I feel like it’s fitting to give the gift of perfect pancakes to you, friends, on this chilly Canadian winter morning. I just got home from the gym and barely had time to kick my sneakers off before the BF made his breakfast request…pancakes, on the double, svp. Our Saturday mornings are usually pretty busy, cramming in our respective workouts and other new-homeowner-tinkerings, but 3 things are pretty much a given. Pancakes, Two if by Sea Cafe java pit-stop, Farmer’s Market. Perfect Saturday, whooop there it is.

Week after week, I fumble around and put together a batch of good, but not great pancakes. It leads me to think — what’s a girl gotta do to find a classic, and healthy pancake recipe around here? My ideal pancake is hearty yet fluffy, with low-maintenance ingredients and is there for me in a jiffy when I need it. I have tried all the online sites, been set up by friends, and have called up old recipes that I hadn’t seen in years. I dabbled around with that smooth-operator buttermilk, have tried spicing things up with cinnamon and nutmeg, but I’ve never felt that connection, that chemistry; never felt like any of them were ‘The One’.

Today is the day I have found my one true soulcake, er, panmate…you get it. These are so great! I added blueberries and drizzled some Nova Scotian blueberry syrup from Acadian Maple Products, but they are phenom even without add-ins!

‘The One’ Pancakes

Adapted from My Little Celebration

Makes 6-8 large pancakes

• 2 cups whole wheat flour (white will do, or any combination of the two)
• 3 Tbsp sugar
• 4 Tbsp baking powder (not a typo!)
• good pinch of salt
• 2 cups plant or dairy milk (I used almond)
• 2 Tbsp canola oil
• 2 Tbsp unsweetened applesauce
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup blueberries (or other add-ins, optional)

Heat your griddle or frying pan with a bit of oil/butter if necessary so they don’t stick. Mix dry ingredients in one bowl and wet in another. Add mixed wet ingredients to mixed dry, and stir until all big lumps are gone. Small lumps are okay. Stir in your add-ins, if you’re using them.  Drop batter  (1/2 cup makes a nice big pancake) on hot pan or griddle, flip over when the top starts to bubble. Cook for an additional 2-ish minutes on other side, or until they’re crispy on the edges, golden and cooked through.