Cinnamon Spice Pancakes with Plum Compote

Cinnamon Spice Pancakes are thick American-style pancakes with added spice.  They have a lovely sweet cinnamon flavour, and are delicious with Greek yogurt and plum compote. Perfect for breakfast or even for dessert.

Why make Cinnamon Spice Pancakes?

If you love cinnamon you are going to love these pancakes! I often try new toppings for my pancakes, but this recipe makes a change to the actual pancake mixture and adds a warm spicy flavour to an old favourite.

I serve pancakes all year round because my family all love them, but there is one day of the year when nearly everyone is makes pancakes. And that’s Pancake Day.

What kind of pancakes are usually served for Pancake Day?

Thin crepe-like pancakes are the most traditional in the UK. They are served straight from the pan with sugar and lemon juice. In Italy Crespelle are thin, sweet pancakes that can be filled with fruit and, perhaps ricotta cheese.

What is Pancake Day or Shrove Tuesday?

Pancake Day, or Shrove Tuesday, is a Christian feast day before the start of Lent. Lent is the 40 days leading up to Easter and is traditionally a time of fasting.  The name ‘Shrove Tuesday’ comes from the practice by Christians of attending confession where they were “shriven” (absolved from their sins).

Shrove Tuesday is seen as the last opportunity to use up eggs and fats before the Lenten fast and pancakes are the perfect way of using up these ingredients.

Is Mardi Gras the same as Pancake Day?

Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday is the same festival as Shrove Tuesday with the ‘fat’ referring to the fats to be used before Lent.  Mardi Gras is celebrated with Carnivals and parades in the southern states of the USA, most notably in New Orleans.

What is the origin of pancakes?

Many traditional recipes like pancakes are those which were made by the ordinary working people. At this time only the rich and the baker had an oven therefore the main method of cooking for ordinary people was over a fire.

In Scotland traditional Scottish bread such as bannocks, oatcakes, pancakes (also known as pan scones or drop scones), and tattie (potato) scones were all made on the girdle (this is the correct Scottish spelling). A girdle is a flat black iron pan  that can be heated by the fire to bake the bread.

What kind of pancakes are Cinnamon Spice Pancakes?

Cinnamon Spice Pancakes are thick fluffy pancakes in the style of Scotch Pancakes or American breakfast pancakes. 

What ingredients do I need for Cinnamon Spice Pancakes?

You can make the pancakes using standard baking ingredients that you probably already have in your larder or fridge. Here is what you need:

• Flour
• Sugar
• Cinnamon
• Ground Cloves (optional)
• Baking Powder
• Bicarbonate of Soda (Baking Soda)
• Salt
• Milk
• Greek Yogurt
• Egg
• Golden Syrup
• Butter
• Plums

Scroll to the end of this article to find the full recipe and all quantities of ingredients and step-by-step instructions.

What kind of flour should I use for the Cinnamon Spice Pancakes?

These pancakes are made using plain (all purpose) flour which you probably already have in your larder.

What kind of sugar do I need?

I use two kinds of sugar in the pancakes. Soft dark brown sugar and granulated white sugar. I find that this combination provides a good depth of flavour from the dark sugar without it overwhelming the flavour of the spices. You will also need some white granulated sugar for the plum compote.

Can I use light brown sugar?

Yes, you can substitute the total quantity of sugar with light brown sugar if you prefer.

What is cinnamon?

Cinnamon is that sweet-smelling spice that is common in many kitchens. It comes from the inner bark of trees called Cinnamomum. it brings a cosy, warm, and slightly spicy flavour to your cooking and baking.

Cinnamon comes as rolled sticks (sometimes called quills) or ground up into a powder. You will need ground (powdered) cinnamon for these pancakes.

What are cloves?

Cloves are the dried flower buds of the evergreen tree Syzygium aromaticum. The buds are harvested just before they bloom, then sun-dried until they turn the characteristic deep brown colour.

The word “clove” derives from the Latin word clavus, meaning “nail,” which aptly describes the appearance of the spice: a rounded head with a slender stem.

Do I need whole or ground cloves?

You will need ground cloves for the Cinnamon Spice Pancakes. However, if you don’t like the flavour of cloves or you don’t have any ground cloves you can leave it out of the recipe.

What kind of plums do I need for the Plum compote?

You can use any kind of ripe dessert plums. I used imported plums for this recipe because home grown plums were out of season at the time I made it.  However, my favourite plums are Victoria plums.

I have included instructions in the recipe card for a simple plum compote but I also have a delicious recipe for Plum Compote with Orange which you may wish to check out.

What kind of pan should I use?

Use a traditional girdle if you have one, the heat is evenly spread through the thick cast iron pan and it is easier to turn the pancakes because it doesn’t have an edge.

If you don’t have a girdle, use a large thick-based frying pan. You can make perfectly good pancakes in a frying pan. I often use my large non-stick frying pan for convenience and the pancakes turn out just the same.

Tips for making pancakes

• Use very little butter in the pan. Think about it as greasing a baking tin rather than frying in a pan.
• I use a large serving spoon to get the right amount of batter for my pancakes. You can pour from a jug, use a ladle, a cup, or another measure. The more batter the bigger the pancake.
• Do not overcrowd your pan because you need space to turn them.
• When the bubbles pop in the tip of your pancake, turn it over with a spatula.
• Cook for another minute or two until the underside is brown.

Can I make the Cinnamon Spice Pancakes ahead of time?

Pancakes are always nicest eaten within a few hours of being made. Preferably straight from the pan!

Can I freeze Cinnamon Spice Pancakes?

You can make up the batter for the pancakes the night before and store it in the fridge. It may become thicker overnight as the starch expands simply stir in a little milk to bring it back to the right consistency.

Can I get ahead with the Plum Compote?

Plum compote will actually benefit from being made in advance as the plums will release their flavours into the syrup. You can make the compote up to 3 days before you need to use it and store it in a lidded container in the fridge.

Yes, these pancakes freeze really well for up to 3 months. Put the cooled pancakes on a tray or baking sheet lined with parchment paper and open freeze. Once they are frozen put them into a bag or airtight box and store your freezer.

Pancakes are really quick to defrost. Lay them inside a clean tea towel or between sheets of kitchen paper towels on top of a cooling tray and leave for about 10 minutes. You can also defrost them in the microwave or you can pop them into your toaster for a short time.

Can I freeze the Plum Compote?

This compote freezes beautifully. Think about how you plan to use it before you freeze the compote. If you are making it ahead to serve for a family get together where all the compote will be used at once, then freeze it in a large freezer proof container.

However, if you think you might just be using one or two portions at a time, freeze smaller quantities in smaller containers. You can leave the compote to defrost overnight in the fridge or use the defrost setting on your microwave.

Vegetarian

This recipe is suitable for vegetarians.

Gluten Free

Cinnamon Spice Pancakes contain wheat flour and are not suitable for a gluten free diet.

For more information regarding any dietary information provided on this website, please refer to my Nutritional Disclaimer.

How should I serve Cinnamon Spice Pancakes?

I serve the pancakes spread with a layer of thick Greek Yogurt and a generous serving of plum compote.  I like to stack the pancakes 3 or 4 high and serve for breakfast or dessert.

What else can I serve with Cinnamon Spice Pancakes?

These pancakes pair really well with many different fruits. Try one of these fruit compotes:

• Apple Compote
• Blackcurrant Compote
• Cherry Compote
• Stewed Rhubarb
• Dried Fruit Compote with Clementines

Add fresh fruit

Cinnamon Spice Pancakes are also delicious with fresh fruit such as banana and pear. Cinnamon and chocolate is a classic combination. Pour some chocolate sauce over the fresh fruit and pancakes for an indulgent treat.

Add some crunch!

If you fancy a bit of crunch, scatter chopped nuts such as walnuts or pecans over the top of the pancakes.

More Pancake Recipes from Farmersgirl Kitchen

Scotch Pancakes

Scotch Pancakes are soft, thick and slightly sweet and they are really easy to make on the stovetop with a girdle or pan.

Check out this recipe

Crespelle Sweet Italian Pancakes

 Classic crepe-style sweet pancakes which make a really delicious dessert with a filling of dried fruits and a little sweet syrup.

Check out this recipe

More Pancake Recipes

• Blueberry & Lemon American Pancakes – Curly’s Cooking
• Poffertjes Dutch Pancakes – Lost in Food
• How to make Pancakes – Feast Glorious Feast

More Breakfast or Brunch Recipes

Christmas Gingerbread Granola Recipe (with Gingerbread Men)

Christmas Gingerbread granola has all the flavours of gingerbread in your favourite breakfast cereal. Add some mini gingerbread men for fun and special treat.

Check out this recipe

Air Fryer Hot Cross Bun French Toast

Air Fryer Hot Cross Bun French Toast combines sweet and spicy Hot Cross Buns with a sweet egg mixture that is toasted until golden in your air fryer. Serve with your favourite toppings and for an easy and delicious breakfast or brunch.

Check out this recipe

Cinnamon Spice Pancakes with Plum Compote

Janice Pattie

Cinnamon Spice Pancakes are thick American style pancakes with added spice. They have a lovely sweet cinnamon flavour are delicious with Greek yogurt and plum compote. Perfect for breakfast or even for dessert.

5 from 11 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe BookmarkSaved!

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine American, British, Scottish

Servings 4

Calories 409 kcal

Ingredients

For the pancakes

• 150 grams (¾ cups) plain flour
• 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar packed (light brown may be substituted)
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves optional
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• pinch salt optional and to taste
• 125 millilitres (½ cups) semi-skimmed milk
• 60 millilitres (¼ cups) Greek Yogurt
• 1 large egg
• 3 tablespoons Golden Syrup
• 25 grams (1½ tablespoon) butter to lightly grease the pan

For the Plum Compote

• 4 plums stoned and diced
• 2 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 30 millilitres (2 tablespoon) water

To Serve

• 250 millilitres (1 cups) Greek Yogurt

Instructions

 

For the pancakes

• Put 150 grams (¾ cup) plain (all purpose) flour a large mixing bowl or jug with 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground cloves (if using) and a pinch of salt. Stir to mix.
  
• To this mixture add the wet ingredients, 125 millilitres (½ cup) semi-skimmed milk, 60 millilitres (¼ cup) Greek yogurt, 1 large egg and 3 tablespoons of golden syrup.
  
• Mix thoroughly. The batter should be the consistency of unwhipped double (heavy) cream.
  
• Pre-heat the (flat) girdle or frying pan over a medium heat and wipe with oil or butter. Take a small amount of batter and make a test pancake to make sure that the pan is hot enough.
  
• Use a large serving spoon to pour the batter onto the warm girdle or frying pan.
  
• Cook for about 2½ minutes, until the bubbles form on the surface and start to pop. Flip them over and cook for another 2 minutes.
  
• As the pancakes are cooked place them on a cooling tray lined with a clean tea towel, cover the pancakes with the tea towel to keep them warm. Repeat until you have used all the batter, keeping the pan lightly buttered and clean between pancakes.
  

For the Plum Compote

• Cut 4 plums in half and remove the stones.
  
• Put the plums, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, and 2 tablespoons water into a pan. Heat gently until the sugar is dissolved then poach for 15 minutes until the plums are soft, and the compote has thickened.
  
• Pour the compote into a bowl and leave to cool to room temperature.
  
• Place a pancake on a plate or in a bowl, spoon over the thick Greek yogurt and top with plum compote. Continue with the yogurt and compote and stack the pancakes on top of one another to the desired height! Finish the stack with more yogurt and a large spoonful of compote.
  

Video

Notes

Makes approximately 16 pancakes. 

Nutrition

Calories: 409kcalCarbohydrates: 72gProtein: 14gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 60mgSodium: 372mgPotassium: 413mgFiber: 3gSugar: 41gVitamin A: 481IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 188mgIron: 2mg

Don’t Miss My Latest RecipesCLICK TO SUBSCRIBE NOW to join my newsletter list & receive a FREE ‘How To Adapt Recipes For Your Slow Cooker’ printable!

Share by Email