Have you heard of sheet pancakes? If you are wondering what it means, it is exactly as the name suggests- Pancakes in a sheet pan/ baking tray. But the best part about these sheet pancakes is you make them all in one go! No more standing in the kitchen flipping each pancake and wasting precious time. Here, all you have to do is prepare the batter, spread it on a sheet pan/ tray and bake.
Sounds simple, doesn’t it?
We make sure to have pancakes for breakfast at least once a week. I try to avoid doing more than once or twice, because my youngest will finish the entire bottle of maple syrup himself. He needs maple syrup with his pancakes. It’s nonnegotiable!
As much as I love eating pancakes myself, I hate that I have to keep an eye on the skillet as it gets cooked and flip it at the correct time. If someone else is making pancakes for me, then that’s the way to do it. But when it’s me that’s cooking, any time spent away from the kitchen is a blessing.
When I came across sheet pancakes, I knew I had to make it! Breakfast in 15 minutes without much effort from my part gets mommy points instantly. So, I tried and I have to say we loved it.
Soft fluffy, thicker than usual pancakes, these sheet pancakes are so easy to make.
What goes inside these sheet pancakes?
White whole wheat flour – Kids need whole grains. They are a healthier choice and contain a lot of essential nutrients.
I have used white whole wheat flour here instead of all purpose flour. Though not as good as whole wheat flour, it is definitely a healthier option when compared to all purpose flour.
If you don’t want to use this, feel free to use all purpose or whole wheat flour as desired. Remember that the pancakes might be a little dense when using whole wheat flour. They will be tasty nevertheless.
- Milk – Milk is an excellent source of protein and calcium, making it very good for growing children.
- Banana- Naturally sweet, bananas are great to add in baking recipes. They are rich in potassium, fiber and good carbs. Try and use a ripe banana as they tend to be sweeter.
- Applesauce – we know the saying “an apple a day keeps the doctor away”. Apple sauce is just cooked and pureed apples. Applesauce might not be as nutritious as whole raw apples, but they still contain enough nutrients that help in the well being of our children. You can use store bought or homemade apple sauce.
- Eggs – Eggs are again protein rich and contain a lot essential vitamins and minerals.
How can I make this recipe vegan?
If you are a vegan or if you cannot eat eggs or dairy due to allergies or other reasons, you can try the substitutions below
Milk – Cows milk be replaced with plant based milk like almond milk, coconut, soy or oat milk.
Eggs – You can try substituting eggs with flax eggs. I have not tried this recipe with flax eggs. But it is a common substitute in such recipes. To make flax eggs, simple mix 1 tbsp of flax meal with 3 tbsp warm water. Let it sit for sometime and use in the recipe as needed.
Maple syrup – Even though we add one banana, it will not give the batter enough sweetness. So, I like to add some maple syrup to make the pancakes slightly sweet. These pancakes are still not very sweet even after adding the maple syrup as we add a small quantity. If you want a sweeter version add more sweetener of your choice. You can always add more syrup after the pancake is baked.
Why should you make this sheet pancake?
As mentioned earlier, this recipe can be done with minimal effort.
- Does not involve flipping and cooking each pancake separately.
- Easy to make during busy mornings.
- Can be made in advance.
- Kids love it!
If your kids love baking with you, you can involve them in the prep by asking them to mix the batter. My eldest loves to sprinkle the fruits and chocolate chips on top on the batter. You can get creative and have different toppings in different parts/ sides of the pan just like we do with a pizza.
Topping ideas for the sheet pancake –
- Berries – strawberries, blueberries, raspberry etc
- Banana
- Peanut butter or other nut butter- Simply swirl them over the batter before baking.
- Hemp hearts
- Sauteed apples
- Chocolate chips
- Chopped dates
- Chopped Raisins
How do you make this sheet pancake?
It is a very simple recipe. First, we take all the dry ingredients like flour, baking powder, salt and mix them well together. Sift them if you wish.
Then we add the wet ingredients like eggs, milk, apple sauce, mashed banana, vanilla extract and maple syrup to another bowl and mix them well.
Now add the dry ingredients to the wet just like you would in any baking recipe and mix again.
Now pour the batter in a parchment lined sheet pan and make sure the batter is spread evenly in the pan.
Now is the fun part. Add the toppings of your choice and bake for 15 minutes at 425 F.
When done, cut in squares or whatever shape you desire and serve! If you are in the mood for some fun, use cookie cutters to cut them in desired shapes! The kids will love it.
Isn’t the recipe very simple?
You can make this in advance for the week and refrigerate or freeze as needed.
To reheat it simply microwave them or pop it back in the oven to defrost it.
Toddler Sheet Pancakes Recipe
Prep time – 10 minutes
Cook time – 15 minutes
8 servings
Ingredients
- 1 and ½ cup white whole wheat flour
- 1 and half tsp baking powder
- 1/2 cup milk of your choice
- 2 eggs
- 1 ripe banana mashed
- 1 cup applesauce
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 cup toppings of your choice (blueberries, strawberries etc)
Method:
- Preheat your oven to 425 F
- Grease your sheet pan and line it with a parchment paper. Set it aside.
- Take a bowl and mix all the dry ingredients.
- In another bow, mix the eggs, maple syrup, milk, apple sauce, mashed banana and vanilla extract until they are well combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix.
- Pour the batter on the greased and lined sheet pan and spread it so they are even.
- Add toppings on top of the batter.
- Bake for 15 minutes.
- Allow the pancakes to cool a bit and cut them in desired shapes.
- Serve with more fruits and a maple syrup.
