”
Guy Turland, Chef-Owner, Bondi Harvest, Santa Monica, CA
“We put puréed vegetables like butternut squash and pumpkin into our batter in the fall and zucchini in the summer. Anything with natural sweetness works. We combine it with kefir for tang and a little extra rise.”
