I'm so excited to share this pink pancakes recipe with you! When Sarah turned six last month, she asked if we could make "princess pancakes" for her birthday breakfast. I wasn't sure what she meant until she showed me a picture of bright pink pancakes she'd seen online.
Jump to:
My first thought was food coloring, but honestly? I try to keep things simple and natural when I can. That's when I remembered my mom used to add beets to smoothies for color. So I figured, why not try it in pancakes?
Here's the thing - these turned out way better than I expected. The color is this gorgeous natural pink that made Sarah absolutely glow with excitement. Alex even admitted they were "pretty cool" which is high praise from a 12-year-old boy. Donald loved that they're made with real ingredients, and I loved how easy they are to whip up in the blender.
If you're looking for a fun weekend breakfast that'll make your kids feel special without any artificial stuff, this is it. Plus, they're sneaking in a vegetable at breakfast, which feels like a parenting win to me.
Speaking of fun breakfast ideas, you might also love my fluffy banana pancakes that are another family favorite on lazy Sunday mornings.
Why You'll Love These Pink Pancakes
Let me tell you why this recipe has become one of our weekend staples:
- Super simple to make - Everything goes right into the blender, which means less mess and almost no cleanup
- Naturally colored - No artificial dyes, just beets doing their magic
- Kid approved - Sarah asks for these at least twice a month now
- Quick breakfast - From start to finish, you're looking at about 25 minutes
- Perfect texture - Fluffy on the inside, slightly crisp edges on the outside
- Make ahead friendly - You can prep the batter the night before for an even easier morning
Ingredients For Pink Pancakes
Here's what you'll need to make these beauties:
- 1 beet (boiled and peeled)
- 1 cup milk
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Cooking spray for the pan
- Maple syrup for serving
- Fresh berries for serving
The beet is really the star here. I know it sounds weird if you've never tried it, but trust me on this one. You won't taste it much, and the color it gives is just beautiful.
How To Make Pink Pancakes
Let me walk you through how simple this is:
Preparing The Batter
First, toss your boiled and peeled beet into the blender with the milk. Blend it until it's completely smooth with no chunks. This is important because you don't want any beet pieces in your pancakes.
Add the egg, melted butter, vanilla extract, and maple syrup to the blender. Give it another quick blend to combine everything together.
Now add your flour, baking powder, and salt. Here's where I learned something the hard way - don't over-blend at this stage. Just pulse it a few times until everything is mixed. When I first made these, I blended too long and the pancakes came out a bit tough. We want fluffy pancakes, not chewy ones!
Cooking The Pancakes
Heat up your nonstick griddle or pan over medium-low heat. I usually spray mine with a bit of cooking spray, though you can melt some butter on it if you prefer.
Pour about ⅓ cup of batter onto the hot griddle. Here's what I watch for - after about 2 to 3 minutes, you'll start seeing little bubbles form on top and the edges will look set. That's your cue to flip.
Cook the other side for another 1 to 2 minutes until it's cooked through. The second side always cooks faster than the first, so keep an eye on it.
Repeat this process with the rest of your batter. I can usually get about 6 good-sized pancakes from this recipe.
Serve them right away with fresh berries and a drizzle of maple syrup. Sarah likes to arrange the berries in a smiley face on top, which is adorable.
Storage And Reheating For Pink Pancakes
These pancakes are great for making ahead, which I love on busy mornings.
Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. They'll stay fresh for about 3 to 4 days. We rarely have leftovers though - they disappear pretty fast around here!
For freezing, here's what I do. Place your cooled pancakes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Pop them in the freezer until they're solid, then transfer them to a freezer bag. Get as much air out as you can before sealing. They'll keep for 2 to 3 months this way.
When you're ready to eat them, thaw overnight in the fridge. Then warm them up in the microwave for about 30 seconds, or heat them in a skillet over medium heat for a minute or two on each side. The oven works too - just wrap them in foil and warm at 350°F for about 10 minutes.
Tips For Perfect Pink Pancakes
I've made these probably 20 times now, so here's what I've learned:
Don't skip boiling the beet first. I tried using raw beet once thinking I'd save time, and it just didn't work. The color was muddy and the texture was grainy.
Medium-low heat is your friend here. I know it's tempting to crank up the heat to cook faster, but these pancakes need gentle heat to cook through without burning on the outside.
Let your batter rest for a minute or two before cooking. This helps the baking powder activate and gives you fluffier pancakes.
If you want an even brighter pink color, use a bit more beet. I've gone up to one and a half beets before, and the color was stunning. Just remember - more beet might add a slightly earthy taste.
Want to make these extra special? Try adding some chocolate chips to the batter. Alex loves them this way, and the pink with chocolate chips looks really fun.
You can also make mini pancakes for younger kids. Sarah thinks the small ones are easier to eat, and honestly, they're pretty cute.
Pink Pancakes Frequently Asked Questions
Can You Taste The Beet In Pink Pancakes?
Honestly? Not really. When I first told Alex there were beets in these, he made a face. But after he tried them, he was surprised he couldn't really taste the beet at all.
The maple syrup in the batter and the vanilla help cover any earthy flavor. What you mostly taste is a slightly sweet, fluffy pancake. Sarah has no idea there's a vegetable in here, and I'm not telling her!
If you use more beet for a darker color, you might notice a tiny bit of earthiness. But it's very subtle, and most kids won't pick up on it at all.
Can I Make Pink Pancakes Without A Blender?
You can, but it's going to be more work. I've tried it once when my blender was in the dishwasher.
What I did was finely grate the cooked beet and then mash it really well with a fork. Mix it with the milk and strain it through a fine mesh sieve to get out any chunks. Then whisk in the rest of your wet ingredients by hand, and fold in the dry ingredients.
It works, but it takes longer and the color isn't quite as vibrant. The blender really does make this recipe super easy, so I'd recommend using one if you have it.
How Do I Keep Pink Pancakes Fluffy And Not Dense?
Great question! Here's what makes the biggest difference:
Don't over-mix your batter. When you add the flour, just pulse a few times until you don't see dry flour anymore. A few small lumps are totally fine - they'll work themselves out as the pancakes cook.
Make sure your baking powder is fresh. I learned this the hard way when I made flat pancakes with old baking powder. If it's been sitting in your pantry for over six months, grab a new container.
Let the batter rest for a couple minutes before cooking. This gives the flour time to absorb the liquid and the baking powder time to start working.
Cook on medium-low heat. If your pan is too hot, the outside cooks too fast and the inside doesn't have time to rise properly.
Can Pink Pancake Batter Be Made Ahead Of Time And Stored Overnight?
Yes! This is one of my favorite tricks for easy weekend mornings.
I make the batter the night before and just leave it in the blender container in the fridge. In the morning, I give it a quick stir, and it's ready to go.
The batter will thicken up a bit in the fridge, which is totally normal. You can thin it out with a tiny splash of milk if needed.
One thing I've noticed - the color might darken slightly overnight. It's still pink, just a deeper shade. The pancakes still turn out great though.
Just make sure to use the batter within 24 hours. After that, the baking powder starts to lose its power and your pancakes won't be as fluffy.
Recipes You May Like
If you enjoyed these pink pancakes, here are some other breakfast favorites my family loves:
- Fluffy Banana Pancakes - Another weekend staple that Alex requests constantly
- Perfectly Fluffy French Toast - When we want something a bit different but just as easy
- Overnight French Toast Casserole - Perfect for holidays when you want breakfast ready with no morning stress
Final Thoughts On Pink Pancakes
These pink pancakes have honestly become one of my go-to recipes when I want to make breakfast feel a little special without adding a bunch of extra work.
Sarah loves the color, Alex loves the taste, and Donald loves that they're made with real food. I love that I can throw everything in the blender and have gorgeous, naturally colored pancakes on the table in under 30 minutes.
The best part? You're getting vegetables into breakfast without anyone complaining about it. That's what I call a win.
Give these a try next weekend. I think you're going to love how simple they are, and your kids are going to flip over the pink color. It's one of those recipes that makes you feel like you went all out, even though it was actually super easy.
Print
Pink Pancakes
Description
Gorgeous naturally pink pancakes made with real beets - no artificial coloring! These fluffy pancakes are kid-approved, super simple to make in the blender, and perfect for making weekend breakfast feel extra special.
Ingredients
- 1 beet (boiled and peeled)
- 1 cup milk
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Cooking spray for the pan
- Maple syrup for serving
- Fresh berries for serving
Instructions
- Blend boiled and peeled beet with milk until completely smooth with no chunks.
- Add egg, melted butter, vanilla extract, and maple syrup to blender and blend to combine.
- Add flour, baking powder, and salt and pulse a few times until just mixed - don't over-blend.
- Heat nonstick griddle or pan over medium-low heat and spray with cooking spray.
- Pour ⅓ cup batter onto hot griddle.
- Cook for 2-3 minutes until bubbles form on top and edges look set, then flip.
- Cook other side for 1-2 minutes until cooked through.
- Repeat with remaining batter to make about 6 pancakes.
- Serve immediately with fresh berries and maple syrup.
Notes
Don't skip boiling the beet first - raw beet won't work. Use medium-low heat for even cooking. Let batter rest for a minute or two before cooking for fluffier pancakes. Batter can be made the night before and stored in the fridge.
