Chocolate Pancakes with Chocolate Chips & Ganache
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Start your weekend on a wonderfully sweet note with these decadent Chocolate Chocolate Chip Pancakes topped with fudgy chocolate ganache! This dessert-meets-breakfast recipe is simply made with just 11 basic ingredients, most of which I bet you already have on hand.
While I try to make healthy breakfast choices throughout the week, I firmly believe weekends are for hosting brunch, letting loose, and indulging your cravings. These double chocolate pancakes are just the thing for my fellow chocoholics. They’re light and fluffy, brimming with cocoa, riddled with melty pockets of chocolate, and topped with ganache. (On second thought, they might be TRIPLE chocolate pancakes!)
And if you’re in the mood for a cozy baking project, you’ll also love my soft cinnamon rolls recipe.
Why You’ll Love These Chocolate Chocolate Pancakes
- If you’re the sort of person to read all the reviews before buying, you can take comfort knowing my accompanying YouTube video recipe has received over 2.7 million views and more than 46K likes. If that’s not a ringing endorsement, I don’t know what is!
- Between the cocoa powder in the batter, chocolate chips in the flapjacks, and chocolate ganache topping, these double (triple?) chocolate pancakes are guaranteed to satisfy any sweet tooth.
- Not much of a morning person? You’re in luck. My easy chocolate pancakes are great for meal prep, so you can make plenty of grub for the team without losing a moment of precious beauty sleep.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- All-Purpose Flour – Also known as plain flour across the pond. If you only have self-raising flour, swap it in and omit the baking powder and salt.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder – This is what gives our pancake batter a rich, chocolatey taste. Natural cocoa powder will give the pancakes a classic chocolate flavor and slightly lighter color, while Dutch-processed cocoa will create a darker, deeper chocolate taste that pairs especially well with the ganache.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda – You need both kinds of leavener for these chocolate pancakes to rise to their full fluffy potential.
- Granulated Sugar – Feel free to swap in an equal amount of pure cane sugar or caster/superfine sugar.
- Milk – Any percentage of dairy milk or your favorite plant-based milk will work.
- Butter – I like to pan-fry my pancakes in butter for added richness. If needed, swap in vegan butter or use your preferred neutral oil.
- Egg – This helps bind our batter. I haven’t tried it, but I *think* this recipe should work equally well with a vegan egg substitute like JUST Eggs.
- Chocolate Chips – Optional, but who doesn’t want more chocolate?
- Heavy Cream & Dark Chocolate – Instead of the classic maple syrup, we swap in hot, fudgy chocolate ganache. My wife and I prefer using 50-60% dark/semi-sweet chocolate, but you’re welcome to use milk chocolate for a more kid-friendly twist.
This is just a short review of the ingredients; for the complete recipe, including quantities, scroll down to the recipe card 👇
How to Make Chocolate Chocolate Chip Pancakes
Watch the full video recipe to learn how to make the BEST Chocolate Pancakes.
Prefer the written recipe? Scroll down to the recipe box 👇
Optional Variations & Dietary Adaptations
- Whole Wheat Chocolate Pancakes – Replace up to half of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour. The pancakes will be slightly heartier with a subtle nutty flavor that pairs beautifully with chocolate.
- Gluten-Free Chocolate Pancakes – Use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend. Make sure it contains xanthan gum for structure, and let the batter rest for 5 minutes before cooking to improve texture.
- Dairy-Free Pancakes – Use plant-based milk (almond, oat, or soy all work well) and vegan butter or neutral oil for cooking. For the ganache, swap the heavy cream for full-fat coconut milk or a dairy-free cream alternative.
- Egg-Free / Vegan Pancakes – Substitute the egg with a vegan egg replacer or a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 2½ tablespoons water). Pair with dairy-free milk, vegan butter, and dairy-free chocolate to keep the recipe fully vegan.
- Kid-Friendly Chocolate Pancakes – Use milk chocolate chips and milk chocolate in the ganache for a sweeter, softer chocolate flavor.
- Lightened Up – Skip the ganache and serve with classic maple syrup, sliced bananas, fresh berries, or a dusting of powdered sugar for a slightly less decadent breakfast, but still chocolatey.
Expert Tips & Tricks
- Don’t overmix the batter. Stir just until the dry ingredients are incorporated. A few small lumps are perfectly fine, overmixing can make pancakes dense instead of fluffy.
- Let the batter rest briefly. Allow the batter to rest for 5 minutes before cooking. This gives the flour time to hydrate and helps the leaveners activate for better rise and texture.
- Use medium-low heat. Chocolate pancakes cook a bit differently than plain ones. Medium-low heat prevents the cocoa and chocolate chips from burning before the centers are fully cooked.
- Wait for bubbles before flipping. Flip the pancakes when bubbles form on the surface and the edges look set. This ensures the inside cooks evenly and the pancakes hold their shape.
- Butter the pan lightly between batches. A thin layer of butter adds flavor without making the pancakes greasy. Wipe the pan and re-butter as needed for even browning.
- Keep cooked pancakes warm. Transfer finished pancakes to a baking sheet in a 200°F oven while you cook the remaining batter. This keeps them warm without drying them out.
- Make the ganache last. Prepare the chocolate ganache just before serving so it stays warm, glossy, and pourable for the best drizzle.
Storage & Reheating
- Fridge: Store leftover pancakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Let them cool completely before storing to prevent excess moisture from making them soggy. Place parchment paper between pancakes to keep them from sticking.
- Freezer: For longer storage, freeze pancakes in a single layer on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2 months.
- To reheat, warm pancakes in the microwave for 20–30 seconds, in a toaster or toaster oven until heated through, or in a skillet over low heat with a small pat of butter. Reheat the chocolate ganache gently on the stovetop or in short microwave bursts, stirring between intervals.
More Pancake Recipes
Chocolate Pancakes with Chocolate Chips & Ganache
Ingredients
For the pancakes:
- 1¼ cups (160 g) All-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup (40 g) Cocoa powder unsweetened
- 1½ teaspoons Baking powder
- ½ teaspoon Baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ cup (50 g) Sugar
- 1 cup (240 ml) Milk
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) Butter melted
- 1 Egg large
- ⅓ cup (60 g) Chocolate chips optional
For the chocolate ganache:
- ½ cup (120 g) Heavy cream
- 90 g (90 g) Dark chocolate 50-60%, or milk chocolate
Instructions
- Mix the wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk the egg and sugar until well combined and slightly pale. Add the milk and melted butter and whisk until smooth.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Make the pancake batter: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk just until smooth. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Adjust if needed: If the batter is too thick, add 1–2 tablespoons milk. If too thin, add 1–2 tablespoons flour.
- Cook the pancakes: Heat a non-stick skillet or griddle over medium heat and lightly grease with butter. Pour about ¼ cup batter per pancake.
- Cook for 2–3 minutes, until bubbles form on the surface. Flip and cook for another 1 minute, until set. Repeat with remaining batter.
- Make the ganache: In a small saucepan heat the cream until just simmering. Remove from heat, add the chopped chocolate, let sit for 1 minute, then stir until smooth.
- Serve: Serve pancakes warm, drizzled generously with chocolate ganache.
Video
Notes
- Don’t overmix: Overmixing makes pancakes dense. Stop whisking as soon as the batter is smooth.
- Cocoa choice: Use unsweetened cocoa powder for this recipe. Natural cocoa powder will give the pancakes a classic chocolate flavor and slightly lighter color, while Dutch-processed cocoa will create a darker, deeper chocolate taste. Both work well here, but keep in mind that Dutch-processed cocoa will make the pancakes richer and less sharp, which pairs especially nicely with the chocolate ganache.
- Chocolate Choice: You can use either milk or dark chocolate for the ganache, depending on how sweet you want the pancakes to be. Dark chocolate (50–60% cocoa) creates a richer, more intense chocolate flavor that balances the sweetness of the pancakes, while milk chocolate results in a sweeter, creamier ganache that’s especially kid-friendly.
Nutrition
FAQs
Yes, you can absolutely add cocoa powder to pancake batter. Just be sure to balance it with a little extra sugar and liquid so the pancakes stay fluffy and not too bitter or dry (or just follow along with the recipe below!).
You can use brownie mix as pancake mix, with a few tweaks. Brownie mix is sweeter and richer than pancake mix, so you’ll want to thin it with extra milk and add an egg to get a pourable batter. The result will be more like cakey, dessert pancakes than classic fluffy breakfast pancakes, but they’re definitely fun and chocolatey.
Chocolate batter can dry out if there’s too much cocoa or the batter is overmixed. Measure cocoa accurately, mix gently, and cook on medium-low so the centers cook without drying.
You can mix the dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately the night before. Combine them right before cooking for the fluffiest texture (the leaveners start working once mixed).
Natural cocoa gives a classic, lighter chocolate flavor. Dutch-process gives a darker color and deeper chocolate taste, especially good if you’re serving these with ganache.
Made these for my kids this morning and they disappeared in minutes. The pancakes came out really soft and chocolatey, and the ganache took them to another level. Honestly better than any café pancakes we’ve had!