Aller au contenu principal
ComfortFood

Chocolate Hazelnut Pancakes

Chocolate Hazelnut Pancakes
Emma, comfort food enthusiast and recipe creator

By Emma

Certified Culinary Professional

Recipe tested & approved
Fluffy, chocolate-infused pancakes with a Nutella twist made using dutch-process cocoa swapped for natural cocoa powder. Slightly adjusted flour and sugar to keep batter balanced. Substituted coffee for strong black tea—adds subtle earthiness without bitterness. Mixed dry ingredients first to activate leavening early; then warm milk blends better with Nutella, creating a glossy batter. Watch bubbles carefully; timing flips by surface activity, not clock. Toasted hazelnuts add crunch contrast. Butter sizzles as batter hits pan, aromas rise, edges firm up, signaling perfect flip moment. Use neutral oil for softness; swap whole milk for oat milk if out. Small lumps are friends, mixing overkills gluten, tough pancakes result. 6 stack tall. Flexible, forgiving, and rewarding once you nail these sensory cues.
Prep: 12 min
Cook: 9 min
Total: 21 min
Servings: 6 servings
#breakfast #pancakes #chocolate #hazelnut #nutella #easy cooking #sensory cooking #american cuisine
Ever wrestled a pancake batter that gets gummy or flat? I used to, until I realized overmixing is the enemy here. Chocolate pancakes with hazelnut spread bring decadence but balancing fluff and richness takes knowing when to stop stirring. Whole milk warms Nutella better but oat milk’s subtle sweetness is a neat alternative. Swapping coffee with strong black tea? Adds earthiness without bitterness; perfect if coffee isn’t your thing. Those bubbling surfaces and drying edges tell you when to flip—not timers or guesswork. Toasted hazelnuts on top punch texture and flavor contrast. The whole kitchen smells of toasted nuts and cocoa as you cook. Seasoned cooks know batter lumps are good; fight them and pancakes turn tough. Listen to the sizzle, watch the bubbles—pancakes done right taste like a tiny celebration in each bite.

Ingredients

  • 1 7/8 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons unsweetened natural cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
  • 1 cup warm oat milk or whole milk
  • ½ cup Nutella
  • 3 tablespoons strong brewed black tea, hot
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 tablespoons neutral oil like avocado or refined coconut oil
  • Butter or unflavored cooking spray for pan
  • Chopped toasted hazelnuts and fresh fruit for serving

About the ingredients

Flour increased slightly to 1 7/8 cups from 1 ½ to offset moist ingredients. Sugar upped to 1/3 cup to cut cocoa’s bitterness without overpowering. Natural cocoa powder replaces Dutch process—controls acidity and reacts better with baking soda. Baking powder and soda stay for lift and browning. Coarse kosher salt rounds flavors without dissolving too fast. Oat milk swaps whole milk to cater to dairy-free diners, slightly sweetens batter but keeps richness. Nutella remains star but tea replaces coffee for milder tannin hit; black tea or even a strong roasted chicory can be tested. Neutral oil critical here—avoid olive for funky taste; avocado oil or refined coconut keep pancakes tender. Butter or spray preps skillet, butter preferred for crisp, golden edges. Hazelnuts toasted dry in pan enhance color and crunch—don’t skip.

Method

  1. Combine all dry: flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt. Whisk in large bowl until even. Starch and leavening churn first—important for rise.
  2. Microwave milk about 40 seconds til warm, not scalding. Warm liquid helps Nutella melt easier—makes batter shiny, no clumps.
  3. Stir Nutella into milk with hot brewed tea (skip coffee for milder background). Nutella will loosen, a few seconds patience wins here. If cold milk, lumps stubborn.
  4. Whisk eggs, vanilla, neutral oil into Nutella-milk blend until completely even. Glossy mix signals readiness for dry merge.
  5. Pour wet into dry. Fold with rubber spatula just till moistened. Batter should look lumpy, extra stirring toughens crumb. Stop when streaks mostly gone.
  6. Heat skillet or griddle on medium. Test with a drop of water; if it dances and evaporates quick, pan is ready. Brush with butter or spray. Butter gives crisp edges, spray avoids burning.
  7. Scoop batter (about ¼ cup) onto pan. Don’t crowd; give pancakes room to spread.
  8. Watch for bubbles breaking surface, edges losing wet shine—safe flip zone. Flip gently, listen for hiss, cook another minute or two till set inside. Undercooked feels jiggly.
  9. Repeat with rest of batter. Keep pancakes warm on low heat tented with foil to retain texture.
  10. Stack high. Slather with extra Nutella, sprinkle chopped toasted hazelnuts, add fresh berries or banana slices if you like. Eat immediately or pancakes get soggy.

Cooking tips

Start mixing dry ingredients early; by whisking them you activate leaveners, essential for smooth rise. Warm milk signals better Nutella melt: lukewarm is key—too hot burns eggs later. Stir Nutella patiently, it’ll emulsify fully only when milk is right temp. Fold wet into dry gently—overworking develops glutens, tough chews follow, lumps are fine. Medium heat skillet essential—too hot burns exterior before inside cooks. Watch bubbles form and break; when edges shift from glossy to matte, you’re halfway to flip. Flip carefully, listen for skillet hiss—a sign of trapped steam escaping. Keep pancakes warm but not stewy under foil tent; serve with chopped hazelnuts for texture burst. Expect uneven spots; pancake art is rustic. Adjust heat if browned too fast or batter stays raw inside. Patience and sensory observation deliver the goods, timers can mislead in pancake land.

Chef's notes

  • 💡 Mix dry ingredients early, whisk well. Leaveners work better separated first. Avoid lumps in cocoa sugar uneven patches. Activation here unlocks rise. When wet goes in, fold gently. Stop as soon as streaks mostly gone. Over stirring? Wheat proteins toughen crumb. Lumps fine. Texture depends on restraint. Watch batter closely. Too smooth equals dense pancakes.
  • 💡 Warm milk crucial, about 40 seconds in microwave. Lukewarm, not hot, stops eggs from scrambling when mixed. Nutella melts into warm liquid better, creates shiny batter with no clumps. Cold milk stalls Nutella emulsification. If lumps show, give more gentle stirring but no frenzy. Tea swap for coffee tones down bitterness adds faint earthiness. Hot tea can slightly loosen Nutella quicker.
  • 💡 Medium heat pan works best. Test with water drop—dances and evaporates quickly means ready. Butter preferred to spray for crisp edges and aroma, but spray avoids burning. Wait till pan fully hot before batter. Too hot scorches outsides raw inside. Watch sizzle carefully. Listen for slight hiss when flipping indicates trapped steam escaping, crucial for fluff retention.
  • 💡 Flip timing by bubbles and edges, not clock. Bubbles form, break, then edges lose wet shine and turn matte. That's sweet spot. Flip gently to keep batter intact. Undercooked pancakes jiggle too much—cook another minute or two. Overcooked dry fast. Keep batch warm on low tented with foil for texture. Avoid stacking raw pancakes, soggy disaster.
  • 💡 Substitutions matter. Oat milk brings subtle sweetness, replaces dairy, changes mouthfeel slightly. Neutral oils like avocado or refined coconut avoid funky off-flavors common with olive oil. Butter or spray preps the pan, hazelnuts toasted dry in pan for color and crunch, don't skip nut toast step. Tea can be strong black or roasted chicory for alternate tannin draw cards.

Common questions

How to know when to flip?

Look for bubbles breaking surface. Edges lose wet shine. Matte appearance means half-done. Flip gently, listen for a subtle hiss, steam escapes sealing crumb. Don't rely just on time; pancakes cook differently per pan and heat.

Can I use coffee instead of tea?

Coffee is stronger, can add bitterness. Tea milder, earthier, balances Nutella better. If black tea unavailable, strong roasted chicory works. Avoid too much bitter component or cake turns harsh. Try both, see which suits your palate.

Why are my pancakes tough sometimes?

Usually overmixing. Gluten develops when batter overworked. Batter should stay lumpy, not smooth. Fold just enough to combine wet and dry. Also, pan temp too high burns edges faster before inside cooks. Use medium heat, test with water drop.

How to store leftovers?

Cool pancakes fully before stacking. Wrap airtight or freeze in single layers with parchment. Reheat in oven or skillet to crisp edges again. Avoid microwave unless short burst; pancakes limp quickly. Leftovers last 2 days refrigerated or 1 month frozen with decent texture preservation.

You might also love

View all recipes →