Whole Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes

Hi, my name is Tracey and I’m a pancake addict. There are now 15(!) pancake recipes on this blog, I can’t even try to deny that I might have a problem. From the super traditional buttermilk to more “out there” flavors like chocolate cookie dough and gingerbread, there’s something to satisfy my every craving. And yours too, hopefully!

Safe to say, the last thing this site needs is another pancake, but I just can’t help myself. The basic buttermilk I mentioned above is my go-to, I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve made it over the past year and a half. A few times I’ve thought about substituting whole wheat flour for some of the all-purpose in that recipe to make it slightly healthier, but I never actually got around to it. And then I figured rather than mess with a good thing, it might just make more sense to search for an entirely new recipe, a lighter take on my favorite buttermilk pancakes.

I hit the jackpot when I found these! Not only do they incorporate whole wheat flour, but we’ve also replaced 3 tablespoons of butter and 2 whole eggs with just 1 tablespoon of oil and an egg white in place of one of the eggs. Best of all, none of the flavor or texture was sacrificed in the process. These are super light and fluffy, slightly tangy and just a touch sweet. They freeze beautifully too so you can definitely make them in advance and pull them out for a quick breakfast anytime. I enjoyed the flavor so much, I even skipped the maple syrup (which pretty much never happens, I adore maple syrup) and just served them with berries to save even a few more calories.

Maybe, just maybe, I’ve now satisfied all of my pancake needs

Whole Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes
barely adapted from Cooking Light, April 2002

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour (I used white whole wheat)
3 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 tablespoon canola oil, plus extra for cooking
1 large egg
1 large egg white

{If you aren’t going to serve the pancakes until you’ve cooked all of them, preheat oven to 200 F. Spray a wire rack with cooking spray and set it inside a baking sheet then place the baking sheet in the oven.}

In a medium bowl, whisk both flours, the sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt together. In a second medium bowl, whisk the buttermilk with the oil, egg and egg white. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and whisk just until barely combined – the batter will still be lumpy, that’s fine.

Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet set over medium heat. Once the oil starts shimmering, use paper towels to wipe the pan so only a thin, even coating of oil covers the bottom and sides. Use a 1/4 cup measure to portion the batter into the pan. Cook on the first side until the edges are set and bubbles form on the surface, about 2-3 minutes. Use a spatula to flip the pancakes and cook for 1-2 minutes on the second side, or until golden brown and cooked through. {If not serving immediately, transfer the pancakes to the wire rack in the oven.} Repeat with remaining batter, adding the rest of the oil to the pan if necessary.

Makes about 12 pancakes