How to make chocolate pancakes without cocoa powder

Perfect chocolate pancakes are easy to make, fluffy, and topped with a rich hot chocolate sauce (not optional!). A lovely morning treat that will give all chocolate lovers a good reason to jump out of bed!

You are all obsessed about my Fluffy Banana Pancakes and my Easy Fluffy Banana Pancakes, and I know that many of you have been making them on a regular basis for years! Now, make yourself a favor and upgrade your next weekend breakfast or brunch by adding a giant stack of these chocolate pancakes!

Chocolate pancakes may seem a little intimidating, but they are indeed super easy to make. Follow the recipe to the T and you will get some fluffy and sweet chocolate pancakes ready for breakfast. Important note: the hot chocolate sauce is not an option here, it really takes these pancakes to the next level and makes them extremely chocolate-y.

Why I call them “perfect” chocolate pancakes

• These pancakes are SO chocolate-y! ✔
• They are thick and fluffy ✔
• The recipe is easy to make (even for beginners!) ✔
• The hot chocolate sauce (again, not an option!) is so decadent ✔

The secret to perfect chocolate pancakes

I have a confession to make. I was not very thrilled with the idea of chocolate pancakes at first, as I was afraid the chocolate flavors wouldn’t be strong enough. And to me (and I’m sure you can relate), there’s nothing worse than a chocolate treat that doesn’t taste chocolate!

The secret to make perfect chocolate pancakes is to use hot milk to “bloom” the cocoa powder. Basically, dissolving the cocoa in hot liquid help to release the chocolate flavors contained within. And because I really do not want to compromise with the chocolate flavor, I also added a little bit of coffee. It gives these pancakes a richer, deeper flavor. For a kid version, you can skip the coffee and use the hot milk only.

Variation around the recipe: add chocolate chips!

Chocolate lovers will love making them triple chocolate pancakes (unsweetened cocoa powder in the batter, some additional chocolate chips in the batter, and of course the hot chocolate sauce for serving). For best results, I recommend using about ½ cup (45g) chocolate chips, and ideally using mini chocolate chips rather than the regular size ones.

The addition of chocolate chips to the batter can then be made either all at once in the batter, or added manually by sprinkling them over the pancakes while they’re cooking on their first side (my preferred method because you can spread out the chocolate chips the way you want).

Pro tips to cook pancakes

• Let the batter rest for a few minutes (to activate the baking powder).
• Use a nonstick pan (or better, an electric griddle if possible).
• Make sure you have even heat while cooking the pancakes.
• Always grease your pan with butter, oil, or nonstick spray between each pancakes.
• In order to flip the pancake perfectly, don’t rush your pancakes. You’ll know they’re ready when bubbles start to form and pop on the top (the uncooked side). To get a perfect flip without batter sliding around, be sure to purposefully shove your spatula all the way underneath and turn them over in a quick, confident move.

What to serve with chocolate pancakes?

First thing first, the hot chocolate sauce is a must! You cannot not use it with your chocolate pancakes. It makes them extremely chocolate-y and SO incredibly decadent. Then, I like to pour some additional maple syrup over my pancakes to bring a sweet little touch absorbed by all the fluffiness of pancakes. Serve as is, or top with fresh fruits of choice (any berries or sliced bananas for instance go hand in hand with these chocolate pancakes). And if you want to make these pancakes extra delicious, add some nuts (pecans, slivered almonds, crushed hazelnuts…), and maybe an extra topping of whipped cream if you’re up for it!

How to store chocolate pancakes?

These chocolate pancakes keep very well for a couple of days, wrapped in plastic film and stored in the refrigerator. When ready to eat, reheat them for a few seconds in the microwave (about 30 seconds or until lukewarm) and add toppings of your choice. Another option consists in storing the pancake batter and make the pancakes each day.

You can also freeze the pancakes once baked. To do so, place them onto a baking sheet in the freezer until they’re frozen individually. Then, transfer them into an airtight bag and freeze. Whenever a little pancake craving arrives, remove two or three of them, warm them up in the microwave, and enjoy!

Next pancakes recipes you need to try:

• Easy Fluffy American Pancakes (#1 recipe on the site, for a reason!)
• Fluffy Banana Pancakes (actually #2 recipe on the site, also for a reason!)
• Lemon Poppy Seed Blueberry Pancakes (Amazing juicy flavors!)
• Chocolate Crepes with Caramel Sauce (Vegan!)

More decadent chocolate treats:

• Best Homemade Hot Chocolate
• Fudgy Chocolate Brownie Cookies
• Crunchy Chocolate Quinoa Granola
• Best Ever Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

Lastly, if you make this Hazelnut Pie Crust, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating, letting me know how you liked it. And of course, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Thank you and enjoy!

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Description

Perfect chocolate pancakes are easy to make, fluffy, and topped with a rich hot chocolate sauce (not optional!).

For the chocolate pancakes:

• 1 ¼ cup (180g) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon coffee granules + 2 Tablespoons water, hot*
• ⅓ cup (35g) unsweetened cocoa powder**
• 1 cup (240 ml) semi-skimmed or whole milk, warm***
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 1 pinch of salt
• 2 Tablespoons (30g) melted butter, slightly cooled, or vegetable oil
• 2 medium eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the hot chocolate sauce:

• ½ cup (90g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
• ¼ cup (60 ml) heavy whipping cream

1. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
2. Dissolve coffee granules with hot water in a medium bowl*. Add cocoa powder, and pour in the hot milk over, whisking as you go, until completely dissolved. Let cool down until just warm to the touch.*** Once cooled, whisk in the eggs and the slightly cooled melted butter (or vegetable oil).
3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and stir (do not overmix)****. Let the batter rest for 15 minutes on the counter before using.
4. Meanwhile, prepare the chocolate sauce. Heat chocolate chips and whipping cream in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds, until perfectly smooth.
5. Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat, and coat generously with vegetable oil. For each pancake, spoon 2 or 3 Tablespoons of batter onto skillet. Cook until the surface of pancakes have some bubbles, about 1 minute. Flip carefully with a thin spatula, and cook until set on the underside.
6. When ready to serve, pour the warm chocolate sauce over the pancakes, and serve with toppings of choice and additional maple syrup if desired.

Notes

* For a kid version, you can skip the coffee part, and simply dissolve cocoa with hot milk.

** Cocoa powder. Use ⅓ cup (35g) unsweetened cocoa powder, Dutch processed. This makes about 5 Tablespoons cocoa powder.

*** Hot milk. Warm up the milk in the microwave for about 40 seconds. Milk should be hot enough to easily dissolve cocoa powder. It’s important to let cool slightly before using to make sure it does not interfere with the action of baking powder in the recipe.

**** Add chocolate chips (optional). For very chocolate-y pancakes, you can add some chocolate chips to the batter or sprinkle them over each pancake while they are cooking on the first side (my preferred method as you can easily spread them over the pancakes the way you like).

Keywords: Chocolate pancakes