Whole Wheat Carrot Cake Pancakes

Ingredients:

Carrots, spices, and flavor:

• 1 cup grated carrots (about 2 medium carrots)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 pinch ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Dry ingredients:

• 1.5 cups whole wheat flour (or white whole wheat flour - more on this later!)
• 3  tablespoons brown sugar (light or dark, or turbinado)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt

Wet ingredients:

• 1.5 cups milk (any kind)
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted, or coconut oil
• 1 egg

Related recipe: Cinnamon Churro Pancakes

You'll also need:

• Coconut oil or vegetable oil for cooking

Optional ingredients:

• Chopped walnuts
• Raisins
• Maple syrup and/or Greek yogurt for serving (plain or vanilla) for serving

More cake-like pancake recipes: Red Velvet Pancakes

Ingredient notes and tips

→ Type of flour: The recipe you see here is made with whole wheat flour made from red wheat. It is darker and a little "heavier" that all-purpose flour. You can also use white whole wheat flour, which is 100% whole wheat flour ground from white wheat berries. Or you can choose to use all-purpose flour or 1:1 all-purpose:whole wheat flour (¾ cups each)

How to make carrot cake pancakes

Step 1: Start by microwaving the grated carrots in a microwave-safe bowl for 2-3 minutes, or until the carrot softens, reduces in volume, and is half-cooked. This step is important because you don't want raw carrot bits in your carrot cake pancakes! You want to add softened partially cooked carrots to the pancake batter so they cook down even more as the pancakes cook.

Step 2: Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl: mix together the flour, sugar, spices, baking powder, and salt. Combine the wet ingredients in a bowl (milk, eggs, melted butter) and whisk well.

Step 3: Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until half combined. Now add the half-cooked carrots (and chopped walnuts or raisins, if using), and whisk until just combined.

Step 4: Cook the pancakes just like you would regular pancakes. Add a little bit of oil to a preheated skillet, and scoop out a scant ¼ cup of pancake batter into the skillet. Cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, or until the bottom is golden brown and the top starts to bubble slightly. Flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes.

Serve warm, with maple syrup, or try the toasted walnut syrup:

Make toasted walnut maple syrup: Prepare a small bowl with about ¼ - ½ cup maple syrup (however much maple syrup you need for your pancakes). Toast chopped walnuts in a dry skillet for 3-5 minutes over medium heat, until the walnuts turn slightly golden brown and turn fragrant. Then immediately add the toasted walnuts to the maple syrup, so they release their nutty aroma into the syrup.

Other pancake recipes you will love:

• Pumpkin protein pancakes
• Chocolate protein pancakes
• Syrniki (Russian cheese pancakes)
• Greek yogurt oat blueberry pancakes with blueberry pancake sauce

Other breakfast recipes to try:

• Cinnamon coffee cake muffins with cinnamon crumb
• Pumpkin French toast
• Savory French toast
• 2 Ingredient pumpkin muffins
• Whipped cottage cheese bowls with almond butter