How to Make Blueberry Pancakes

Sweet summer blueberries are the perfect add-in for pancakes. Are you looking for the perfect blueberry pancake recipe? Read on to learn how to make blueberry pancakes.

The semi-tart taste of blueberries blends well with the rich sweet taste of maple syrup. If your blueberry pancakes are turning out purple, flat, and undercooked, read on. This page will help you make perfect blueberry pancakes.

To make 16 pancakes:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 4 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 egg, beaten lightly
• 1 ½ cups milk
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tbsp butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• Additional butter for the griddle
• Real maple syrup

1. Rinse and pick over the blueberries. Drain them well, and set aside.
2. Combine the dry ingredients in one bowl, and the wet in another.
3. Preheat the griddle.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, whisking until just combined. Do not overbeat, as that will activate the gluten in the flour and toughen the batter.
5. Gently fold in the blueberries to the batter.
6. Spray the griddle with nonstick cooking spray, or grease with a tablespoon of melted butter.
7. Pour the first batch of pancakes on the griddle, being careful not to let them touch.
8. Cook pancakes until bubbles form at the edges of the pancake, about 2-3 minutes. The blueberries will also begin to ooze as they cook. This is a sign that the pancakes are ready to flip.
9. Flip the blueberry pancakes and cook another 1-2 minutes until cooked through.
10. Serve immediately with warm maple syrup and additional butter.

There are two types of blueberries generally sold in the United States. One is small, about 1/4 inch in diameter, and referred to as "wild" or "Maine" blueberries. These are generally a bit tarter than the larger blueberry, which is sometimes called a "New Jersey Blueberry." They both produce great results. The larger berries tend to produce thicker pancakes, however.

Well, if it's January, you may have to. Using frozen berries can create two problems.

1. The berries may leak juices as they thaw, creating purple pancakes. This doesn't affect the taste, but it definitely affects the aesthetics.
2. Frozen berries lower the temperature of the batter immediately surrounding them, which can cause uncooked spots within the pancake.

There are a few steps you can take to mitigate these problems.

1. Berries you have frozen yourself are less likely to have excess juice from damaged berries clinging to them.
2. If you're using the smaller wild blueberries, rinse them under warm water, pat dry, and use the same way you would use fresh.
3. If using the larger berries, rinse them, pat dry, and thaw in the microwave for 2 minutes at 30 percent power, then add to the pancake batter.
4. While cooking the pancakes, reduce the griddle temperature, and cook them an extra minute or so on each side to make sure they are cooked through.

In this case, don't mix the berries in the batter. Scatter 1-2 tablespoons of blueberries on each pancake immediately after you've ladled them onto the griddle. Do one pancake at a time, (ladle-add berries--then ladle the next,etc), so the pancakes don't begin to cook before you add the berries.