These are truly the best zucchini pancakes (and maybe the best overall pancakes) you will ever taste! They are a twist on a traditional pancake with added zucchini for a touch of moisture and a little spice from ground cinnamon. Enjoy your zucchini pancakes with a pat of butter and a generous drizzle of maple syrup for the perfect finishing touch! If you have more zucchini (which I can predict you do with how it grows in abundance), try my Banana Zucchini Muffins, too!
Zucchini Pancakes Ingredients & Substitutions
- Zucchini: Simply put, zucchini adds some moisture and maybe a super subtle earthy flavor. It steps up the nutritional value of the pancakes by adding fiber and vitamins. I really mean it when I say these might be my favorite pancakes ever!
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk reacts with the baking soda to create a light and fluffy texture. It also adds a little tanginess to the flavor. If you don’t have any on hand, make your own buttermilk to use.
- Brown Sugar: Light brown sugar provides a sweetness and slight molasses flavor. I think it complements the zucchini and cinnamon really well.
- Cinnamon: I love the warmth of the cinnamon in the pancakes.
- Leavening Agents: For the fluffiest pancakes, make sure your baking powder and baking soda are fresh (not expired). In addition, to get the fluffiest pancakes, let the batter rest for 5-10 minutes before cooking.
Do I Have to Seed and Peel the Zucchini?
Depending on the size of the zucchini, you may or may not need to seed it. If you are using zucchini over 2 pounds, slice the zucchini in half lengthwise and remove the seeds with a spoon before grating. As for peeling, I did not, and I didn’t even notice any green in the pancakes. However, you certainly can peel the zucchini if preferred!
Can I Make The Pancake Batter Ahead Of Time?
Sure! Once you get the batter mixed, you can store it, covered, in the refrigerator. It will last up to 24 hours. So, whip up a batch before you go to bed, and the batter will be ready to go when you are ready to enjoy breakfast or brunch! (I don’t mind pancakes for dinner, either!)
Delicious Topping Ideas For Zucchini Pancakes
I love these pancakes with a little bit of butter and maple syrup, but there are many more toppings you could try! Here are more of my favorites:
- Fresh berries
- Greek yogurt
- Honey
- Whipped cream
- Peanut butter, almond butter, or your favorite nut butter
- Chocolate chips (I like to melt them over the warm pancakes…yum!)
- Sliced banana
- A dusting of confectioners’ sugar
- Chopped nuts (like walnuts, pecans, almonds, hazelnuts, or cashews)
Storing & Reheating Zucchini Pancakes
Although zucchini pancakes are best enjoyed hot right after cooking, you can save extras to eat later. First, let the pancakes cool completely. Then, store them in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to five days. To freeze them, separate each pancake with parchment paper and store them in a freezer-safe bag or container. Don’t forget to label and date them; they’ll stay good for up to 2 months in the freezer. When you’re ready to enjoy, heat the pancakes in the microwave. Or, warm them in the oven at 350°F for 8-10 minutes, covering them with aluminum foil.
More Breakfast Recipes
Zucchini Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 large zucchini, grated (about 2 cups)
- ¾ cup (184 g) buttermilk, room temperature
- â…“ cup (67 g) light brown sugar, packed
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- maple syrup, for topping
Instructions
- Gently wrap the grated zucchini in a paper towel or a clean towel and squeeze out any excess water. Discard the liquid and set the zucchini aside.
- To a large bowl add the buttermilk, brown sugar, melted butter, vanilla, and the egg. Whisk to combine.
- Gently fold in the grated zucchini and mix until incorporated.
- In a separate medium bowl whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Fold the flour mixture into the zucchini mixture and mix until just combined. Allow the batter to rest for 5-10 minutes while you prepare the skillet.
- Spray a nonstick skillet or griddle with cooking spray and heat over medium heat, about 300°F.
- When hot, pour â…“ cup of batter into the skillet. If necessary, spread the batter out more, to about a 4-inch diameter.
- Working in batches, being careful not to overcrowd the skillet or griddle, cook the pancakes for 3-4 minutes, or until the bubbles begin popping on top of the pancake and they are golden brown on the bottom.
- Gently, but quickly, flip over the pancakes. Cook an additional 3-4 minutes until the other side is also golden brown.
- Wipe out the pan with a paper towel, and repeat with the remaining pancake batter.
- Serve warm, topped with maple syrup (or your favorite toppings).
Did you make this recipe?
Thank you for making my recipe! You took pictures, right? Well go ahead and post them on Instagram! Be sure to mention me @iambaker and use the hashtag #YouAreBaker.
What the Test Kitchen had to say about this recipe:
Autumn
I loved these pancakes! I can't wait to try them at home.
Elizabeth
Oh, my! I didn't know what to expect from these pancakes. They were outstanding! I loved every single bite (and I had a few).
Bella
For what these are, they are really good! I would add some pecans on top.
Annabelle
These pancakes have a lot of moisture, and I thought they gave an almost 'french toast-like' feel. I really liked the amount of cinnamon in them.
Selena
Wow! These are delicious! I can't wait to see if my family can figure out what's in them! It's a great recipe for all of that zucchini you might have!
I really must give these a try! They look fantastic!
OMG they look incredible. I was just looking for an american style pancake so I am lucky to have stumbled upon your recipe. Thanks for sharing!
Those look so light and airy and perfect!!! And if they count as a serving of veggies, all the better. I may make them for every meal! 😉
And absolutely make my mouth watered!!! Can’t wait to try this:)
Wow, you are all about the zucchini lately!!!! These sound awesome!
I know right? And we still have 15 zucchini left! 🙂
Hi Amanda! I love your blog. 🙂 I tried this recipe this morning – so happy to have another way to use up the zucchini! I couldn’t get them to look as beautiful as yours, but they tasted delicious! I might try and tweek the recipe to add whole wheat flour, but I was really happy with it. Thank you!
Now I intrigued. Will try them out over the weekend.
I made zucchini pancakes but my had a totally different texture. I think I like yours more, I’m curious if a taste was different as well.
Mmmmm. I have a pancake-lover in my family. Will have to give these a try!
We’ll be trying these 🙂 I make zucchini waffles–using the zucchini bread recipe but making them in the waffle iron instead of heating up the oven on those hot days & MMMmmm! You get the edge on every piece instead of just the ends of the loaf! I usually double the amount of zucchini my recipe calls for just to get more veggies in & make it stretch….we like these w butter…hubby adds syrup, too