These Hot Chocolate Pancakes are a chocolate lover’s dream come true. Each fluffy bite is infused with the deep, rich flavor of hot cocoa. Topped with a smooth drizzle of chocolate sauce, these pancakes are like having a cup of hot chocolate in every bite. You’re going to love them!

Hot Chocolate Pancakes

Y’all ready for a twist on your morning favorites?

There’s nothing quite like a plate of warm, fluffy pancakes to start the day. But when you add the rich, chocolatey goodness of hot cocoa, you’ve got yourself a breakfast that’s truly special.

This hot chocolate pancake recipe brings together all the cozy flavors of your favorite winter drink, right in your pancake stack!

Who says you can’t have dessert for breakfast?

And if you’re a fan of hot chocolate like I am, be sure to try my DIY Hot Chocolate Bombs, they’re so much fun to make!

I also have a Hot Chocolate Dip Recipe you’ll love.

Why You Need Hot Chocolate Pancakes in Your Life

Perfect for Special Occasions: These hot chocolate pancakes are perfect for the holiday season. The warm, rich flavor of hot cocoa mixed into the pancake batter makes every bite taste like hot chocolate! Whether you’re cooking for Christmas morning or a cold winter day, everyone’s going to love these pancakes!
A Chocolate Lover’s Dream: If you can’t get enough of chocolate, this recipe is for you. From the hot cocoa mix in the batter to the smooth chocolate syrup drizzled on top, every part of these pancakes is packed with chocolatey goodness.
Fun and Festive Toppings: Top your pancakes with mini marshmallows and add a sprinkle of crushed candy canes. These toppings make your stack of pancakes look so darn pretty!

Ingredients for Hot Chocolate Pancakes

Egg: The egg helps hold everything together and makes your pancakes light and fluffy.
Melted Butter: This adds richness and flavor to the pancakes, while also keeping them tender. Plus, you’ll want a little extra butter to grease your hot skillet for the best results.
Vanilla: Just a splash of vanilla extract enhances the chocolate flavors.
Chocolate Milk: Instead of regular milk, we’re using chocolate milk to amp up the chocolate flavor in every bite.
Flour: You can use regular all purpose flour for this recipe.
Hot Chocolate Mix: The hot chocolate mix gives your pancakes that sweet, comforting cocoa flavor we want in hot chocolate pancakes.
Baking Powder: Baking powder is what makes your pancakes rise, giving them that light and fluffy texture.
Salt: Just a pinch of salt balances out all the sweetness and makes the chocolate flavors stand out even more. Don’t skip it!
Sugar: A little sugar adds sweetness to the pancake batter, giving it that just-right touch to complement the rich chocolate flavors.
Milk Chocolate Chips & Heavy Cream: You’ll be melting the chocolate chips with the heavy cream to make a silky, smooth chocolate sauce that you’ll drizzle over your pancake stack.
Marshmallows: For that true hot cocoa pancake experience, these mini marshmallows are the perfect topping. You could also opt to make your own homemade marshmallows if you really want to impress someone!
Crushed Candy Canes (Optional): If you want to add a bit of color, sprinkle some crushed candy canes on top. The minty flavor pairs beautifully with the rich chocolate and makes it look perfect for the holidays.

Tools Needed

Griddle or Skillet: Use a non-stick surface to cook your pancakes, either an electric griddle or a nonstick skillet.
Piping Bag: Using a piping bag to pour your pancake batter makes everything easier and less messy. It helps you control the size of your pancakes and keeps the batter neat on the hot griddle.

How to Make Hot Chocolate Pancakes

Mix the dry ingredients: Start by placing your flour, hot chocolate mix, baking powder, salt, and sugar into a large bowl. Whisk until everything is well combined.

Add the wet ingredients: In the same large bowl, add your egg, vanilla, melted butter, and chocolate milk. Use a hand mixer to blend until smooth.

Prepare the skillet or griddle: Let your batter rest while you heat up your nonstick skillet or electric griddle on medium-low heat. Make sure it’s not too hot – you want your pancakes to cook low and slow for that perfect golden brown finish. Add a little butter to the skillet to keep things from sticking.

Cook the pancakes: Pour your pancake batter into a piping bag (this is a must for less mess and perfect circles). Pipe your batter into a circle on the hot skillet, starting from the center and working your way out. Let it cook until you see bubbles forming on the top and the edges start to look set. Flip with a large spatula and cook the first side until both sides are golden brown.

Make the chocolate sauce: While your pancakes are cooking, melt your milk chocolate chips and heavy cream in a small saucepan or microwave-safe bowl. Stir until it’s smooth and creamy.

Stack and top your pancakes: Once your pancakes are done, stack them high on a plate. Drizzle your homemade chocolate sauce on top. Sprinkle on some mini marshmallows and crushed candy canes if you’d like.

Serve and enjoy: These hot chocolate pancakes are perfect for the holiday season or any special occasions. Serve them with your favorite syrup or more chocolate syrup.

How to Keep Hot Chocolate Pancakes Warm

To keep pancakes warm while cooking a large batch, preheat your oven to 200°F and place a wire rack on a baking sheet.

As you finish each batch, transfer the pancakes to the wire rack and place them in the oven. The wire rack allows air to circulate around the pancakes, preventing them from getting soggy.

You can loosely cover them with foil to retain moisture without making them steamy. This will keep your pancakes warm and fluffy until they’re ready to serve!

Other Amazing Pancake Recipes

Tips for the Best Pancakes

Don’t overmix the batter: When mixing your wet and dry ingredients, stir until just combined. A few lumps are fine, as overmixing can make your pancakes tough and dense.
Let the batter rest: Allow your pancake batter to sit for about 5-10 minutes before cooking. This helps the gluten relax, making your pancakes fluffier.
Use a hot griddle or skillet: Make sure your griddle or skillet is preheated to medium-low heat before pouring the batter. Pancakes cook best when the surface is hot, but not too hot, ensuring even cooking and golden brown pancakes.
Grease lightly with butter or oil: Too much butter or oil can cause pancakes to fry instead of cooking evenly. Use just a little butter or cooking spray to coat the pan for the best results.
Flip when you see bubbles: Wait until bubbles form on the surface of the pancakes and the edges look set before flipping.
Don’t press down after flipping: Resist the urge to press the pancakes down with your spatula after flipping. This can flatten them and make them less fluffy.

Pancake Topping Ideas

Mini Marshmallows: Just like a cup of hot cocoa, topping your pancakes with mini marshmallows brings a soft, sweet touch. They melt slightly on the warm pancakes, making each bite ooey-gooey delicious.
Whipping Cream: Top with whipped cream after drizzling the chocolate sauce.
Marshmallow Frosting: Pipe some of my delicious homemade marshmallow frosting on top for true decadence!
Chocolate Syrup or Sauce: Drizzle your hot cocoa pancakes with smooth chocolate syrup.
Crushed Candy Canes: For a festive look, sprinkle some crushed candy canes over your pancakes.
Chocolate Sprinkles: Top your stack with colorful chocolate sprinkles to add a fun crunch. Perfect for kids!
Crushed Graham Crackers: Turn your pancakes into s’mores pancakes by adding crushed graham crackers.

More Delicious Breakfast Recipes

Print Pin

Hot Chocolate Pancakes

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 5

Servings 10 pancakes

Equipment

Griddle or Skillet
Piping Bag You can use a large Zipcloc bag with the tip cut off if you don't have a piping bag.

Ingredients

1 Egg
¼ cup of Melted Butter
1 teaspoon of Vanilla
1 and ½ cups of Chocolate Milk
2 cups of Flour
½ a cup of Hot Chocolate Mix
4 teaspoons of Baking Powder
½ a teaspoon of Salt
3 tablespoons of Sugar
1 cup of Milk Chocolate Chips
¼ cup of Heavy Cream
Dehydrated Marshmallows for topping
Crush Candy Canes for topping/optional
Extra Butter for skillet

Instructions

Start by placing your flour, hot chocolate mix, baking powder, salt, and sugar into a large mixing bowl. Whisk until well combined.
Add in your eggs, vanilla, melted butter, and chocolate milk.
Using a hand mixer, mix until well combined. Allow batter to set while you heat up your griddle or skillet, on medium low. You want to cook these low and slow.
Once your skillet is hot, pour batter into a piping bag. Less mess and the perfect pancake! Butter your skillet.
Pipe batter into a circle. Starting in the center and working your way out. Cook until edges are cooked through and bubbles begin to pop on the top. Flip quickly with a large spatula. Cook until both sides are golden.
Stack on your serving dish. Add your chocolate chips and heavy cream to a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for one minute. Stir vigorously with a whisk until well combined and smooth. Pour into a piping bag.
Pipe chocolate on top of your pancake stack. Top with dehydrated marshmallows and crushed candy canes, if you desire.
Serve and enjoy. The perfect pancakes for Christmas morning!

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