These fluffy chocolate pancakes taste like dessert for breakfast! They’re thick and fudgy, flavored with cocoa powder. Serve them hot from the griddle, dusted with powdered sugar or topped with fresh fruit and chocolate sauce.
There’s nothing better than a tall stack of classic buttermilk pancakes on a weekend morning, and this recipe is for the chocolate lovers!
You never know when a chocolate craving will strike. Sometimes, it happens first thing on a Saturday morning, which means one thing around here: chocolate pancakes! These fudgy homemade pancakes are seriously chocolatey, made with cocoa powder, kind of in the same lane as my chocolate pumpkin bread and chocolate banana bread. Adding olive oil to these pancakes improves the texture and makes them taste similarly to chocolate olive oil cake. It’s almost like eating dessert!
Why Chocolate Pancakes Are Your Next Favorite Breakfast
- Whip up the batter in minutes. These chocolate pancakes are just as quick and easy to whip up as traditional pancakes. The batter needs just one bowl and a few minutes to make.
- Fudgy AND fluffy. I can’t imagine a better combination, can you? It’s like a slice of chocolate cake or a fudgy brownie in pancake form.
- Adapt them for breakfast or dessert. This chocolate pancake recipe is perfect for a special breakfast, and it even doubles as dessert. Just add a scoop of ice cream and chocolate sauce!
Ingredients You’ll Need
I’ve listed all the ingredients below, along with a few quick notes and tips for making these chocolate pancakes turn out light, fluffy, and extra chocolatey. For exact amounts and complete directions, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Dry Ingredients – All-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Cocoa Powder – You can use Dutch-processed or natural cocoa powder here.
- Brown Sugar – You could also use granulated sugar.
- Eggs – Bring these to room temperature. If you’d like, you can substitute the eggs with vegan-friendly flax eggs. For each flax egg, combine 1 tablespoon of flaxseed with 3 tablespoons of water, and let the mixture sit for 5 minutes before using.
- Milk – You can use any kind of dairy or non-dairy milk you’d like.
- Vanilla – Substitute vanilla extract with an equal amount of vanilla paste, or you can scrape a real vanilla bean pod for flavor.
- Olive Oil – Choose a high-quality olive oil with a light, fruity flavor, and you’ll barely notice it. Otherwise, swap olive oil with another mild-flavored cooking oil.
- Butter – Melted to add to the batter. I also love to cook my pancakes with butter for more flavor. Unsalted butter is best, or you could use your preferred vegan butter or cooking oil.
Tips and Variations
- Don’t overmix the pancake batter. Stir the batter together until there aren’t any streaks of flour, but don’t overdo it. It’s OK if there are still a few lumps.
- Rest the pancake batter. For extra fluffy and tender pancakes, leave the batter to rest for 10 minutes before cooking. This does a few things: resting allows the gluten to relax and the baking powder to activate, and helps dissolve any lumps.
- If the batter is too thick, add more milk, a little at a time, to help thin it out.
- Control the heat of the pan. Keep your griddle or skillet over medium to medium-low heat so that the pancakes don’t burn.
- Make mini chocolate pancakes. Instead of full-sized pancakes, make silver dollar pancakes by cooking 2 tablespoons of pancake batter at a time.
What to Serve With Chocolate Pancakes
Fluffy chocolate pancakes are the perfect breakfast treat for a special occasion. I’m already thinking these would be perfect with a cortado coffee or eggnog latte on Christmas morning or Valentine’s Day (maybe cut out with heart-shaped cookie cutters?!).
Drizzle these pancakes with fudge sauce, and top them with chocolate chips and fresh berries, like raspberries or strawberries. I’ll even serve them dusted with powdered sugar, with a scoop of ice cream for dessert!
Frequently Asked Questions
Test the chocolate pancakes for doneness by making a tiny crack in the top of the pancake. If it’s fluffy inside, they’re done! If the batter is still wet inside, flip the pancake and continue cooking.
Make chocolate chocolate chip pancakes, or add chopped nuts, dried fruit, or fresh berries to the batter (raspberries would be delicious!).
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- Mixing Bowls – A sturdy set of nesting bowls to whisk together the ingredients.
- Whisk – Helps combine the batter smoothly without overmixing.
- Nonstick Griddle or Skillet – Essential for evenly cooked pancakes with that golden finish.
- Measuring Cups and Spoons – For precise amounts of flour, cocoa, and liquids.
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Prep your tools. Preheat your oven to 150ºF-200ºF (depending on how low your oven can go) and place an oven-safe plate inside. This is to keep your pancakes warm as you make them.
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Mix dry ingredients. In a large bowl, mix the flour, cocoa powder, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt.
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Add wet ingredients. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Add the eggs, milk, vanilla, olive oil, and melted butter. Mix well until there are no dry areas in the batter. Don’t overmix; some lumps in the batter are okay. If time permits, let the batter rest for 10 minutes.
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Heat a griddle over medium-low heat. Once the griddle is hot, grease it with about 1 tablespoon of butter by running the pat of butter up and down the griddle. Wipe the griddle down with a cloth so that there aren’t pools of butter on it. You just want a very thin coat of butter.
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Cook the pancakes. Pour pancake batter onto the griddle ¼ cup at a time. Cook for about 2 minutes or until bubbles start to form on the top of the pancake. Quickly scoot your spatula under the pancake and flip it over.
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Continue cooking. Cook another 2-3 minutes, keeping an eye on the underside of the pancake to make sure it doesn’t over cook. Pancakes are done when fluffy and cooked through.
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Test for doneness. You can check to see if a pancake is done by gently pressing the corner of your spatula into the center of a pancake and making a tiny crack. If you see wet batter inside, then flip the pancakes again and cook a bit longer. If you see fluffy insides, then your pancake is finished cooking.
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Keep warm. When your pancakes are finished cooking, transfer them to the plate you have placed in the oven to keep them warm while you continue cooking the rest of the pancakes.
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Serve. Once all your chocolate pancakes are cooked, it’s time to dig in. Add your favorite toppings and enjoy!
Calories: 268kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 71mg | Sodium: 240mg | Potassium: 395mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 278IU | Calcium: 175mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
How to Make the Best Chocolate Pancakes
Get out a large bowl, heat your favorite cast-iron skillet, and follow these steps to make perfect chocolate pancakes:
- First, mix the pancake batter. Combine the flour, cocoa powder, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the center of the dry mix, and add the eggs, milk, vanilla, olive oil, and melted butter. Mix just until the ingredients are combined (a few lumps are fine!).
- Prepare the griddle. Set a skillet or griddle over medium-low heat. Grease the pan with a spoonful of butter, then wipe it down so it’s thinly coated.
- Cook the pancakes. Add the pancake batter to the pan, about ¼ cup per pancake. Cook for 2 minutes, or until you start to see bubbles forming on the surface, then flip. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, until the pancakes are cooked through and fluffy. Keep the finished pancakes warm in the oven if needed, see below.
- Enjoy! Load up your chocolate pancakes with your favorite toppings, and dig in.
Keep the Pancakes Warm In the Oven
To keep the pancakes warm while you cook the rest, set your oven to the lowest temperature (150ºF-200ºF). Once cooked, transfer the pancakes to an oven-safe plate or sheet pan inside the warm oven. Remember to use oven mitts when you pick up the hot plate!
Storing and Reheating Leftover Pancakes
- Refrigerate. Store any leftover chocolate pancakes airtight in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheat. Warm the pancakes in the toaster oven or microwave until they’re hot throughout.
- Freeze. You can freeze these pancakes in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Separate any layers with parchment paper to prevent sticking. Whenever you’re ready to serve, thaw the pancakes at room temperature and reheat.
