I can’t think of anything better than a tall stack of chocolate pancakes for breakfast! This is a classic homemade pancake recipe, leveled up with cocoa powder and melty pockets of chocolate chips. With a short ingredients list, these fudgy double chocolate pancakes are ready in just 20 minutes.
As a child, all I dreamed about was chocolate for breakfast. Now, these chocolate pancakes are making that dream come true! This homemade pancake recipe is rich and chocolatey throughout, thanks to cocoa powder. They’re like fluffy pancakes crossed with fudgy brownies. I’m talking crisp, buttery edges and thick, soft middles speckled with chocolate chips that become all gooey in the heat of the skillet. Best of all, just like regular pancakes, these chocolate pancakes cook up quickly and easily in no time at all.
Chocolate Pancakes Recipe Highlights
Classic buttermilk pancakes have been our forever go-to pancake on weekend mornings. Whenever we’re craving a little more fun and decadence, this is the recipe we turn to!
What You Can Expect:
- Double the chocolate. The chocolate pancakes are delicious as-is, with cocoa powder, but I couldn’t resist throwing in chocolate chips to really take them over the top.
- Breakfast in 20 minutes. With 10 minutes to prep and just minutes to cook, pancakes are the type of quick, satisfying breakfast that I know everyone loves.
- Toppings galore. I like to think of a stack of chocolate pancakes like a chocolate cake, just waiting to be decked out with all the fixings! Chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, fresh berries, banana slices… the topping ideas are endless.
What You’ll Need
Here are the pantry ingredients to gather to make this chocolate pancakes recipe. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for the complete recipe with amounts.
- Milk – I like to use whole milk for added richness, but any milk will work.
- Egg – Egg acts as a binding ingredient.
- Butter – Butter isn’t just for flavor in pancake recipes. It also contributes to the pancake’s light, crispy exterior.
- Vanilla extract – Or vanilla paste, but not imitation vanilla if you can avoid it.
- All-purpose flour – Make sure to measure using the spoon and level method, as adding too much flour can result in dry pancakes. Don’t scoop directly from the bag.
- Cocoa powder – Since most pancake recipes use baking powder, Dutch-processed cocoa powder is best.
- Granulated sugar – You could also sweeten the batter with brown sugar.
- Baking powder – Make sure to check the date on the package to ensure the baking powder isn’t old or expired.
- Chocolate chips – I’m using mini semi-sweet chocolate chips (more chocolate in every bite!), but you can add regular chocolate chips, dark chocolate, white chocolate, or whatever you have on hand. Peanut butter chips would be a fun addition!
How to Make Chocolate Pancakes
Making chocolate pancakes from scratch is almost as easy as using a boxed mix. You’ll want to use a non-stick skillet or griddle and grease it well with butter to prevent sticking.
- Prepare the batter. Whisk together the milk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, and baking powder. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. It’s fine if there are a few small clumps in the batter after mixing. These little pockets dissolve as the pancakes cook, even contributing to a fluffy, airy texture. Lastly, fold in the chocolate chips.
- Cook the pancakes. Grease a heated griddle with butter. Add 1/4 cup of pancake batter for each pancake. Cook for 2-3 minutes on the first side, then flip and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes. The size of your pan will determine how many pancakes you can make at a time. On a large electric griddle, I can usually fit at least 8. With a large skillet, maybe 2 or 3. Just know that it’s important not to crowd the pan, so the edges of each pancake cook evenly.
- Serve. Once the pancakes are cooked, enjoy them with your favorite toppings.
Know When It’s Time to Flip
Pancakes should cook the longest on the first side. They’re ready to flip when large bubbles begin to burst on the surface of the pancake, and the edges look set. If you gently slide a spatula underneath a pancake and it sticks or feels overly soft, it’s not ready to flip, and the center is likely still undercooked. Once the bottom appears golden brown and cooked, it shouldn’t stick to the pan at all.
Keeping the Finished Pancakes Warm
When I’m baking several batches of these chocolate pancakes, I keep the cooked pancakes warm by placing them on a baking sheet in a 200°F oven. You can also make the pancakes in advance and reheat them the same way.
Frequently Asked Questions
Overmixing the batter results in tough pancakes instead of light and fluffy ones. Another reason that these chocolate pancakes may turn out flatter than usual is if you used natural cocoa powder instead of Dutch-processed. Natural cocoa doesn’t react the same with the baking powder in the recipe, which affects how they rise.
The pancakes are done cooking when they’re brown on both sides and no longer stick to the pan. While you want the insides to be cooked, try not to cook the pancakes longer than needed. Overcooked pancakes will not have the same desirable, moist, tender texture.
Yes. Transfer the cooled chocolate pancakes to a freezer bag or freezer-safe container and keep frozen for up to 3 months.
Optional Toppings
I have to admit, toppings might be my favorite part of pancakes! It’s wonderful to keep these chocolate pancakes classic with butter and maple syrup. Or, these are some fun topping ideas I’d recommend for chocolate pancakes.
- Hot fudge sauce
- Caramel syrup
- Nutella
- Peanut butter or nut butter
- Fresh berries or banana slices
- Whipped cream or chantilly cream
- Chopped nuts
How to Store
If you live in a house full of chocoholics as I do, there’s a very good chance that you won’t have chocolate pancakes left over. But if you do, they can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To reheat, just pop the pancakes in the microwave or heat them gently using a griddle or skillet. If you’ve frozen the pancakes, you can reheat them in the microwave directly from frozen.
More Sweet Breakfast Recipes
Chocolate Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1¼ cups milk
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together milk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla.
- In a small bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, sugar, and baking powder. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, and mix just until no large dry lumps remain – it doesn't have to be perfectly smooth and you don’t want to overmix.
- Fold the chocolate chips gently into the batter, taking care to not overmix.
- Heat a griddle or large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Grease the pan with non-stick cooking spray or additional butter. Scoop out ¼-cup sized pancakes, placing as many as will fit without overcrowding the pan.
- Cook for 2-3 minutes on the first side, or until the pancakes begin to bubble around the edges. Then flip the pancakes and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes or until they are set all the way through.
- Enjoy immediately topped with whipped cream, additional chocolate chips, and/or fresh berries.
- Make Ahead: These pancakes can be kept warm on a baking sheet in a 200° F oven for up to 30 minutes.
- Storage: Store any leftover pancakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
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