Zucchini breakfast pancakes taste like your favorite zucchini bread in pancake form. Thick, fluffy pancakes are filled with nutritious shredded zucchini and a pinch of cinnamon.
Recipe summary
Flavor/texture: Like your favorite soft, fluffy breakfast pancakes with a hint of cinnamon and hidden zucchini inside!
Why add zucchini to pancakes? Zucchini adds moisture and structure to your pancakes, so we're able to slightly reduce other ingredients like milk. It's a fun and unique way to use up some of that garden zucchini.
Yield: 6 pancakes
Variations: Add blueberries or chocolate chips to the batter.
Serve with: Maple syrup, fruit compote, fresh fruit, whipped cream.
Similar to: Zucchini Potato Pancakes and Zucchini Bread French Toast
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Ingredients and substitutions
- All-purpose flour - I haven't tested this recipe with other types of flour, so I can't say how the recipe would turn out with substitutions. Baking is an exact science, and substituting ingredients can chance the texture of your finished pancakes.
- Egg - Adds structure to your pancakes.
- Zucchini - You'll need 1 cup, or 135 grams, of finely shredded zucchini for this recipe. After measuring, squeeze as much liquid as possible from your zucchini before adding it to the batter. Otherwise, that excess liquid will make your pancakes turn out gummy.
- Milk - Thins your pancake batter. I used whole milk, but your favorite milk, like 2% or almond milk, will work as a substitute.
- Granulated sugar - A small amount of sugar is added to lightly sweeten your pancakes. They're not very sweet on their own and are meant to be paired with a sweet topping like maple syrup.
- Leavening - You'll need baking powder, not baking soda, for this recipe. The two are not interchangeable.
- Cinnamon, salt, and vanilla - Enhance the flavor of your pancakes.
How to make zucchini pancakes
- Whisk dry ingredients in a large bowl.
- Make a well and add your wet ingredients, stirring until just combined. Allow batter to set while your skillet preheats.
- Add butter to a nonstick pan. Once melted, measure ⅓ cup of batter for each pancake. Allow pancake to cook until golden brown on the bottom, the sides look set, and you see bubbles across the pancake.
- Flip and cook on the second side until golden brown and set.
Tips and tricks
Squeeze out excess liquid - The excess liquid in your shredded zucchini should be squeezed out before adding to the batter. Extra liquid can cause your pancakes to turn out wet and gummy.
Don't overmix your pancake batter - This overworks the gluten and makes your pancakes gummy.
Cook low and slow - Thick pancakes are best cooked low and slow on the stovetop. If the centers of your pancakes aren't cooking all the way through, your heat is too high. Turn the heat down to medium low. This allows the center of your pancakes to cook completely without burning the outsides.
Use a nonstick pan - I keep a nonstick pan on hand for delicate items like pancakes and scrambled eggs. This ensure your pancakes don't stick while flipping!
How to know when your pancake is ready to flip - Wait until you see air bubbles across the pancake and the edges begin to look dry.
Frequently asked questions
No, there's no need to peel your zucchini before shredding it for zucchini pancakes. The peel of small and medium zucchini is very soft and melts right into the pancakes as they cook, only leaving tiny flecks of green (no texture). If you're using a very large zucchini with thick skin, or trying to hide the zucchini from picky eaters, peel it before grating.
Pancakes can become gummy for several reasons, including overworking the gluten or adding too much moisture to the batter. Squeeze as much liquid as possible out of your shredded zucchini before adding it to the batter. This excess liquid will create a gummy texture. Check the expiration date on your leavening. If your leavening is expired, your pancakes won't rise properly and instead turn out dense and gummy.
Leftovers will keep for 2-3 days in the refrigerator or 1-2 months in the freezer. Allow your pancakes to cool completely before freezing.
📖 Recipe
Zucchini Breakfast Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (135 g) finely shredded zucchini, measured before squeezing liquid out
- 1 large egg
- ¾ cup (180 g) whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a bowl, add flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Whisk to combine and remove clumps.
- Wrap shredded zucchini in a paper towel or tea towel and gently squeeze over the sink to remove as much excess moisture as possible. (Do not skip this step, pancakes will turn out gummy).
- Add zucchini, egg, milk, and vanilla to dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Heat up a nonstick skillet or griddle of medium to medium-low heat and melt butter in pan.
- Measure about ⅓ cup of batter for each pancake into hot skillet. Once you see bubbles across your pancake and the sides start to look dry, flip the pancake over (this will take around 2 minutes depending on the heat of your skillet). Cook the second side until lightly browned and cooked through in the middle. Repeat with remaining batter.
- If the outside of your pancakes are browning too quickly and centers are not cooked through, turn the heat down slightly.
Recommended Equipment
Notes
- Heat: Thick pancakes are best cooked over medium-low heat. This allows the centers to cook through without burning the outside.
- Batter: For thinner pancakes, add more milk to thin your batter.
- Sweetness: These pancakes are lightly sweetened and best served with a sweet topping like maple syrup, fruit compote, or fresh fruit and whipped cream.
- Storage: Leftover pancakes will keep for 2-3 days in the refrigerator. Leftover pancakes can also be frozen for 1-2 months in a tightly sealed container.
I love making zucchini pancakes. I put the squeezed zucchini and milk and egg in my smoothie blender and the cakes turned out fabulous and for sure no one knew there was zucchini in it (for the wary of zucchini bunch).
Using a blender is a great idea Kim!