Bright, cozy, and just the right size! These egg-free cranberry-orange pancakes make three fluffy pancakes for a hearty breakfast for one (or a light breakfast for two). Fresh orange zest perfumes the batter, a splash of OJ keeps them tender, and tart cranberries add little ruby pops in every bite. Minimal bowls, quick cook, maximum comfort.
I have a bit of a pancake obsession, so give my raspberry pancakes, banana pancakes, and lemon pancakes a whirl. Also lets not forget the good old plain pancake! And while we are in pancake heaven, really need to make the velvety cranberry syrup to go over pancakes!
A few years ago I had cranberry orange pancakes for the first time and I went back to that restaurant every Sunday for a month! Now I make them myself and you can too! A stack of pancakes at even an inexpensive diner can be $7 or $8 dollars, but you can make these little gems for a fraction of the cost. And best of all, enjoy them in your holiday PJs.
The Ingredients – A Few Things to Point Out
- Baking Powder: do not omit or reduce the amount of baking powder. Since this is an eggless pancake recipe, the baking powder is what makes the pancakes rise.
- Milk: whole milk and oat milk both work well in this recipe.
- Orange Juice and zest : orange juice is used to help bring a more citrus flavor to the pancakes, use pulp free if you can. Add more orange zest to bring out a more orange flavor in these pancakes.
- Cranberries: frozen cranberries work best in this recipe.
Recipe Notes (Tips for Success)
- Stir just until you no longer see dry flour; a few small lumps keep pancakes tender.
- Rest the batter 5 minutes. This hydrates the flour and lets the leavener start working to make fluffier pancakes.
- Heat control matters. Medium to medium-high on an 10-inch nonstick skillet is the sweet spot. If you have a thermal thermometer, they work wonders to see when the surface of the skillet is at just the right temperature, around 365 degrees. Yippie, no more sacrificing of the first pancake!
- Wait for edges to look set and bubbles to pop on top (about 1–2 minutes); flip once and finish 1–2 minutes more.
- Divide the batter into three equal scoops for consistent size and doneness.
- When making the syrup, don’t smush them before they are thawed and soft.
Step-by-Step (Method Overview)
- Flour, sugar, and baking powder
- Add Vegetable oil, milk, orange juice, vanilla..
- Pour wet into dry; stir gently.
- Fold in cranberries; rest 5 minutes.
- Cook: Lightly grease a preheated skillet. Spoon three equal pancakes. Cook until bubbles form and edges set
- Flip and repeat cook step for the next two pancakes
- Mix the frozen cranberries, sugar, and syrup in a small saucepan
- Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring to avoid burning.
Small-Batch Scaling
- For 6 pancakes: Double every ingredient; cook in batches so the pan stays evenly heated.
- For mini silver-dollars: Use smaller scoops; reduce cook time slightly.
Cranberry Orange Pancakes with Cranberry Syrup
Ingredients
Recipe Directions
- Make the pancake batter by stirring together the ⅔ cups all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon granulated sugar,2 teaspoons baking powder, and pinch cinnamon
- Then add in the 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, ⅓ cup whole milk, 2 tablespoons orange juice and ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract and mix well.
- Fold in the ½ teaspoon orange zest and ⅓ cup frozen cranberries.
- Then heat your pan over medium to low heat, add a heaping ⅓ cup of the batter to the center of the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes, then flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes, or until golden on both sides.
- Repeat with the other two pancakes.
- To make the ⅓ cup pancake syrup, add the ⅓ cup frozen cranberries, 1 tablespoons granulated sugar, and syrup to a saucepan.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring almost constantly, for about 5-7 minutes, smashing the cranberries against the sides of the saucepan once they are soft enough. This can be made at the same time as the pancakes, on a separate burner on the stove.
- Serve the pancakes with the syrup and enjoy!
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Notes
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Serving Suggestions
- Citrus-Honey Butter: Soften 1 tablespoon butter with a pinch of zest and a drizzle of honey.
- Yogurt & Maple: A spoon of plain Greek yogurt + warm maple syrup.
- Simple Orange Glaze: Powdered sugar thinned with orange juice.
How to Store, Freeze & Reheat
- Store: Cool completely, then refrigerate in a lidded container for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: Wrap individually and freeze up to 2 months.
- Reheat: Toaster or dry skillet over medium heat until warm and lightly crisped; microwave works in a pinch (about 20–30 seconds per pancake).
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