I’ve never made a secret of my pancake obsession. Whether it’s thin crepes, pancake balls, pancake cakes, or these super fluffy Japanese-style gingerbread pancakes! These are thick, and I mean THICK, with a moist, fluffy interior and packed with warming gingerbread spices for delicious Christmas morning pancakes that’ll satisfy your gingerbread cookie cravings as a healthy-ish breakfast/brunch during the holidays! This thick pancake recipe lies somewhere between Japanese souffle pancakes and thick American pancakes. How do they achieve this perfect texture? With airy, fluffy, whipped egg whites! And while they may take a little more preparation than your general American pancake, the ingredients are pantry staples. Plus, the process is still simple. I hope you agree that the small amount of extra work is 1000% worth it! These Christmas pancakes are spicy, bold, and decadent while also light and fluffy, packed with warming spices and with several ways to adapt the recipe. I usually make mine sugar-free, too, though there are several ways to naturally sweeten them. This includes sticky, sweet dark molasses for an even more traditional gingerbread flavor! Also, if you want more pancake inspiration, feel free to go look at my recipes for this special occasion Pancake cake because you can never have too many pancake recipes!
The gingerbread pancakes ingredients
These gingerbread pancakes require all the classic pancake ingredients, including:
Eggs: you need three large, room temperature eggs with the yolks and whites separated. The egg whites are crucial for creating super thick and fluffy pancakes. Butter: use either melted butter OR coconut oil. Flour: all you need is regular all-purpose flour. I haven’t tried this recipe with any other flour, so I can’t guarantee results. Baking powder: this will work with the whipped egg whites to create the lifted, fluffy thick pancakes. Milk: you can use any milk, dairy or dairy-free. It needs to be slightly warm to the touch. Gingerbread spice: I made my own consisting of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger powder. Sweetener: (optional) I tend to leave these gingerbread pancakes sugar-free and sweeten the dish with my choice of toppings. However, you can add some sugar (brown sugar, coconut, a sugar-free option like erythritol, etc.) to sweeten them.
Optional add-ins and variations
I recommend pressing any add-ins gently into the pancakes in the pan rather than adding them directly to the batter (so they don’t weigh it down). Use around 1/3-1/2 cup of any of the following (chunky) add-ins.
Molasses: for extra gingerbread flavor, you can add molasses to the ginger bread pancakes. The strength of the molasses will determine how much is needed. I recommend using dark molasses, but not blackstrap molasses (which is more bitter). I usually use 1 tablespoon, so it’s subtle and doesn’t weigh down the fluffy pancakes too much. Cloves: add about ¼ tsp ground cloves for extra warm spices. Vanilla: optionally add 1/2-1 tsp or so of natural vanilla extract to the pancakes. Chocolate: feel free to add a handful or two of dark, milk, or white chocolate chips to the pancakes. Make sure to sprinkle them carefully/lightly over the batter when it’s in the pan, rather than in the mixing bowl. Dates: instead of chocolate chips, you could add finely chopped pieces of date for sweetness. Other dried fruit and nuts: raisins, currants, cranberries, and dried apricot (perfect for mimicking lebkuchen) will all pair well. Some roughly chopped nuts would also work well: walnuts, pecans, almonds. Candied ginger: a few pieces of crystallized ginger or stem ginger added to the pancakes will enhance the ginger flavor and add texture. Orange zest: add a teaspoon into the ginger bread pancake batter BEFORE adding the whipped egg whites.
How to make fluffy gingerbread pancakes
Step 3: Cook the ancakes
There are two methods to cook these gingerbread pancakes. Using a small pan makes very even-sized and shaped thick pancakes with ‘sealed’ sides, so they don’t ‘wobble.’ Alternatively, you can cook the pancakes loosely and will create the more jiggly traditional Japanese style souffle pancakes. Then, separate the egg whites and yolks into two separate medium bowls (make sure there is no yolk in with the egg whites, or it will affect the whipping). Then, use a whisk/mixer to beat the egg whites until fluffy (over medium speed; high can cause deflating pancakes), almost-stiff peaks have formed. If you’re adding any sugar, then add it at this point, gradually, to the egg whites while beating them (only a spoonful at a time). Not only does this sweeten, but the sugar will also help to stabilize the egg whites. To the bowl with the egg yolks, add the remaining wet ingredients (melted butter and milk) and mix well until thoroughly combined. Next, gently fold the egg whites into the pancake batter using a spatula, careful not to knock out too much air from the egg whites. It’s best to do this in increments. Mix the first ¼ of the egg whites in without being too “careful” (just mix it in as usual) – then carefully fold in the rest. I’m not sure why this works, but the method makes mixing in the remaining ¾ egg whites easier and yields super fluffy pancakes. This pancake batter needs to be used immediately, especially if you haven’t included sugar. Otherwise, the batter will lose its air and become watery
How to serve
There are several ways you can enjoy these gingerbread pancakes, including: Using the 6-inch pan allows me to make 8-10 pancakes. Of course, depending on the size of your pan, this will vary. Use a toothpick inserted into the center of the pancake (it should come out clean) to ensure it’s cooked through. Then continue this with the remaining batter. Store any cooked pancakes on a plate under a clean kitchen towel to keep them warm. You could also use small metal cake rings/English muffin rings to add the batter too. However, I haven’t tried this method. Test the underside of the pancakes is cooked and browned and then flip over, cover, and cook for a further 3-5 minutes. Use a toothpick to test they’re cooked through, then serve. With this method, the pancakes will slightly deflate after coming out of the pan, and only the top and bottom become browned. This is normal. Once the gingerbread pancakes are cooked, serve them with your toppings of choice and enjoy! Keep the pancakes warm in the oven: as these ginger pancakes need to be made in batches (no matter which method you use), the first lot will be cold when the final batch is ready. To keep the pancakes warm, store any cooked pancakes in the oven (side by side, not stacked) at 200ºF/95ºC until serving.
Topped with some sweetened (using the powdered sugar of your choice or a little liquid sweetener) whipped cream or whipped coconut cream and berries. Or perhaps a dollop of yogurt (I like to serve these as gingerbread breakfast pancakes with a dollop of coconut yogurt and spoonful of apricot jam, which reminds me of eating apricot stuffed lebkuchen). Drizzled with a little maple syrup OR some maple nut butter. Top with some honey butter. A drizzle of date caramel. Add a scoop of applesauce/apple compote (or pears). Top with some orange segments (peeled). Add some crushed candied nuts. Serve alongside a poached pear as a dessert. Add a scoop of vanilla or caramel ice cream.
You could also serve them as a table centerpiece pancake “cake” (perfect for a Christmas/Boxing day brunch) with layers of the sweetened whipped cream and topped off with berries. Cut slices (like a cake) and enjoy! If you’re serving these Christmas pancakes to children, you could cook them within a gingerbread man cookie cutter mold (or cut them after cooking). Then, use a few chocolate chips for their eyes, and you’re good to go!
How to store
Make ahead: if you want to prepare the pancake batter in advance, leave out the whipped egg whites and baking powder. That way, you can store the batter covered in the refrigerator overnight, then fold in the baking powder/egg whites right before cooking. Store: allow the pancakes to cool and then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Note that the pancakes may deflate slightly. Freeze: flash freeze the pancakes first by spreading them on a baking tray and freezing until solid. Then transfer to an airtight container and store for up to a month in the freezer. When you want one, allow it to thaw at room temperature or overnight in the fridge and then reheat. Reheat: you can reheat the pancakes in the oven at 350ºF/180ºC for 5-ish minutes. Alternatively, use a toaster oven or microwave (the latter can become a little soggy) in 30-second increments until heated through. Using a toaster oven will allow you to reheat them from frozen (though it may take two cycles).
Recipe tips and notes
Be careful not to overmix the batter: or you’ll beat the air out of the egg whites and affect the rise and texture of these Christmas pancakes (not only will they be flat, but rubbery too!) The cooking time may vary: based on how thick your pancakes are, your pan, and your stovetop. So keep an eye out and adjust accordingly. When cooking the large skillet souffle pancakes: make sure not to open the lid on the pan too often as it will impact the rise and cooking of the gingerbread pancakes. Cook the fluffy pancakes over low heat: if the pancakes deflate completely or don’t cook properly, this is usually due to the incorrect cooking temperature. Be careful to cook them over low heat. That way, they’ll be cooked through entirely without burning the outside. It’s OK if there are some lumps: combine the batter and egg whites until just combined. Lumps will help to make extra fluffy pancakes. Make a test pancake (or two): as with all pancakes, the first couple may be liable to coming out wrong while you get the hang of the process and timings. To make multiple pancakes at once: you can either use multiple pans OR use a large electric griddle (you’ll need a pan or one with a lid to cover the griddle).
More sweet Christmas recipes
Orange Christmas sugar cookies The Ultimate Gingerbread House and Christmas Gingerbread Cookies White Chocolate Peppermint Bark (+ Multiple Variations | Keto, Vegan Optional) Festive Frozen Yogurt Bark Chocolate Vanilla Pinwheel Cookies (Slice-and-Bake Swirl Cookies) Easy Candied Pecans Winter Fruit Salad Hot Mulled “Spiced” Apple Cider (Wassail) How to Make Cranberry Juice (Stovetop | Sugar Free Optional) White Hot Chocolate and Simple Hot Cocoa
If you try this easy fluffy gingerbread pancake recipe, I’d love to hear your thoughts/questions below. Also, I’d appreciate a recipe card rating below, and tag me in your recipe recreations on Instagram @Alphafoodie!
