Vegan German Chocolate Pancakes with Coconut Pecan Maple Syrup

Recently, I returned from a Spring Break trip to visit my family where I made my Papa his favorite vegan brownies.  But he and my Mama both have birthdays coming up, which reminded me of his very favorite cake is German Chocolate.  So, back home in Virginia and with German Chocolate Cake on my mind, I decided I had to make Papa’s favorite cake into German chocolate pancakes. Though I will definitely need to make these for Father’s Day, they are the perfect breakfast treat for a special Mother’s Day, too!

These German chocolate pancakes are somewhat rich and filling. I do like to eat a stack of three because that looks so nice, but keep them on the smaller side so as not to weigh myself down for the day.  Other than the flour, soymilk, and pecans – and the coconut to some extent – there is not a lot of nutrition here, so be sure to serve this divine indulgence with a side of fruit and maybe a little vegan yogurt.

Also, in the “rich and filling” department, I have recently started making quesadillas using non-stick spray instead of my beloved canola oil-vegan butter mixture to grease the skillet.  So, for the sake of calorie reduction, I decided to try it with these German chocolate pancakes and was VERY happy with the results.  But feel free to go for the higher calorie option if you want a bit more rich flavor.  I generally use a couple of tablespoons of each for a 4-serving batch of pancakes.

Vegan German Chocolate Pancakes with Coconut Pecan Maple Syrup

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

20 mins

 

Author: Betsy DiJulio

Serves: 4 servings

Ingredients

German Chocolate Pancakes

• 1 cup white whole wheat flour (this is what I keep on hand; you can substitute unbleached all-purpose flour or half all-purpose and half whole wheat flour)
• ¼ cup sugar
• ¼ cup cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• 1-1/2 cups unsweetened or plain soymilk (can substitute almond, rice or coconut milk beverage for soy-free)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon almond extract
• 1 cup flaked coconut (I like to toast mine in a thin layer on a baking sheet for a few minutes at 350ºF or until golden brown; watch carefully!)
• ½ cup pecan pieces
• Nonstick cooking spray

Coconut-Pecan Maple Syrup

• ½ cup real maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon coconut creamer (soy creamer would be tasty, too)
• ¼ cup flaked coconut (I toast mine; see ingredient list above for quick directions)
• 2 tablespoons pecan pieces

Instructions

For the Pancakes:

1. Preheat oven to warm.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda.
3. Make a well in the center and pour in soymilk and both vanilla and almond extracts. Whisk just until combined; a few lumps are fine. Stir in coconut and pecans to evenly distribute.
4. Spray a large well-seasoned cast-iron skillet with non-stick cooking spray, and heat over medium-high until sizzling.
5. Cook 3 to 4 pancakes at a time using a scant ¼-cup of batter for 2 to 3 minutes on the first side.
6. Flip, and cook an additional couple of minutes or until done all the way through.
7. Keep warm in the oven while you repeat with remaining batter.

For the Coconut-Pecan Maple Syrup:

1. In a 1-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, simmer syrup for a few minutes or until slightly thickened and reduced.
2. Reduce heat if necessary to keep from boiling.
3. Stir in coconut creamer, coconut and pecan pieces, and heat through without allowing to boil. Serve immediately spooned over the German chocolate pancakes.

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