stuffed pancakes

chocolate stuffed pancakes – thick, golden, fluffy pancakes with molten chocolate centres. perfect for slow mornings ⊹₊⋆

why you will love these easy stuffed pancakes

• easy recipe but looks impressive – this stuffed pancakes recipe looks complicated but is a lot easier than it looks, especially when you freeze the chocolate spread. it’s just a normal, basic pancake batter with a disc of frozen chocolate spread in the middle but feels a lot more special than your typical pancake!

• simple ingredients – to make these stuffed pancakes, this recipe uses ingredients that you would usually already have at home. the only extra thing you’ll need is the chocolate spread if you don’t have it, but you can also use any other kind of filling that you like or have on hand for these pancakes such as jam, cream cheese, peanut butter etc.

• the perfect balance of fluffy and rich – these stuffed pancakes are rich and indulgent due to the melty chocolate centre but still tender, fluffy and light. they would be perfect as a treat for breakfast on a weekend or even for special occasions!

learn how to make these homemade stuffed pancakes

to make these stuffed fluffy pancakes from scratch, we’re going to start off by spreading out tablespoons of hazelnut chocolate spread into thin discs onto a lined dish or tray. place this in the freezer while you make the pancake batter. for the pancake batter, we’ll start by whisking together an egg and sugar in a bowl until combined. then, add some oil, milk, vanilla extract and thick yoghurt. whisk all of this together until combined.

in another bowl, add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. mix all of this together and add it to the wet ingredients. whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until combined and somewhat smooth. it’s okay if there are some lumps. let the pancake batter rest for about 5 minutes and then heat up a pan over low-medium heat. add some batter to the pan, then immediately add one of the frozen chocolate spread discs and cover this with a little bit more batter. let this cook cook, then flip the pancake and cook again.

repeat with the rest of the pancakes, and we’re done!

nutella stuffed pancakes ingredients

• nutella/chocolate spread – you can use any kind of chocolate spread that you like to make these stuffed chocolate pancakes.

• egg – we’re just going to be using 1 large egg for this stuffed pancakes recipe.

• granulated sugar – to make this easy stuffed pancakes recipe, we’re going to whisk together an egg and some granulated sugar.

• oil – i like to use oil instead of butter to make these stuffed pancake bites. i find that oil gives me the fluffiest pancakes over butter. use any neutral-tasting oil. you could also use butter if you would prefer that.

• vanilla extract – optional, but a splash of it will add a nice, subtle vanilla flavour to these stuffed pancakes.

• milk – this filled pancakes recipe uses full fat or whole milk. make sure it’s at room temperature so that it combines easily with the rest of the ingredients.

• yogurt – this stuffed pancake recipe also uses yogurt in the pancake batter. use any kind of thick yogurt, like greek yogurt.

• flour – we’ll be using plain flour/all purpose flour for this nutella stuffed pancakes recipe.

• baking powder – using baking powder helps make the best fluffy chocolate hazelnut stuffed pancakes. you’ll need baking powder to ensure that the pancakes are thick and fluffy.

• baking soda – i use just a small amount of baking soda in this pancake recipe. the baking soda reacts with the acid in the yogurt to give you a thicker, fluffier pancake.

• salt – a pinch or two of salt helps balance out the sweetness in these stuffed pancakes.

tools:

• dish or tray – for freezing the frozen chocolate spread discs

• parchment paper or baking paper – we’ll add the chocolate spread on some parchment paper so that it’s easy to peel off and add to the pancake batter when needed

• large bowl – for the pancake batter

• small bowl – you’ll need to mix the dry ingredients separately in a smaller bowl first

• whisk – to mix the pancake batter

• scoop or cup or ladle – to add the pancake batter to the pan

• non stick pan – for cooking the pancakes

• spatula – for flipping the pancakes

step by step instructions

for full measurements, keep scrolling down to the recipe below.

step one: line a dish or tray with parchment paper or baking paper. scoop out around a ½—1 tablespoon of chocolate spread and place on the tray, then spread it out into a round disc. this stuffed pancakes recipe makes 8 pancakes, so you will need 8 chocolate spread discs. (only 6 pictured).

step two: place this in the freezer. ideally, you’ll want to freeze these for about 30 minutes.

step three: for the pancake batter, in a large bowl, crack open an egg and add the granulated sugar. whisk these together until combined.

step four: add the oil to the bowl. then add the milk, vanilla extract and the thick yogurt. again, whisk these together until combined.

step five: in another small bowl, add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. mix these together.

step six: add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. whisk these together until combined. you should have a relatively smooth batter. it’s okay if there are some small lumps, as you don’t want to over mix.

step seven: let the pancake batter rest at room temperature for about five minutes.

step eight: heat up a non stick pan over low heat.

step nine: once the pan is ready, add 1/8 cup of pancake batter to the middle of the pan and increase the heat to low-medium. add the frozen chocolate spread disc into the middle of the pancake, then top with another 1/8 cup of pancake batter so that the chocolate spread is covered. let the pancake cook for about 1 minute to 1 minute and 20 seconds. once it starts to bubble and the edges are set, flip the pancake.

step ten: let the other side of the pancake cook for another 1 minute to 1 minute and 20 seconds.

step eleven: repeat with the rest of the pancakes.

step twelve: serve, and let’s eat!

tips and notes

• i would recommend using room temperature eggs, milk and yogurt when following this recipe for pancakes for two. this will just help the ingredients combine better and make things easier for you.

• combine the dry ingredients properly in a separate bowl so that the baking powder and baking soda are distributed throughout.

• once you add the flour and dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, be sure not to over mix. you want a relatively smooth batter, but it’s okay if there are some small lumps.

• be sure to let the pancake batter rest at room temperature for about 5 minutes before you start making the paNCakes. letting the batter rest will help give you a thicker, fluffier pancake.

• heat up your non stick pan over low-medium heat. make sure the pan is not too hot, as the high heat will make the outside of the pancakes burn before the inside is properly cooked.

• i did not add any butter or oil to the pan before adding my pancake batter. this, and using a non stick pan, is what gets you that smooth surface on the pancake. if you’re not too bothered about this, and would like some added flavour and crispier edges on your pancakes, feel free to lightly grease the pan in between each pancake.

• to make these stuffed breakfast pancakes, i used 1/4 cup of batter in total for each pancake. 1/8 cup for the base, then add the chocolate spread disc, and then add another 1/8 cup to cover the chocolate disc. this ensures that all the pancakes are the same size and the cooking time for each pancake is the same. using 1/4 cup in total for each pancake makes 8 pancakes.

• remember that the time it takes to cook your pancakes will depend on their size. if you use more than 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake, the stuffed pancakes will take more time to cook through.

• the cooking timings stated in this recipe are from the moment you add the batter to the pan. e.g. it’s not 1 minute to 1 minute and 20 seconds after you’ve added the chocolate spread and extra batter, but you should start timing as soon as you add the initial layer of batter to the pan. you want to make sure to work quickly, so that the bottom of the pancake doesn’t overcook.

• once you’ve added the batter to the pan, add the chocolate spread disc immediately and top with the rest of the batter. wait for the edges of the pancake to set. once bubbles start forming on the surface of the pancake, it’s time to flip.

• place the chocolate spread disc in the centre of the pancake and keep it away from the edges.

• use a kitchen scale to measure your ingredients. while i add both metric and cup measurements for this recipe, i always recommend using a kitchen scale to weigh out your ingredients for most accurate results.

• if you do decide to use cups, this recipe has higher than typical cup flour measurements as it bases them on scooping the flour (since this is what most people tend to do).

• the pancakes will be quite soft when done. let them set for a few minutes before serving.

• cover any leftover pancake batter and store it in the fridge for up to 24 hours.

frequently asked questions

1. how do i know when to flip the pancakes ?

   – look for bubbles on the surface of the pancake and set edges. this took me about 1 minute and 20 seconds per side over low-medium heat when using a total 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake.

2. my pancakes aren’t fluffy – what went wrong ?

   – this is usually because of over mixing the pancake batter. be sure to gently mix the dry ingredients in and don’t worry too much if there are small lumps in the batter. you also want to make sure to let the batter rest before cooking the pancakes.

3. do i have to use vanilla extract in the stuffed pancake mix ?

   – the vanilla extract in this pancake recipe is optional. i like the subtle vanilla flavour it gives to the pancakes, but if you would prefer not to use it or don’t have it, that’s also completely fine.

4. can i use butter instead of oil when making these stuffed pancakes ?

   – yes, you can use butter that’s been melted and cooled instead of the oil in the pancake batter. i like to use oil because i find that it makes these stuffed pancakes extra moist and fluffy, but butter will give you better flavour and a richer taste.

5. can i make the pancake batter ahead of time ?

   – to make these quick and easy stuffed pancakes, you can definitely make the batter ahead of time, as it keeps in the fridge for up to 24 hours. it will thicken up the longer it sits though, so you might need to add a splash of milk to loosen it slightly before cooking the pancakes.

6. why do i need to rest the pancake batter ?

   – resting the batter before making the pancakes allows the flour to fully hydrate and the leavening agents to activate – this is what helps give you fluffier pancakes with better texture.

7. why are my pancakes raw in the middle ?

   – this usually happens when the heat is too high or the pancake is too thick and can’t cook through properly. stuffed pancakes need a lower heat (low-medium) so that the middle can cook through before the outside of the pancake burns. if you find that your pancakes are not cooking through properly, lower the temperature and cook each side for longer. you also want to make sure that the pancakes are not too thick around the chocolate spread. add enough batter to cover the chocolate spread disc, and spread it out a little if necessary.

8. can i double this pancake recipe ?

   – yes, you can double the recipe to make a larger batch of pancakes.

9. can i make these stuffed breakfast pancakes without yogurt ?

   – if you don’t have yogurt on hand, you can make these stuffed pancakes with sour cream instead. i would really recommend using either yogurt or sour cream for a thicker, fluffier pancake.

10. how much chocolate spread should i use per pancake ?

    – around ½ tablespoon to 1 tablespoon would be best for each stuffed pancakes. using too much filling for pancakes will make it difficult for you to flip the pancake and may cause leakage.

11. can i make nutella stuffed pancakes without freezing the nutella ?

    – yes, you can absolutely use room temperature nutella instead of a frozen disc, but freezing the chocolate spread just makes it a lot easier to work with, especially since you need to be quite quick to add everything. i would really recommend taking the time to freeze the chocolate spread just to make things easier for you.

12. why did my chocolate spread leak out of the pancake ?

    – this usually happens if you didn’t freeze the chocolate spread, if the pancake batter was too thin, or if you didn’t properly cover the chocolate spread with enough batter. make sure that the chocolate spread disc is sealed with batter from all sides so that it doesn’t leak out.

13. do you have any other stuffed pancake ideas instead of pancakes stuffed with nutella or chocolate spread ?

    – some other filled pancake ideas include jam stuffed pancakes, stuffed cheesecake pancakes, peanut butter stuffed pancakes, cookie butter stuffed pancakes or even fruit stuffed pancakes!

14. do i have these stuffed pancakes with sauce or syrup ?

    – the chocolate spread filling in these stuffed pancakes make these sweet enough to enjoy on their own. if you’d really like to have something with these stuffed pancakes, i’d recommend fresh whipped cream, powdered sugar or some fresh fruit like strawberries!

15. can i make savory pancakes with this pancake recipe ?

    – you can definitely make this stuffed pancake recipe savory by swapping the chocolate filling with something like cream cheese or another cheese or anything else you like.

16. can i use this pancake recipe to make healthy stuffed pancakes ?

    – to make these stuffed pancakes slightly healthier, you can swap the chocolate spread filling for something like a square of dark chocolate instead. fruit stuffed pancakes would also be a great idea, like stuffed banana pancakes or stuffed blueberry pancakes!

17. can i make stuffed mini pancakes with this recipe ?

    – you can definitely use this as a stuffed pancake bites recipe – just use less batter for each pancake, and use a very small amount of frozen chocolate spread for each mini pancake. remember that smaller stuffed pancakes will take a lot less time to cook, so you’ll want to keep an eye on them so that they don’t overcook.

recipe