Small Batch Pancakes
Start your morning off right with a stack of Small Batch Pancakes! They’re fluffy chocolate chip pancakes for two made from scratch (no Bisquick!) and with a secret ingredient that makes them taste even better.
As much I love breakfast foods, I rarely eat a big breakfast during the week, usually some fruit or oatmeal.
The weekends are reserved for an actual sit-down breakfast, which usually consists of hash brown bowls, biscuits and gravy for two, or (my favorite) Small Batch Pancakes.
I love chocolate chip pancakes so when I discovered cinnamon and clove actually brings out the chocolate flavor even more (similar to how vanilla makes my chocolate biscotti taste even better), I was hooked.
You’ll never go back to plain, boring pancakes again!
The thing about making pancakes for two though is I don’t want to stand at the hot stove and make millions of pancakes one at a time in my skillet when I want to eat breakfast now and not later.
And I’m certainly not going to buy a griddle just so I can make multiple pancakes at once. Nobody has room for that!
That’s why my small batch pancake recipe makes 6 pancakes. Less time cooking, more time eating.
One serving is roughly 3 pancakes per person. Now I’m certainly not going to tell you that you can’t eat the whole stack. One stack is basically one serving anyway, right?
And because I am not a morning person, these chocolate chip pancakes are as easy as you can make them.
When I first learned how to make chocolate chip pancakes (like, YEARS and years ago), I noticed most recipes called for whipping the egg white then folding into the batter.
Listen, that will never happen in my kitchen before noon. Whipping egg whites is reserved for angel food cake, not small batch pancakes.
I also found a recipe to make pancakes for one, but it called for 1/4 of an egg.
Did you catch that? You literally measure out 1/4 of an egg. Raise your hand if you want to do that.
Yea, I didn’t think so. My pancakes for two calls for 1 whole egg. I made sure to balance it out with enough flour so the batter isn’t too thin.
And if you’re making pancakes for one, you can easily freeze the extras for another morning. Your future self will thank you.
Ingredients For Small Batch Pancakes
These pancakes for two are made from scratch. No baking mixes or Bisquick needed! You just need the following basic pantry ingredients:
- All-purpose flour: Helps thicken your batter.
- Sugar: Adds a bit of sweetness to your batter.
- Baking powder: The key to making fluffy homemade pancakes. It may seem like a lot, but trust the recipe.
- Cinnamon and clove: My secret ingredients that makes chocolate chips taste even more chocolatey.
- Salt: Makes sure your pancakes aren’t bland.
- Egg: Uses 1 whole egg despite being small batch pancakes so you’re not messing with yolks or whites.
- Milk: Whole milk is best because the extra fat ensures the pancakes stay moist.
- Vegetable oil: Fat needed in the recipe. Use a neutral oil like vegetable or canola as olive oil may add an unwanted savory flavor. You can also substitute melted butter.
- Chocolate chips: My go-to mix in for small batch pancakes is chocolate chips, but you can easily add anything you’d like, including blueberries.
More Breakfast For Two
Not in the mood for pancakes? Check out my French toast for two, French Toast Casserole For Two which can be prepped the night before, Waffles For Two for traditional buttermilk waffles, and Ham and Cheese Waffles for a savory twist.
How To Make Small Batch Pancakes
To make chocolate chip pancakes from scratch without Bisquick or boxed mix:
Whisk together your flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, clove, and salt.
Beat together your egg, milk, oil/butter, and vanilla in a measuring cup or another bowl.
Add wet ingredients to dry then gently whisk until everything is moistened then stir in chocolate chips. Do not overmix! Lumps are ok but there should be no pockets of flour.
Rest batter for 5 minutes to allow the gluten to relax so the pancakes don’t toughen up while cooking.
The batter will also thicken a little more because the flour absorbs the liquid. If you let it rest longer and the batter is too thick, whisk in a little more milk to loosen it.
Heat your skillet until hot. Ideally you want a non-stick pan so you don’t need to add butter. However, you can lightly grease it with cooking spray if necessary.
Pour about 1/4 cup of batter into the pan then cook until edges are set and bubbles form on top. Flip then cook until second side is brown.
The heat will fluctuate while cooking. If your pancakes are getting too brown, turn the heat down. If your pancakes are taking too long to cook, turn the heat up.
How To Store Leftover Pancakes
Store any leftover pancakes in a freezer-safe plastic bag with a piece of parchment in between so they don’t stick. Refrigerate for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months.
How To Serve Chocolate Chip Pancakes
In addition to butter and maple syrup, serve your pancakes with homemade strawberry sauce or homemade whipped cream.
How To Rewarm Pancakes
Even though you’re only making small batch pancakes, they get cold quickly if you don’t serve them straight from the skillet.
If you’re making all six and waiting until the end to eat, preheat your oven to 200F. Once you’re done cooking, stick the pancakes in the oven for about 5 minutes or until warm.
Don’t feel like turning your oven on (or you forgot)? You can reheat them in the microwave in 15 second increments.
If you’re reheating leftover pancakes, microwave them about 30-60 seconds or until no longer cold in the middle.
Homemade Pancake Tips And Tricks
Not happy with how your chocolate chip pancakes turned out? Here are some troubleshooting tips to keep in mind:
- If your pancakes are thin and didn’t rise: Make sure your skillet is hot before adding the batter; you need heat to react to the baking powder. If the pan is too cold, there is no heat. If there is no heat, the baking powder won’t rise properly.
- If your pancakes are too doughy and/or raw in the middle: They are too thick. Make sure they aren’t more than 1/4 inch thick in the skillet.
- If your pancakes aren’t fluffy: You overmixed your batter. The more you stir your flour, the more the gluten develops. And overdeveloped gluten will result in chewy pancakes rather than fluffy. It’s ok if your batter is a little lumpy, as long as there are no dry spots of flour left.
More Pancakes For Two Recipes
Enjoyed this recipe? Here are more recipes for pancakes:
- Coconut Milk Pancakes – This recipe is dairy free thanks to the coconut milk.
- Apple Pancakes With Sausage – A more savory way to eat pancakes for breakfast.
- Can’t eat flour? Check out this Gluten Free Pancake recipe from Fearless Dining then add gluten-free chocolate chips to the batter.
Small Batch Pancakes
Start your morning off right with a stack of Small Batch Pancakes! They’re fluffy chocolate chip pancakes for two made from scratch (no Bisquick!) and with a secret ingredient that makes them taste even better.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground clove
- 1/4 teaspoon table salt
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1/2 cup whole milk, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or melted butter
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, clove, and salt.
- In a large measuring cup, whisk together the egg, milk, oil/butter, and vanilla.
- Gradually pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients while whisking until everything is moistened (do not overmix - lumps are ok but there should be no pockets of flour).
- Stir in the chocolate chips. Let the batter rest for 5 minutes.
- Heat a dry small non-stick skillet large enough to flip one pancake. If your skillet is not non-stick, you may want to lightly grease with cooking spray or a little pat of butter.
- Add a few drop of water to make sure your pan is hot enough (they should sizzle then evaporate quickly). If you're using butter, butter should be melted and hot. Once hot, pour in 1/4 cup of batter, making sure it's no more than 1/4 inch thick.
- Cook until bubbles form on top and edges are set, about 1-2 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until brown, about 1 more minute.
- Remove and place on a cooling rack. Repeat with the remaining batter. You may need to adjust your heat if your pancakes are getting too dark.
Store any leftover pancakes in a freezer-safe plastic bag with a piece of parchment in between so they don't stick. Refrigerate for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes
- Serve your pancakes with Strawberry Sauce or Homemade Whipped Cream.
- Enjoyed this recipe? Check out my recipes for Coconut Milk Pancakes and Apple Pancakes.
- Cinnamon and clove are optional, but they really do bring out the chocolate flavor.
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First published December 24, 2012
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These pancakes look so amazing! Now I’m hungry and I kinda want my parents to make breakfast for me. (Wait, do you make it for them?!)
Happy holidays!
I love adding spices to my pancakes too. These look amazing,
Carla, this is food porn at its finest – I mean, those shots of your homemade caramel syrup cascading down to drench those gorgeous, chocolate-laden spicy pancakes?! I’m dying from hunger here! I take so much joy from reading your hilarious posts and drooling over your insanely stunning photos. I’m really glad to have met you this year. You’ve definitely made my life that much more delicious. Merry Christmas!
Your comments always make me smile, Nancy! Merry Christmas to you as well :)
So, I am intrepid new blogger, if you will. But I am dying from lack of wise bloggers to show me the ropes. Your blog is to die for! What sort of camera might one use? Etc.
Are there any blogging-boo-boos I should stay away from?
Anyone can answer!
Thank you and Merry Christmas.
Thank you, Hannah!
First, welcome to the world of blogging! That is such a loaded question and not enough room to explain it all, but I’ll throw some tips out. Are you on Facebook or Google Plus? I’m in food blogger communities on both platforms. They’re great to learn from other bloggers.
As far as cameras, it isnt necessarily what camera you are using but rather how well you are using it. Whether it’s your phone, point and shoot, or DSLR, things like lighting and composition remain the same. With that said, I use a Canon Rebel XS.
Jeez! This looks OMG amazing!
I love these. LOVE. Cinnamon in pancakes rock. And chocolate – YES.
Is there a way to do-ahead with this recipe? If only for the cakes only. I’m planning a big brunch and this is my boyfriend’s possible non-cake birthday cake. I just want to get them out of the way before diving into chili lime salmon, Mexicana scrambled mess, etc.
Absolutely! I freeze extra pancakes all the time.
hhhmmmm yummmmy..that’s all i can say for this spiced chocolate chip pancakes
Delicious thank you I put slices of a banana between the pancakes it’s excellent !
Love the addition of banana!
Seems like a good way to get dough and chocolate “baked ” together without using an oven – just using a pan! I will try it with coconut milk. Thanks for making sugary indulgence accessible to me!
Coconut milk should work! I also have these banana coconut milk pancakes https://www.chocolatemoosey.com/2014/05/05/banana-coconut-milk-pancakes-dairy-free/
Of my goodness BBF you have done it again. These are tastey, delicious and more than yum. I follow your recipes to the letter and I’m never disappointed. I make all of your treasures gluten free for my hubby and everything is always perfect.
Thank you again for your wonderful efforts, always my favourite.
Marion and Barry – Sunbury , Victoria, Australia ♥️
Oh good! Happy to hear that.
I had a taste for chocolate chip cookies but didn’t have any. So I decided to try this chocolate chip pancake recipe. I am so glad I did! These pancakes are delicious! The only thing I did different from the recipe is that I didn’t add the clove because I didn’t have any. But the cinnamon was very tasty. I would definitely make these again. Thank you!
Thanks for the feedback! Glad you enjoyed the pancakes.
BFF I meant Carla, sorry 🤦🏻 ….. Marion ♥️
I absolutely love this recipe. Ever since I came across it, I have made it several times and it always delicious. I have even bookmarked this page for easy access.
Wonderful! Glad you’re loving the pancakes.