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These Red Velvet Pancakes are thick, fluffy, and light and drizzled with sweetened condensed milk over the top. They’re perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dessert.
From a show of hands, who grew up eating red velvet pancakes?
If your hand is down, know that you’re not alone. I grew up eating almost every kind of pancake, but one that was red velvet was never on my breakfast table.
I’ve had red velvet pound cake, biscuits, and red velvet crepes before, but pancakes are something totally new. I do believe that turning a red velvet cake into a breakfast is a good idea.
I know the signature topping for red velvet cake is cream cheese icing. Every red velvet pancake recipe you’ll find online will include cream cheese glazes or icing. Still, I wanted to do something different, and that’s how I came up with the sweetened condensed milk idea.
These pancakes are perfect if you’re ready to try something new!
Key Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make red velvet pancakes from scratch.
Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
I only use unbleached flour for baking and cooking.
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
A little cocoa powder goes a long way to add a hint of chocolate flavor.
Baking Powder and Baking Soda
I use both to get the perfect light and fluffy red velvet pancakes.
Buttermilk
I love the zing buttermilk added to pancakes, and I’m always disappointed when I eat ones without it.
White Vinegar
The acid helps cut through the red dye, plus it helps the pancakes get fluffy.
Red Food Coloring
I used the classic red food coloring, but you can use plant-based red food coloring. The pancakes will come out more burgundy instead of bright red.
Oil
Pancakes can become dry and crumbly if you don’t add oil to the batter, which will keep them moist.
Egg
I’ve been using brown eggs; the yolk has a deeper color and flavor.
How to make the best red velvet pancake recipe?
I will show you a stress-free way to make red velvet pancakes. In about 30 minutes, you and your family will be scoffing down these delicious pancakes.
Mix flour, cocoa powder, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl.
In a medium bowl, mix eggs, oil, buttermilk, vanilla extract, and red food coloring together. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until incorporated. The batter should be thick with a few lumps, not smooth. Set aside for 10 minutes.
Turn the griddle on medium heat. Spray griddle with non-stick cooking spray or wipe it with a tablespoon of vegetable oil.
Once the hot griddle is ready, add a ¼ cup measuring cup to scoop pancakes, spreading to make a circle. Cook pancakes for 2 minutes on each side; once the pancake starts to have small bubbles form, you flip them over. Keep pancakes warm in a 200°F oven on a baking sheet.
Serve a stack of red velvet pancakes with room-temperature butter and 2 tablespoons of condensed milk, and fresh blueberries.
How to make Cream Cheese Glaze?
If you want to drizzle cream cheese icing over your red velvet pancakes. Here’s how you make it.
Ingredients
4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1 lb. powdered sugar
3 tablespoons melted butter
4-5 tablespoons milk
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese on medium speed for 1 minute until smooth. Add powdered sugar, butter, and milk, and mix until smooth with a pourable consistency. Serve pancakes with cream cheese and a drizzle of cream cheese glaze.
Pro Recipe Tips & Tricks
Follow these tips while you make these delicious pancakes. Also, remember a slightly lumpy batter is ok and will not ruin your pancakes.
- The hotter your skillet gets, the easier it is to burn your pancakes. Just be sure to lower the heat as you go so they don’t burn.
- Use a griddle instead of a skillet.
- A cast iron skillet makes the best crispy pancakes.
- Allowing the flour to absorb the liquids creates a lighter pancake. Do NOT skip the step of resting the batter.
- You can use gluten-free flour instead of all-purpose flour.
- Almond milk or whole milk will work instead of buttermilk.
- Do not use a dry measuring cup to measure liquids. You’ll never get an accurate measurement.
- Feel free to serve them with maple syrup instead of condensed milk or cream cheese glaze.
- Use Philadelphia cream cheese for the best-tasting cream cheese icing.
- Cook with a high smoke point oil like canola, vegetable, grapeseed, or avocado.
- Do not use Dutch-processed cocoa powder. It will stop the baking powder and soda from rising, and you won’t end up with light and fluffy pancakes.
- You can use dark cocoa powder instead of unsweetened cocoa powder.
- You can use melted butter instead of vegetable oil in your pancakes.
- Gently fold in white chocolate chips for a special anniversary breakfast.
- Here are a few garnish ideas: mint leaves, fresh raspberries, or any fresh fruit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are the top questions readers have about making red velvet pancakes.
Red velvet pancakes are made with flour, granulated sugar, buttermilk, vanilla extract, white vinegar, unsweetened cocoa powder, and red food coloring.
The mixing and cooking process is no different from a traditional pancake, so there’s no need to be intimidated.
The best way to make fluffy pancakes is to combine baking soda and buttermilk. When combined, the chemical reaction makes bubbles form, like vinegar and baking soda.
These little bubbles will create pockets of air in the batter and, when heat is added, will make your pancakes fluffy.
Eggs add structure and help your pancakes rise. Too many eggs can make them dense, and adding too little will make them dry and crumbly, like a biscuit.
Baking powder is a great leaving agent that helps make pancakes airy and light. However, add too much, and they’ll taste like chalk. Add too little, and your pancakes will be flat like crepes.
You can let your batter rest for up to 30 minutes so the flour absorbs the liquid, which makes pancakes light and fluffy. My ideal sweet spot is 10 minutes.
Should pancake batter be runny or thick?
Pancake batter should be thick and have a pourable consistency, like cake batter. A good rule to remember is that the thicker the batter, the fluffier the final results.
Big chain restaurants have a special pancake mix to satisfy their hungry customers. They also cook them on a griddle to cook large batches evenly.
Red velvet pancakes are best eaten immediately, but they will remain fresh in an airtight container for 3 days in the fridge.
Keep them in a freezer-safe container and freeze them for 2 months.
Reheat the pancakes in the microwave for 15 seconds.
More Red Velvet Recipes
If these red velvet pancakes have you drooling, I know these other red velvet inspired recipes will do the same.
- Red Velvet Crepes
- Red Velvet Pound Cake with Spiked Eggnog
- Red Velvet Biscuit with BBQ Brisket
- Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Latest Recipe Video:
Before You Begin
Before beginning, use the steps below to get organized.
Step 1: Get all ingredients and tools for the red velvet pancakes on the counter.
Step 2: Measure everything out into bowls.
Step 3: Follow this easy recipe for the best red velvet pancakes from scratch.
These red velvet pancakes will hit the spot if you’re in the mood for a delicious and decadent breakfast. Everyone is sure to love thick, fluffy, lightly sweet flavors. So what are you waiting for? Give them a try today! And don’t forget to leave a comment and star rating below – I always love hearing from you. Plus, if you share this recipe with your friends, they’ll be begging you for the recipe too.
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Red Velvet Pancakes
Ingredients
- 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoon oil plus more for cooking
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 oz. red food coloring
- 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 stick unsalted butter room temperature
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.
- In a medium bowl, mix eggs, oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and red food coloring together. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and stir until incorporated. The batter should be thick with a few lumps, not smooth. Set aside for 10 minutes.
- Turn the griddle to 350°F or medium heat in a large non-stick skillet. Add 1 tablespoon of oil, and wipe across the griddle. Use a ¼ cup measuring cup to scoop pancakes, spreading to make a circle. Cook 3 pancakes at a time, if using a skillet, for 2 minutes on each side. Keep pancakes warm in a 200°F oven.
- Serve 3 warm pancakes with room-temperature butter and 2 tablespoons of condensed milk.
Notes
- The hotter your skillet gets, the easier it is to burn your pancakes. Just be sure to lower the heat as you go so they don’t burn.
- Use a griddle instead of a skillet.
- A cast iron skillet makes the best crispy pancakes.
- Allowing the flour to absorb the liquids creates a lighter pancake. Do NOT skip the step of resting the batter.
- You can use gluten-free flour instead of all-purpose flour.
- Almond milk or whole milk will work instead of buttermilk.
- Do not use a dry measuring cup to measure liquids. You’ll never get an accurate measurement.
- Feel free to serve them with maple syrup instead of condensed milk or cream cheese glaze.
- Use Philadelphia cream cheese for the best-tasting cream cheese icing.
- Cook with a high smoke point oil like canola, vegetable, grapeseed, or avocado.
- Do not use Dutch-processed cocoa powder. It will stop the baking powder and soda from rising, and you won’t end up with light and fluffy pancakes.
- You can use dark cocoa powder instead of unsweetened cocoa powder.
- You can use melted butter instead of vegetable oil in your pancakes.
- Gently fold in white chocolate chips for a special anniversary breakfast.
- Here are a few garnish ideas: mint leaves, fresh raspberries, or any fresh fruit.
