Pinterest Pancake Pops

Cookbooks are for the traditional cook, the non-internet savvy person, the grandmother, aunt, or uncle who doesn’t know the internet. My grandmother has a pile of them in the cabinet, collecting dust. They’re for the celebrities who have gone through some trial and tribulation so they can make a quick buck. Chrissy Teigen, Kris Jenner, Patti LaBelle and even 2 Chainz have filled social media with their hand-me-down recipes, creating an uproar in the cooking scene. They’re for the diet people too: gluten free, paleo, low cholesterol, the list goes on.

Millennials, also known as the technologically efficient generation, use a variety of websites to get the easiest (yet most complicated) recipes for their next event. The internet allows the young cook to go at their own pace. There are instructional videos from chefs themselves who breakdown the process of how to get through the recipe. A cookbook can’t do that. A young cook inherits grandma’s cookbook and its capabilities, however it doesn’t break the recipe down like Bobby Flay on the Food Network.

Pinterest offers an endless possibility for any creative idea that someone has running around in their head: cooking, parenting, crafting, hair styles, fitness or home décor, etc… The tasks can be done by yourself or with a friend or relative. The latest Pinterest craze is known as the Pinterest Fail. First, you see if you followed the recipe correctly; second, see if it came out looking like the picture; third, laugh if neither of these options happened. You thought you were America’s Top Chef but in reality you’re just trying to make your friends and family happy with a new tasty treat other than a sandwich or some cookies. I surfed a common pattern of Pinterest fails involving cake pops. Cake pops are used at baby showers and birthday parties; they’re a hit or miss on the decoration spectrum. For my Pinterest Fail, I chose to do pancake pops. Pancake pops are the equivalent of cake pops, but instead of using them at parties, you can use them for your family’s breakfast to start off your day. They can be shaped in the classic disc, ball, or muffin.

Recipe yields about 10 pops

Here’s what you’ll need

A griddle or a skillet
Cooking Spray
Spatula
Mixing bowls
Ladle or a small measuring cup
Lollipop sticks or skewers

For the pancakes:

Mix of your choice (I used Stop & Shop Brand Complete Buttermilk Pancake & Waffle Mix) or make it from scratch
1 cup milk or water

For the caramel syrup glaze:

½ stick of butter
½ cup of brown sugar
2 tbls of milk
¼ cup syrup

Let’s get started!!

First, you are going to measure out your pancake mix into a large mixing bowl with your milk or water based on your packages instructions on how many you’d like to make. I used a little over 1 cup of pancake mix with about 1 1/3 cups of milk.

Whisk until batter is thick. Do not over mix because that can cause the pancakes to be tough.

Second, turn on your griddle or skillet to medium heat and spray with cooking spray. Use a ladle or small measuring cup to scoop the mix into the pan for even pancakes. Cook them 2 to 3 minutes per side.

Source: Shayla Ford

Third, you are going to break up the pancakes into medium to small chunks with your hands or a food processor into a mixing bowl. For a binding agent use syrup or yogurt. Using your hands, roll the chunks into small round balls.

Place into freezer for about 10 to 30 minutes to cool.

Next, the caramel glaze.

In a small sauce pan over medium heat, melt one stick of butter. Add 1 cup of brown sugar, 3 tablespoons of milk and ¼ cup of syrup. Whisk ingredients together, and bring the mixture to a simmer. The mixture will begin to thicken and look like caramel. Remove from heat and place into a small bowl.

Take your pops out of the freezer and stick the skewers on the top. Dip them into the caramel syrup glaze and place them on a plate lined with parchment paper. Once all is coated, place in the fridge for about 5 minutes so sauce can harden. Although not necessary, you can add decorations! You can also make these with different fillings such as sausage, bacon, blueberries, Oreos, etc. anything goes well with a pancake. You can decorate however you choose to; I chose to put some silver pearls on mine. Enjoy!