There’s nothing like waking up to the smell of fresh pancakes on a crisp, fall morning. This fluffy chocolate pancakes recipe possesses a bit of cinnamon and has been dressed up with a delicious and easy pear compote!

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The husband and I have really been into making fun and indulging breakfasts lately (I like to blame part of that on my pregnancy cravings) but have been limiting them to the weekends since that’s when we’re both off. Those weekends that I look forward to have been consisting of a lot of french toast and pancakes! With it being fall, we’ve been experimenting adding in different spices such as cardamom, nutmeg, pumpkin spice, ground cloves, and more! I told Andrew, let’s shake things up a bit and try making a yummy chocolate pancakes recipe and of course, he was all for it. Who doesn’t love chocolate and pancakes?

Why are these pancakes the best?

Well, for one, they are sooo fluffy and fun to eat. Also, they’re made with simple ingredients that you most likely already have on hand. The unsweetened cocoa powder that I mixed into the pancake batter added the perfect amount of chocolatey goodness! You could always omit the cocoa powder if you’d like to enjoy plain pancakes instead.

How to make fluffy pancakes

So, what’s the secret behind getting these fluffy pancakes? It’s a combination of leavening agents like baking powder and baking soda with an acid such as sour cream. That’s right. There’s sour cream in this chocolate pancakes recipe. Another trick that helps get these nice and fluffy is whisking together your egg and sugar before adding in the other wet ingredients into the bowl.

Can I add in any other toppings or mix-ins?

Absolutely! These chocolate pancakes are very versatile. Feel free to add in chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, different spice variations or even cubed seasonal fruits like pears or apples. Sliced bananas would be a great fruit option as well. For the toppings, I’ve included instructions on how to make a simple pear compote down below in the recipe card. Alternatively, you can top these pancakes off with whipped cream, hot fudge, maple syrup and pecans. There are so many fun options!

How do I know when my chocolate pancakes are ready?

Start with adding a bit of butter and vegetable oil onto a hot skillet or griddle over medium heat. This combination of butter and vegetable oil helps keep the butter from burning. Be sure to do this step for each pancake. Ladle a scoop of your pancake batter onto the skillet. Once you see tiny air bubble start to form on top, that will be your cue to flip your pancake over. After flipping it over, cook it for about a minute. Repeat this process with the remaining batter.

Looking for other fall inspired recipes? Check out our new Pecan Pie Bars and Apple Cheesecake Bars.

Pouring maple syrup over chocolate pancakes recipe on a white, speckled plate with a pear in the background.
Pouring maple syrup over chocolate pancakes recipe on a white, speckled plate with a pear in the background.
Chocolate pancakes recipe on a white, speckled plate with a pear in the background.

The Best Chocolate Pancakes

Learn how to make these delicious and fluffy pancakes!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 3 mins
Total Time 18 mins
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Servings 4 pancakes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1 cup milk can be plant-based

Pear Compote

  • 1 pear
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • pinch of salt
  • dash of cinnamon

Instructions
 

  • In a large bowl, whisk together all your dry ingredients. Set aside. In a medium size bowl, whisk together your egg and 1 tablespoon of brown sugar. Then whisk in vanilla extract, vegetable oil, sour cream, and milk. Pour wet ingredients into bowl of dry ingredients. Combine with a spatula.
  • Set a skillet or griddle over medium heat and add a bit of butter and vegetable oil. The vegetable oil helps the butter not burn quickly. Use a ladle to pour pancake batter onto hot pan. Once you start to see air bubbles forming on top, that will be your cue to flip the pancake over. After you flip it, cook for about a minute then plate it. Serve with maple syrup, pear compote and crushed pecans.

Pear Compote

  • Slice pear lengthwise. Heat up a small saucepan on low heat. Add butter and brown sugar. Then stir in cinnamon, salt and cornstarch. Add in pear slices and let simmer for about 10 minutes. It will be ready once pears get soft.
Keyword breakfast, breakfast food, breakfast ideas, breakfast recipes, chocolate pancakes, fluffy pancakes, pancakes

Please leave a comment and a review if you try this recipe. I would love your feedback!