Sweet Sundays: Vegan Cranberry and Cornmeal Pancakes

The official Thanksgiving holiday may have passed, but grocery stores (and perhaps your refrigerator and freezer) are still brimming with cranberries, and cravings for holiday fare, such as that sweet cornbread, linger on. Merging those two flavors into a Sunday brunch treat, Hannah (author of My Sweet Vegan and blogger at Bittersweet) has created a vegan Cornmeal and Cranberry Pancakes recipe that is sure to please.

These pancakes are naturally dairy-free and egg-free. Because the recipe relies more heavily on the flavor of cornmeal than flour, adventurous gluten-free cooks may want to trial subsituting their favorite GF flour blend. Hannah also uses soymilk, but you can substitute your favorite milk alternative (almond, rice, coconut, etc.) to make this easy recipe soy-free …

Cornmeal and Cranberry Pancakes

Recipe by Hannah Kaminsky of Bittersweet Blog, and author of My Sweet Vegan

2 Cups White Cornmeal
3/4 Cup All Purpose Flour
1/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
2 Cups Plain Soymilk
1 Teaspoons Apple Cider Vinegar
1/4 Cup Canola Oil
1/4 Cup Unsweetened Applesauce
1/2 Teaspoon Maple Extract (Optional)
1/2 – 1 Cup Fresh or Frozen Cranberries

Standard pancake procedure here: Combine the wet and dry ingredients separately, excluding the cranberries, and then pour the wet on top of the dry. Whisk just enough to combine, being careful not to overmix.

Set a large skillet over medium heat and let it get warm. If you drop a tiny splash of water in, it should scuttle around a bit; not immediately sizzle off, and not just sit around doing nothing. When it gets to that stage, give it a lightly spritz with cooking spray.

Ladle about 1/4 – 1/3 cup of batter for each pancake, and drop a handful of cranberries into the center of each raw puddle. Wait until bubbles form and pop on the top before flipping, about 2 minutes. Cook for an additional 1 – 2 minutes on the other side, until evenly browned. Serve immediately, or keep warm in an oven preheated to 200 degrees for 30 minutes at most.

Serves 4 – 6