Valentine’s Day is coming up! I started a Pinterest board for it today to share some nourishing ideas! Over 20 ideas already, more to come.
There is something about having children that makes you see life again through new eyes. A big pile of pancakes is always delicious and beautiful to see, but even more so if you are six or two years old like my little girls. While in general I am more of a “see the natural beauty of food” even for my children, there is something that warms my heart about their faces when I make a special treat in the form of food in kid-friendly shapes.
With that in mind, I wanted to share a couple of special pancake shapes. You can use your favorite pancake recipe for these, or you can use either my sourdough pancakes, my everyday fluffy whole wheat pancakes, or my whole grain blender pancakes (which I make gluten-, dairy-, and egg-free). I generally like my pancakes thin, so these batters are fairly thin (just something to keep in mind – if your pancake batter is really thick it might work a little different.)
Valentine Pancake Instructions:
These did take a lot of practice to get right (for me). Once I figured out the right way to do it though, it was fairly fail proof. This is what I did.
1. Using the pancake batter of your choice, fill either a squeeze bottle (you can use a leftover and thoroughly washed condiment bottle) or, like me, a baster.
2. In a cast iron pan, over medium heat, melt enough coconut oil or butter to thoroughly grease your pan.
3. Working quickly, squeeze the batter out evenly as you “draw” a heart shape on the pan, and then do zigzags in the middle of the heart. Make sure you connect all of the lines to the sides of the heart.
4. When the edges are browned, and the batter is bubbling, turn over and brown the other side. It will cook quickly. Serve right away.
Pancake Dipping Sticks Instructions:
Because everyone likes to “dip” food. My kids love them! These are super simple to make: I used my baster full of batter to draw lines of pancakes on my hot and greased cast iron pan. Cook and flip like a normal pancake and serve with a side of pure maple syrup. Yum!
Cookie Cutter Pancakes Instructions:
This was one of the ideas I saw on pinterest! Use metal (and non-coated) cookie cutters to make fun pancake shapes. These were truthfully my least favorite to make, as they were a lot more hard to handle (hot metal anyone?). But my kids thought they were great. 😉 I found that cookie cutters with not too many small shapes in it work best (think hearts, bells, etc).
1. In a hot and well greased cast iron pan, place desired metal cookie cutters that have been greased.
2. Pour some batter into each cookie cutter (don’t fill it too high). Once the edges of the batter look browned and the batter is bubbling, turn the cookie cutters over and gently, with a knife, push down the pancake so that the other side of the pancake touches the pan.
3. Once the second side is browned, remove the cookie cutters and place on a plate. Gently press the pancake out of the cookie cutters (being careful not to touch the hot cookie cutter). Serve.
Anyone else have any fun pancakes ideas? I’d love to hear.
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wholesome kids
What a cute idea! We sometimes spread the batter in a criss-cross way so that it makes a lattice-type of shape.
Rachel
I keep it simple and make regular pancakes then press a heart in the center with a cookie cutter. My son loves his heart pancakes 🙂