Pizza Pancakes

Pizza and pancakes may sound like a surprising pairing, but it’s brilliant. Like regular pancakes, these pizza pancakes—submitted by Taste of Home reader Maxine Smith of Owanka, South Dakota—are light, fluffy and quick to mix and cook. Like pizza, they’re savory and cheesy. In minutes, you can mix up a flavorful batter flecked with peppers and onions, fry the pancakes until they’re golden brown and puffy, then stack them with a side of warm tomato sauce. The recipe is endlessly customizable: Fill the pancakes with any cheese you like, and sprinkle them with your most creative pizza toppings (or the most classic).

Ingredients for Pizza Pancakes

• Biscuit or baking mix: Biscuit mixes are a shortcut to tasty baking. They contain flour, a leavening agent such as baking soda, salt and fat. That means you only have to measure one ingredient. If you don’t have a box of biscuit mix in your cupboard, you can make a homemade biscuit mix from scratch.
• Italian seasoning: A key ingredient in pizza sauce, Italian seasoning usually contains herbs like basil and oregano, as well as garlic.
• Eggs: Eggs enrich the dough, making it fluffy and light. The final texture and flavor will be more like pancakes than chewy pizza crust. Use room-temperature eggs for the best results.
• Milk: Milk thins the batter to the proper consistency for frying. This recipe calls for 2%, but you can use whole, skim or even nondairy milk.
• Shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese: Melty mozzarella goes right inside the pancakes, adding gooey chew and savory flavor.
• Fillings: Chopped pepperoni, green peppers and a plum tomato get mixed right into the batter before cooking. Together, they deliver all the flavor of a veggie-pepperoni pizza.
• Pizza sauce: Skip the syrup and top the savory pizza pancakes with warm tomato sauce. Use your favorite store-bought pizza sauce or make homemade pizza sauce from scratch.
• Toppings: If you like, sprinkle extra toppings over the pancakes before serving them. Think more shredded mozzarella cheese, mini pepperonis, diced red onions or green or red peppers.

Directions

Step 1: Make the batter

In a bowl, combine the biscuit mix and Italian seasoning. In another bowl, whisk the eggs and milk until they’re blended.

Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring until they’re just moistened.

Gently stir in the cheese, pepperoni, tomato and pepper.

Editor’s Tip: Be careful not to overmix the batter, as overmixing can activate the gluten in the flour. This results in heavy, chewy pancakes.

Step 2: Fry up the pancakes

Preheat the griddle over medium heat and grease it lightly. Working in batches, pour 1/4 cupfuls of batter onto the griddle. Cook the pancakes until bubbles on the top begin to pop and the bottoms are golden brown. Flip them, then cook them until the second side is golden brown. Repeat the process with the remaining batter.

Editor’s Tip: Flick a few water droplets onto the griddle. When they sizzle, it’s hot enough.

Step 3: Garnish the pizza pancakes

Serve the pancakes hot, with pizza sauce and optional extra toppings, if desired.

Pizza Pancakes Variations

• Play with toppings: Most pizza toppings would also be tasty on these pancakes. Think ham and pineapple, mushrooms and onions, fresh herbs, bacon bits, cooked sausage and more.
• Get grainy: Dial up the savory flavor with a cornmeal baking or biscuit mix. The warm flavor and robust texture of cornmeal are perfect for pizza pancakes.
• Make taco pancakes: Use taco seasoning instead of Italian seasoning, and cheddar instead of mozzarella. Serve them with salsa, sour cream, avocados and minced onion.
• Make pizza waffles: Cook the batter in a waffle iron for thicker, chewier pizzas.

How to Store Pizza Pancakes

Let the pizza pancakes cool completely, then store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Keep the leftover sauce and toppings in separate airtight containers.

How long do pizza pancakes last?

In the fridge, pizza pancakes will keep for up to four days.

Can you freeze pizza pancakes?

Yes, pizza pancakes freeze well. Let the pancakes cool completely, then stack them, separating them with parchment. Store them in a freezer bag or an airtight container for up to three months. Defrost them in the refrigerator overnight before reheating them, or heat them directly from frozen.

How should you reheat pizza pancakes?

The quickest way to reheat pancakes is in the microwave. Place the pancakes on a plate, sprinkle with a few drops of water to remoisturize them, and heat them in 30-second bursts until they’re hot. Microwaved pancakes tend to be soft; if you prefer crisp-edged pancakes, reheat them on the griddle or in a cast-iron pan. Heat the pan, grease it lightly, then cook the pancakes (again, sprinkle them with a bit of water) on each side until they’re warmed through. If they’re darkening too quickly, cover them with foil as they cook.

Pizza Pancakes Tips

When should you serve pizza pancakes?

Pizza pancakes are great as a savory breakfast entree, and they’re a fantastic brunch recipe. Set out a toppings bar and let guests have fun sprinkling their favorite vegetables and meats onto the pancakes. And don’t sleep on serving these saucy, cheesy pancakes as breakfast for dinner. The recipe satisfies pizza cravings with less effort than homemade pizza dough and less expense than delivery pies. If you’re serving fussy kids, what better way to sneak in vegetables than by putting them on a platter of pancakes?

What else can you serve with pizza pancakes?

For breakfast, lean into the breakfast identity of pizza pancakes and serve them with coffee, scrambled eggs, fruit salad, bacon or ham. Or lean into the dinner angle and serve them with a fresh green salad or roasted vegetables.