Pink Pancakes

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If you’re looking for cute Valentine’s Day ideas that involve food, try making my Pink Pancakes! I mean, does it even get any cuter than that? Whether you’ve got a significant other, little kiddos or you want something different to celebrate Galentine’s Day, this recipe will impress everyone. The best part is that it’s a simple pancake recipe made in a blender with the help of one beet for natural coloring!

These beet pancakes are a great Valentine’s Day recipe that you can prepare the night before in a blender. Keep it in the blender covered in the fridge and then just fry them the pancakes the next morning when you’re ready. I love how the color comes out pink without using any artificial coloring!

“The recipe is amazing! The pancakes are really smooth and yummy with just honey or with any toppings really!” – Zoe

Recipe at a glance

Cuisine Inspiration: American
Primary Cooking Method: Griddle
Dietary Info: Vegetarian
Key Flavor: Sweet and Earthy
Skill Level: Easy

Summary

• Nutrient-packed pancake twist: Surprise your kids with bright pink pancakes without food colorings. Sneak in the goodness of beets, rich vitamins, and antioxidants.
• Customizable: Pancakes and breakfast, in general, can be customized for your family. Top with maple syrup, or switch it up with peanut butter or berry compote.
• Easy to make: Use the ease of a blender to quickly mix up your pancake batter. Have it ready to go in just minutes, and pour it straight from the container to your griddle.
• Fancy Breakfasts: Elevate your breakfasts with fancy pink pancakes. Perfect for Mother’s Day, a bridal brunch, a baby shower luncheon, or a romantic Valentine’s Day breakfast.

Ingredients you’ll need to make pink pancakes

• Beet (boiled/peeled): Beets add a natural sweetness and give these pancakes their vibrant pink color. 
• Milk: Milk adds moisture and provides a creamy consistency to the pancake batter.
• Egg: Adding egg binds the ingredients together and creates a fluffy texture.
• Unsalted butter: The melted unsalted butter adds flavor and richness that complements the earthy sweetness of the beets.
• Vanilla extract: Vanilla adds another layer of flavor and sweetness.
• Pure maple syrup: Adding maple syrup to the batter infuses the pancakes with more sweetness. Of course, we also top the pancakes with maple syrup too!
• All purpose flour: Flour forms the base structure of your pancakes. 
• Baking powder: Acts as a leavening agent allowing the pancakes to rise and become light and airy.
• Salt: As always salt balances the sweetness and enhances the flavors.

Popular substitutions & additions

• Vegan Pink Pancakes: Substitute the egg with a flax egg and use plant-based milk instead of regular milk to enjoy yummy vegan pink pancakes.
• Spice Infusion: Add a warm spice like cinnamon or nutmeg to your pancakes. These warm spices will complement the earthy notes that beets bring.
• Gluten & Dairy Free: Swap out the all purpose flour with your favorite gluten free blend 1:1. For a dairy free version, alter the recipe with plant-based milk and substitute butter with your favorite dairy-free butter or coconut oil.
• Berry flavor & color: Increase the flavor and burst of color by adding chopped berries to your pancake batter and the topping. Chopped strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries are all great additions.

How to make pink pancakes

Start by boiling or roasting a beet. Both methods work fine and it just depends on your preference. There’s no actual taste difference between each method. If you’re in a time crunch, you can actually just peel the beet and puree it raw. But I recommend cooking it and peeling after it’s cooked. To get that pink color, blend the cooked beet with milk.

Right away, you’ll see that you’re in [pink] business! Add on the other wet ingredients and blend again until it’s smooth and looks like a smoothie. Next add the dry ingredients. This time, pulse until you don’t see any flour streaks but the mixture is still lumpy.

And that’s basically the batter for these pink pancakes. Now you can store it in the fridge until you’re ready to make the pancakes or heat a pan/griddle and get cooking right away.

I usually prefer buttering my pan or spraying it with coconut oil. But in the case of these beet pancakes and my attempt at preserving their color, I would recommend not even greasing the pan. My husband, who is the official household pancake preparer, usually votes against ever using any oil or butter on the pan.

You’ll notice the color of the beet pancakes will become a light brown on the outside. This is perfectly normal after cooking

But when you slice open into the pancake stack, they will be bright, pink and absolutely beautiful! In my book, this is the best way to say I love you on Valentine’s Day. How fun is it to wake up to a stack of these pink pancakes, or as my son called them “pinkcakes!” 🙂

And you’re probably wondering, what do they taste like? For me they really taste like normal pancakes. There is a very small hint of beet flavor but it’s very subtle. After all, there is only one cooked beet for 6 servings, and it’s mixed with the delicious pancake batter.

“Absolutely easy to make, this recipe is sure to turn heads as they look divine. I made this for my husband and he loved it. The menthod itself is quite easy to follow. Pure genius I would say. And the best part, it’s made of wheat flour which makes it super healthy.” – Neha

Tips for making the best pink pancakes

1. Make sure the batter is lumpy. It’s tempting to make the batter perfectly smooth since we’re using a blender. But make sure to only pulse after you add the dry ingredients to keep it lumpy. If you overmix the batter, the pancake will turn out more dense and less fluffy.
2. Use a cookie scoop or measuring cup. This helps to to make even uniform pancakes, but it also helps give the pancakes their perfectly round shape.
3. Use medium heat for cooking. We want to slowly cook the pink pancakes without burning them. So this is the right temperature from beginning to end for this pancake recipe and any other pancake recipe actually.
4. Flip when the bubbles form. Don’t check on the bottom for doneness. Look at the top for bubbles. This is the best signal that the pancakes are golden on the bottom and ready for flipping.

What to serve with pink pancakes

• Fruit Pizza
• Fruit & Yogurt Parfait
• Strawberry Chia Jam
• Strawberry Sauce

How to store & reheat pink pancakes

Before storing, make sure you’ve let the pancakes cool to room temperature first. Storing hot pancakes will produce lots of condensation, introduces a lot of unwanted moisture. Once cooled, store them in an airtight container or a resealable plastic bag, then place in the fridge.

How long will pink pancakes last in the fridge?
Pink pancakes will stay fresh for 2 to 3 days in the fridge.

Can I freeze pink pancakes?
Yes! This is a great option for when you want to batch make pancakes for future breakfasts. Similar to cookies, you’ll want to place your cooled pancakes on parchment lined baking sheet and place it in the freezer. Once your pancakes are frozen solid, place the pancakes in a resealable freezer bag, removing as much air as possible before freezing. Freeze them for up to 2 to 3 months. 

Reheating pink pancakes: When you’re ready, thaw the pancakes in the fridge overnight if frozen, then reheat using the microwave, skillet, or an oven. Warm them gently until heated through.

I hope you love these naturally pink pancakes as much as my family and I do! These are always a hit in our house and get eaten up quickly. A cute little treat for the kiddos on Valentine’s day, or whenever you want to bring a smile to their faces. A stack of pink pancakes topped with berries and syrup but filled with vitamins and nutrients.

Frequently asked questions

More Valentine’s Day recipes:

• Healthy Valentine’s Day Brownies
• Homemade Pop Tarts
• Greek Yogurt Cheesecake
• Olive Oil Cake with Mixed Berries

More pancake recipes:

• Healthy Pumpkin Pancakes
• Lemon Ricotta Pancakes
• Flourless Strawberry Pancakes
• Banana Pancake Dippers
• Sweet Potato Pancakes
• Oat Flour Pancakes
• Blueberry Pancakes

If you’ve tried this healthy-ish feel good Pink Pancakes recipe or any other recipe on Feel Good Foodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories!