School, or work, morning can be chaotic, but breakfast doesn’t have to be! Pancakes are a great breakfast to make ahead and freeze to enjoy as a hot, and filling, meal for the mornings. They are great for all age groups and are always a crowd-pleaser for the kiddos.
Why would you make pancakes ahead of time? Well for me the ease of reheating takes off the stress of making pancakes from scratch first thing in the morning. For those with school age kids, I don’t know anyone who is interested in pulling those ingredients together when everyone is working on getting out of the door on time. Pancakes are easily made ahead and can be frozen for easier morning prep.
To get started, simply choose your favorite recipe or mix. I am including a delicious and sweet cake like pancake in this post, but we also use Bisquick regularly. It is just easy and there is no shame in easy. Don’t forget to include your favorite mix-ins like blueberries, chocolate chips and cinnamon for extra flavor and fun. Next prepare your batter and warm up the stove. I use the largest pan I have, but if I can a griddle I would be using that to prepare these pancakes. I love doing tiny pancakes for my toddler because they serve double duty for snack time too. No matter what size pancake you go with, prepare the whole recipe in batches and let cool completely before freezing.
I like to freeze in batches as well so that I’m not pulling too much out of the freezer at once. I would also recommend placing parchment paper between the pancakes so that they do not stick together. Keep in the freezer for up to two months, but I doubt that they will last that long when you kids realize that pancakes are doable for school mornings now! Score for you as a mom!! You can also store in the fridge for up to three days in an airtight container. Reheating is easy too. I pull from the freezer the night before and let them thaw overnight in the fridge. In the morning, simply microwave for 15-20 seconds per pancake, or add to the toaster or air fryer for a minute to make them a little crispier. If you want to warm up a large batch at once, simply throw them on baking sheets and place in the oven for about ten minutes at 350. It really can’t get much easier than that.
Do you have kids that like different ingredients? You can do several batches and freeze separately, making it easier for your pickier kids to get the type of pancakes they like, not just what everyone is having. Want to make it festive? Use cookie cutters for fun shakes. You can do this while making the pancakes. Simple place metal cookie cutters (that were sprayed with non-stick spray) on the pan or griddle and fill in with your batter.
When you are ready to serve there are easy additions to breakfast to make it healthier and more well rounded. Try adding fresh fruit, yogurt or some peanut butter to the offerings at breakfast time. A fun twist would also be making pancake sandwiches! Layer two pancakes together with a filling. Choose your child’s favorite or give them a choice of a nut butter, cream cheese or jelly filling. So fun for grab-and-go breakfasts!
As you can see, pancakes don’t have to be a weekend special anymore. Make and prep them ahead of time and let your kid’s enjoy breakfast this school year! Do you meal prep breakfasts for your kids? As always, thank you for reading and joining us on this journey. We love learning and growing with you! Simply, Beth
Sweet Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 cup flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 egg
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix your dry ingredients (flour, baking powder and salt). In a liquid measuring cup mix the remaining ingredients, less the butter, and whisk. Pour into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Heat a large skillet (or griddle if you have one!) over medium heat. Melt the butter on the skillet and start pouring your batter. I use a squeeze bottle for smaller pancakes and measuring cup for larger ones. Once you see bubbles form on the pancakes, flip them and cook until golden.
- Transfer to a bowl and let cool if you are freezing, or to your plate for immediate serving.