Some evenings require a dinner that will comfort, and blueberry pancakes fill that role deliciously. Golden and fluffy, these pancakes are bursting with juicy blueberries and make a satisfying meal at any time of day. If you can find some end of the season blueberries, snatch them up to make a bottle of delectable blueberry-lemon syrup – it makes a scrumptious topping for pancakes, waffles, or even ice cream…the possibilities are endless!
Blueberry Pancakes
Adapted from Cooking Light
1 cup flour
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
Preheat a nonstick griddle to 375°F or a nonstick skillet to medium-high. Preheat oven to 175°F and have a baking sheet ready to store cooked pancakes on.
Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; make a well in the center of the mixture. Combine buttermilk, egg, oil, and vanilla in a small bowl; add to flour mixture and stir gently just until combined – the batter should have small to medium lumps.
Use a 1/4 measuring cup to pour batter onto griddle or skillet; arrange blueberries over cooking pancake. When tops are covered with bubbles and edges looked cooked (about 2 1/2 minutes), flip pancakes. Cook until golden on the bottom, about 1 minute. Place cooked pancakes in a single layer on a baking sheet in the warm oven up to 30 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter. To freeze leftover pancakes, layer with wax paper and wrap tightly in foil.
Yield – 10 (4-inch) pancakes
Calories – 85 (per pancake)
Carbs – 15
Blueberry-Lemon Syrup
Adapted from Food & Wine
3 cups fresh blueberries (fresh berries give the syrup a vibrant color)
2 cups water, divided
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp honey
3 1-inch strips of lemon zest
2 Tbsp lemon juice
Combine blueberries with 1/2 cup water in a medium saucepan. Crush the blueberries with a potato masher and bring to a simmer; simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Strain juice into a heatproof measuring cup; discard solids.
Rinse saucepan, then add sugar, honey, lemon zest, and remaining 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Boil the syrup over medium heat for 20 minutes. Add blueberry juice and lemon juice; boil over high heat for 1 minute. Let syrup cool, then discard lemon zest. Use a funnel to transfer syrup into a sterilized bottle; seal and store in the refrigerator up to 6 months.
Yield – 1 1/2 cups syrup (serving size: 2 tablespoons syrup)
Calories – 50
Carbs – 12
