Pancakes are a comfort food for me in more ways than one. When I pour the lumpy batter in a hot griddle I find myself thinking back to my early teenage years cranking out piles of hotcakes on the industrial griddle at the nature camp my grandpa maintained. Every Thanksgiving my family used to occupy the compound like a group of summering children, camping in the cabins and taking every meal in the mess hall complete with lava stone fireplace. It was here that I took charge of cooking breakfast for the attendees and perfected my flipping technique.

Unfortunately the expansive property burned to the ground in a forest fire in 2012. I spent the most memorable days of my childhood at that place and I would give anything to go back and sleep on the crinkly plastic mattresses and dance around the commercial kitchen with family and friends. It’s a place I strive to pay homage to as I build my own homestead, and cooking a hot breakfast every weekend is one of the ways I keep those fond memories at the forefront of my mind.

This is a recipe I adapted from the Northwest Best Places Cookbook, a new staple in my kitchen. I picked it up from a second-hand store, one of my favorite places to find unique cookbooks! For a list of the recipe collections I couldn’t live without, see My Favorite Cookbooks.

It’s a very basic pancake recipe that has the special addition of some heart-healthy whole grains, namely oat bran, which makes for a rib-sticking hot breakfast. The oats magically disappear in the voluminous batter and give a delightfully complex flavor and texture. This is my new favorite breakfast recipe and I hope it’ll be yours too!

Hearty Whole-Grain Pancakes

Hearty Whole-Grain Pancakes

With more than 8 oz of whole grains in these hotcakes you'll be astonished at the taste – they're so delicious your kids won't know the difference! Feel free to add berries or chocolate chips to this recipe and top with whipped cream for a fun Sunday treat.

Author: Elizabeth Ann Strube

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Prep Time 10 mins Cook Time 20 mins Total Time 30 mins Servings: 8

Ingredients

Servings

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• ³⁄₄ cup rolled oats
• ¹⁄₄ cup oat bran
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp baking soda
• ¹⁄₂ tsp salt
• pinch cinnamon
• 4 eggs
• 4 cups buttermilk (or heavy cream)
• ¹⁄₄ cup avocado oil (or olive oil)
• ¹⁄₈ tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl stir together the dry ingredients; toss the oats and the cereal to coat evenly with the flour mixture. Make a well in the center and set aside.

2. In another medium bowl whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, and oil. When fully combined stir in the vanilla.

3. Add the egg mixture all at once to the center of the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Let rest for 5-10 minutes while the griddle heats to medium-low.

4. Brush the skillet with butter and use a 1/4c measure to pour batter out in a circular motion. You may need to skim the top of the pancake to get a uniform shape. Cook until bubbles just start to set in the edges, then flip and cook to desired brownness. Keep warm in the oven until ready to serve, buttering each cake in between. Can be dressed with real maple syrup, fresh berries, or cinnamon sugar.

Keywords: breakfast