How to make fluffy butterbeer pancakes your Harry Potter fan will love. Easy butterscotch pancakes recipe with no eggs, perfect for a breakfast or brunch surprise!
If you've read the Harry Potter books or watched the movies, you know that butterbeer is a special drink. I've had a lot of fun coming up with an actual butterbeer recipe, as well as a recipe for butterbeer buttercream frosting.
My boys love cooking pancakes on weekends and special occasions, so a nice batch of butterbeer pancakes from scratch seemed the next logical step.
This is a butterbeer pancake recipe without eggs; instead I substitute applesauce. I also use buttermilk, which I'll show you how to make as you read further.
Harry Potter pancakes are perfect for breakfast, brunch, and holiday mornings. The best part about butterscotch pancakes is that anyone can make them because they're pretty easy to make.
If you love Harry Potter food, you may want to check out our Polyjuice Potion punch, as well!
What Is Butterbeer and What Does It Taste Like?
Most Harry Potter fans have a pretty good idea what butterbeer tastes like. You've probably either had a glass at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando, or you've made a recipe.
For those that haven't…
Butterbeer is a buttery, butterscotch sweet drink, with a hint of caramel, that’s served hot or cold. It’s described as a “less-sickly butterscotch” and even has a little bit of fizz to it.
Fandom explains exactly what butterbeer is, where it came from, and what it’s all about.
Ingredients and Substitutions Notes
You'll need to gather a few simple ingredients to make these butterbeer butterscotch pancakes…
- All-Purpose Flour – You can also make these pancakes gluten-free by using a good gluten-free all-purpose flour.
- Baking Soda and Baking Powder – Both of these ingredients will help achieve a very fluffy pancake.
- Sea Salt – I love using Redmond's Fine Sea Salt for best flavor.
- Cane Sugar – You can also use granulated sugar.
- Unsweetened Applesauce – I actually use this in place of eggs. If you prefer to use eggs, you can substitute 1 egg.
- Buttermilk – This will also help with the leavenin process, meaning it will help you achieve a plate full of soft, fluffy pancakes. We almost never buy buttermilk. We just never use it because I know I can make my own soured milk for cooking and baking. My mom taught me this little trick when I was younger. Just add about a tablespoon of distilled white vinegar for every 1 cup of milk. Stir and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes. And that's it! You've got buttermilk, or sour milk, for your recipe.
- Canola Oil – You can also sub liquid coconut oil or butter.
- Cream Soda
- Extracts – You'll need vanilla extract, butter extract, and caramel extract.
- Butterscotch Syrup or Topping – Just look for butterscotch ice cream topping. You'll use just a hint of butterscotch syrup.
How to Make Butterbeer Pancakes from Scratch
Making Harry Potter butterbeer pancakes is super easy. But first you have to learn how to make pancake batter.
How to Mix Butterscotch Pancake Batter
- Whisk your dry ingredients in a large bowl.
- Make a depression or well right in the center of the dry ingredients in the bowl.
- Then add the wet ingredients, including the applesauce, buttermilk, canola oil, cream soda, vanilla extract, butter extract, caramel extract, and butterscotch topping to the well.
- Mix everything together just until it's blended; try not to over mix.
How to Cook the Pancakes
You'll need a griddle or skillet for cooking pancakes. You can also use an electric griddle.
- Spray the griddle with cooking spray. My mom used to use oil for cooking instead of cooking spray, or you could probably use butter.
- Spoon pancake batter onto the griddle into a circular shape until you have the size you prefer for your pancake.
- Allow it to cook on low to medium heat until the edges start to turn a golden brown color.
- Then just flip the pancakes and cook the other side until it turns the same golden brown color.
When your pancakes are all cooked, stack them up.
Then serve them with whipped cream, maple syrup, and butterscotch topping. Yum!
Expert Tips
TIP #1 – Some pancake batters will start to dimple, and that's when you know to flip the pancakes. However, this pancake batter is pretty thick, so it doesn't usually dimple for me.
TIP #2 – As your pancakes get done and you take them off the griddle, keep them warm by putting them on a cookie sheet or pizza pan in a slightly heated oven.
More Pancake Recipes You May Enjoy
My favorite pancakes are blueberry buttermilk pancakes, filled to the gills with all the blueberry goodness. Of course, I love a yummy batch of chocolate chip pancakes and apple cinnamon pancakes.
My boys love when I make dinosaur shaped strawberry buttermilk pancakes or heart shaped buttermilk pancakes.
Mommy Hates Cooking has a wonderful recipe for gluten free bananas foster pancakes. And Moscato Mom has a delicious recipe for healthy banana nut pancakes.
If you try this recipe, why not leave a star rating in the recipe card right below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page? I always appreciate your feedback. You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. And subscribe to my email list too!
Butterbeer Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons cane sugar
- 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 3 tablespoons canola oil
- 1/4 cup cream soda
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon butter extract
- 1/8 teaspoon caramel extract
- 1 teaspoon butterscotch topping
Instructions
- Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a batter bowl or mixing bowl.
- Make a depression or well with your spoon in the center of the dry ingredients in the bowl.
- Add the applesauce, buttermilk, canola oil, cream soda, vanilla extract, butter extract, caramel extract, and butterscotch topping to the well.
- Stir everything together just until moistened. The batter will be quite thick.
- Lightly spray a griddle with cooking spray, and heat to a moderate temperature over low heat on the stove.
- Spoon pancake batter onto the griddle in circular shapes until you have the size you prefer for your pancakes.
- Allow them to cook over low to medium heat until the edges begin to turn a golden color.
- Then just flip the pancakes and cook the other side until it turns the same golden color and the pancake is cooked through.
- When your pancakes are done, serve them with whipped cream, maple syrup, and butterscotch topping.
Notes
Nutrition
This was good! My girls loved this. I did slightly less salt and last minute grocery shopping so I couldn’t find the butter and caramel extracts so I did more vanilla and added butterscotch chips.
The pancakes are good – I think they were a bit salty, however. Maybe do 1/2 tsp instead.
Thank you, Violet. I’m sorry you felt they were too salty. I will take note of this when I make them again.
Mel, these look amazing! Pinning and sharing! Not only are they delicious, but I know so many folks who would get a kick out of the idea of Butterbeer Pancakes! Happy New Year to you and yours.
April, thank you so much! I figure all my fellow Harry Potter fans will get a kick out of them. Happy New Year to you too!