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Fluffy Eggnog Pancakes {Perfect for 1, 2, or 4!}

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Put extra eggnog to good use with this fluffy eggnog pancakes recipe! This simple recipe is an easy last minute Christmas breakfast you can mix in minutes!

a glass pitcher pouring syrup on plated eggnog pancakes. Orange juice in the background

Just about every year, eggnog in some form makes an appearance at our house. Usually, it’s to make something that only requires a small amount, so then we have extra! I like to find creative ways to use up the extra eggnog, like these fluffy eggnog pancakes.

The best thing about these fluffy pancakes is how easy they are to make. There’s no fussy whipping of egg whites or folding of anything.

The fluff comes from the liberal use of leavening ingredients – baking soda and baking powder. These add fluff and air to the recipe so your pancakes puff nice and tall, even when mixed by hand!

a big stack of fluffy eggnog pancakes ready to serve

Side note, I always mix these by hand. I cannot trust myself with my mixers before morning coffee or tea. A few early-morning mixer mishaps has made me wary. My fellow clumsy bakers will commiserate, I’m sure.

How do I make fluffy eggnog pancakes?

Making these pancakes is as easy as sift, stir, and cook!

You start by whisking together all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

Then, stir together the eggnog and eggs in a large measuring cup. Whisk in the melted butter.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until combined.

Scoop batter into your hot skillet and cook a few minutes on each side.

angled picture of a big stack of pancakes dusted with powdered sugar. Pancakes are on a glass plate and garnished with a few sugared cranberries.

Serve warm and top with a dusting of powdered sugar, maple syrup, or a bit of butter. Easy!

This is a small batch pancake recipe!

I feel like so many pancake recipes make enough for a lot of people! One good thing about this recipe is that it’s perfectly scaled to feed 4.

Depending on how exact I am with my batter measurements, I get 8-9 pancakes per batch. We have a family of 4 humans, so this is perfect!

Each person gets 2 pancakes, although the exact number consumed varies. It just depends on if we serve something else with the pancakes or not.

Additionally, if I only have a small amount of eggnog to use, I don’t find myself short!

BUT, if you’d like to double the recipe and have extra, please do! I did this year and froze the extra. Reheating pancakes out of the freezer for an easy kid breakfast has been such a time saver some mornings!

What if I don’t have enough eggnog/any eggnog to use?

This is a predicament you could totally find yourself in! But it’s not really a predicament with a few easy swaps.

The eggnog pancakes swap eggnog for all the milk in the recipe. What is eggnog other than a mix off egg yolks, spices, milk, and sugar?

If you don’t have any eggnog: Use milk in place of the eggnog, add an extra egg yolk to the batter. The egg yolk will add a bit of richness. Double the spices, add an additional tablespoon of sugar, and a splash of vanilla extract.

small sieve with powdered sugar dusting a big stack of pancakes ready to serve!

If you have some eggnog but not enough for the full amount: Make up for the missing eggnog with milk. You shouldn’t need to add any additional yolk, sugar, or extract, but might want to add a bit more spices depending on how much eggnog you used in the recipe.

Feel free to adjust the spices anyway if you’re feeling extra festive. The exact amount I use always varies depending on the brand of eggnog we purchase.

Is there a specific kind of eggnog I need for fluffy eggnog pancakes?

We usually just use the non-alcoholic refrigerated kind sold at the store in the dairy section. A few years we purchased from a local dairy farm and that was amazing!

If the only kind of eggnog you have on hand is the kind with the alcohol mixed in, you can still use it. The alcohol will evaporate during cooking, so it’s fine to serve to the family.

Close up of a cut portion of pancake on a fork to highlight the fluffy texture

If you have a dairy sensitivity, using non-dairy eggnog and non-dairy butter works perfectly. There are some really good non-dairy eggnogs out there too.

Use your favorite brand (or the “no eggnog” substitute in the previous section), and you’re all good!

What other eggnog recipes do you have?

*wiggles eyebrows but not in a creepy way* I’m so glad you asked!

If you’d like more recipes that use or are inspired by eggnog, check out…

There’s definitely more baking than drinking eggnog over here. But the results are delicious, so everyone wins!

fork with a bite of pancakes resting on a plate as if photo taken during a meal

I hope you love this easy Christmas breakfast recipe, darlings!

a glass pitcher pouring syrup on plated eggnog pancakes. Orange juice in the background

Fluffy Eggnog Pancakes

Yield: 8 pancakes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

No need to whip eggs! These fluffy eggnog pancakes can be mixed in minutes, by hand! This small-batch pancake recipe is perfect for small holiday celebrations.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 1/4 cups eggnog, room temperature (see notes)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or cinnamon extract
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted

Optional toppings:

  • powdered sugar
  • butter
  • maple syrup

Instructions

  1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
  2. Measure out the eggnog in a 2-cup measuring cup (or a smaller bowl) and whisk in the eggs. Pour in the vanilla extract.
  3. Stir the eggnog mixture into your flour, then add the melted butter. Stir until everything is just combined, a few small lumps are okay.
  4. Place a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Let it heat for 2-3 minutes before you start your pancakes.
  5. Spray with nonstick spray or brush with oil and measure out the pancake batter in 1/3 cup portions. Work in batches and allow a little room for spread. See notes.
  6. Cook the pancakes for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes on one side, until the large bubbles form and burst, then flip and cook an additional 1-2 minutes more.
  7. If you need to adjust the temperature of your burner or griddle, do that after making your first pancake and before cooking the rest of the pancakes.
  8. Cook the rest of the pancakes in batches and serve immediately.
  9. Optional: Dust with powdered sugar, spread with a bit of butter, or pour on some maple syrup to serve. Enjoy!
  10. Extra pancakes can be stored in an airtight container once completely cool and frozen for up to a month. Reheat in the microwave.

Notes

  • In theory, it's great if your eggnog has a few minutes to sit out so it's not super cold when you mix up your pancakes. This doesn't happen often early in the morning. A good shortcut is to measure out your eggnog in a glass measuring bowl and then microwave it for about 30 seconds at 80% power. Stir. It will still be cooler, but not refrigerator cold.
  • I always start by making a single pancake first to check the heat on my griddle or skillet. If the pancake browns too quickly, turn down the heat to a medium-low. If the pancake takes much longer to cook, then turn up the heat a little.

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