This nutritious pancake batter can be poured into a cake pan and baked as a pancake “pizza” that’s as fun to make and decorate as it is eat. Naturally grain- and dairy-free, the batter can also be adjusted to be peanut- or tree nut-free.
If you give a girl a pancake…she might actually want to make a pizza!
That’s a playful nod to If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, the popular children’s book built on one small request leading to another…and another…and another. In much the same way, what started as a morning of cooking with an energetic group of girls from Girls on the Run (a fabulous nonprofit program that blends running with life-skills lessons to build confidence and teamwork) turned into a day of figuring out the countless fun things we could make with pancake batter.
The appeal of a pancake pizza is twofold: It’s a genuinely fun project to make solo or with a friend, and there’s a delicious payoff waiting at the end. Before eating, you get to decorate your pancake pizza with all sorts of toppings, which makes the whole thing part cooking adventure, part art project.
While you could apply this idea to another favorite pancake batter, we worked with my Baked Pumpkin Pancake recipe, which relies on a nut butter, like almond or peanut butter, and pumpkin (or applesauce, or overripe mashed banana, for variety) for a breakfast or snack that’s as wholesome and satisfying as it is delicious.
I’d love to know if you try this recipe! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @fountainavenuekitchen on Instagram and Facebook. Your feedback is always appreciated. 💛
Baked Pancake “Pizza”
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup (120g) 100% pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling; may use applesauce or mashed, overripe banana instead)
- ½ cup (128g) almond or peanut butter (preferably a smooth variety; see notes)
- 1 tablespoon (20g) pure maple syrup (may sub honey)
- ¾ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (may sub cinnamon, with or without a pinch or two of nutmeg and ginger)
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- Options for topping and decorating: peanut or almond butter, Nutella, 2-Ingredient Maple Cream Cheese Frosting, chocolate chips (mini or regular), strawberries, blueberries, banana, dried fruit, nuts, whipped cream, mini marshmallows, sprinkles, maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉ and spray a 9-inch round cake pan with cooking spray. For easiest removal, I also line the bottom of the pan with a round of parchment paper. If your nut butter is cold, allow it to soften at room temperature, or warm just enough to soften—but not melt—in the microwave.
- Mix the batter: In a medium-size bowl, lightly beat the eggs. (I use my quart-size Pyrex measuring cup, which makes it easy to transfer the batter later.) Stir in the pumpkin and the remaining ingredients and mix until the batter is smooth. (Sometimes, I add a pinch or two of salt and ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract for an extra pop of flavor, but that's optional.)
- Make the pancake pizza: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 11-13 minutes (it takes 12 minutes in my oven) or until the pancake is just cooked through the center.
- Let cool and decorate: While you could decorate and enjoy a slice right away, the hot pancake will melt toppings like peanut butter and Nutella. When ready, spread these and other suggested toppings as you would the pizza sauce, and then top with chocolate chips, fruit, etc., as though they were the cheese, pepperoni, mushrooms, etc. Then slice—with a pizza cutter if you like—and enjoy!
- Storage: Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days. The undecorated pancake freezes well too.
Notes
- The nut butter: I’ve made these pancakes with almond, cashew, and peanut butter. They all work well, the flavor is just slightly different. For a lighter, fluffier pancake, a smooth, no-stir variety is preferred. (Justin’s is a great option when using almond butter, or Jif when using peanut butter.) Natural nut butters work, and I’ve used them quite a few times, however, the texture will be heartier.
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