Description
These Christmas Fluffy Gingerbread Pancakes are light, airy, and bursting with warm gingerbread spices perfect for a festive breakfast or brunch. Made by folding whipped egg whites into a spiced batter, these pancakes achieve an irresistibly fluffy texture. Enjoy them topped with your favorite syrup or seasonal toppings for a cozy holiday treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour sifted
- 2.5 Tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon powder
- 0.5 tsp ground ginger powder
- 0.5 tsp ground nutmeg powder
Wet Ingredients
- 3 eggs, room temperature, whites and yolks separated
- 3 oz butter melted
- 3 cups milk, dairy or dairy-free, lukewarm
- Optional sweetener: brown sugar, coconut sugar, or erythritol, adjust amount to taste
Instructions
- The Pre-prep: Sift all the dry ingredients (flour, gingerbread spices, baking powder) into a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. Separate the egg whites and yolks into two separate medium bowls, making sure no yolk mixes with the whites. Whisk the egg whites on medium speed until almost-stiff peaks form. If using sugar, add it gradually while beating the whites to sweeten and stabilize them. In the yolks' bowl, add melted butter and lukewarm milk, mixing thoroughly.
- Mix the Pancake Batter: Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and gently stir until fairly smooth, being careful not to overmix to maintain texture. Fold a quarter of the whipped egg whites into the batter normally to lighten it, then carefully fold in the remaining egg whites in increments to keep as much air as possible. Use the batter immediately to prevent it from losing air.
- Cook the Pancakes Using a Small Pan: Heat a small 6-inch pan over low heat and grease lightly with cooking spray or oil. Pour about 0.5 cup of batter per pancake and cook gently for 2-3 minutes until bubbles form and pop on the surface. Flip and cook an additional 2-3 minutes until the pancake is cooked through, checking doneness with a toothpick. Repeat with remaining batter to make 8-10 pancakes.
- Cook the Pancakes Using a Large Skillet: Scoop 0.25 cup portions of batter into the pan, add a tablespoon of water, cover, and cook for 1 minute. Add another 0.25 cup of batter on top of each pancake, cover again, and cook for 2-3 minutes. Flip pancakes carefully, cover, and cook 3-5 minutes more until cooked through. Use a toothpick to test doneness. Note that pancakes may deflate slightly after cooking and top and bottom get browned only.
- Serve: Serve the gingerbread pancakes warm with your favorite toppings such as syrup, fruit, or whipped cream and enjoy your festive fluffy pancakes.
Notes
- Keep cooked pancakes warm in the oven at 200ºF (95ºC) side by side without stacking until serving.
- Do not overmix the batter to keep pancakes fluffy; overmixing deflates egg whites and causes rubbery texture.
- Cooking time varies depending on pan size, thickness, and stovetop heat; adjust as needed and cook on low heat to avoid burning and ensure cooking through.
- When making large skillet pancakes, avoid opening the lid frequently to maintain pancake rise and cooking quality.
- Lumps in batter are okay and help produce extra fluffy pancakes.
- Make a test pancake or two first to get familiar with cooking times and technique.
- Use multiple pans or an electric griddle with a lid to make multiple pancakes simultaneously.
- Press add-ins gently onto pancakes in the pan rather than mixing directly into the batter to avoid weighing it down.
- Optional add-ins include 1 tablespoon dark molasses, 0.25 tsp ground cloves, 0.5-1 tsp natural vanilla extract, chocolate chips, chopped dates, dried fruits, nuts, candied ginger, or 1 teaspoon orange zest added before folding in egg whites.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 pancake
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg
