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To make chocolate pancakes, whisk flour, sifted unsweetened cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt, then stir in buttermilk, eggs, melted butter and vanilla just until no dry flour shows. Rest the batter 5 minutes, cook scant ⅓-cup pancakes on a buttered pan over medium-low heat, and flip when the bubbles on top pop and stay open, about 2 to 3 minutes. Finish 1 to 2 minutes on the second side.
They come out soft, fluffy and deeply chocolatey with no melted chocolate, and a bag labeled unsweetened cacao powder works just as well as cocoa. About 40 minutes, start to plate: an easy Saturday family breakfast.
What makes chocolate pancakes fluffy instead of flat?
An acidic liquid, a light hand and a short rest. Buttermilk reacts with the baking soda, so the batter puffs as soon as it hits the pan. Stir only until the flour disappears; lumps are fine, and overmixing makes pancakes chewy and flat. A 5-minute rest lets the batter thicken slightly so the first pancake rises as well as the last. No buttermilk? Stir 2 tablespoons of lemon juice into 2 cups of milk and wait 5 minutes.
What are the ingredients in chocolate pancakes?
Makes: about 12 four-inch pancakes · Prep: 15 minutes · Cook: 25 minutes
- 1½ cups (180 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (43 g) unsweetened cocoa or cacao powder, sifted
- ⅓ cup (65 g) granulated sugar
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- 2 cups (480 ml) buttermilk, or milk soured with 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons (42 g) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the pan
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup (85 g) mini chocolate chips (optional)
Any natural cocoa (cacao) powder works. Sift it with the flour, or press it through a fine strainer, to keep dry specks of cocoa out of the pancakes.
How do you make chocolate pancakes?
- Warm the oven to 200°F (95°C) and set a wire rack on a baking sheet inside.
- Whisk the dry ingredients in a large bowl: flour, sifted cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Whisk the wet ingredients in a second bowl: buttermilk, eggs, melted butter and vanilla.
- Combine. Pour the wet into the dry and fold with a spatula just until no dry flour shows. Leave the small lumps.
- Rest the batter 5 minutes while a nonstick skillet or griddle heats over medium-low (about 350°F on an electric griddle).
- Cook. Brush the pan with a thin film of butter. Pour a scant ⅓ cup of batter per pancake, leaving space between them. Scatter a few chocolate chips on top now if using.
- Flip when bubbles cover the surface, pop and stay open, and the edges look matte, about 2 to 3 minutes. Cook the second side 1 to 2 minutes, until the center springs back.
- Keep warm on the rack in the oven in a single layer while you cook the rest.
When should you flip chocolate pancakes?
Flip by the bubbles, not the color, because cocoa makes the batter dark from the start. Watch the top: bubbles rise, pop and leave open holes that no longer fill in, and the shiny ring at the edge turns dull. Then slide a thin spatula underneath and turn the pancake once. Flipping too early leaves a gummy middle, and pressing it down afterward squeezes out the air.
Cocoa and sugar scorch faster than plain batter, so medium-low heat is the sweet spot. If the first pancake is dark outside and underdone inside, lower the heat a notch; if it takes more than 4 minutes to bubble, raise it slightly. The first one is your test.
Natural or Dutch-process cocoa for pancakes?
This recipe is built for natural cocoa. Natural (non-alkalized) cocoa is acidic, and with the buttermilk it reacts with the baking soda for a taller pancake with a fruity chocolate taste. Dutch-process cocoa is washed with an alkali that neutralizes that acid, so with ½ cup of it the pancakes rise less and can taste faintly soapy. The quick rule:
- 3 tablespoons of cocoa or less: swap natural and Dutch 1:1.
- More cocoa with baking soda: natural works best; Dutch needs extra acid or more baking powder.
- Baking powder only: either cocoa works.
To use Dutch-process cocoa here, keep the buttermilk and change the leaveners to ¼ teaspoon baking soda and 2½ teaspoons baking powder. The pancakes will be darker and milder. Our guides to Dutch-process cocoa powder and natural cocoa powder go deeper.
How do you make chocolate chip pancakes?
Pour each pancake, then drop 6 to 8 mini chocolate chips on top before the bubbles form. Chips stirred into the bowl sink, touch the hot pan and burn. Minis melt evenly in the short cooking time; chop regular chips roughly. Semisweet chips give a double-chocolate stack; milk chocolate chips make it milder for kids.
What are the best toppings for chocolate pancakes?
- Sliced banana and a drizzle of maple syrup: the classic family pairing.
- Strawberries or raspberries: tart fruit lifts the cocoa flavor.
- A spoonful of chocolate whipped cream: light and not too sweet.
- Warm hot fudge sauce: for a brunch-meets-dessert plate.
- Peanut butter and a pinch of flaky salt: salt sharpens chocolate.
Pancakes or waffles? Our chocolate waffles use a richer batter with more butter for crisp edges; pancakes are softer and quicker, with no special iron. For a cozy weekend table, pour a mug of hot chocolate made with cocoa powder on the side.
Why are my chocolate pancakes burnt, gummy or flat?
| Problem | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Burnt outside, wet inside | Pan too hot | Medium-low heat, about 350°F |
| Gummy center | Flipped too early | Wait until bubbles stay open |
| Flat and dense | Overmixed or old leaveners | Stir until just combined; use fresh soda |
| Dry cocoa specks | Cocoa not sifted | Sift with the flour |
| Bitter, soapy taste | Dutch cocoa with full soda | Use natural cocoa or adjust leaveners |
| Burnt spots | Chips touching the pan | Add chips on top after pouring |
| Sticking | Dry pan | Brush with butter between batches |
Can you freeze chocolate pancakes?
Yes. Cool the pancakes on a rack, freeze them in a single layer on a sheet pan for an hour, then stack them with parchment squares in a freezer bag. They keep their best texture for up to 3 months, and leftovers keep 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator, in line with USDA guidance for cooked leftovers. Reheat from frozen in the toaster, in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds per pancake, or wrapped in foil in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes. That turns a busy school morning into a toaster breakfast.
The cocoa is the only chocolate in the batter, so its flavor comes through clearly. Grevista is a natural, non-alkalized, unsweetened cocoa (what many shoppers call cacao powder) from single-origin Vietnamese Trinitario cacao grown in Đắk Lắk, with a bright, fruity chocolate taste, and it works with the baking soda in this recipe as written. See sizes on the Grevista cocoa powder page.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make these chocolate pancakes with cacao powder?
Yes, swap it 1:1. Most products sold as cacao are natural and non-alkalized, so they react with the baking soda and buttermilk exactly as this recipe expects. Cacao made from unroasted beans tastes a little more bitter and tart; add an extra tablespoon of sugar if you like. Read more in our guide to cacao powder.
Can I make the batter the night before?
Mix the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet ingredients in a covered jar in the refrigerator, then combine them in the morning. Once mixed, the baking soda starts working, so use the batter within 30 minutes.
Can I make chocolate pancakes dairy-free?
Yes. Use 2 cups of unsweetened oat or soy milk with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice in place of the buttermilk, and 3 tablespoons of neutral oil instead of butter. Use oil for the pan, too.
Can I make mini pancakes?
Yes. Use 1 tablespoon of batter each for silver-dollar pancakes and cook about 1 minute per side.
Sources
- USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, Leftovers and Food Safety (checked October 29, 2026).
- King Arthur Baking, Ingredient Weight Chart.
- King Arthur Baking, Dutch-process vs. natural cocoa (2020).
- Iowa State University Extension, AnswerLine: Natural vs Dutch-processed cocoa.
Written by the Grevista Editorial Team. Last updated November 7, 2026. How we check facts: Editorial Policy.