Ok y'all, get ready for an imaginary trip to Santa Fe with every bite of these easy blue corn pancakes. I like to add blueberries but you sure don't have to.
Blue cornmeal has a slightly coarse texture and a sweeter flavor than regular cornmeal - and the flavor really comes through in these light, fluffy griddle cakes!
Table of Contents
- 🗝️ Key takeaways: why this recipe is your new favorite
- 🧾 Gather your ingredients: what you'll need
- 📖 Make it your own: yummy variations
- 🔪 Step-by-step guide: instructions for success
- 🍴Must have tools: essential equipment
- 🥫 Leftover love: how to store and reheat blue corn pancakes
- Marye's Tip o' the day
- 💭 Insider tips: things to know
- 👩🍳 Let's answer those questions: FAQs
- 📚 More Southern comfort: related recipes you'll love
- 🍽️ No waste: creative ways to repurpose
- 📞 Wrapping it up: the last word
- 📖 Recipe
- blue corn pancakes recipe
- 💬 Comments
Save this recipe by clicking on the ❤️ heart on the right-hand side of the screen or in the recipe card.
🗝️ Key takeaways: why this recipe is your new favorite
- These pancakes are fluffy, yummy, and have a delightful nutty flavor thanks to the blue cornmeal. Plus, the added blueberries make them even more delicious!
- Perfect for a weekend brunch, family breakfast, or even a fun breakfast-for-dinner night. They freeze well so I like to make a batch on the weekend and freeze for use all week long.
- Blue cornmeal often cooks up into a light blue gray color. For more vibrant colors, add 1-2 tablespoon of butterfly pea powder or blue spirulina powder to the batter. (Bonus—they both have great health benefits, too!)
Blue corn pancakes are a hearty breakfast that are a fun change from regular buttermilk pancakes or waffles. The blueberries add a pop of sweet, fruity flavor - and the combination is hard to resist.
🧾 Gather your ingredients: what you'll need
This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
📖 Make it your own: yummy variations
- No blue: Can't find blue cornmeal? You can substitute yellow or white cornmeal in equal measure
- Honey Drizzle: Drizzle honey over the pancakes for a sweet touch.
- Nutty Crunch: Sprinkle chopped nuts into the batter for added texture and flavor.
- Patriotic: Make "red, white, and blue" pancakes by swapping half of the blueberries for another fresh fruit, like strawberries.
- Syrup switch: Instead of maple syrup, these pancakes are also tasty with a simple honey butter, honey drizzle, or agave nectar.
- Gluten-free: Use a 1:1 GF flour substitute to make this blue corn pancake recipe gluten-free.
- Plain: If you prefer plain pancakes (I don't judge) you can leave out the fresh berries. Consider using them as a topping instead.
🔪 Step-by-step guide: instructions for success
This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the green recipe card at the bottom of the page. Click on the image to see it full size.
Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
In a separate medium bowl, blend the wet ingredients.
Stir the wet ingredients into the dry mixture and fold in the blueberries.
Cook pancakes in an iron skillet over medium heat until golden brown and repeat with remaining batter.
🤫 Marye's secret for zhuzhing it up -
For fluffy, thick pancakes, rest your batter for at least a couple of minutes before starting to cook them—I'd even recommend up to 15. That's just enough time to get your bacon started! Yum.
zhuzh: verb. To make something more interesting or attractive
🍴Must have tools: essential equipment
- mixing bowls
- whisk
- griddle or frying pan
- spatula
- measuring cups and spoons
🥫 Leftover love: how to store and reheat blue corn pancakes
The best part about these pancakes is that you can easily store and reheat them later. Yay for special breakfasts all week long!
Let pancakes cool to room temperature, then store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Reheat in the microwave or toaster until warmed through.
To freeze
You can also wrap the pancakes in plastic and freeze them for up to three months.
- Let come to room temperature.
- Place in a single layer on a baking sheet.
- Put in the freezer and freeze for an hour or until firm.
- Remove from baking sheet and place in an airtight container or zip-top bags.
Thaw before eating, or heat from frozen (you just might have to add a little bit more time in the toaster or microwave.)
Marye's Tip o' the day
Allergic to gluten? Use a 1:1 GF flour substitute to make this blue corn pancake recipe gluten-free.
💭 Insider tips: things to know
- Make sure not to overmix the batter; a few lumps are okay!
- Use fresh blueberries for the best flavor, but frozen will work in a pinch.
- For extra fluffy pancakes, let the batter rest for a few minutes before cooking.
- Make sure your baking powder is fresh, not nearing expiration. Otherwise, your flapjacks will be more like "flat" jacks! (Unless you're cooking for a literal army, I don't recommend buying the never-ending Costco-sized baking powder. It'll lose its leavening power before you use it all—trust me!)
- Use the largest skillet you have or a long electric griddle to make multiple pancakes at once and save precious morning time! Just remember that thicker pans can retain more heat. So, turn the temperature down to medium-low heat if your pancakes start becoming too dark.
- Instead of butter, use a vegetable oil spray to grease a pan prone to sticking. Butter has a lower burn point than oil, which means your pancakes will start to turn brown too quickly after a few batches.
👩🍳 Let's answer those questions: FAQs
Have other questions? Ask me in the comments!
Blue cornmeal is similar to regular cornmeal but has a bit more protein. It's also blue in color, though sometimes can range from indigo to blue-gray. The flavor is a little sweeter and has lovely nutty undertones. The texture is hearty and perfect for a country, homestyle breakfast!
The easiest spot to find blue cornmeal is on Amazon (and, it might even ship in time for breakfast tomorrow!) You can also find it at most health food stores. It's a refreshing change from yellow cornmeal!
Yep! Use the same amount of neutral-flavored oil instead of melted butter. Then, sub the milk for your favorite non-dairy alternative. We love how the subtle toasty taste of oat milk complements the cornmeal in this pancake recipe!
Swapping leavening agents is a science experiment, and I don't recommend it in this recipe. The baking powder helps your pancakes to fluff up. In a nutshell, here's a quick way to remember what each ingredient does: powder puffs and soda spreads.
Whole wheat flour absorbs more liquid than AP and, when improperly substituted, can cause your pancakes to be very dense. For a fluffy pancake, I recommend subbing no more than 25% of the AP flour for whole wheat. If you're interested in a whole wheat pancake recipe, perhaps try this one!
📚 More Southern comfort: related recipes you'll love
🍽️ No waste: creative ways to repurpose
If you happen to have a couple of leftover pancakes you can make them into breakfast sandwiches - especially if you've kept them on the small side.
In fact, I tend to keep them small (about as big around as a hamburger bun or a little less) for just this reason!
📞 Wrapping it up: the last word
The first time I had blue cornmeal pancakes was on vacation in New Mexico... and let me tell you I was hooked after the first bite. Nutty, sweet, fluffy...
It was everything I didn't know I needed in a pancake!
Pretty color, delicious flavor, and quirky enough to make me happy!
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.
If you love this recipe please comment below and give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Blueberry Blue Cornmeal Pancakes
Print Pin Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup blue cornmeal
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ cup sugar
- 4 eggs
- 3 cups milk
- ¼ cup butter, melted
- 2 cups blueberries
- Grated zest of one lemon
Instructions
- Preheat your griddle
- Mix the dry ingredients
- Whisk eggs, milk, and melted butter together until well blended
- Add wet to dry and stir quickly to blend. Batter will be lumpy
- Fold in blueberries
- Scoop by ¼ cup measure onto a hot griddle
- Cook until bottom is golden and bubble form and break on the top
- Flip and cook until done
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
First published October 12, 2009. Last updated July 16, 2024 for more information and easier to read format.
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