Say hello to a brunch favorite – the classic Chocolate Chip Pancake! These thick pancakes, generously studded with semi-sweet chocolate chips, makes for a decadent breakfast. In fact, it’s so decadent it’s almost like dessert.
These chocolate chip pancakes are soft and fluffy, with a warm and gooey interior that oozes with melted chocolate. As if this simple yet delightful breakfast is not amazing enough, they are then drizzled with sweet maple syrup, and topped with a pat of butter…it is everything you would ever want in a pancake, and much more…
This Chocolate Chip Pancake, along with Breakfast Tacos, Berry French Toast Casserole, Ham and Cheese Croissant Casserole, Strawberry Banana Nutella Crepes, are in our Saturday morning breakfast rotation and each bite makes us OH. SO. HAPPY.
Why you need this
I’ll be honest, I was pretty picky about my pancakes, so it took me a long time to find pancake I really like. After much trial and error, I settled on this chocolate chip pancake recipe with the perfect texture and taste.
This chocolate chip pancake is light and fluffy, with beautiful flavors of vanilla, and simply melts in your mouth. It’s a hit with both adults and kids alike.
It doesn’t take much longer to make chocolate chip pancakes from scratch, and it is SO MUCH better. If all you’ve had is the ore-made box stuff, trust me, this will change everything for you.
Here are things you need to know about this chocolate chip pancake recipe:
- These pancakes are light and fluffy. In other words, it melts in your mouth and is never overly dense or heavy.
- We are generous with the chocolate chips. Oh yeahhhh.
- It is so good you will never look at the pre-made pancake mix the same way again.
- It is also a very easy recipe to make, especially after you take note of our tips and tricks down below!
- It makes breakfast taste like dessert! And who doesn’t want dessert disguised as breakfast?!? You know you deserve it! 🙂
These truly are my absolute favorite and very best chocolate chip pancakes. They may even be my best pancakes, period. And I don’t use the word ‘best’ lightly.
It is perfect by itself but we have to spread some butter to it and drizzle it with lots of maple syrup…
OMG. SO GOOD.
I’m hungry just thinking about it.
P/S: check out this spin on traditional pancakes – Blueberry Lemon Ricotta Pancake, it is just as amazing!!
Kitchen tools
Use a griddle if you have one – this will save time and be able to make lots of pancakes at the same time, especially if you have a lot of mouths or kids to feed.
But if you don’t, a non-stick skillet will work as well. The only downside is you won’t be able to cook as many pancakes in one setting.
In addition to that, you will need a spatula or turner to flip the pancakes.
ingredients
Our chocolate chip pancakes batter really only calls for some simple basic ingredients:
- All purpose flour: Can use gluten free alternatives like almond flour.
- Baking powder and baking soda: So you get fluffy pancakes!
- Granulated sugar: For some sweetness! Reduce or omit if watching sugar levels.
- Salt: To bring out the flavors.
- Unsalted butter: If salted butter is used, omit salt.
- Warm milk: Make sure it is not cold so it will melt butter. Use whole milk or 2% for best flavor.
- Egg: Ties the ingredients together.
- Pure vanilla extract: Makes the pancakes smell and taste amazing!
- Chocolate chips: I use semi-sweet chocolate chips but dark chocolate chips go great on these pancakes as well!
how to make chocolate chip pancakes
Let me walk you through how to make the best, fluffiest chocolate chip pancakes with this easy recipe!
step 1: combine ingredients
To a large bowl, add all the dry ingredients (except for the chocolate chips). Be sure to measure ingredient amounts using appropriate utensils like teaspoons and measuring cups. Stir to combine.
Dig a well in the dry ingredients and ddd the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.
You can pre-mix the wet ingredients in a separate bowl first, but that is not necessary. Whisk well until there are no more batter lumps.
Add chocolate chips and stir.
step 2: Cook pancakes
Let the batter rest while you heat up your pan, skillet, griddle etc. on medium low heat.
Add butter and then, when melted, add batter. When bottom of pancake is slightly golden brown (not burned) and a bunch of bubbles are formed on the tops of the pancakes, flip it using spatula.
Remove from heat when done, then repeat until all batter is used up.
step 3: eat pancakes!
The best part! Add all your favorite and best toppings and enjoy the light, fluffy, melt-in-your-mouth pancake with the sweet hint of melted chocolate chips. YUM.
How to store pancakes
If you are consuming leftover pancakes within 5 days, go ahead and store it in the refrigerator. Pancakes can be easily heated in the microwave and doing so will not change the flavor and consistency of the pancake.
If you are looking to store pancakes for longer, freeze them. In fact, I sometimes like to double (or triple) the batter and freeze lots of pancakes for future consumption.
It is really nice to have ready made pancakes at hand in the freezer!
Also, if storing in the freezer, defrost them completely before heating up and enjoying them!
Ways to serve Chocolate Chip Pancakes
Maple syrup is the obvious (and super yummy) choice.
However, there are many other ways to jazz up these pancakes in addition to (or in place of) maple syrup:
- Butter: Pancakes need a blob of butter on it to give it that salty hint amidst all the chocolate/maple syrup goodness.
- Bananas: Don’t even get me started on the beauty of the chocolate + banana combo.
- Jam or jelly
- Other fruit
- Whipped cream
- More chocolate! Chocolate syrup, more chocolate chips…
Happy brunching, folks!
Tips and Tricks
To get the most perfect looking, tastiest, and fluffiest chocolate chip pancakes, follow our tips and tricks below!
- Go slow if needed: After melting the butter, if the mixture is boiling hot, let it cool slightly before pouring it into the batter. Avoid pouring super hot butter onto eggs in the batter, because you may end up with scrambled eggs. 😉
- Assess the batter: After mixing the batter, if the consistency is too thick, pour more milk to it to thin it out.
- Patience: Cook pancakes on medium low heat! Let the center of the pancake cook well and the batter bubble up before flipping them over. It may be tempting to go to medium heat or even medium-high heat, but trust me that the patience will pay off in flavor and texture.
- Adjust heat: Watch that first pancake – if it looks like the outsides are burning too quickly before the insides are cook, try further turning down the heat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Semi-sweet chocolate chips are commonly used, but milk chocolate or dark chocolate chips work well too. If it’s the holiday season, go for peppermint chocolate chips! It’s all about your personal preference!
Yes, you can prepare the batter the night before. Cover it tightly and refrigerate. Stir the batter gently before using and add a little more milk if it seems too thick.
Flip the pancake once you see bubbles forming on the surface and the edges look slightly set.
Place cooked pancakes in a preheated oven at around 200°F on a baking sheet to keep them warm while you finish making the rest.
Dense pancakes can result from overmixing the batter or using old baking powder. Mix the batter just until combined and ensure your baking powder is fresh for the best results.
ENJOYED THIS RECIPE? Tell us what you think by leaving a rating and review below! 🤍
Other Chocolate Related Recipes
- Caramel and White Chocolate Chip Chocolate Cookies
- Mini Chocolate Chess Pie
- Homemade Hot Chocolate
- Molten Chocolate Lava Cake
Other Breakfast Recipes
- Apple French Toast Casserole
- Cinnamon Rolls with Apple Pie Filling
- Sausage Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole
- Blueberry Lemon Ricotta Pancake
- Apple Cinnamon Pancake (by Life Love and Good Food!)
Chocolate Chip Pancake
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup melted unsalted butter + more for cooking pancakes
- 2 cups milk + more if needed
- 1 egg
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, granulated sugar, and salt.
- Melt butter in microwave. Do not overheat butter, and let it cool for a few minutes.
- Create a well and add milk, egg, vanilla extract, and melted butter. Mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Use a whisk to remove clumps.
- Fold chocolate chips into batter. Add more milk if you prefer the batter thinner.
- Heat a skillet or griddle on medium low heat, melt some butter onto skillet/griddle.
- Using a ladel, spoon batter onto skillet/griddle. Once the bottom of the pancake is brown and bubbles form on the surface, flip pancakes.
- Repeat Step 6 until the batter is gone.
- Serve with butter and maple syrup (or other toppings). Enjoy!
Made these pancakes for a special weekend breakfast treat and they turned out great! Quick, easy, and yummy!
Yay! I am so glad you like it!! 🙂
Came out so fluffy and delicious!! Ran out of eggs so substituted it with 1/4 cup Greek yogurt and an extra dash of milk. Had to stop myself from eating all of it!
Thanks for sharing the substitution! So helpful! And I’m happy to hear that you can’t stop eating it! 😀
Can you tell me:
How much Calories this pancake?
I just added the nutritional information to the recipe card! 🙂
Made this with soem extra oomph by caramelizing bananas on the pan first before pouring batter on top. What a treat! Also made extras so we can eat them through the week!
CHocolate and bananas…yummm!! Thanks for sharing, Kayley!