Fluffy Homemade Eggnog Pancakes

Give any morning a delicious holiday vibe with Fluffy Homemade Eggnog Pancakes! These tender pancakes have the sweet, creamy flavor of eggnog, with a hint of nutmeg, making them perfect for the Holiday season or any day of the year!

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I've been in a reminiscing mood recently and these Fluffy Homemade Eggnog Pancakes remind me of the Holiday parties that my parents used to throw back in the day. 

This was the wild and crazy late 60s to early 70s and these groovy parties were filled with very tall adults, laughing way too loud, listening to corny Holiday music, smoking cigarettes, and sipping glasses of rum spiked eggnog. 

Remove all the absolute madness from that scenario, and add in this new recipe, and you end up with an easy breakfast of a nice tall stack of eggnog pancakes with a hint of rum extract, and all the holiday vibes. They are my idea of Christmas pancakes and I. AM. OBSESSED.

Ingredients & Substitutions

We use simple ingredients to make fluffy pancakes, and now we are adding a few things to make them taste more seasonal. Let's go over the major players and see how you can switch things up if you need to and still get a festive breakfast on the table Christmas morning (or any morning):

• All-purpose flour - Any all-purpose flour you can find and afford is fine here. If you have leftover self-rising flour, from making my cream biscuits or my easy flatbread, you can use that. Simply leave out the baking powder and the salt from the recipe, which are already included in self-rising flour.
• Eggnog - Hello, they're eggnog pancakes so we are using eggnog, but it can be difficult to find at the grocery store year-round ( see my FAQs below for info on freezing eggnog for later). You can use homemade eggnog, plain milk, or buttermilk, or you can mimic the eggnog flavor by using horchata or coconut milk along with some nutmeg. 
• Sugar - Eggnog is already sweetened, but I still add a little sugar to boost the decadence a touch. If you want an even more rich flavor, substitute with brown sugar.
• Butter - You can use margarine or vegan butter if that's what you have, or even use vegetable oil or melted coconut oil if you like.
• Nutmeg - Eggnog is traditionally finished with a pinch of nutmeg, and you can use pre-ground nutmeg if you like, but I prefer to grate my own with a fine zester. The flavor difference is huge! If you don't have nutmeg, feel free to use a little bit of cinnamon.
• Rum extract - My parents always served their eggnog with a heavy pour of rum (THE 60s!), but we are an alcohol free household, so to get that flavor I use rum extract. You can substitute with a couple of tablespoons of your favorite rum if you like, or skip it all together if you don't enjoy the flavor.

See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

Instructions

We are using a basic pancake recipe, but with the flavor volume turned up. No fancy techniques are needed. Let's make some delicious eggnog pancakes! To get started:

• Melt 4 tablespoons of butter and set aside to cool.
• If your eggs and eggnog are not at room temperature, place your eggs in a cup of warm water for 10 minutes and microwave your eggnog for 30 seconds.
  

Step 1: In a large bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, sugar, nutmeg, and kosher salt.

Step 2: In another bowl or a large measuring cup, combined your eggnog, eggs, and rum and vanilla extract.

Step 3: Pour your wet ingredients into your dry ingredients and begin mixing with a silicone spatula or other utensil.

Step 4: When you are halfway mixed, begin drizzling in your melted butter, mixing just until the last of the dry ingredients have disappeared and the butter is incorporated. Allow the batter to rest for 15 minutes while you heat your griddle.

Step 5: Use a measuring cup or a large scoop to portion your eggnog pancake batter onto your nonstick pan or electric griddle heated to medium-low. Adding butter or oil to the pan is optional. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

Step 6: When the edges of the pancake look dry and has lost its shiny texture, and small bubbles have begun to form and pop on the surface of the pancake, flip your pancake and cook for another one to two minutes, or until golden brown on the bottom.

Keep cooked pancakes warm in a pancake warmer, or on a plate with a large bowl turned upside down on top, why you finish cooking the rest of the pancakes. Serve with softened butter and warm maple syrup. A little sprinkle of cinnamon sugar never hurt anyone. 

Can it waffle?

Listen, I like pancakes as much as the next person, but I am a waffle girl at heart. I will literally never tire of eating my buttermilk waffles and whenever I make a pancake recipe, I wonder "Can it waffle?" Why yes! This recipe can waffle! I add a little bit of cornstarch, which gives you a crispy surface to your waffle, and additional fat, which adds richness and moisture.

To transform this eggnog pancake recipe into eggnog waffles, add ¼ cup of cornstarch to your dry ingredients and mix in an additional ¼ cup of melted butter or vegetable oil. Scoop into your waffle maker and cook as directed. Drizzle with warm maple syrup and enjoy!

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