Daylight savings has thrown a real wrench into our daily routine and it’s taken the little one a lot longer to adjust this time around. And this means that sometimes we have plenty of time to wake up, reading books, sipping tea (me) and milk (her), and picking out fun outfits for school. Other days, it feels like a mad dash to get out the door. But I have been trying my best to deal with the randomness of our mornings with yummy breakfasts, and on the days we have a little more time, I love to make Sweet Potato Pancakes with Miss L.
She always asks: “Can we get our ingredients?” and climbs up in her learning tower ready to help stir the batter. I measure everything out, she dumps them into a bowl. I stand watch beside her as she stirs, first with a spoon and almost always eventually with her hands. Do we make a mess? Absolutely. Is it a fun way to start the day? Always. (Plus, the vacuum is never far away to help with cleaning up all of the flour on the floor.) And these Sweet Potato Pancakes, which started as a way to use up some lingering produce, are the best pancakes we’ve had in a long time.
I picked up some purple pancakes at the store recently since they were a great price and I thought that the bright color would be fun for L. Turns out they also have a really nice flavor that pairs well with cinnamon and vanilla. And before you worry that this is a time-intensive recipe, know this: the sweet potato cooks quickly in about the time it takes you to gather the rest of the ingredients.
I used a gluten-free flour blend, but you can use whole wheat flour if you prefer. You can also use orange sweet potatoes if they are easier to find or simply more family. Between the three of us, we ate nearly the entire batch topped with banana, a little syrup, and some peanut butter. And while I don’t advocate sneaking veggies into kids food because I want my girl to know what I’m serving her, it was fun to offer her a familiar and beloved food with a little extra nutrition tucked within.
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I heat the oven to 200 F and keep the cooked pancakes warm on a baking sheet while I finish the batch, though you could also serve them as you go.
Ingredients
- 1 medium sweet potato
- 1 cup gluten free or whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons melted butter or neutral oil, plus more for cooking
Instructions
- To cook the sweet potato, either place it on a foil-lined pie plate or baking sheet, poke holes with a paring knife, and roast for about an hour at 400 degrees F. Or, peel and dice the sweet potato and place in a heat-proof bowl (a 4-cup glass measuring cup works well) and cover with about 2 inches of water. Cook in the microwave until tender, about 5-6 minutes. Let cool slightly. Drain and mash lightly with the back of a spoon. Let cool slightly.
- Measure out 1 cup of the mashed sweet potato.
- Add all ingredients to a blender and blend gently on low just until smooth. The batter should be pourable.
- Heat a nonstick or cast iron pan or griddle over medium-heat. Add a sliver of butter, let melt, swirl to cover pan and cook batter, about 2 tablespoons at a time, for 3-4 minutes per side or until set and lightly brown. The pancakes should be mostly set and you should see little bubbles around the edges before you turn them over. Add more butter and repeat to cook the rest of the pancakes.
- Serve warm with syrup, nut butter, or yogurt.
Notes
Variations:
Use plain yogurt in place of the milk.
Add 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans.
Serve as sandwiches with cream cheese or nut butter between two pancakes.
I started these tonight so we could combine everything in the morning. What parts can/do you make ahead of time? Amateur hour question up next: I’m supposed to drain and mash the potatoes, right?
And, while I have you: How do you freeze your muffins? I was individually wrapping in foil, which seemed excessive, but then I just stuck them in a Ziploc bag in the freezer, and they got frosty.
I feel like I need you on speed dial, like the Butterball hotline.
Yes, drain and lightly mash them (sorry for not being more clear about that—it’s updated now).
You can mix the dry ingredients and cook and mash the sweet potato. Then do the rest in the morning. You could probably also actually mix everything but the mashed banana and let it sit in the fridge covered overnight, then add the banana and any extra milk you need to thin the batter out if it gets thick sitting. I have not done that though, so you’d be assuming a tad bit of risk:)
For freezing, I freeze them in zip top freezer bags—the key to preventing them from getting frosty is to get out as much air as possible. Seal the bag except for about 1-inch. Suck the air out with a straw or just your mouth (it doesn’t seem gross when you actually do it!) to mimic vacuum sealing.
I’m here when you need me!
I bow down to you. Maaany thanks! Pancake report TK manana.
What mashed banana? I don’t see banana on the ingredient list anymore.
I just retested and simplified the recipe and removed the banana!
do you freeze them cooked?
My son is an extremely picky eater, but he absolutely loves this!! THANK YOU!
Hooray!!