Mini Pancake Cereal

This mini pancake recipe is a fantastic snack for pancake lovers of all ages, especially kids.

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I love trying out different methods for popular recipes in my kitchen. The results are usually fun and a nice change-up compared to the usual version of the recipe. After seeing a popular video recipe on TikTok for mini pancakes I decided to give them a try myself. In my house, we love pancakes. I knew right away that they would be the perfect snack-size for my daughter and that she would love them so I thought, “Why not?”. I also wanted to test out exactly how time-consuming they would be to make. I just added a few twists to my regular pancake recipe and served them up as mini pancake cereal.

Making mini pancake cereal is pretty similar overall to the usual pancake-making process, just on a much smaller scale. I will go ahead and say the mini version is a bit more time-consuming but totally worth it if you have the extra time to spend making them. There are a few extra steps involved but I will go over all of that for you. These mini pancakes did turn out super cute and my daughter absolutely loved them so I will probably continue making them from time to time. Plus they do stand out for special occasions. Surprise your kids with a twist on breakfast, or snack time, with this mini pancake cereal recipe.

Equipment and Ingredients for Mini Pancakes

The equipment and ingredients needed to make these small pancakes are pretty much the same as what is used for regular pancakes, but with a few adjustments. There are just a couple of extra items needed for mini pancake success. Start the process on the right path by grabbing the few tools and necessary supplies needed to make this happen. To make these small snacks you will need:

• A frying pan
• Glass mixing bowls
• A blending whisk
• Pancake spatula
• Hand mixer – for ultimate batter prep
• Pastry piping bags – these will be used in place of scooping.
• Piping bag ties

Got your necessary tools ready? Next, it’s time to gather the ingredients to make the batter for the mini pancake cereal. For this you can get the usual pancake ingredients:

• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder
• Salt
• Sugar
• Milk
• 1 egg
• Vanilla extract
• Canola oil
• Cooking oil spray

Making Mini Pancake Cereal

Once you have gathered your tools and ingredients it’s time to start whipping these together. As I stated earlier, the process is just like making regular-sized pancakes just with a few extra steps needed to create the mini version. 

• First, mix together the milk, egg, canola oil, and vanilla extract in a medium-size mixing bowl.
  
• Next, in a separate mixing bowl whisk the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder together.
  
• Then, using the hand mixer, combine the egg mixture into the dry ingredients and mix well. The batter is ready when it is smooth and free of lumps.
  
• After your batter is ready, carefully transfer it into a pastry piping bag and close the bag off with a piping bag tie. Using pastry bags in this step is much, much easier compared to scooping and for mini pancakes, it is an absolute must.
  
• Cut ¼ inch from the tip of the piping bag and set aside, positioning carefully to keep from spilling any batter.
  
• Next, get the pan preheating on medium-high heat. Spray the frying pan with cooking oil spray.
  
• After the pan is preheated, start squeezing small dots of pancake batter into the pan.
  
• Let the pancakes cook until golden brown, then carefully flip each of them with the pancake spatula. Each side should cook for about 5 minutes. Because of their fun and small size, this part may take a little longer than with regular-sized pancakes. 
  
• Once both sides are a lovely golden-brown color, remove them from the frying pan and continue the cooking and flipping process with the remaining batter.
  
• Finally, fill up a bowl with the mini pancake cereal and top with syrup and fresh fruit. 

Tip: These tasty mini pancake treats are pretty scrumptious served in this cereal-style or they can be tried plain, with peanut butter, or with honey.

Mini Pancake Storage

After making these little snacks, if there happen to be any left over, they can be saved for later. You can also save some time during the week by making these ahead, when spare time is available and use the storage methods to keep the pancakes at yummy quality for later enjoyment. There are two ways to safely store mini pancakes.

• First, the mini pancakes can be stored in an air-tight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
  
• The second method is to freeze them. First, lay the pancakes flat on a baking sheet or plastic cutting board and freeze for about 30 minutes. This keeps the pancakes from sticking together while in storage. Then, move them to a plastic ziploc bag and store the bag back in the freezer for up to 3 months. Be sure to label the date on the bag to keep up with freshness.
  
• To thaw/defrost the pancakes, leave the bag in the fridge overnight or lay the pancakes flat and pop them in the toaster oven for a few minutes.

Tasty Snacks for Kids

My daughter adored these little pancake snacks and ate them right up! I am certain your kids will devour them too and leave the table with a big smile on their face. These are a perfect snack for kiddos at any time of day. They can also be easily packed up for a snack on-the-go. Try them for: 

• A fun weekend breakfast
  
• School lunch boxes
  
• After-school snack
  
• A sweet birthday breakfast treat
  
• Also great for birthday party snacks for everyone to enjoy
  
• Busy day of running errands ahead? Pack some up for your kid to take with and enjoy on the car ride.

Final Thoughts on Mini Pancakes

After making these for the first time, I had mixed feelings about them. Overall I think they turn out super cute and they are pancakes so, of course, they are delicious but I think my daughter loved them more than I did. The mini pancake cereal is a pretty neat twist to the originals and you get to skip cutting the pancakes into bite-size pieces. But the extra steps in the process can be a little off-putting on weekdays, especially for busy moms who do not have the extra time on their hands. However, do not let that stop you from dazzling up the weekend with this delectable surprise. 

On the other hand, the mini pancakes do make awesome on-the-go snacks if you have the spare time to make them before leaving -I suggest skipping the syrup if taking these to-go though. As for special occasions and birthdays, they are absolutely worth the extra time spent! Their fun, kid-friendly size makes a delightful snack that kids just adore. It gives them a sense of “This snack was made special for me!” and “Look, mom! They’re mini like me!” Make your mini’s day brighter with a special treat that is just their size.

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