Before you know it, the kids will be heading back to school. While classes don't get started until September in my neck of the woods, other places begin in early to mid August. To help bring forth thoughts of book bags and school lunches without any groans, try making these clever peanut butter pancakes topped with fresh fruit and jelly to help inspire thoughts of lunch rooms yet to come.
I stock both crunchy and creamy peanut butter in my house since crunchy is generally preferred for sandwiches and smooth works best for most sauces and recipes like this one. Of course, you can use crunchy if that's all you have … just remember that your fluffy pancakes will have bits of crunchy peanut in them! You can skip the cinnamon and use regular milk instead of buttermilk, but I think both give these pancakes just a little more in the flavor department.
Of course, since my family makes maple syrup, I cannot put pancakes on the table without also offering maple syrup. That said, we also make a wide variety of jams, so I often will have a few jars of that to choose from as well. It's not at all unusual to see three pancakes on a plate with three different topping combinations. Enjoy!
Peanut Butter and Jelly Pancakes
- 1 cup flour
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 egg
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
- ⅓ cup creamy peanut butter
- Nonstick cooking spray
In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk, melted butter, and peanut butter until incorporated. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined. Some small lumps might remain - that's okay.
Preheat a griddle or large skillet over medium heat. Coat the surface lightly with the nonstick spray. Once the griddle or skillet is preheated, gently drop in the batter by ⅓ cup spoonfuls. Spread gently into a round shape with the back of a spoon.
Cook until the pancakes look slightly dry around the edges and bubbles start to form, 3 to 4 minutes. Gently flip to the other side and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown. Repeat this process until you've used all the batter. Serve hot with fresh fruit, jam, and maple syrup.
- Yields: 6-8 servings
- Preparation Time: 30 minutes