Maple Pecan Pancakes

Name: Maple Pecan Pancakes
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 22 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour; 2 teaspoons (10 g) baking powder; ½ teaspoon (3 g) fine sea salt; ½ teaspoon (1¼ g) ground cinnamon; 2 large eggs, at room temperature; 1½ cups (360 ml) whole milk, at room temperature; ¼ cup (60 ml) pure maple syrup; 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract; 3 tablespoons (43 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly; 1 cup (120 g) pecan halves, toasted and coarsely chopped; 2 tablespoons (29 g) unsalted butter, for greasing the griddle

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Tender, fluffy pancakes studded with toasted pecans and sweetened with pure maple syrup. The batter comes together in minutes, and a touch of vanilla and cinnamon adds warmth to these breakfast-table favorites. Serve hot off the griddle with butter and maple syrup.

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 12 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 27 min
Makes: 12 pancakes (3 per person)

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Steps

Before you start

Preheat your griddle or skillet over medium heat for 2–3 minutes
Have all ingredients at room temperature, including milk and eggs
Toast the pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, then chop coarsely
Gather a rubber spatula, mixing bowls, whisk, and measuring cups

1
Whisk dry ingredients
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour (250 g / 2 cups), baking powder (10 g / 2 teaspoons), salt (3 g / ½ teaspoon), and cinnamon (1.25 g / ½ teaspoon).
- Set aside.
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Ready when: Mixture is evenly blended with no lumps
Tip: Sift the dry ingredients if your flour has been compressed or stored for a long time, to avoid dense pancakes.
2
Combine wet ingredients
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk (360 ml / 1½ cups), maple syrup (60 ml / ¼ cup), vanilla extract (5 ml / 1 teaspoon), and melted butter (43 g / 3 tablespoons).
- Whisk until the mixture is smooth and the eggs are fully incorporated.
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Ready when: No visible streaks of egg white remain
Tip: Room-temperature ingredients blend more smoothly and create fluffier pancakes than cold ones.
3
Make the batter
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold together gently with a rubber spatula, stirring just until the flour is moistened.
- The batter should be slightly lumpy—do not overmix.
- Fold in the toasted pecans (120 g / 1 cup, coarsely chopped).
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Ready when: All dry flour is incorporated, but batter has visible lumps
Tip: Overmixing develops gluten and makes pancakes tough and rubbery. Stop as soon as you don't see dry flour.
4
Heat and butter the griddle
- Place a griddle or large skillet over medium heat.
- Once it reaches temperature (a drop of water should sizzle and evaporate in 2–3 seconds), add 1 tablespoon of butter (14.5 g).
- Swirl to coat evenly.
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Ready when: Butter is foaming and griddle is hot enough that water droplets evaporate in 2–3 seconds
Tip: If your griddle is too hot, the outside will burn before the inside cooks. Medium heat is ideal.
5
Cook first batch
- Pour the batter onto the griddle in ¼-cup (60 ml) portions, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- You should fit 3–4 pancakes per batch.
- Cook for 2–3 minutes, until the edges look set and bubbles appear on the surface and begin to pop.
- Do not move the pancakes.
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Ready when: Edges appear dry and matte, and bubbles on the surface have mostly popped
Tip: Resist the urge to flip early. Let bubbles form and pop fully for a light, fluffy pancake.
6
Flip and finish cooking
- Slide the spatula under each pancake and flip it in one smooth motion.
- Cook for another 1–2 minutes on the second side, until the bottom is golden brown and set.
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Ready when: Bottom is evenly golden brown and pancake feels firm when pressed gently
Tip: The second side cooks faster than the first. Watch closely to avoid burning.
7
Keep warm and repeat
- Transfer the cooked pancakes to a warm plate and cover loosely with foil to keep warm.
- Wipe the griddle with a paper towel, add the remaining butter (14.5 g / 1 tablespoon), and repeat steps 5 and 6 with the remaining batter.
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Ready when: All pancakes are cooked and stacked on the plate
Tip: If pancakes start sticking, the griddle may be too hot or the butter may have burned. Wipe it clean and adjust heat slightly lower.
8
Serve
- Serve the pancakes hot, topped with butter, maple syrup, and additional chopped pecans if desired.
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Tip: Warm the maple syrup gently in a small saucepan or microwave for a few seconds to enhance its flavor.

Good to know

Tips

Toast the pecans just before using them for the best flavor and aroma—toasted nuts enhance the maple note in these pancakes.
Do not skip whisking the eggs well; properly emulsified eggs create lighter, fluffier pancakes.
For extra-fluffy pancakes, let the batter rest for 5 minutes after folding in the pecans; the flour will fully hydrate.
If your griddle has hot spots, you may need to rotate the pancakes or adjust your heat. A properly calibrated medium heat and even griddle temperature are key to consistent, evenly browned pancakes.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: Keep pancakes in a paper towel–lined container, covered, for up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: Layer cooled pancakes between parchment paper and store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 5–7 minutes, wrapped loosely in foil, or in a toaster for 1–2 minutes. Freezer: Stack cooled pancakes between parchment paper and store in a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Reheat directly in the toaster or in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 8–10 minutes.

Substitutions

pecan halves → walnuts, chopped hazelnuts, or sliced almonds. Toasted walnuts are slightly bitter and work beautifully with maple; hazelnuts and almonds are milder and sweeter.
pure maple syrup → honey or brown sugar dissolved in a little hot water. Pure maple syrup is ideal for flavor, but honey or brown sugar syrup will give a similar sweetness and moisture.
whole milk → buttermilk or a mix of yogurt and water (1:1 ratio). Buttermilk creates tangier, slightly more tender pancakes. If using buttermilk, reduce baking powder to 1½ teaspoons and add ½ teaspoon baking soda.
ground cinnamon → nutmeg or a pinch of cardamom. Nutmeg is earthier; cardamom adds a subtle spiced warmth. Use about ¼ teaspoon of either.