Double Chocolate Whole Wheat Pancakes

I wake up hungry. Literally I wake up to my stomach growling. So much so, that I honesty considered having a snack pre-breakfast. I opted for one of these right off the griddle to tide me over before I ate the stack of hotties I took pictures of.

My sister bought me this griddle for christmas. It’s perfect for pancakes for a crowd, but mostly it’s perfect for pancakes for one! It makes it easier to eat six right away in a nice tall stack, and I’m kind of a pancake eating champ. So now you know.

P.S. These hotcakes are hearty and toothsome*. Using stone-ground whole wheat flour gives them best texture while also making you (me) feel so health-conscious about having chocolate for breakfast.

* How about that word!? Toothsome. I like the sound of it.

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chunk Pancakes {makes about 17}
Recipe adapted from The Gourmet Cookbook

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/3 cup corn meal
• 1 T sugar
• 2 t baking powder
• 1 t salt
• 1 T cocoa powder
• 2 large eggs, separated
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 t vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cup milk
• a heaping 1/2 cup of dark chocolate chunks
• syrup, powdered sugar, and fresh fruit for topping

Directions:

1. Whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder in a large bowl. Whisk together yolks, oil, vanilla, and milk in another bowl and add to the flour mixture, whisking until smooth. Let batter stand for 5 minutes to allow flour to absorb liquid (batter will thicken). Fold in chocolate chunks.
2. Beat egg whites in a large bowl with an electric mixer at moderately high speed until they just hold stiff peaks. With a whisk, gently but thoroughly fold into batter.
3. Brush a griddle or 12-inch nonstick skillet with oil and heat over medium high heat until hot, but not smoking. Reduce heat to medium. Working in batches of 3 or 4, spoon 1/4 cup of batter per pancake onto skillet. Cook pancakes until bubbles appear on surface, edges are set and undersides are golden, 45 seconds to 1 minute. Flip pancakes and cook until undersides are golden and pancakes are cooked through. Lower heat if pancakes brown too quickly and insides aren’t set.
4. Transfer pancakes to plate and serve with maple syrup, powdered sugar, and strawberries. Or store on a baking sheet in a 200° until ready to serve.

YAY! Click HERE for a printable pdf of the recipe above!

You’re as lovely as a strawberry top, and they’re the prettiest!