Pancake Mix-Ins That Put All Other Breakfasts to Shame

Maybe you're a pancakes-every-weekend person and want to up your game. Perhaps you've written off the American classic as too sweet or heavy. Either way, these ideas, which range from a mac 'n' cheese cake to one studded with healthy quinoa, will change the way you make breakfast.

Take this standard recipe for homemade pancakes—and then try one of the 10 different twists we've come up with.

Master Recipe

Serves 8

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups milk

Directions

Mix together the flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk the eggs into the milk in a liquid measuring cup and pour into the dry ingredients, stirring. Add mix-in of your choice (see options, next page).

Preheat a griddle or nonstick pan over medium heat; coat with nonstick spray if necessary. Ladle spoonfuls of batter onto pan. When bubbles appear on the surface, flip each pancake and continue cooking for 30 seconds to a minute more, until the second side is browned.

Next: 9 ideas to take your pancakes to the next level

9 Ways to Give Pancakes a Makeover

Nut Butter Pancakes

Mix-in: 2 Tbsp. almond, peanut, cashew or other nut butter (chunky or smooth)
Topping: Chopped, toasted nuts and maple syrup

Apple Cinnamon Pancakes

Mix-in: One Granny Smith apple, grated; and 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Topping: Plain Greek yogurt

Mac 'n' Cheese Pancakes (inspired by Shopsins)

Mix-in: Pour batter onto pan and gently lay about 1 Tbsp. warm, buttered (cooked) elbow macaroni in the center, then a sprinkling of shredded cheddar cheese. Flip pancakes and continue cooking, mac 'n' cheese side down.
Topping: Butter or maple syrup. Or both.

Lemon and Poppy Seed Pancakes

Mix-in: 2 Tbsp. lemon juice, 1 Tbsp. lemon zest and 2 Tbsp. poppy seeds.
Topping: Sliced strawberries or blueberries and syrup.

Quinoa Pancakes

Mix-in: Reduce flour amount to 1 cup and milk amount to 2/3 cup. Stir in 1 cup cooked quinoa.
Topping: Agave syrup, chopped dried fruit.

Elvis Pancakes

Mix-in: Crumbled bits of bacon (about a third of a slice in each pancake).
Topping: Peanut butter and sliced bananas.

Coconut Pancakes

Mix-in: Reduce flour to 1 1/2 cups; use 1 cup coconut milk plus 1 Tbsp. canola oil in place of milk.
Topping: Shredded coconut and guava butter.

Prosciutto and Mozzarella Pancakes

Mix-in: 1/2 cup diced prosciutto and 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella.
Topping: A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Carrot Cake Pancakes

Mix-in: 1 cup shredded carrot, 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. allspice, 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
Topping: A spoonful of vanilla Greek yogurt.