👉 Jump to Recipes It’s Monday morning. The kids are fighting to get ready for school. You are trying to get settled in at work...
It’s Monday morning. The kids are fighting to get ready for school. You are trying to get settled in at work before your first meeting. Everyone is hungry, and there’s no time to whip up breakfast before rushing out the door.Sound familiar? We feel you. That’s why we’re here to introduce you to the magical world of Frozen Mini Pancakes.
Here at findmyveg.com we are all about making healthy vegetarian meals that don’t take all day. Breakfast should be easy, but it also shouldn’t come from a package full of preservatives. Making a big batch of mini pancakes on Sunday and freezing them for the week is one of the easiest freezer meals you can prepare.
In this article containing over 2500 words on everything Frozen Mini Pancakes, we will cover:
- How to make the perfect vegan mini pancake
- The best technique for freezing your pancakes so they don’t stick together
- How to reheat your mini pancakes so they taste just like you made them fresh.
Ready? Let’s go!
Should You Make Your Own Frozen Mini Pancakes?
Before we dive into how to make your own frozen mini pancakes let’s discuss why they are better than the boxed pancakes you buy in the freezer section.
Reasons to Make Frozen Pancakes At Home:
- 1. No Sketchy Preservatives: If you actually read the back of the box your pancakes come in, you will see a laundry list of ingredients you can’t even pronounce. When you make your pancakes from scratch you control what goes into them. No mystery flavor enhancers, no high fructose corn syrup and no stupid napalm keeping your pancakes stacked.
- 2. Saves You Money On Meal Prep: Have you ever looked at the price of a bag of frozen pancakes? for flour, milk, and eggs it can be pretty outrageous. Making one large batch at home will cost you a fraction of the cost. Not to mention it will last you weeks and weeks.
- 3. They’re Perfect For Toddlers And Kids: We all know kids don’t want to eat what we eat. But tiny, bite-sized pancakes are fun for them to eat and don’t make as big of a mess as a slice of pancake does.
- 4. Reduce Food Waste: How often do you make yourself a whole batch of pancakes and then toss half the batter because you didn’t want to eat it all? By freezing your pancakes you won’t waste a single flapjack.
Ingredient List: What you will need for fluffy mini pancakes
While a good mix of ingredients will always work for pancakes the right ingredients will create that fluffy texture we all love that doesn’t seem to lose its magic when frozen and reheated. Below is everything you will need to create these yummy vegetarian mini pancakes.If you interest in reading banana flour pan cake read this article
Dry Ingredients
- All Purpose Flour (1 Cup): Gives structure to your pancakes. Substitute this for whole wheat flour if desired though your pancakes will be slightly more dense. Use a 1: 1 gluten free baking blend to make these gluten free.
- Baking Powder (2 Teaspoons): Most importantly this is what gives you the “fluff”. In many vegetarian versions, we skip the eggs, making this reaction vital for generating those small air pockets we love.
- Sugar or Natural Sweetener (1-2 Tablespoons): A touch of granulated sugar or maple syrup or honey will help create that delicious golden brown color on the outside of your pancakes.
- Salt (Pinch): Don’t skip this! Just a little salt really balances out the sweetness and creates a well rounded flavor in your batter.
Wet Ingredients
* Milk of Choice (¾ Cup): This can be any type of milk. Dairy or Non-dairy such as Almond milk, Soy milk or my personal favorite when making pancakes Oat milk as it is naturally creamier.
* Coconut Oil or Butter, melted (2 Tablespoons):Fat = moisture. Melted coconut oil is one of my favorite vegetarian options for adding fat to pancakes that will help them stay soft after freezing.
* Vanilla Extract (1 Teaspoon):The nice smell and flavor of vanilla really helps take these homemade pancakes to the next level beyond what you’d buy in the store.
* Vinegar or Lemon Juice (1 Teaspoon):When combined with your milk this helps create a homemade “buttermilk”. The acidity helps give it that extra fluff factor when combined with your baking powder.
Flavor Variations – Optional
These are mini pancakes so any mix-ins should be mini as well:
* Mini Chocolate Chips: Because everything is better with chocolate and kids love them!
* Blueberry Zest: Little dried blueberries mixed with some lemon zest.
* Cinnamon: Add a ½ teaspoon cinnamon for a spiced flavor.
Preparation: How to Make Pancake Batter
Okay .We’ve gone over all of the secret tips and tricks for why these pancakes freeze so well. But none of that matters if you do not have the perfect pancake batter to start with.If your batter is messed up, your pancakes will turn out dense, rubbery, or flat. Follow my professional tips below so you can have the best pancakes every time!
Step 1: Make Homemade Buttermilk
Combine Milk of Choice and Vinegar or Lemon Juice in a small jar or measuring cup. Stir and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes your “buttermilk” will look curdled and will have thickened up just a little.
This acidity is what reacts with the baking powder to create carbon dioxide bubbles.Without this reaction occurring your mini pancakes will not puff up and will be hard to keep fluffy once frozen.
Step 2: Whisk Together Dry Ingredients
Whisk flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt together in a large bowl.
Helpful tip: Feel like making these pancakes healthier or vegetarian? Swap out 25 percent of the white flour for whole wheat flour or oat flour.
Helpful Tip: Make sure you sift your flour first. This will remove any clumps of flour you might have.Stop mixing as soon as the last traces of dry flour have disappeared into the batter.
Step 3: Do Not Over Mix
Using your spoon, push the dry ingredients toward the edges of the bowl to form a central well. Pour in DIY Buttermilk, melted coconut oil, and vanilla extract.
Use a silicone spatula or large spoon and fold all ingredients until,
You no longer see streaks of dry flour. Stop mixing.
The Secret: It’s okay if you have small lumps in your batter!
If you over mix your batter trying to get rid of all of the lumps, then you will have over worked the gluten in your pancakes making them tough to chew.
Step 4: The Hydration Phase (Why Patience is Your Best Ingredient)
Do not grab the batter and start slopping it onto a pan.
Cover your batter with a clean kitchen towel and allow it to sit for at least 10-15 minutes.
This allows the flour to hydrate and for the leavening agents (baking powder) to start working their magic.😆
Notice how bubbly the top of the batter is? That my friends means your pancakes are gonna fluff.
Step 5: Thin Out Batter For Mini Pancakes
We are making minis (or pancake cereal) so the batter is a little thinner than you would want if you were making regular sized pancakes.
Notice how thick this batter is.
If you are making pancakes in a squeeze bottle you want the batter to be thick enough that it will HOLD IT’S SHAPE on the pan but runny enough that it can squeeze through the nozzle.
If your batter is too thick, whisk in 1 tablespoon of milk at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
Cooking Mini Pancakes
Making mini pancakes is slightly different than making full-sized pancakes. They’re small and cook quickly, so they burn easily if your burner is too high.
1. Prep the cooking surface.
Use a good-quality nonstick griddle or large flat pan. Set it to medium-low heat. Never rush this step – once your griddle or pan is heated properly, it will cook your pancakes without burning the outside before the inside cooks. Use a pastry brush to lightly brush coconut oil or unsalted butter across the cooking surface.
2. The Pour
Mini pancakes need to be poured carefully. There are three methods you can use.
-Squeeze Bottle: Purchase or save some clean plastic squeeze bottles. Fill with pancake batter and squeeze small dots onto your pan. Make them about 1.5 inches in diameter.
-Measuring Teaspoon: If you don’t have squeeze bottles, opt for a regular old measuring teaspoon.
-Piping Bag: Take a Ziploc bag and cut off one corner. Voila – you have an easy piping bag.
Leave about half an inch between each dot so they don’t connect into one giant pancake pile-on.
3. The Flip
Mini pancakes cook quickly, so keep an eye on them as you wait for bubbles to rise to the surface. When the bubbles pop and stay open, and the edges of your pancakes look cooked and matte-looking (not glossy), it’s time to flip. You should be able to flip several at a time with a wide spatula. Otherwise, use a small offset spatula to flip each one individually. Only cook 30-45 seconds more on the other side until they’re golden brown.
How to Freeze Mini Pancakes: Flash-Freeze Method
Ever toss those warm pancakes into a freezer bag? The heat releases steam from the pancakes, which gets trapped inside the bag and forms ice crystals. Ice crystals create freezer burn and cause all your pancakes to stick together in one giant brick-like object that no human wants to eat. So how do you get that “pourable” bag of pancakes from the store? Read on:
Step 1: Fully cool.
NEVER freeze a warm pancake. Lay your freshly cooked minis out on a wire cooling rack. This keeps air circulating underneath the pancakes so the bottoms don’t get soggy as they cool. Wait until your pancakes are room temperature.
Step 2: Flash-Freeze
Line a large baking sheet or tray with parchment paper or a silicone baking sheet. Place pancakes in a single layer on the baking sheet, making sure they’re not touching each other. Pop the tray into your freezer, flat side down. Let them freeze for 45 minutes to 1 hour. This freezes the outside of each individual pancake “locking in” its shape and moisture.
Step 3: Bag for the Long Haul
Remove tray from freezer and quickly dump pancakes into a heavy-duty freezer-safe Ziploc bag or air-tight container. Use a straw to suck out excess air or manually press out air before sealing. Pancakes will last up to 3 months if you suck the oxygen out of the bag. Oxygen = your pancakes going bad. Write the date and kind of pancake on the bag ( i.e. “Oat Milk Mini Pancakes”) and return to the freezer.
How to Reheat Frozen Mini Pancakes (3 Best Ways)
Thankfully, because of the flash-freeze method, you don’t actually have to thaw the pancakes in the fridge overnight. You can reheat them straight from frozen to your heat source of choice,Here are three ways you can reheat them while still keeping them fluffy and fresh like they just came out of the pan.
1. The Microwave Method (Fastest)
If you are in a hurry and have less than a minute before you need to be eating,
- Arrange one serving of mini pancakes (roughly 15 – 20 pieces) in a single layer on a microwave safe plate.
- The Secret: Drape a slightly damp paper towel over the pancakes. The steam created as they heat will keep the edges from getting hard or rubbery.
- Warm the batch for 30–60 seconds on high power for a quick finish. If they aren’t steaming hot, continue heating them in 10 second increments.
2. The Air Fryer Method (Best Texture)
For crispier outside, soft inside pancakes, go with the air fryer!
- Preheat the air fryer to 320 degrees F or 160 degrees C.
- Place frozen mini pancakes in the basket. It’s okay if they overlap a little, but don’t make them too thick of a layer.
- Cook for 2 minutes, then shake the fryer basket and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes until hot.
3. The Toaster Oven or Conventional Oven Method (For Larger Batches)
If you’re cooking breakfast for the whole family at once,
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F or 175 degrees C.
- Arrange frozen pancakes on a baking sheet and cover the baking sheet tightly with aluminum foil. The foil helps hold in moisture to keep the pancakes soft.
- Bake for about 5-7 minutes until heated through.
Nutrition Info-Frozen mini Pancakes
| Nutrient | Amount per Serving (5 pieces) |
|---|---|
| Calories | 150 - 180 kcal |
| Total Fat | 4g - 6g |
| Cholesterol | 15mg |
| Sodium | 280mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 28g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1g |
| Sugars | 6g |
| Protein | 3g - 4g |
Frozen Mini Pancakes FAQs
We know there’s a lot to learn when you’re trying to become a meal-prep pro. So we’ve compiled answers to the 10 most commonly asked reader questions about making, storing and reheating frozen mini pancakes.
1. Can I make gluten-free pancakes?
Yes.This recipe can easily be made gluten -free if needed. The simplest way is to swap the flour for a high-quality 1: 1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend that contains xanthan gum. We don’t recommend skipping straight to almond flour or coconut flour as your pancakes will be too delicate to flip and freeze.
2. My frozen pancakes are dry/rubbery after I microwave them. Why?
It’s likely that you either microwaved them for too long or didn’t cover them with a wet paper towel. Always use the wet paper towel method when reheating pancakes in the microwave. Another trick is to make sure your batter contains enough fat (like coconut oil or butter) to help the crumb stay moist throughout the freezing process.
3. How long will pancakes stay fresh in the freezer?
If stored in a quality freezer bag with all of the air pressed out, pancakes will stay fresh for up to 3 months. They will be safe to eat after that, but the quality starts to go downhill due to freezer burn.
4. Do I need to let the pancakes thaw before reheating?
No, there is no need to thaw these pancakes before reheating.Actually, there is no need to defrost them first. They’ll actually turn out better if you reheat them from frozen! When thawing in the fridge, they can get soggy.
5. Can I add fresh fruit to the pancake batter?
Yes, of course! Because we’re making mini pancakes, you’ll want to use really tiny pieces of fruit. Wild blueberries would be best, but finely diced strawberries would also work well. Fresh fruit with a higher water content, like chopped banana, will cause your pancakes to brown faster. We don’t recommend adding large pieces of fruit to the batter as they may cause your small pancakes to break apart when turned on the griddle.
6.How can I prevent pancakes from freezing together in the storage bag?
We have one secret: flash freezing! Make sure you always freeze your pancakes in a single layer on a baking sheet for at least 45 minutes before moving them to a storage bag.
7. Can I store pancake batter in the fridge and cook it later?
We don’t recommend storing the batter for more than a few hours because the leavening power of the baking powder starts to break down after about 15 minutes. So while the batter can be refrigerated if necessary, you’ll sacrifice some fluffiness if you don’t cook it ASAP.
8. Are mini pancakes vegan-friendly?
Yes.They are! Simply swap out the dairy milk for an equal amount of oat milk or soy milk, and melt some coconut oil in place of the butter. The acidity in the plant milk will still react with the vinegar to create plenty of fluff!
9. Can I reheat my mini pancakes in the toaster?
Because these are so small, it’s next to impossible to toast them in a traditional upright toaster. They’ll fall right down into the bottom of your machine and make a big mess. If you’re looking to get some toastiness on your pancakes, you’ll have better luck with a toaster oven or air fryer.
10. How do I make sure all my pancakes are the same size?
For the best results, we recommend using a plastic squeeze bottle or any clean plastic condiment bottle. That way you can have complete control over how much batter you use for each pancake. If you don’t have a squeeze bottle on hand, a small measuring tablespoon is your next best bet.
Conclusion: Meal Prep Will Change Your Life
Embracing a sustainable vegetarian diet is made up of discovering these kinds of time-saving tricks. Meal-prepping so that you don’t have to sacrifice taste or nutrition. Spend a couple hours on Sunday freezing these delicious mini pancakes and you’ll have countless meals that take you minutes to prepare during your busy week.
Not only will you know what ingredients are in your food when you make it from scratch like this, but you’ll also avoid any processed preservatives by mastering the art of flash-freezing at home. So pop a few of these in the microwave and make breakfast for your family in mere seconds. Serve 'em as pancake cereal or these breakfast sliders for a fun on-the-go breakfast.
Say goodbye to skipping breakfast or eating nutritionless frozen alternatives. Now that you know how to keep your freezer stocked and your reheating game strong, you’ll be ready to tackle anything. Thanks for reading and enjoy..
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