Triple Chocolate Whole Wheat Pancakes

The fluffiest chocolate pancakes ever – packed with dark rich chocolate. Plus simple steps kids can follow. ~ by Serena Ball, MS,RD

Here’s how a recent conversation at my house went:

My daughter: Mom, can we make pancakes?

Me: Sure, what kind?

Daughter: Chocolate…with chocolate chips.

Daughter #2: And then we can put Nutella on top!

Ah, yes. Spoken like the kids of a dietitian.

But, when we went to the pantry, we were out of the white whole wheat flour I usually use for pancakes. All I had on hand was basic whole wheat flour. Instead of pancakes, I envisioned flat, heavy, chocolate hockey pucks. And I told the kids as much.

Daughter #1: It’s OK, Mom, they will be covered in Nutella, so they will still be good.

She is right of course, but still fluffy pancakes sounded so much better than flat pancakes. While I’m not expert when it comes to the baking science of leavening options, I do know this: Beaten egg whites do a great job of trapping air to make a baked treat rise.

And guess what?

These were the fluffiest pancakes ever – all through the magic of adding two whipped egg whites to our recipe for chocolate pancakes – perfected long ago.

And another bonus:  Whipping egg whites are a great way for kids to learn to use the electric beaters because:

• Egg whites don’t spatter (very easily) all over the kitchen very easily
• I let each kid take a 1-minute turn on the beaters – and after 1 minute, their hand gets tired.
• If the kids (or Mom) is scared of the electric beater + kid scenario, a hand egg beater is a super-fun solution.

Another great part of this recipe for kids in the kitchen is for them to see the pancakes puffing up on the griddle. I wrote the recipe below with suggestions for kids to help out – or even make this entire recipe for their sweetie – or for their sweet Mommy on Valentines Day.

Triple Chocolate Whole Wheat Pancakes

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• Author: by Serena Ball, RD
• Yield: about 1 dozen pancakes 1x

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Description

The fluffiest chocolate pancakes ever – and packed with dark rich chocolate. Plus simple steps kids can follow.

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Ingredients

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• 1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 1 1/4 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons canola or corn oil
• 2 eggs, separated (you’ll use only 1 egg yolk)
• 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
• To serve: Chocolate hazelnut spread, such as Nutella

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Instructions

1. In a medium mixing bowl, have kids add these measured ingredients: flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, cocoa; stir with a fork.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, have kids measure milk, oil and 1 egg yolk; mix with a fork.
3. In a clean bowl with clean beaters – or a hand crank egg beater, beat egg whites until light and fluffy. This will take at about 10 minutes with a hand beater. But it will keep the kids busy!
4. Mix the dry ingredients into the milk mixture.
5. Gently fold the whipped egg whites in. Explain to kids how to gently bring mixture up from bottom of the bowl as not to deflate the egg whites like a balloon.
6. Measure 1/4 cup scoop of batter onto hot griddle (if kids are old enough) and drop 4-5 chocolate chips onto each pancake. Flip when most of bubbles in batter have popped (but not all since these are such thick pancakes.)
7. To serve, spread with chocolate hazelnut spread. Kids as young as 2 can do this!

Who will be making breakfast at your house on Valentines Day?