Equipment
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 150 g all-purpose flour
- 40 g dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 8 g baking powder
- 3 g baking soda
- 3 g fine sea salt
Wet Ingredients
- 300 ml buttermilk, room temperature
- 2 eggs, large, room temperature
- 60 g unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 10 ml vanilla extract
Mix-ins and Cooking
- 100 g semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 15 g unsalted butter
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 540 kcal
- Protein
- 13 g
- Carbohydrates
- 67 g
- Fat
- 28 g
- Fiber
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 29 g
- Sodium
- 860 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 17 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 136 mg
- Potassium
- 550 mg
- Calcium
- 253 mg
- Iron
- 3.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 68 mg
- Phosphorus
- 278 mg
- Zinc
- 1.6 mg
- Vitamin A
- 179 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 1 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.5 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin K
- 2 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.4 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.09 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.30 mg
- Niacin
- 0.8 mg
- Folate
- 29 mcg
- Water
- 96 g
- Alcohol
- 1 g
- Caffeine
- 8 mg
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly whisk together the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and fine sea salt until well combined and uniform in color.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the room temperature buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth. Slowly drizzle in the melted butter while whisking constantly to prevent the butter from solidifying.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Use a spatula to gently fold the mixture together until just combined. The batter should be thick and lumpy; do not overmix. Gently fold in the chocolate chips.
Allow the batter to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes. This allows the flour to hydrate and the baking powder to activate, yielding fluffier pancakes.
Preheat a non-stick skillet or griddle over medium-low heat to approximately 175 degrees Celsius or 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly coat the surface with a small amount of butter.
Pour roughly 100g of batter per pancake onto the preheated skillet. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the edges look set and a few bubbles burst on the surface. Chocolate batter makes it harder to see browning, so rely on the texture of the edges.
Carefully slide a spatula under the pancake and flip it in one quick motion. Cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes on the second side until cooked through and puffed.
Transfer the cooked pancakes to a warm plate and loosely tent with foil to keep warm while cooking the remaining batter. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Dutch-processed cocoa powder provides a smoother, deeper chocolate flavor than natural cocoa powder and reacts optimally with the baking powder in this recipe.
- Resting the batter is crucial; it relaxes the gluten and allows the starches to swell, which gives the pancakes their signature tender, cake-like crumb.
- Because the dark color of the batter masks traditional browning, pay close attention to the matte appearance of the edges to know exactly when to flip.
- For an extra indulgent twist, substitute half of the semi-sweet chocolate chips with milk chocolate or white chocolate chips.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container separated by parchment paper.
Freezer: 2 months — Freeze in a single layer before transferring to a freezer-safe bag.
Reheating: Toast from frozen in a toaster, or warm in an oven at 175 Celsius for 10 minutes.
Troubleshooting
Pancakes are burnt on the outside but raw in the middle
Cause: Skillet temperature was too high; sugar and chocolate burn quickly
Fix: Lower the heat immediately. Transfer undercooked pancakes to a 175 Celsius oven for 5 minutes to finish cooking the centers
Prevention: Maintain medium-low heat and test the pan with a small drop of batter before cooking a full pancake
Pancakes are dense and flat
Cause: Batter was overmixed or baking powder is expired
Fix: Cannot be fixed once cooked
Prevention: Fold the wet and dry ingredients gently until barely combined, leaving visible lumps. Ensure leavening agents are fresh
Cultural Context
The modern American pancake evolved from early colonial flapjacks, historically utilizing readily available ingredients like buttermilk to activate chemical leaveners. Incorporating double chocolate elevates this traditional diner staple into a crossover dish that blurs the lines between a hearty breakfast and a luxurious dessert.
