Let’s get one thing straight. These pancakes may be healthier than they actually appear, but they aren’t healthy food. So put away your calorie rulers and speculative eye, and let’s get on with this thing.
What we have here is peanut butter cup-inspired pancakes. Then we put an actual homemade peanut butter cup on top and eat the whole stack because life is short, and we love chocolate, peanut butter, and breakfast. What more explanation do you need?
This recipe is gluten-free and vegan but can be customized to suit your needs and preferences. Oat flour and my go-to GF flour blend to keep the gluten devils at bay, but I honestly think all-purpose or whole wheat pastry would make these a tad bit fluffier.
The pancakes themselves aren’t overly sweet but have the perfect hint of chocolate and peanut butter. The outer ring is infused with cocoa powder, and the inner ring is all about peanut butter.
Because these are gluten-free, they don’t take on that traditional “fluffy” pancake texture, but if you’ve been around here long enough, you know I’m OK with that. In fact, I almost prefer a thick, dense, fudgy pancake. There’s a time and a place for fluffy pancakes. This is not it.
Can we talk about how extremely sexy these pancakes are!? You MUST, and I mean I must, top them with an actual peanut butter cup. It 100% makes it.
I made mine following Sprouted Kitchen’s famous dark chocolate almond butter cups, only subbed peanut butter, and I highly recommend you do the same. They’re so, so good and get all melty, steamy, and gooey on top of the cakes. It’s like frosting on a pancake. Who doesn’t want frosting on a pancake, really?
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp flaxseed meal (to make flax egg)
- 2 1/2 Tbsp water (to make flax egg)
- 1 Tbsp coconut oil (melted)
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 3/4 – 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- 2-3 Tbsp agave nectar or maple syrup (or honey for non-vegan // depending on preferred sweetness)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- One heaping Tbsp of natural salted peanut butter (crunchy or creamy)
- 1 pinch salt
- 1/2 cup finely ground GF oat flour
- 1/4 cup gluten-free flour blend (or sub whole wheat or all-purpose)
- 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- Homemade Peanut or Almond Butter Cup (or sub 3 Tbsp semisweet chocolate chips // non-dairy for vegan // divided)
Instructions
- Preheat the electric grill to medium heat (or about 350 degrees F / 176 C) or a large skillet on the stove stop. You want the surface to be hot but not screaming hot – oil shouldn’t smoke when it makes contact with the surface.
- To a large mixing bowl, add flaxseed and water and let set for a minute or two. Then, add melted coconut oil, agave nectar (or honey/maple syrup), baking soda, baking powder, salt, and vanilla extract, and whisk to combine. Add almond milk (starting with the lesser end of the range and adding a touch more if needed) and whisk again until well combined.
- Next, add oats and gluten-free flour and stir until just combined. Taste and see if it needs more agave. I added a bit more.
- Divide the batter in half and add cocoa powder to one bowl and peanut butter to the other. Mix until just combined. Add more almond milk if PB made it too thick. You want a pourable batter that’s not “gloppy.”
- Once the grill is hot, lightly grease it and spoon on a scant 1/4 cup measure of chocolate batter, then place a scant 1/4 cup of peanut butter in the center. Cook until the edges appear dry and bubbles form on top, then carefully flip. Cook for another 2-ish minutes on the other side. Will make 5-6 pancakes.
- Divide between serving plates and top with a peanut butter cup split in half or a Tbsp or two dark chocolate chips.
- Dig in and enjoy. It will reheat fine in the microwave the next day.
