How to make Chocolate Pancakes with Chocolate Chips

Start any day off right with fluffy, decadent Chocolate Pancakes with Chocolate Chips! This homemade chocolate pancake recipe is wonderfully fluffy and richly chocolatey. Learn how to make decadent chocolate pancakes to share with your people. And don’t forget to check out how to make the best homemade pancakes, too.

If you love chocolate for breakfast, you’ve got to try Chocolate Waffles and Chocolate Chip Muffins!

2024 Update: This recipe was originally shared in June 2014. The recipe has been updated (and is no longer dairy free, though I have included notes on how to do this.) The post includes a lot more tips and tricks. I hope you love these homemade chocolate pancakes!

Monday, we celebrated and remembered my grandfather, Pop. He passed away last Thursday at the age of 85, and a large portion of our family descended upon Georgia to lay him to rest.

One of my favorite memories of my Pop, other than asking endless questions while he worked pewter in his workshop and at various art festivals around the South, was the pancakes he would make whenever we visited.

My Pop’s pancakes were delicious, and we ate them at least once whenever we visited his and Granny’s Georgia home during my childhood. And I always drooled over them when we were discussing breakfast because, well, they were amazingly fluffy with a crispy edge and all kinds of perfection when drizzled with syrup. 

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Granny finally revealed the secret of Pop’s pancakes to me in recent years, and it’s so simple, yet profound.

Pop’s love of food and being in the kitchen has passed down through the generations, and I’m happy to share a recipe that I think he would have loved this morning.

Why I love this recipe:

These sweet pancakes aren’t in competition with my Pop’s. Nothing can top Pop’s pancakes, in my opinion, but this recipe does celebrate what I love in a breakfast — decadence.

These Chocolate Pancakes start with my rich old-fashioned pancake recipe, then get a few chocolate additions to up the flavor of this simple recipe. (We’re using cocoa powder, making a quick chocolate milk and also adding in gooey chocolate chips to the mixture. These are TRIPLE Chocolate Pancakes, woohoo!)

These perfect Chocolate Pancakes are really decadent. They’re a total treat and perfect for any chocolate lover… think of them as chocolate cake in pancake form.

So whether you’re hosting brunch at home or simply want to make a special breakfast for your family, this pancake recipe is a brilliant idea to have in your digital recipe box!

Other pancake recipes to try: Blueberry Pancakes with Blueberry Syrup | Cinnamon Roll Pancakes | Funfetti Pancakes | Strawberry Pancakes with Dark Chocolate Drizzle | Red Velvet Pancakes | Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Need breakfast inspiration? Head on over to my Breakfast and Brunch Recipe Index for more ideas!

What you need to make this recipe:

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Here is what you need to grab at the grocery store to make these fluffy chocolate pancakes:

• Unsweetened cocoa powder — this is going to add a layer of chocolate flavor. You may use Dutch process or regular unsweetened cocoa since we are not using buttermilk in this recipe.  
• Granulated sugar — this is also know as white sugar. There’s no real substitute for it here in these pancakes.
• Leaveners — we’re using baking powder, baking soda and eggs to give our pancakes a rise! Make sure they’re fresh so your pancakes are the fluffiest. 
• Kosher salt — I like to use a medium grain kosher salt. If you’re using fine grain, consider using about ¾ teaspoon of salt instead so your pancakes don’t get too salty.
• Milk — use your favorite milk… we’re going to turn it into chocolate milk! This adds wonderful chocolate flavor. I originally made this recipe with dark chocolate almond milk (or soy milk) to ensure they were dairy free, but the chocolate milk can be the dairy kind, too. You can purchase chocolate milk at the store if you prefer or even mix it with chocolate syrup.
• Vanilla extract — the pure, real deal stuff adds such amazing flavor.
• Flavorless oil — avocado, canola or vegetable oil all work here. You could even use coconut oil, too.
• Chocolate chips — use your favorite. We’re going to use these to make the chocolate milk, as well as to sprinkle on top of the pancake batter as it cooks. I keep dark chocolate chips at my house at all times, but you could easily use semi-sweet chocolate chips, bittersweet or even white chocolate chips. 

This recipe was written to be dairy free, and it still can be made dairy free. Use your favorite non-dairy milk (soy milk, almond milk, cashew milk, etc., all work.) Use dairy free chocolate chips, too. That’s it!

Toppings for triple chocolate pancakes:

It depends on what you like, but we’ve topped these beauties with (vegan) butter, chocolate ganache or chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, strawberry sauce, maple syrup, whipped topping (or homemade whipped cream) and more chocolate chips. 

You could add a dollop of peanut butter or a scoop of fresh fruit, like strawberries, raspberries or blueberries.

How to make Chocolate Pancakes

First, we’re going to make our homemade pancake batter.

Measure out the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a large bowl. Whisk to ensure that they’re evenly dispersed in the batter.

Combine the wet ingredients. You’re going to put the milk and the quarter cup of chocolate chips into a liquid measuring cup or another microwave-safe dish.

Heat for 30- to 45-seconds to warm, then whisk until the chocolate chips are completely incorporated, making a homemade chocolate milk.

This hot milk mixture needs to cool off slightly before you add the rest of the ingredients to it.

Add the rest of the wet ingredients: the eggs, vanilla extract and oil. Whisk or stir with a fork until the mixture is well-combined. 

This might take a minute or two, but it’s really important so that the egg doesn’t leave ribbons in your pancake batter. 

Once the wet ingredients are well combined, pour them directly into the dry ingredients.

Use a rubber spatula to gently mix the batter until just combined. If you overmix the pancakes, they will become tougher, so just stir until the flour is incorporated. It’s OK if this batter has lumps in it.

Set the homemade pancake batter aside, and let the batter rest for 5-10 minutes. While it rests, heat your griddle or nonstick skillet over medium heat. When it’s hot, grease lightly with butter, oil or cooking spray. 

Use a cookie scoop or a measuring cup to dollop the pancakes onto the preheated skillet. I like to make 1.5-tablespoon silver dollar pancakes, but you can make larger ones, too.

Sprinkle a few chocolate chips on top of the pancake batter once it’s on the hot griddle.

When several bubbles have formed on the surface, flip and cook through. (Do NOT press down on them after you flip them! This will deflate them!) Repeat with the remaining batter until all batter has been made into pancakes.

Make a stack of of the BEST chocolate pancakes, and serve with your favorite toppings before diving in. 

How to store leftover pancakes:

Place on a plate or an airtight food storage container. Keep in the fridge for 2-3 days. Reheat in the toaster oven, toaster or oven until warmed through (but not crispy.)

You can also freeze pancakes! Line a baking sheet with wax paper, and pop them in the freezer for 4-6 hours. When the pancakes are fully frozen, transfer them to a freezer baggie or a freezer-safe airtight container. 

Reheat in the toaster oven, toaster or the oven until warm.

Erin’s Easy Entertaining Tips

I previously thought pancakes would be fussy to prepare for brunch at home, but they really aren’t! This just requires a little patience, planning and working ahead to get ‘em made before guests arrive.

This Chocolate Pancakes recipe is so fun for a brunch, too, because who doesn’t love chocolate?

Here are a few tips and tricks to transforming these pancakes into a brunch centerpiece:

• Depending on the amount of people you’re serving, you can double this recipe. 
• Make the flapjacks before guests arrive, and keep them warm in the oven. We put ours on baking sheets* (affiliate link) and keep them warm in a 200°F oven.
• Transform your table into a pancake bar! Offer various toppings, like real maple syrup, sweetened whipped cream, fresh berries, etc​. You can even make them into a Pancake Board if you’re feeling creative!

Quick Tips and Tricks for the Best Pancakes

• Don’t overmix your batter! Just mix the batter until it has just come together. Lumps are OK. If you mix until it’s smooth, the pancakes won’t be as fluffy.
• When do you know how to flip? When big ‘ol bubbles start to form in the batter. Lift up the edge a little bit with a spatula to confirm the color on the other side before committing… because when you flip them, you won’t flip them again. (Yep. We only need to flip our pancakes once.)
• Once you’ve flipped your pancakes, don’t press down on them! This will deflate them. Obviously, we want them to puff up and be as light and airy as possible.
• Leftover pancakes? Freeze ’em! Line a baking sheet with wax paper, and pop them in the freezer for 4-6 hours. When the pancakes are fully frozen, transfer them to a freezer baggie. Reheat in the toaster oven, toaster or the oven until warm.

Here’s how you can make your own:

Do you have any recipes that remind you of a grandparent?