Through a fun bit of trial and error I figured out a neat and easy way I could cook my Saturday or Sunday morning brunch- which always includes pancakes. So this time, I attempted to cook my pancakes in a slow cooker. For a wedding present my husband and I received a mini slow cooker that has worked wonders for small meals and those days when I don’t really feel like slaving over the stove, but wanted a nice meal. Breakfast is no different. While you’re cooking up the meats, eggs, and other breakfast items, you can free your hands by utilizing your slow cooker to whip up a batch of delicious pancakes. And by “pancakes” I mean pan “cake.” Yep, one giant pancake from which the whole table can share (depending on the size of your slow cooker, of course).
This is a relatively easy way of cooking, as is all meals using a slow cooker. You pour in your mixture and wait. But for blogging’s sake, I’ll give you an easy recipe to follow. If you’re using boxed pancake batter, I’m pretty sure a delicious recipe will be placed on the back of the box. For this mixture I used Bisquick, and while it’s not my favorite, it still was very delicious. How much batter you use will be dependent on the size of your slow cooker.
With my mini slow cooker, I could probably have fed about 3 people with this batch. Plug it in and let it heat on low. This may vary a bit, as no two slow cookers work exactly the same. I used, 2 cups of the pancake mix, 1 cup of milk, 2 eggs, 3 tablespoons of sugar, 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, and a tiny dash of vanilla. Add in blueberries, chocolate chips, cinnamon or any other ingredient you’d like to spice it up a bit.
Stir the mixture very well and pour it into your slow cooker. Note that the cooking time may vary depending on your slow cooker. I let mine cook on medium for about 45 minutes to an hour. Yeah, it’s about an hour or so- they don’t call it a slow cooker for no reason. But hey, it looks pretty and presents well at a party or brunch with friends. I constantly checked the batter making sure it was cooking evenly. When you feel that it’s ready, stick a knife or toothpick in the center. If it comes out clean, it’s done.
It took a little bit of trial and error, but I wanted it to be browned on all sides, and not burnt. I did enjoy the slight crunch of the edges when biting into a slice. Try cooking it on low if you’re nervous about the top and sides burning. Some of the higher end slow cookers will probably give you a better result.
Slice your pancake into sections for finger food, add powdered sugar or pair it with strawberries. Have you tried this method before? Let us know in the comments below and share it with your friends!
