+SF
These are the ultimate Christmas morning pancakes. The cranberry and orange make them so festive, they taste like the holidays. Prepare the cranberries the night before and then just whip up the batter in the morning. —LM + AM
MAKES 6 LARGE OR 12 SMALL PANCAKES
1½ cups (190 g) all-purpose flour
½ cup (85 g) finely ground cornmeal
2 tsp (7 g) baking powder
1 tsp sugar
½ tsp ground cinnamon
⅛ tsp fine sea salt
1¾ cups (420 ml) unsweetened almond milk
1 cup (250 g) applesauce
Juice from ½ large orange (about ½ cup [120 ml])
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 tbsp (30 ml) melted coconut oil, plus more for the griddle
1 heaping cup (100 g) fresh cranberries, halved, and ¼ cup (25 g), whole, for the syrup, divided
2 cups (480 ml) pure maple syrup
Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl until well combined, and make a well in the center.
Whisk the almond milk and applesauce together, then add the orange juice, vanilla and melted coconut oil and pour it into the center of the well in the dry ingredients. Fold until just combined. The batter should be thick but pourable. Add more almond milk if it’s too thick. Fold in 1 cup (100 g) of halved cranberries until evenly distributed.
Put the maple syrup and remaining ¼ cup (25 g) whole cranberries in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir occasionally until the cranberries pop. Remove it from the heat.
Heat a cast-iron griddle or a large pan over medium-high heat, and evenly spread a thin layer of coconut oil over the surface. If you’re cooking with a nonstick pan, you may not need to add the oil. When the griddle is hot, use a ladle or a measuring cup (the size depends on how large you want your pancakes) and pour batter onto the griddle. Cook until the center begins to bubble and the edges are dry, about 3 minutes, then flip it over. Cook until the pancake is golden brown and firm to the touch, about 3 minutes.
If you’re making breakfast for a large crowd, heat the oven at a low temperature. Keep the pancakes warm until they’re all cooked so you can serve them at once.