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.

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 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 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 kind of Pancakes are Cinnamon Spice Pancakes?

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

Why are pancakes made in a pan?

Many traditional recipes 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, 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 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.

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

Use any kind of ripe dessert plums. I use imported plums for this recipe because home grown plums are out of season.  However, my favourite plums are Victoria Plums.

How do 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?

All of the following fruits pair well with sweet cinnamon either served fresh or cooked in a compote.

• Apple
• Apricot
• Banana
• Orange
• Pear

Cinnamon and chocolate is also a great combination. Pour a chocolate sauce over the pancakes with banana or pear for an indulgent treat.

Can I freeze Cinnamon Spice Pancakes?

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

Pancakes are really quick to defrost. I 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.

How to make Cinnamon Spice Pancakes with Plum Compote

Follow the simple step-by-step instructions for delicious pancakes.

You will need:

• Plain (all purpose) flour
• Brown sugar
• Granulated white sugar
• Cinnamon
• Ground Cloves (optional)
• Baking Powder
• Bicarbonate of Soda (Baking Soda)
• Salt
• Milk
• Greek Yogurt
• Egg
• Golden Syrup
• Butter
• Plums

Mix the ingredients together

In a large mixing bowl or jug add all the pancake ingredients except and whisk until just combined.  The batter will be thick.

Heat the Girdle or Pan

Heat the pan to a medium heat, on my electric stove this is setting no. 3. Getting the heat right is trial and error and you may have to turn the heat up and down to get it just right.

Grease the pan

Lightly grease the pan with a butter paper or a little bit of butter on a piece of baking parchment. You may need to use a cloth or kitchen paper behind the parchment as the pan will be hot.

Top Tip

Use very little butter. Think about it as greasing a baking tin rather than frying in a pan.

Do a test

Try a teaspoon of the mixture in the pan to see if the bubbles form on top. It takes about 20-30 seconds for the bubbles to start if the pan is at the right temperature.

Make the pancakes

• 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.

Cool the pancakes

Place the pancakes inside a clean tea towel on a cooling tray to keep them soft, then add more batter to your pan to make more pancakes.

The pancakes will keep warm inside the tea towel while you make the batch. Then either serve straight away with greek yogurt and plum compote or cool completely to freeze for later.

To make the plum compote

Put the plums, sugar, and water into a pan. Heat gently then simmer for 20 minutes or until the plums are soft and the compote has thickened. Pour into a bowl and leave to cool to room temperature.

To assemble the pancake stack

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 stock with more yogurt and a large spoonful of compote.

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 415 kcal

Ingredients

For the pancakes

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

For the Plum Compote

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

To Serve

• 250 millilitres (1 cups) Greek Yogurt

Instructions

 

For the pancakes

• In a large mixing bowl or jug add all the ingredients except the butter, and whisk until just combined. The batter will be thick.
• 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 do 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 2 1/2 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

• Put the plums, sugar, and water into a pan.
• Heat gently until the sugar is dissolved then poach for about Poach 20 minutes until the plums are soft, and the compote has thickened.
• Pour 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 stock with more yogurt and a large spoonful of compote.

Video

Notes

Makes approximately 16 pancakes. 

Nutrition

Calories: 415kcalCarbohydrates: 73gProtein: 15gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 61mgSodium: 381mgPotassium: 430mgFiber: 3gSugar: 42gVitamin A: 482IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 200mgIron: 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