Bacon Scented Honey-Whole Wheat Pancakes

(Bacon Scented Honey Whole Wheat Pancakes topped with Sliced Peaches and Honey drizzle)

These pancakes are like golden clouds. That hint of salty-smoky bacon which makes them irresistible right out of the pan also makes them the ultimate freezer pancake. Make this big recipe, freeze them, and reheat them in the toaster for a quick warm breakfast on chilly school days. When we're running late on school mornings, we eat them plain from the toaster on the walk to the bus stop.

I was joking with my sisters that my first cookbook would be copy-cat IHOP pancake recipes. That it would be all of our childhood favorites, like the smiley faced chocolate chip kid's pancake and the silver dollar pancakes. But the truth is, I would love to write a pancake recipe book, but I wouldn't write copy-cat IHOP pancakes. I would write a collection of pancake recipes that bridge childhood cravings for simple sweetness with adult cravings nuanced flavors.

These Honey Whole Wheat pancakes (with or without bacon) are the perfect example of recipe that bridge childhood sweets with adulthood complexity. They have a cheerful honey lightness that brightens whole wheat flour perfectly, a little tang from the buttermilk and a slightly salty, slightly crisp edge from the smidge of bacon grease that they're fried in.

About Freezing Pancakes. I love making these panackes for future mornings. Just allow them to cool on a plate and then line a sheet pan with parchmant paper and freeze the pancakes. Then transfer frozen pancakes to a ziplock bag for long term storage. Reheat pancakes in a toaster (according to your toaster's settings) until cooked through.

ABOUT BACON FAT: Whenever I make bacon, I always pour off the fat and store it in the fridge. It keeps for a very long time. But you don't need bacon fat to make these pancakes. While the tiny bit of frying fat elevates them with that salty unique kick of flavor, we often make them without it. Or if you're serving bacon next to them, I might omit the bacon fat since it would be A LOT of bacon flavor for one meal. But maybe you're into that, in which case, go for it!

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Bacon Scented Honey-Whole Wheat Pancakes

Takes 10 minutes to make the batter, 10-15 minutes to cook all the pancakes. Makes enough to serve 6-8 people.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons melted butter (plus more for the pan)

• 2 cups good quality buttermilk

• 2 large eggs

• 1 teaspoon vanilla (optional)

• 3 tablespoons honey (plus more to serve)

• 2 cups whole wheat flour (230 grams)

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (60 grams)

• 1 teaspoon Diamond Kosher salt

• 1 and 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 baking soda

• 1 tablespoon bacon grease (optional)

STEP ONE

In a large mixing bowl combine dry ingredients: whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.

STEP TWO

Melt your butter in a small bowl in the microwave. Then stir honey in with the butter. The warm butter will help the honey to thin and make sure that you don't get honey clumps in your batter. Set aside.

STEP THREE

In a small mixing bowl whisk together eggs and buttermilk. Add eggs and buttermilk mixture and honey and butter mixture into the dry ingredients and fold to combine.

STEP FOUR

Warm a skillet over medium heat and then grease pan with either a roughly teaspoon of butter or roughly a half a teaspoon of butter and half a teaspoon of bacon grease (depending on the size of your skillet. I use a 12 inch skillet but any size will do). Reduce heat to medium low and add about 1/4 cup of pancake batter to your pan for each pancake. Make sure that each pancake has enough room to spread without touching.

Cook pancakes about 3 minutes for the first side and 1-2 minutes for the second side. You know it's time to flip your pancakes when you see little bubbles around the edges and the bottoms look lightly browned.

Enjoy right away or keep warm in an oven set to warm. Serve with butter and honey or maple syrup.