I have a problem. It’s now been a week and a day of my visit home to my parents. In that time, I’ve baked three dozen mini matcha shortbread cookies, a dozen almond rosemary shortbread cookies, some topsy-turvy cinnamon rolls (next time I’ll roll you properly, little ones), pumpkin cupcakes, and green tea cupcakes. It’s a little excessive. It’s gotten to the point where, every time I come into the kitchen, my mother cries, “Not again!” and leaves the room muttering about her waistline.
For most of these things, I have a valid defense. We’re giving them to friends! The green tea cupcakes were (almost) vegan! There’s Greek yogurt in these! I made half-batches of everything!
But … I also made these pancakes. And they have no defense whatsoever. They have Nutella, espresso, and chocolate chips, and Nutella on top, and more chocolate chips on top, and also some powdered sugar because, because. There is nothing healthy about them. I’m sorry, Mom. But maybe one of you can save them for after your next casual marathon, or something.
I did use a slightly different base for the pancakes than the one in my first basic pancake recipe, though I can’t tell you which is better because the chocolate and coffee flavors made them hard to compare — texture-wise, however, both are quite fluffy and tasty. While the other one was based on Jamie Cooks It Up!, the proportions here were based on Joy the Baker’s Milk Chocolate Chip Buttermilk Pancakes, and I first saw this chocolate and espresso flavor combination done by Ozmundaregalis.
Note that these pancakes do have the tendency to be a bit bitter from the coffee. If you like your coffee black I suspect you won’t mind a bit; if you don’t, just a bit of Nutella on top will balance out the bitterness, or you can simply omit the espresso altogether and just have chocolatey chocolate pancakes.
Nutella Espresso Pancakes
serves 2 (yields about 6 medium pancakes)
1 cup flour
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1-2 tbsp espresso, or 1 tbsp instant espresso powder (coffee will work too)
1 large egg
1 cup milk (you can use buttermilk if you like, or 1/2 cup yogurt and 1/2 cup milk)
2 tbsp butter, melted and cooled, plus more for the pan
1/4 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
1 tbsp Nutella, plus more for drizzle
1/4 cup chocolate chips for sprinkling on top
1. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. If using instant espresso powder, sift it into the dry ingredients as well.
2. In a separate large bowl, beat the egg. Add milk (or buttermilk, or yogurt+milk, whatever you’re using), melted butter, vanilla, and Nutella. If using liquid espresso or coffee, add that here as well, and mix until well-blended. Note: I used a 1/2 cup of Greek yogurt and a 1/2 cup of milk as a buttermilk substitute, but I felt that the other flavors in these pancakes were so strong that the buttermilk might not be necessary.
3. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet until just incorporated. A few lumps are good. Let batter set for a few minutes.
4. Heat a griddle or pan over medium heat. Coat griddle surface with oil or butter. When the griddle is hot enough that water droplets dance when dropped onto it, pour two to three tablespoons of batter onto the griddle. I used a 1/4 cup scoop, which works well and also keeps the counter fairly drip-free. Sprinkle a few chocolate chips evenly over the uncooked surface of the pancake. When bubbles form in the batter and leave a brief hole when they pop, flip the pancake and let brown on the other side for about 2-3 more minutes, then remove to a plate. I keep the pancakes that are done in the oven at 200 degrees, on an oven-safe plate. Repeat until batter is gone, then serve with your choice of topping. (I used more Nutella. Like there was ever a real choice.)
Next on my list of pancakes to try are buckwheat (these banana buckwheat pancakes by The Pancake Princess look so great) and at some point I need to stop being lazy and try the method of separating the egg yolk and white. I’ve never felt the pancakes needed to be fluffier, so I never feel the compulsion, but I really should just do it and see!
Hope you enjoy these as much as I did (and that your semi-coma wears off faster). Thank you so much for reading! 🙂
Sara
LORD HAVE MERCY. I’m done. So completely done. These look divine.
tworedbowls
Hahaha sounds like my mom. “Oh NO get it away from me!! … Can I have a bite?”
CateyLou
Your baking binge sounds just amazing!! I love baking when I go home too – a nicer kitchen, and more people to eat everything! These pancakes look divine!! Perfect for a Sunday brunch splurge
tworedbowls
Haha you are so spot on with this comment!! That’s exactly why I love baking at home (my mom has TWO ovens — whaat — and an actual stand mixer!) and this was indeed our Sunday brunch 🙂 Thanks so much for your comment, Cate!!
gottagetbaked
Ohmahlawd, what are you doing to me?!?! These photos are glorious. I’ve smacked my face against my screen twice already trying to chew into those gorgeous, nutella-covered pancakes. I’ll gladly come over and eat anything your mom doesn’t want 😉
tworedbowls
Hahaha Nancy, you crack me up!! Yessss, COME nosh with me ASAP! 🙂 (Especially if you bring that pumpkin bourbon pie, whaaatt). Thank you for the hilarious and kind comment 🙂
erika
OMG! So suddenly, your blog is no longer blocked from my server or whatever and now I can see your lovely blog!! SO MANY PANCAKES YUMMM. These sound absolutely heavenly. No words.
tworedbowls
YAY! I’m SO glad! I wonder why it was blocked? I was thinking about it and it might have been when I was transitioning to a new domain name… Who knows. Anyway, thank you so much for the sweet comment and so glad you came here! I don’t know if these pancakes can compare to yours, which look beyond perfect, but it means a lot coming from you! 🙂
Perky Pancake
Wow, these look incredible! Cannot wait to try them out! Maybe some banana on the side would be good too?? Add that healthy aspect?! Mmm, yum.
tworedbowls
Oh, I think some banana would be FABULOUS! These pancakes desperately need a healthy aspect, that’s for sure! I actually think banana might compliment the Nutella and chocolate chips better than espresso… Definitely going to try that next time, thanks for the genius idea. 🙂 And thank you so much for your comment!
Bianca
Okay I’ve gotta return the favor and say that I am just as obsessed with all of your recipes and gorgeous food photography!! I will definitely be following you as well 🙂
tworedbowls
Aww, I am so happy and flattered to hear that!! Especially given how awesome your blog is 🙂 Thank you so much and excited to keep in touch 🙂
detailsjuliette
They looook soooo goood!! So much beautiful chocolate, yum!
tworedbowls
Aww thank you!! Haha and yes, Nutella will make anything gorgeous and delicious! 😉
Evelyn
Yum that looks so good! Can’t go wrong with that flavour combination! 🙂
tworedbowls
🙂 🙂 Right? You can always count on coffee and chocolate. Thanks so much, Ev!!
Averie @ Averie Cooks
Thanks for stopping by my blog – these are gorgeous pancakes! Nutella & espresso for breakfast in a fluffy format, I’m in! Pinned!
tworedbowls
Ahh, thank you so much, Averie! You’ve made my day 🙂 I love your blog and all your fantastic baked goods, so thank YOU for stopping by mine!
mbakes (@mbakes_mbakes)
when at home i have my coffee black and since ive been doing that fancy store cflat whites are just too weak… so I was thinking of laying off for a while… then I came across this.
Can I ask which lens you have? You pictures are amaaaazing im so intrigued!
em
tworedbowls
Haha! I feel like this post is such a bad influence in comparison to all the lovely healthy foods I see posted elsewhere 😉 But yes, one of the things I really liked about these pancakes was that I could actually taste the coffee flavor!
Of course! (And that is SO flattering, I am such a beginner!!) I just started using a 50mm f/1.8 prime lens and I’m totally in love with it. The pros are that pictures turn out SO wonderfully sharp and crisp, the aperture gets nice and wide, and it’s also a relatively inexpensive lens (lol, relatively speaking) as well as nice and compact. The only con for me so far is that overhead shots are a little hard with this one because you have to be farther away to get everything in — I end up holding the camera way over my head and just hoping it’s pointed in the right direction, haha… or standing on the table. For that reason I can maybe see why a 35mm might be better, but those will run a bit more.
I just ended up saying way more than I intended, hope I wasn’t just telling you everything you already knew!!! I thought your photos were fantastic, myself.
saucygander
Be still my heart, that looks wonderful! Can you save some for strategy?
Susan
Man this looks orgasmic 😛
tworedbowls
Aw, thank you! Yes, it’s definitely not for every day, but it’s a serious treat when you do decide to splurge!
Anonymous
These pancakes are delicious! Just made them this morning for my little brother and I, and we loved them!! Very yummy. Thank you for sharing this recipe : )
tworedbowls
YAY!! That makes my day — thank you so much for letting me know!