Easy Coffee Pancakes {With Mocha Sauce/Syrup}

Quick and easy coffee pancakes recipe with chocolate chips and topped with mocha sauce or syrup. Flavored with espresso powder. They are homemade with simple ingredients and are are soft and fluffy.

*I received an OXO Good Grips non-stick anodized griddle to share this recipe with all of you. As always, all opinions are mine.*

If you are a fan of chocolate and coffee (especially cappuccino), you are going to love this recipe. My husband and I are obsessed and have been making it every morning for breakfast. They are just as delicious as these Coffee Brownies (Mocha Brownies) as well as these Mocha Cupcakes (Coffee Cupcakes) and these Coffee Cookies (Espresso Mocha Cookies).

Key ingredients for mocha pancakes

• Flour- Use your every day all-purpose for best results.
• Milk- I like to use either whole or 2% for a nice, rich texture.
• Butter- Unsalted is best so that your batter isn't salty.
• Baking powder- This key ingredient helps your pancakes get really fluffy.
• Baking soda- You need both baking soda and baking powder to make this recipe correctly.
• Espresso powder- Use good quality powder for the best flavor.
• Sugar- Simply use the regular granulated kind.
• Brown sugar- This brings in a richer flavor and color.
• Egg- Use large eggs to get the right ratio in your batter.
• Chocolate chips- You can use mini or regular.
• Coffee- Be sure it is brewed and ready to go.
• Cocoa powder- The better quality cocoa equals better taste.
• Vanilla extract- Adds just the right complimentary flavor.

Variations

Use other flavors of chocolate chips- Like white chocolate, butterscotch, peanut butter, or peppermint.

Use mini chocolate chips- And then you can enjoy them in each and every bite.

Add extracts to the batter- Such as vanilla, coconut, maple, or almond.

Make mini pancakes- Kids love the mini pancakes and it is fun to have them in a bite-size version. Simply pour a smaller amount of batter on the griddle.

Add spices- You can add cinnamon or other complimentary spices to the batter and/or syrup.

Add chopped nuts- Such as hazelnuts, pecans, or cashews.

How to make easy coffee pancakes recipe from scratch?

1. Mix together all wet ingredients- In a mixing bowl.
2. Whisk together all dry ingredients- In a separate bowl.
3. Dump the dry mixture into the wet mixture- And mix until just combined.
4. Pour this mixture- On a hot griddle to cook.
5. Toss some chocolate chips- On top, then flip and cook the other side.
6. Serve with mocha syrup- And toss additional chocolate chips, if you like.

Topping ideas

• Butter- Use slices of salted or unsalted butter or cinnamon butter.
• Jams and preserves- Like blueberry, raspberry, or Strawberry Jam.
• Spreads- Like almond butter, cashew butter, sun butter, Nutella or Biscoff. Make sure to warm them in the microwave to make it easy to drizzle on top.
• Whipped topping- You can serve these with Cool Whip or Homemade Whipped Cream or Chocolate Whipped Cream.
• Fruits- Such as slices of fresh strawberries, raspberries or bananas. Better yet, try them with Easy Caramelized Bananas (With Cinnamon).
• Maple syrup is a no- Whatever you do, don't serve them with regular maple syrup. It was a horrible flavor combination. However, Maple Frosting worked wonderfully.
• Icing- If you like to pair pancakes with icing, try these: Marshmallow Frosting or Brown Sugar Frosting.
• Glaze- For a simple glaze topping, try this Powdered Sugar Glaze (Vanilla Cake Glaze).
• Caramel- If you like espresso and caramel pairing, try this Caramel Frosting or Homemade Caramel Sauce.
• Chocolate- For those people that enjoy cocoa or chocolate toppings, try Nutella Syrup, Easy Chocolate Fondue, Hot Fudge Sauce (Chocolate Fudge Sauce), Easy Chocolate Ganache (2 Ingredients), or Easy Chocolate Gravy.

Tips and techniques

Don't over-mix the batter- Or else you will end up with very tough pancakes.

Don't replace espresso powder with regular coffee granules- Because they are not interchangeable. Espresso powder has a very fine texture and dissolves completely in liquid. You can find espresso powder in the tea/coffee aisle at most grocery stores. Regular coffee granules is simply ground coffee beans and it doesn't dissolve fully in liquid, creating a chunky and grainy texture.

Make sure your griddle is hot- Before you pour the batter so that it cooks evenly and quickly.

Don't skip the mocha syrup- Because that is what truly takes these pancakes over the top.

You must use both, baking powder and baking soda- Don't skip one or the other!

Use a nonstick griddle or pan- To prevent batter from sticking. Plus, it allows for easy cleanup too.

Use unsalted butter- In order to prevent the recipe from becoming too salty.

Don't flip more than once on each side- Because then they aren't as fluffy. Just cook until you see bubbles form on the top, then flip and repeat. Don't let them burn!

Recipe FAQs

Storage

Make ahead- You can easily make the pancakes beforehand and place them in an airtight container in the fridge for 1 day or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Syrup can be made 1-2 days in advance and kept in a container in the fridge.

Room temperature- These can be left out in a sealed container 1-2 days.

Refrigerate- Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge up to 2 days, but seriously, they taste best when served fresh and I highly recommend that.

Freeze- These can be frozen in a freezer safe bag or container for up to 2 months. Reheat in the microwave or toaster.

More Coffee Recipes and Desserts

• Coffee Truffles (Mocha Espresso Truffles)
• Coffee Fudge (Espresso Fudge)
• Chocolate Coffee Cake
• Coffee Popsicles
• Homemade Mocha Latte
• Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha
• Coffee Smoothie (Mocha Smoothie)
• No Bake Coffee Cheesecake

By the way, I recently received an OXO griddle to use and review and I love it! The griddle is BIG with dimensions of 11"x 11." You can easily make four small pancakes at a time or one big pancake. It's nonstick and easy to clean. You can just wipe everything off with a wet cloth or toss it in the dishwasher.

Recipe