Description

These Christmas Fluffy Gingerbread Pancakes are light, airy, and packed with warm gingerbread spices, perfect for a festive breakfast or brunch. Made with whipped egg whites for extra fluffiness and a blend of cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, these pancakes are irresistibly soft and flavorful. Enjoy them with your favorite toppings for a cozy holiday treat.

Ingredients

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Wet Ingredients

3 eggs room temperature, whites and yolks separated
3 oz butter melted
3 cups milk dairy or dairy-free, lukewarm

Dry Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour sifted
2.5 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon powder
1/2 tsp ground ginger powder
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg powder

Optional Sweetener

Brown sugar, coconut sugar, or a sugar-free option like erythritol, adjust amount to taste

Optional Add-Ins

1 Tbsp dark molasses
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2-1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3-1/2 cup dark, milk, or white chocolate chips
1/3-1/2 cup finely chopped dates
1/3-1/2 cup dried fruit like raisins, cranberries, currants, dried apricot
1/3-1/2 cup chopped nuts such as walnuts, pecans, almonds
Pieces of crystallized or stem ginger
1 tsp orange zest (add before folding in egg whites)

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Instructions

The Pre-prep: Sift all dry ingredients including flour, spices, and baking powder into a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. Separate egg whites and yolks into two medium bowls, making sure no yolk contaminates the whites. Whisk the egg whites over medium speed until almost-stiff peaks form, adding sugar gradually if using to stabilize the whites. Mix melted butter and lukewarm milk into the egg yolks bowl until thoroughly combined.
Mix the Pancake Batter: Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and mix until fairly smooth, careful not to over-mix to protect pancake texture. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter in increments; mix first quarter normally then carefully fold in the rest to maintain fluffiness. Use batter immediately to avoid losing air and thinning.
Cook the Pancakes Using a Small Pan: Heat a small 6-inch pan over low heat and grease lightly. Pour about 1/2 cup batter per pancake and cook gently for 2-3 minutes until bubbles form and pop on the surface, then flip and cook another 2-3 minutes. Use a toothpick to check doneness. Makes 8-10 pancakes depending on pan size.
Cook the Pancakes Using a Large Skillet (Soufflé Style): Scoop 1/4 cup batter into the pan, add a tablespoon of water, cover and cook 1 minute. Add another 1/4 cup of batter on top, cover and cook 2-3 more minutes. Check underside for browning, flip, cover, and cook for 3-5 minutes more. Use a toothpick for doneness. Pancakes may deflate slightly and only top and bottom brown, which is normal.
Serve: Once cooked, serve pancakes immediately with your preferred toppings such as syrup, butter, fruit, or whipped cream for a festive holiday meal.

Notes

Keep pancakes warm by storing cooked pancakes side by side in an oven at 200°F/95°C until serving.
Avoid overmixing the batter to preserve air in egg whites for a light texture.
Adjust cooking time depending on pancake thickness, pan size, and stovetop heat.
Do not open the lid frequently when cooking souffle pancakes to retain rise and moisture.
Cook pancakes over low heat to prevent burning and ensure even cooking throughout.
It is okay if the batter has some lumps; this helps keep the pancakes fluffy.
Make test pancakes first to adjust to your equipment and timing.
To cook multiple pancakes at once, use multiple pans or a large griddle with a lid.
For optional add-ins, gently press into pancakes while cooking instead of mixing into batter to avoid weighing it down.
Recommended add-ins include molasses for extra gingerbread flavor, ground cloves, vanilla extract, chocolate chips, dried fruits, nuts, crystallized ginger, or orange zest.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 pancake
Calories: 180 kcal
Sugar: 4 g
Sodium: 200 mg
Fat: 8 g
Saturated Fat: 5 g
Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 22 g
Fiber: 1 g
Protein: 5 g
Cholesterol: 75 mg