Red Velvet Pancakes + Pomegranate
Red Velvet Pancakes + Pomegranate
Breakfast should be special, especially when spending time with family during the holidays. Festive food is one of the best parts of the holidays, and these Red Velvet Pancakes + Pomegranate are my new favorite holiday recipe! The pancakes are flavored with cocoa powder, vanilla, and cinnamon before adding red food dye for that classic red velvet look! Top with pomegranate seeds for even more red flare.
Christmas is almost here! Does anyone else feel so inspired to cook around the holidays? Developing new ways to celebrate Christmas through food is such a rewarding experience for those who love cooking. Breakfast is the perfect meal to experiment with! The family has to have a nourishing meal after all the energy it takes to open presents, so why not make it festive? My Red Velvet Pancakes + Pomegranate are fluffy and light, and also red in color for Christmas! They taste just like a slice of red velvet cake along with juicy pomegranate arils on top that pop in your mouth!
I also like to top with whipped cream for a little extra sweetness. Feel free to add maple syrup, butter, or your favorite pancake toppings! Plus, these Fluffy Vegan Banana Chocolate Chip Pancakes, Apple Cider Pumpkin Pancakes + Cranberries, and Vegan Funfetti Pancakes are truly a great way to kickstart your day!
How to Make Perfect Pancakes
Pancakes are not a difficult recipe to make, but there are some tips to help make them extra delicious. First, make sure you use buttermilk or a plant-based buttermilk mix. Buttermilk is a highly acidic dairy product that adds lots of flavor and delicacy to baked goods and sweets. Many times, you will see buttermilk pancake recipes online or in restaurants.
You can also use "buttermilk" if you are plant-based by adding apple cider vinegar to plant milk. The ACV will cause a reaction to the plant milk, allowing it to thicken just like buttermilk. Both regular and plant-based buttermilk add the perfect flavor and texture to pancakes. Be sure to not skip on this ingredient!
Ensuring that you make the perfect pancakes each time can sometimes feel like a science, but it's fairly easy with these simple tips + hacks:
TIP #1: LOW + SLOW IS BEST.
When it comes to cooking your pancakes, keeping the heat on low is the key. This ensures that your pancakes are fully cooked through without making the outsides dark before their time.
TIP #2: DOUBLE CHECK THAT LEAVENERS AREN'T EXPIRED.
Ensuring that the leaveners that are used (baking powder, baking soda, etc) aren’t expired and are completely fresh. This ensures that your pancakes rise at their best and are super fluffy as intended.
TIP #3: ABSOLUTELY NO OVER-MIXING!!
Once all ingredients are combined after stirring with a spatula (or whisk), stop mixing. Remember, you want airy, fluffy pancakes—not chewy pancakes due to the gluten formulating from over-mixing.
TIP #4: LET THE BATTER SIT TO REST.
Yes, this is an important step also. I suggest letting the batter sit for 10 minutes or so to allow the ingredients to "activate" which helps to create a fluffy pancake in the end!
TIP #5: EVENNESS IS KEY.
While we often try to measure with our eye for the most even pancakes, sometimes we can just miss the mark. That's why I love using a measuring cup (about ½ cup) to measure out the batter evenly and create a nice sequence for my stack.
TIP #6: YES, THE CORRECT PAN MATTERS.
I find that using a flat cast-iron griddle works the best when making pancakes. However, I've also found great results with larger cast-iron skillets (10-12 inches), which give more room for the flipping despite their slopped sides.
TIP #7: FLIP WHEN IT'S TIME, OK?!
Yes, you read that right. We can sometimes flip beforehand which creates that mess and ruined flip that we desperately try to avoid once mid air. That's why you should wait until the edges are formed AND bubbles have formed and begin "popping" + opening up into holes, which means you're in the safe zone.
TIP #8: FLIP ONLY ONCE!
I've definitely been tempted to flip and then flip again, but once is best. This ensures that you don't ruin the edges or the entire pancake on your final flip. Besides, cooking them low + slow ensures that the centers are well done.
TIP #9: BUTTER IN BETWEEN.
I use to only butter the pan during the initial first pancake, however, I've learned that lightly greasing or buttering in between every pancake helps to keep them consistently golden and perfectly done.
Ingredients in Red Velvet Pancakes + Pomegranate
For the Pancakes:
- 2 cups organic all-purpose flour
- ½ cup organic cocoa powder
- ½ cup organic cane sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 8-10 teaspoons natural red food coloring
- 2 cups almond milk
- 1 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter, melted + 1 tablespoons for cooking
Toppings:
- Whipped cream
- Pomegranate arils
- Pure maple syrup
How to Make Red Velvet Pancakes + Pomegranate
Add the almond milk and apple cider vinegar together in a small bowl, stirring together until combined and letting it sit for 5 minutes until it becomes "slightly thickened" and activated.
In a large bowl, add the flour, cocoa powder, cane sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt together and whisk until well combined.
Make a small well in the middle of the dry ingredients and add in the milk-ACV mixture, vegan butter, red food coloring and vanilla, stirring gently (using a spatula) until just combined and the batter becomes a very dark red. DO NOT OVER-MIX!
NOTE: If the batter is way too thick and hard to stir, add additional milk, 1 tablespoon at a time until more smooth, yet still thick enough.
Add 1 tablespoon vegan butter to a heated skillet over medium-high heat and wait until fully melted. Pour ½ cup of pancake batter unto the surface of the skillet and cook for about 1-2 minutes (until batter begins to bubble) and gently flip pancake to it’s opposite side, cooking another 1-2 minutes.
NOTE: Be sure to gently press down on pancake to ensure that center cooks through.
Once cooked and lightly brown on both sides, remove pancake from heat and repeat steps until all batter is used.
To serve, stack pancakes onto one another and top with whipped cream, pomegranate arils, and lightly drizzle with maple syrup, if desired.
Bon Appetit!
Other Pancake Recipes You'll Love
If you love these Red Velvet Pancakes + Pomegranate, try these recipes, too!
- Flourless Apple Pancakes
- Gluten-Free Blueberry Chia Pancakes
- Blueberry Whole Wheat Pancakes
- Vegan Banana Pancakes
- One-Bowl Fluffy Vegan Oreo Pancakes
- Vegan Chocolate Pancakes with Blackberries
MADE OUR RECIPE(S)?
If you make this Red Velvet Pancakes + Pomegranate recipe, tag @orchidsnsweettea_ on Instagram and hashtag it #orchidsandsweettea
Red Velvet Pancakes + Pomegranate
Ingredients
PANCAKES:
- 2 cups organic all-purpose flour
- ½ cup organic cocoa powder
- ½ cup organic cane sugar
- 2 tsps baking powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 8-10 tsps Natural red food coloring
- 2 cups Almond milk (You can use your fave plant-based milk!)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tbsps vegan butter, melted + 1 tablespoon for cooking (See Notes!)
TOPPINGS:
- Whipped cream
- Pomegranate arils
- Pure maple syrup
Instructions
TO MAKE PANCAKES:
- Add the Almond milk and apple cider vinegar together in a small bowl, stirring together until combined and letting it sit for 5 minutes until it becomes "slightly thickened" and activated.
- In a large bowl, add the flour, cocoa powder, cane sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt together and whisk until well combined.
- Make a small well in the middle of the dry ingredients and add in the milk-ACV mixture, vegan butter, red food coloring and vanilla, stirring gently (using a spatula) until just combined and the batter becomes a very dark red. DO NOT OVER-MIX! NOTE: If the batter is way too thick and hard to stir, add additional milk, 1 tablespoon at a time until more smooth, yet still thick enough.
- Add 1 tablespoon vegan butter to a heated skillet over medium-high heat and wait until fully melted. Pour ½ cup of pancake batter unto the surface of the skillet and cook for about 1-2 minutes (until batter begins to bubble) and gently flip pancake to it’s opposite side, cooking another 1-2 minutes. NOTE: Be sure to gently press down on pancake to ensure that center cooks through.
- Once cooked and lightly brown on both sides, remove pancake from heat and repeat steps until all batter is used.
- To serve, stack pancakes onto one another and top with whipped cream, pomegranate arils, and lightly drizzle with maple syrup, if desired.
- Bon Appetit!
Tips & Tricks
- SWEETENER: If you choose to opt out of Agave, you can always substitute with pure maple syrup, date syrup, coconut sugar, brown sugar, or pure cane sugar.
- OIL: Instead of melted vegan butter, you can use vegetable oil or coconut oil, if preferred.
- GLUTEN-FREE VERSION: To make these pancakes GF, I recommend using a GF Flour Blend (Bob’s Red Mills has a great version!). **NOTE: If the batter is too ‘thin + runny’, simply add additional GF flour, ¼ cup at a time.**
Nutrition
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