Who says you can’t have dessert for breakfast? These Brownie Vegan Pancakes With Cookie Dough Swirl let you indulge—deliciously and wholesomely!
When my daughter was away at college, she would often come home for the weekend. Sure, she missed us, our dog Charlie, and the peacefulness of our suburban neighborhood, but I suspect that one of the main reasons she paid us a visit was the food. After a week of microwave meals and cafeteria fare, she would arrive home to a hearty pot roast (her favorite) and wake up the following morning to a breakfast of pancakes. While she was growing up, weekend mornings always started with a tall stack of fluffy pancakes, and it’s a tradition we’ve held on to over the years. As you can imagine, I have quite a collection of recipes, and my latest creation is definitely one worth sharing.
These vegan pancakes merge the chocolaty, gooey goodness of a brownie with the indulgence of creamy cookie dough to create a breakfast treat guaranteed to get everyone out of bed on the right foot! And the best part is that although they sound decadent, they’re made with wholesome ingredients like chickpeas, flax meal, peanut butter, and applesauce. Yes, they take a little more effort to make than your average pancake, but the results will definitely be worth it. Just ask my daughter, who shared the recipe with all her friends back on campus.
Are These Brownie Pancakes With Cookie Dough Swirl Healthy?
You won’t find any refined sugars in this recipe (provided you use unsweetened chocolate chips). The pancakes get their delicate sweetness from a little agave syrup and some applesauce, which also acts as a butter and egg replacement in vegan cooking. Oat flour has more fiber and a lower glycemic index than regular flour. The cookie swirl is made with chickpeas (a great source of fiber and plant-based protein). So yes, this is definitely a wholesome recipe you can feel good about serving to your family.
Making the Perfect Pancakes
When making these pancakes, remember that you’re not dealing with your typical pancake batter. These pancakes are thicker because they feature two layers: the basic pancake batter and a cookie dough swirl, which is piped into the center of the batter as soon as it hits the pan. Unlike traditional pancakes, which usually take two to three minutes per side to cook, these require eight to ten minutes on one side and five to six minutes on the other. It’s crucial to cook them on low heat to ensure the centers are fully cooked. Lastly, resist the urge to make them larger than the specified scant quarter-cup size—this can make flipping them more difficult and increase the chance of them falling apart.
How to Make Ahead and Store
When wrapped in plastic or stored in an airtight container, these pancakes will stay good in the fridge for up to 1 week. They can also be frozen in a Ziploc bag (with parchment paper between them) for up to 3 months. Reheat them on the stovetop in an ungreased griddle or in a moderate oven.
Serving Suggestions
Looking to expand your own collection of pancake recipes? Try these subtly spiced Vegan Pumpkin Pancakes, or sink your teeth into these Apple-Cinnamon Pancakes (quite the autumnal treat!). If you’d rather go for something savory, these hearty Zucchini Pancakes are perfect for breakfast but also delicious topped with a dollop of sour cream and delicate slices of smoked salmon.
Ingredients
For the Cookie Swirl:
- 1/3 cup chickpeas papery skins removed
- 1 1/2 tablespoons powdered peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon agave syrup
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened applesauce
- 1/2 tablespoon natural peanut butter
- 1/2 tablespoon unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- 1/2 teaspoon raw vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of baking soda
- 1 tablespoon dairy-free mini chocolate chips
For the Pancakes:
- 2 tablespoons flax meal
- 5 tablespoons warm water
- 6 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
- 1/4 cup agave syrup
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- 2 teaspoons raw vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup powdered peanut butter
- 6 tablespoons oat flour
- 5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Whisk the flax meal and water (for the pancakes) in a medium bowl until well combined. Place into the refrigerator to thicken while you get on with rest of the recipe.
- In a small food processor, combine all of the cookie dough ingredients, except the chocolate chips. Run the food processor, stopping to scrape down the sides as necessary, until the cookie dough is creamy and smooth.
- Transfer the cookie dough to a small bowl and stir in the chocolate chips. Scoop into a parchment bag and set aside.
- Generously spray a large griddle with cooking spray and heat to medium low, or about 275°F.
- To make the pancake batter, whisk the applesauce, agave, almond milk, and vanilla extract in a large bowl until well combined. Whisk in the reserved flax mixture and set aside.
- In a small bowl, stir together the powdered peanut butter, oat flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet and whisk until smooth. Your batter will be quite thick.
- Drop the batter by scant 1/4-cups onto the hot griddle. Spread them out only a little.
- Cut the small tip off the end of the parchment bag and pipe a swirl of the cookie dough in the center of each pancake.
- Cook until the edges look set and the bottom of the pancake begins to brown, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Very gently flip the pancake and cook until the cookie swirl lightly browns, about another 5 to 6 minutes.
Nutrition Info:
Nutrition information are estimates only and may vary based on the specific brands, ingredients, and portion sizes you use. This data is provided for informational purposes only.
These are incredible! I have made them several times and love them. I usually double the recipe and it ends up taking me about 2 hours start to finish to make these. I usually get 16 pancakes that way.
I was wondering….do you think I could I put the brownie batter into an 8×8 pan and swirl the cookie dough topping on that and bake it. There seems to be plenty of batter when I double it? It would save so much time!
I’m thrilled to hear that you love this recipe! Doubling the recipe and getting 16 pancakes sounds amazing!
I think it’s definitely worth a shot to make this into a baked dessert. Since there’s plenty of batter when you double the recipe, you should be able to fill the 8×8 pan nicely. Swirling the cookie dough topping onto the brownie batter in the pan would create an interesting texture and design.
However, I want to point out that the baking time and temperature will differ from the pancake cooking time. To bake it in an 8×8 pan, I would suggest preheating your oven to 350°F (180°C). Start by baking the dessert for around 25-30 minutes and check the middle with a toothpick or a cake tester. If it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, it’s done. If not, bake for an additional 5-10 minutes, checking every few minutes to ensure it doesn’t overcook.
Keep in mind that since this is a new approach to the original recipe, you may need to experiment a little with the baking time or temperature. But, overall, I think it’s a fantastic idea to adapt the recipe to save time without compromising the deliciousness! Good luck, and I hope it turns out as amazing as the pancakes do!
Thank you, it’s looks delicious, I may make them todai
Glad you like this recipe, did you try?
Thank you, it’s looks delicious, I may make them todai and In the Future for mi wives and children..
Hope you all enjoyed this recipe. Thanks for reading!