Fun pancake recipes for kids

Elephant pancakes

Makes 12 pancakes

Turn your regular round pancakes into nutritious roaring elephants with the help of fresh fruit.

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1-1/4 cups buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• Raisins
• Sliced bananas
• Whipped cream

Directions

1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
2. In medium bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk, and oil. Add wet ingredients to flour mixture and stir just until moist
3. Heat a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat. Grease skillet or griddle with oil or spray with cooking spray.
4. Pour batter, in 1/4-cup portions, onto skillet or griddle. Cook for 2 minutes or until edges of pancakes have set and bubbles are just bursting on the top of the pancake. Flip and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes or until both sides are lightly browned.
5. To make elephants, place one pancake in a plate and use raisins for eyes and a smiley mouth. Place a stack of sliced bananas in the center of the pancake and gently push sliced bananas into a trunk. Spray whipped cream on both sides of pancakes at eye level to make ears.

3-D doggie pancakes

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1-1/4 cups soy milk
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• Apple slices
• Blueberries
• Dried cranberries

Directions

1. In a large bowl with a spout, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
2. In medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, and oil. Add wet ingredients to flour mixture and stir just until moist.
3. Heat a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat. Grease skillet or griddle with oil or spray with cooking spray.
4. Cook three pancakes: one large, one medium-sized, and one small.
5. Place large pancake on a plate. Place medium-sized pancake on large pancake about an inch lower than center – this is the snout. To make the nose, place the small pancake in the center of the medium-sized pancake.
6. Use apple slices as ears, blueberries as eyes and a dried cranberry for the mouth. Repeat with remaining batter.

Cookie cutter pancakes

Serves 6

Put those cookie cutters to healthy use with these quick and easy kid-friendly pancakes. Give your kids an assortment of dried and fresh fruit, preserves, yogurt, or other goodies to decorate and personalize each pancake shape.

Ingredients

• 1 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
  1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1-1/4 cups milk
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• Assorted cookie cutters

Directions

1. In a large bowl with a spout, whisk together flours, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
2. In medium bowl, whisk together eggs, honey, milk, and oil. Add wet ingredients to flour mixture and stir just until moist.
3. Heat a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat. Grease skillet or griddle with oil or spray with cooking spray.
4. Spray the inside of the cookie cutters with cooking spray. Place them on the skillet or griddle.
5. Pour pancake batter inside each cookie cutter until batter fills the space (don’t overfill, a thin layer of batter is all you need). Let sit for 1 to 2 minutes or until the edges set.
6. Remove cookie cutter and use a spatula to flip shaped pancakes. Cook 1 minute more or until both sides are lightly browned. Serve warm with fun toppings.

More pancake recipes

• National Pancake Week recipes
• Puff the Magic Pancakes
• Shaped pancakes for kids