Pancakes were very much A Thing for me growing up. I remember my mum making them, not just for pancake day but for special treats and as Crepes Suzette at their ever so grown-up dinner parties. My brother and I loved them – we ate them very plainly with only caster sugar, still do – and it was one of the first things I learned how to cook myself.
Pancake-eating as a kid is one of my favourite memories – sprinkling sugar on those bad boys, rolling them up and stuffing them in my mouth with greasy fingers. Any excuse to eat them, including Shrove Tuesday, was an occasion to look forward to. 
Fluffy American Pancakes
Now, as an adult with access to both the internet and sitcoms from across the pond, my pancake tastes have slightly diversified to include these Fluffy American Pancakes with Maple Bacon. My love for them originated as all good obsessions do: somewhere between cheesy US cooking shows (come on, who doesn’t like a bit of Barefoot Contessa or The Pioneer Woman?) and a restaurant.
I believe I first ate fluffy American pancakes at an establishment in Shoreditch, perhaps The Hoxton, and for around the wallet-busting price of 12 quid. Financial worries aside I was immediately hooked on the combo of soft and crunchy, sweet and salty and decided to re-create them at home myself.
Sidenote: zoom over here for a more diet-friendly low-carb Paleo version.
I straight away sought out maple syrup: the expensive stuff (‘maple syrup’ over ‘maple flavoured syrup’) is well worth it as the other kind is a not-so-tasty synthetic imitation. I also always make sure I have streaky bacon in the fridge for this recipe which always crisps up much better than thicker back bacon. Smoked is my preference but whatever floats your boat.
These pancakes have become something of a tradition in our house, we eat them every other weekend and I just can’t. Get. Enough. The maple syrup creates a wonderful sweet/salt symphony when added to the bacon and the pancakes fluff up beautifully to compliment its crisp bite.
Basically – YUM.
I always use tin foil to protect my baking tray when preparing this bacon; burnt on sugar syrup is fun to scrub off for no-one – I learned this the hard way. And make sure your baking powder is as fresh as possible, this really makes a difference when it comes to the fluffy American pancakes: you want them tasting not crepe-y but cake-y, completely decadent and light as air on the inside.
Honestly, you won’t be sorry once you bite into these. You’re very much welcome!!
Fluffy American Pancakes with Maple Bacon
Ingredients
- Streaky bacon - we have 3 rashers per person
- 3 tbsp Real maple syrup
- 135 g plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 large pinch sea salt
- 2 tbsp caster sugar
- 130 ml milk
- 1 large egg lightly beaten
- 2 tbsp melted butter allowed to cool slightly
- Extra Butter for cooking
Instructions
Heat your oven to 200 degrees C, and spread your bacon on a tin foil-lined baking tray. Brush generously with maple syrup. Put in the oven as soon as it has reached temperature for around 12-15 minutes, or until cooked and caramelised.
- Pop the flour, baking powder, salt and caster sugar into a large bowl. In a separate bowl lightly whisk together the milk and egg, then whisk in the melted butter.
- Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture and beat using a whisk until you have a smooth batter. The texture you want from this is a lot thicker than you might be used to with french crepes. Let the batter stand for a few minutes.
- Heat a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and add a knob of butter. When it's melted, add the batter: I use a dessert spoon and measure out approximately two per pancake. It will seem very thick but this is how it should be. Wait until the top of the pancake begins to bubble, then turn it over and cook until both sides are golden brown and the pancake has risen to about 1cm (½in) thick.
- Repeat until all the batter is used up. You can keep the pancakes warm in a low oven, but they taste best fresh out the pan.
Serve with the crispy bacon topped with maple syrup, with a dusting of icing sugar on top if you like.
My son would love this as a treat. great tip about the foil! :-) x
Agree with your summation – basically – YUM! I have this most saturdays at our friends’ Southern US cafe in Bristol. Best way to start a day.
I love pancakes but could never imagine eating them with maple syrup and bacon. That would be weird :)
I am SO making these for my boys at the weekend *stomach rumbles*
i’m not even much of a pancake fan but i want this RIGHT NOW.
Oh. My. God.
These look like heaven on a breakfast plate. Or lunch plate. Or dinner plate…
I’ve never tried pancakes with bacon and maple syrup, I’m just not sure what it must taste like and I don’t know if I can change from my usual lemon and sugar but these do look amazing!! x
Ooh those look so gorgeous! i love pancakes and make them a lot at the weekends but I have never tried them with bacon.
We regularly have pancakes at the weekend, it is my husbands “specialty”.
You make the bacon look and sound delicious but I don’t eat it, so will just stick to the maple syrup for me :-)
I’d completely forgotten it was Pancake Day soon! How?! These look amazing – we use the Jamie Oliver recipe from his tweet, but might give these a go for something different x
Ooooh, I love pancakes, we have them on special weekends xx
Yum, yum… these looks so delicious I have to give this a try
We love these sort of pancakes and I regularly get forced to make them for Sunday morning breakfast x x
Oh my goodness, these look AMAZING! Definitely going to try it.
Ooh…these look so good! I never think to put bacon with pancakes as I’ve always only smothered mine with lemon and sugar, but I might just have to give this recipe a try! x
Made the mistake of reading this before I’d had my dinner – mouth literally watering!!
I am now so desperate for american pancakes right now! I still remember the first time I had the bacon and syrup combo. I didn’t think it would work but it was magic!
About to lick the screen lady, I now want pancakes, green juice and buttermilk chicken and I don’t even eat chicken! Colds and being ill is bad enough so cannot imagine not having help, you are so flipping strong woman. My brother and I grew up eating pancakes a lot too, my Dad still makes them for us all regularly x
definitely one of my favourite ways to have pancakes, just yum!
Oh my goodness, I am craving these so much right now! They look like the perfect hangover cure too.
Emily // Beauty and Lifestyle Blog
xx