Fluffy and light whole wheat blueberry pancakes are a delicious way to start your day. Positively packed with wholesome ingredients like whole wheat flour, Greek yogurt, and juicy blueberries, a stack of these is an excellent motivator for getting up in the morning. 😉
Originally published in 2015.
Pancakes. One of the ultimate breakfast foods, with endless flavors, toppings, and variations like whole wheat oatmeal pancakes, birthday pancakes, strawberry buttermilk pancakes, and pumpkin chocolate chip pancakes.
It’s so much fun to play around with flavors, and today’s whole wheat blueberry pancakes rank the highest on my list. I originally published this recipe in 2015, and it’s been a favorite since. I even published the plain whole wheat pancakes, too! They’re fluffy and light, yet filling and chock full of juicy blueberries. And they just happen to also be packed with wholesome, nourishing ingredients.
One reader, Kristen, says: “Easily the best pancakes I’ve made or had, hands down. Cannot WAIT to make them again! I used regular yogurt, since that’s what I had, and they turned out great. ★★★★★“
One reader, Niki, says: “Made these the other night for dinner (who doesn’t love breakfast for dinner?), and they were a hit! I’ve never used yogurt in a pancake recipe before, and I was not disappointed! I also love that the batch was big enough for me to have some leftovers to freeze! ★★★★★“
You’ll Love These Whole Wheat Blueberry Pancakes, Too
- Made with healthful whole wheat flour, but still light and fluffy
- Greek yogurt and milk add protein
- No refined sugar—we’re using maple syrup, yum!
- Quick and easy to make
- Like the plain whole wheat pancakes, but loaded with sweet blueberries (fresh or frozen)
Making the swap from all-purpose flour to whole wheat flour sounds pretty easy, doesn’t it? Just a simple, 1-to-1 replacement. Well, it’s not always that simple. More often than not, your whole wheat baked goods will taste overly heavy, dense, or tough. Not at all the fluffy, rich, soft recipe you were expecting. I wouldn’t use it to make cinnamon rolls, for example.
But in the right recipe with the right supporting ingredients, whole wheat flour can be absolutely delicious. Take my whole wheat pizza dough, for example. It took me 2 weeks of tweaking ingredients to get that perfectly soft and flavorful whole wheat pizza recipe just right. But back to breakfast!
Because whole wheat flour is capable of making pancakes taste like dry hockey pucks, let’s avoid that nonsense by loading the batter with just enough moisture.
Grab These Ingredients:
- Whole Wheat Flour: I usually use King Arthur Baking whole wheat flour, but any brand is fine. You can also use white whole wheat flour.
- Baking Powder + Baking Soda: These are what give the pancakes some lift and make them puff up in the pan. Since whole wheat flour tends to weigh things down, we need to add just enough leavener to aerate the cooking batter without leaving any chemical aftertaste.
- Salt + Cinnamon: For flavor.
- Yogurt: I typically use plain Greek yogurt, but you can use any kind: dairy or nondairy; full-fat, low-fat, or nonfat; plain, vanilla, or honey flavored. You could even use sour cream.
- Milk: Again, these pancakes are great with any type of milk, dairy or nondairy.
- Maple Syrup: Not just for topping! We’re sweetening the batter with it. Make sure you use the pure stuff, not the one labeled “pancake syrup.”
- Eggs: To bind the ingredients together (and for extra protein).
- Vanilla Extract: A kiss of vanilla is the perfect flavor enhancer for these pancakes.
- Coconut Oil: The recipe calls for melted coconut oil, but you could substitute vegetable oil or melted butter if you prefer.
- Blueberries: Obviously! Fresh or frozen both taste great in these pancakes.
Whisk together the dry ingredients in 1 bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients in another, then pour wet into dry and whisk together before you gently fold in the blueberries with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Especially if you are using frozen blueberries, you want to use a light hand to incorporate them, because they tend to bleed their juices and, therefore, some color. (But purple pancakes are fun too.)
The results? Fluff city. (The actual technical term.)
Favorite Toppings for Whole Wheat Blueberry Pancakes
A drizzle of maple syrup tastes wonderful on these, of course! As does whipped cream and honey butter. You could also try topping them with some melted peanut butter or almond butter, strawberry topping, raspberry sauce, or lemon curd.
If serving these pancakes for a big brunch, they nestle nicely alongside platters of fresh fruit, eggs, bacon or sausage, mini quiche, or ham and potato casserole. Enjoy!
Whole Wheat Blueberry Pancakes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 4 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 12-14 pancakes
Category: Breakfast
Method: Cooking
Cuisine: American
Description
These are 100% whole wheat pancakes that are positively packed with juicy blueberries, protein-rich Greek yogurt, and whole grain goodness. They’re light and fluffy, taste wonderful with maple syrup and/or other pancake toppings, and best of all, the batter comes together in a snap!
Instructions
- In a large bowl preferably with a pour spout, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together. Set aside.
- In another large bowl, whisk the yogurt, milk, maple syrup, eggs, and vanilla together until combined. Whisk in the oil. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently whisk to combine. Make sure there are no patches of dry flour at the bottom of the bowl. The batter is thick and a few lumps are fine. Gently fold in the blueberries. If you are using frozen blueberries, you want to use a light hand when folding because they will bleed some juices and, therefore, some color.
- Let the batter sit for 5 minutes as you heat the stove in the next step. This gives the batter a chance to thicken.
- Meanwhile, heat a griddle or large skillet over medium heat. Coat generously with butter or nonstick cooking spray. Once it’s hot, drop/pour a heaping 1/4 cup of batter on the griddle. Cook until the edges look set and you notice holes in the pancake’s surface around the border, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until cooked through, about 1–2 more minutes. Coat griddle/skillet with butter or nonstick spray again, if needed, for each batch of pancakes.
- Keep pancakes warm in a preheated 200°F (93°C) oven until all pancakes are cooked. Serve pancakes immediately with toppings of choice.
- Cover and store leftover pancakes in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Pancakes freeze well up to 3 months. Reheat frozen pancakes in the microwave. Or you can cook frozen pancakes in a 350°F (177°C). Place pancakes on a lined baking sheet and cover with aluminum foil. Cook for 6-8 minutes or until defrosted and warm.
- Can I make the batter the night before? No, I don’t recommend it. Baking powder is activated once wet. You can, however, mix the dry ingredients and wet ingredients together and keep them separate and covered in the refrigerator until the morning. (But do not add the coconut oil until ready to cook, since that will solidify in the refrigerator.)
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Mixing Bowls | Whisk
- Yogurt: You can use regular or Greek yogurt; plain, vanilla, blueberry, and honey-flavored yogurts work well. Nonfat, low fat, full fat—it’s your choice. I usually use 0% (nonfat) plain Greek yogurt. You could also use sour cream.
- Milk: You can use any type of milk, dairy or nondairy, and any fat percentage.
- Sweetener: Honey, coconut sugar, or brown sugar may be substituted for maple syrup in the batter with no other changes.
- Blueberries: If using frozen blueberries, no need to thaw. If you want even more blueberry goodness, increase blueberries up to 2 cups.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 pancakes
- Calories: 266
- Sugar: 11.5 g
- Sodium: 323.3 mg
- Fat: 8.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 40.5 g
- Fiber: 4.8 g
- Protein: 9.4 g
Keywords: whole wheat blueberry pancakes