These filling and delicious fluffy American Style Pancakes will be a regular feature on your Breakfast menu and are perfect for those following Slimming World or Weight Watchers
American Pancakes with Maple Syrup
Living in Canada means Maple Syrup is everywhere and pancakes for breakfast or any time of day for that matter is a pretty common occurrence.
However regular pancakes are pretty calorific, so I just had to create a recipe for healthier American Style Pancakes that I could enjoy on a regular basis and these pancakes tick all the boxes.
The recipe for these amazing light and fluffy American Style Pancakes was one of my very first recipes when I started Slimming Eats (all the way back in 2009), and from there followed all the other variations you now see out there.
Oat Pancakes
In traditional fluffy American Pancakes, buttermilk is very commonly used, it gives them a lovely flavour. In this recipe, I use plain fat free Greek Yoghurt which is high in protein and a perfect substitute for buttermilk.
Instead of regular flour these pancakes are made with oats, so are slightly healthier too because oats contain more fiber and protein and is nutrient dense.
My family actually prefers these over regular pancakes now and we are pretty particular about our pancakes.
What yoghurt is best for Oat Pancakes?
Don't be tempted to use fat-free flavoured yoghurts. Sometimes the flavouring in those can be a little overpowering and artificial tasting. You can add flavour to these American Style Pancakes by the fruit etc you add as a topping or add in a little extract like vanilla or lemon.
Greek Yoghurt is the best yoghurt to use for this recipe, it's much thicker and makes a much fluffier pancake, avoid natural yoghurt which is thinner.
It's also bearing in mind that Greek Style Yoghurts are not real Greek Yoghurt, it is regular yoghurt that usually has a stabilizer added to give it the same thickness as traditional Greek Yoghurt.
My favourite brands are Fage, Liberte and Oikos Greek Yoghurt.
Can I use Ready Brek instead of Oats?
Some readers have had success using Ready Brek, but I personally don't like the final result of the pancakes with Ready Brek, so I stick to my traditional recipe.
There are a couple of reasons for this, the taste and texture are not quite the same and you will need to adjust the ratio of other ingredients because Ready Brek consists of Oat Flour, Oats and Fortified Vitamins (it's a more processed oat cereal) and so the same weight of Ready Brek has more volume than oats.
Baking Powder in Pancakes
The key to the fluffiness is the baking powder. You may be wondering why I haven't synned the baking powder in this recipe. Baking Powder is generally synned at 0.5 syns per 2 teaspoons, but in this recipe, we literally only use ¾ of a tsp (less than 2 calories), which makes the syns so negligible it isn't worth synning it.
Watch that you don't grab baking soda (bicarb of soda) by mistake. I did this once under tired eyes and the result is not pleasant lol. Took me a while to figure out why and then I spotted the tubs of baking soda on the my counter. I'd grabbed that out of my cupboard by mistake.
Tips for making American Style Pancakes
Here are some of my tips for making the pancakes. Firstly a blender is vital to grind up the oats, any is fine, you don't need an expensive one with all the bells and whistles so long as it grinds them well enough.
Once you grind and mix all the ingredients together, ensure you let the mix sit for at least 10 minutes. This will help ensure a flufflier pancakes.
Ensure you measure everything accurately. As being slightly off in measurements can affect the cook of the pancakes or make your mix too thick or two runny.
A good non stick pan or pancake pan is vital. I have my special pan I use only for pancakes and it's been in my possession for years, nothing ever sticks and it's has a short rim which makes it super easy to slide your spatula under the pancake a flip.
It is similar to his Tefal Pancake Pan which you can get on Amazon. I also use long spatula like this Flexible Egg Turner it flips the pancakes effortlessly.
Patience is key too, don't have your heat too high to try and cook fast, low and slow is vital for these, I have my heat on 3 (it goes up to 10). When you see bubbles start to appear on surface a spatula should slide under easily so you can flip the pancakes. If it doesn't they are not ready, so wait.
I use a tablespoon measuring spoon and use about 2 or 3 tablespoons of the batter per pancake which usually makes 6 to 8 pancakes. This helps form perfectly rounded pancakes, as you can carefully pour the batter on to the pan.
BEST COOKING OIL SPRAY
When choosing cooking oil sprays, I try and opt for ones that do not contain emulsifiers and ones which contain just oil. My favorites being Bertolli Olive Oil spray and Chosen Foods Avocado Spray.
Spray oils with emulsifiers will ruin your non stick pans as it reacts with the coating. So avoid these if you don't want a stick residue of a mess left on your pan.
Sides for American Style Pancakes
These American Style Pancakes go really well with any kind of fruit, but my favourite choice is speed berries such as blueberries and raspberries.
If you want to go the Traditional American route, then the only way to serve these is with some bacon (the crispier the better). I will often treat myself by serving these with some crispy oven baked streaky bacon which I use my daily syns for. Well worth it in my opinion. Lean back bacon with the fat trimmed off is a great substitute for a lower calorie option, but it just doesn't have that same crispiness you get with the streaky.
Then of course, no American Style Pancakes are complete without Syrup and for me, it has to be pure 100% maple syrup, not the artificial or sugar-free stuff. Maple Syrup is only 2 syns per tablespoon and it is well worth those 2 syns just to have that delicious drizzle of syrup over your pancakes.
More Healthy Pancake Recipes
Looking for some more pancakes recipes to try? Check out these:
- Best Ever Low Syn Chocolate Pancakes
- Low Syn Crepe Style Pancakes
- Fluffy Pumpkin Oatmeal Pancakes
- Cottage Cheese Pancakes
- Red Velvet Pancakes
- Pumpkin Pancakes
- Mini Chocolate and Banana Pancakes
or head on over to the FULL RECIPE INDEX where you will find over 900 delicious Slimming World and Weight Watchers friendly recipes all fully searchable by meal type, ingredients, syn value and smart points etc
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American Style Pancakes
These filling and delicious healthy American Style Pancakes will be a regular feature on your Breakfast menu and are perfect for those following Slimming World or Weight Watchers
Ingredients
- 40g or 1.4oz (½ cup) of oatmeal/oats - HEb
- ¾ tablespoon of sukin:1 or other granulated sweetener of choice
- ¾ teaspoon of baking powder
- ¼ cup (4 tablespoons) of fat free plain Greek yoghurt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- cooking oil spray (I like to use coconut for these)
Instructions
- Add the oats to a blender and grind into a fine powder.
- Place in a bowl with the eggs, yoghurt and other ingredients and mix to combine, Allow to sit for at least 10 mins.
- Spray a non stick crepe pan placed over a low heat (make sure you don’t have the heat too high) with some cooking oil spray and cook the pancakes (I use 2-3 tbs of batter per pancake) until you start to see bubble appear on the surface and then carefully flip over. A spatula should slide under easily, if it doesn't they are not quite done.
- I cook two pancakes at a time, so that there is enough room on the pan to easily flip over.
- Repeat with the rest of the mixture
- Serve the pancakes with fruit or toppings of choice.
- Enjoy!!! – these are delicious!!
Notes
This recipe is gluten-free, vegetarian, Slimming World and Weight Watchers friendly
- Slimming World - 1 HEb per serving
- WW Green Smart Points - 7 per serving
- WW Blue Smart Points - 4 per serving
- WW Purple Smart Points - 0 per serving
- Gluten Free - use gluten free oats
- Dairy Free - use a dairy free yoghurt
Add 1 tablespoon of Pure Maple Syrup for 2 syns or 3 WW Smart Points
Can this be frozen? These pancakes are perfect freezing, once cooled i just pop in a freezer bag with wax paper between each pancakes. Then just add to a pan over a low heat to warm up when you want some.
NOTE: The baking powder in this recipe is such a small amount the syns are negligible.
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Nutrition Information
Yield 1 Serving Size 1 SERVING (entire stack - pancakes only)Amount Per Serving Calories 384Total Fat 14.8gSaturated Fat 3.7gSodium 531mgCarbohydrates 32.1gFiber 3.1gSugar 3.3gProtein 26.9g
Hi again britmum!
This was delicous! I was really in the need of some pancakes and was delighted that you posted this when I was eager for them!
Thank you!
glad you enjoyed them, is a favorite weekend breakfast in my house 🙂
Thanks for a great recipe! These pancakes are just delicious! I added some blueberries and cinnamon for a sweet treat 🙂
Cheers,
Sam
Genius! Going to try these tomorrow - thanks 🙂
Thank you. Just had these for breakfast but changed the maple syrup for honey and the bacon for blueberries and rasperries. Delicious 🙂 oh added a little cinnamon to the pancakes too. xx
I don't have baking soda, is it essential?
Your Awesome...;-)
Made these today for breakfast really lush!!!!
These are delicious. Thanks for a morning treat. X
For some reason these has no rise for me even after adding the baking soda & baking powder. Disappointed 🙁
The recipe as stated shows 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/4 tsp baking powder, possibly one of these could be the baking soda mentioned? They look delicious, can't wait to make them for breakfast so will have them for dinner!
Hi
I was doing an update to the post yesterday and typed it twice by accident. It's all correct now. Thanks for spotting 🙂
These are so good
Is it 0.5 syns for the whole batch or for each pancake? x
whole batch 🙂
I was going to make yest but then weighed out to find no vanilla essence. I googled that lemon rind was a substitute, so grated some in.
I decided to go shopping however as really wanted to try them and worried that not having vanilla essence would ruin it.
I bought vanilla essence and added it to the mix (including lemon rind). They were gorgeous!!!!! I don't think I can eat another thing today as sooooo full. Really really good.
I think because I liked the lemon taste I will save my sins (tomorrow!!!;)) I will use lemon juice and sweetener rather than use my sins on maple syrup.
WHY WONT COMPUTER LET ME RATE 5 STAR ONLY 4? You may want to look into that "slimming eats"
If I could give these pancakes more stars I would. They have saved my Saturday breakfast as sugary cereals were always my Saturday breakfast treat. Go and make them now!
OMG these were amazing. Who would've thought you could eat food like this whilst trying to lose weight. Definitely recommend trying these
I've just made these this morning.
Very nice, light, fluffy and very filling.
Another great recipe that is a success!
Thank you.
Made for the first time this morning and they're so yummy! Will definitely be making again very soon. So nice to have a change and switch it up from my usual eggs and yogurt/fruit or healthy extra muesli, fruit and yogurt.
I make these pancakes on a regular basis for my instagram blog and they are just amazing!! I either have them with bacon and sugar free maple syrup or fruit and yoghurt-both are just as good! Thanks for such a great recipe. L x
I have been meaning to buy sukrin for some time but at the moment I only have Stevia?. Will it still be a tablespoon or slightly less as it's a lighter finer granule? Thanks.
I think you need less stevia to sugar ratio, where as sukrin is an equal ratio to sugar.
100% the best and my all time go to pancake recipe can't not recommend enough. Wish I could leave more than 5 stars
Just made these and they were amazing. Will definitely be making again. Thank you for the wonderful recipe.
These pancakes are the best! I have them regularly and so do the rest of my family. Thanks for sharing these great recipes with us xx
Delicious
Hi, I was wondering if you could please tell me if the calories is per pancake or for one serving/the whole thing? I would really like it if u could get back to me ASAP since I would love to make these in the morning. By the way they look amazing!
Lauren
Hi Lauren, this recipe serves 1 person, so is for the whole lot 🙂 - anytime you are unsure, just look at how many the recipe serves, the nutritional information will always be for 1 of those servings unless otherwise stated :). Hope that helps and enjoy 🙂
These are lovely, thank you! I've just bought one of those tiny food processors and the recipe fits perfectly in it. I've been trying out various slimming world recipes and these are definitely the best, I had them with fruit syrup (from the choc shot people).
Do you think these would keep and could then be warmed up? Just that my husband works away during the week and I pack healthy food for him to take with him (he has access to a microwave at work).
Hi Lisa, these are perfect for freezing, I just pop on a pan on a low heat until heated through. Hope that helps.
Made these this morning and they were great! Was wondering if you separated the eggs and whisked up the whites, then stored them in to the mixture at the end you may add enough air that you didn’t need the baking powder to get the rise. Will try it next time.
Hi Dan, these definitely need the baking powder and to be honest the syns for the baking powder are negligible. 2 tsp of baking powder are only 0.5 syns and we only use 3/4 of a tsp.
Brilliant, easy recipe! Will be making again
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ made these for brunch today and served with smoked bacon, blueberries and a drizzle of maple syrup. Absolutely yummy and guilt free. Will be making them on Tuesday for pancake day. Thank you Siobhan for another fab recipe
These are so amazing! I make them a lot and they always turn out perfectly. I just put all the ingredients in a jug and mix together with a balloon whisk. Perfect! Thank you for all of your hard work ❤️
My goodness! Just scoffed the lot with Tbsp of maple syrup and one of Choc Shot! Delish! Cannot move now! Will definitely make again. Thanks for saving Pancake Day for me! Xxxx
This recipe is great. I've tried so many pancake recipes and they all come out very eggy. I didn't add any sweetener to mine as I dont like them sweet and they were sweet enough with mixed berries and 1tsp of choc shot. I no longer need to feel like I'm missing out when the kids have pancakes! Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Hi Kerry - so glad you enjoyed them. Thank you for commenting
These are stunning! So light fluffy and delicious! I used a coconut and vanilla Greek style yoghurt and the flavour was fab! It felt so naughty eating these and the tablespoon of maple syrup is a must! It just finishes these pancakes perfectly Thank you for a truly scrumptious recipe
Incredible!!! Thank you so much
Just made these for the first time, and wow!! I’m a massive fan of the American pancakes and these taste exactly like them! Will definitely be making them again and again!
thank you Emma, so glad you liked them. Living in Canada, I had to come up with a decent pancake recipes for drizzling the good ole maple syrup on.
I Made these American pancakes on Sunday to take away my sweet tooth cravings!! Oh my they are good and it worked!!! I couldn’t believe how light and fluffy they were, it felt like eating a cake sponge, yum, yum!! I can’t wait to make some more!! Thank you xxx
Just made these and they are amazing! Really tasty.
Made these for the first time today and they were amazing & so filling!! Will definitely be making these more often as they taste so yummy it felt like I was having such a treat! Thank you so much!!
These were divine! Will be making them all the time.
best ever sw version Ive had!!
I made mini savoury versions for group taster night the other day ! Omitted the sweetener ! They were like savoury blinis - I topped with laughing cow cheese and caremalised red onion ! Went down v well ! X
These were delicious and so filing! I shared mine with my husband
Hello!
Made these last weekend and they were AMAZING!
Want to make them tomorrow but may be rushed.
Could I premake these the night before?
Thanks! X
you can, the batter might become a bit thick though, so you might need a to loosen the mixture slightly.
These are absolutely scrummy.. I've made 4 times the receipe today to save time later in the week!!! Should I keep them I. The fridge or freeze them in portions?
Hi I really wanna make these but living in France can’t find low fat Greek yoghurt. Any ideas for a substitue? I was wondering about fromage blanc or just natural yoghurt? Thanks!
Hello. I love these with almond extract but was just wondering if they are acceptable on a SP day? I served them with Greek yogurt and destroyed frozen berries. I have made them so often that I know the recipe off by heart!!! Great pancakes!!
Hi Louise- yes they are fine for an SP day as plain fat free Greek yoghurt can now be enjoyed on Extra Easy SP 🙂
Tried to make these just now and the batter is like thick porridge and it’s just burning in the pan. What am I doing wrong?
are you using ready brek? If so, you need to use oats, or you won't get the right consistency. Also, make sure each ingredient is measured accurately, as any slight variation will make the consistency of the batter off. You can add an additional tbs of yoghurt at a time if needed. But mine are always perfect when measuring everything correctly.
Hi there can you reheat these in the toaster on a low heat by any chance? Great recipes by the way Xx
yep in the toaster or on a pan over a low heat is fine to heat these up. 🙂
Absolutely delicious, made these a few times now and they feel like a real treat. I even have a little golden syrup which for me is the best topping! Great recipe!
Thank you for this. I've been struggling to satisfy my sweet cravings and this really hit the spot. Served with mixed fruit and yogurt.
So easy to make. I'm completely stuffed now!!!
These pancakes are delicious....light as a feather.
I've just this week started slimming world and today really fancied pancakes. I made these and I'm pleased to say I've just demolished them!
They satisfy in appearance and texture as well as taste! I served mine with some strawberries and a little sweetener but next time I'll definitely buy some pure maple syrup and syn it as then I'll really feel like I'm eating American pancakes!
Thank you!
Hi, Really great recipe! I Teach so have to leave early in the morning for work-can the natter be made the night before then used straight from the fridge?
Thanks
Verity
I can't wait to make these. Do you think if I made a batch I could put some in the freezer, defrost some overnight and out them in the toaster in the morning to save time?
Thanks xxxx
Yep you sure can or just warm up on a pan over low heat.
Wonderful, my husband thought they were normal ones he says they taste as good.
Wow I love pancakes and these were amazing I ate the lot with strawberries a little maple syrup and a slice of bacon (fat removed) on the side DELICIOUS and only 2 syns felt very naughty, and kept me full for hours xxxx thank you x
Can I use Coconut flour instead of oats. X
Hi unfortunately not in this recipe, the ratio would be way off and wouldn't work well. Plus coconut flour is synned and not a healthy extra b. If you check out this recipe it uses coconut flour. http://www.slimmingeats.com/blog/cottage-cheese-pancakes
Pancake day, my hubby and son wanted me to make some, first time making these we all loved them. I had them with yogurt and blueberries they lemon juice and sugar. I could only eat three. Will definitely be a regular in our house. Thank you
OMG could not believe how good these tasted and syn free. Will definitely be making these on a regular basis x
I’ve made pancakes before with a similar recipe and they never looked like yours. I can’t use fat free greek yoghurt as am lactose intolerant and they only have full fat plain or soya based yogurt. Any ideas what might work?
If you can get a Greek style dairy free yoghurt it should be okay, you need the thicker yoghurt or the batter is too runny. Otherwise, mix all other ingredients first and add the yoghurt last until correct consistency. Ensure you don't use ready brek too, must be proper oats for the best result.
Could you use "ready brek" the ground oat porridge generally for kids instead of blending regular oats?
Thanks Paul.
Can i use. Natural Yogurt or does it have to bd greek?
it's best to use Greek yoghurt for these, as it's a thicker consistency so yields a better pancake.
Omg I love these!! I am calorie counting as well as slimming world. How many calories are in the whole batch? Thanks so much for sharing this recipe x
These are amazing!! So tasty and super easy to make. Served these with mixed berries and a spoonful of ice cream for dessert. These will be made on a regular basis especially since my fussy 10 year old son enjoyed them as well
my kids prefer these over standard pancakes now, so glad to hear they are hit with your family too.
Hi just wonderd how this is 0.5 syn when 1tbsp of sweetener is 1/2 syn? Shouldn't it be 2 syns then?
nope, it's still 0.5 syns, you are only using 3/4 (3 quarters) of a tablespoon of sweetener, so therefore not synnned. If you have maple syrup drizzled over, then that of course is additional 🙂
I did these tonight for brekky tomorrow. How do you manage to get 8 pancakes I only managed 4. Mixture was quite thick so wouldn't spend in the pan.
You probably just made bigger pancakes which is perfectly fine. I use 2 tablespoons of batter per pancake as I like a nice stack for my toppings and maple syrup. Also ensure you have measurements correct for the mix if it's really thick, it should be spoonable, you don't spread the batter like with crepes, these are American style. Just checking you also didn't use ready brek? I don't using recommend ready brek, it must be pure oats or you batter consistency. will be off.
This is a family favorite! We had them this morning in the shape of skulls 🙂
Thankyou so much . Tried several slimming pancake recipes but these are the best by far!!...tasted so good.....your recipes are amazing thankyou for sharing your wonderful talent with us .
Made these this morning they were delicious. Had them with fresh berries.. Didn't feel like a diet at all
The best pancakes . Ive just made the mixture up and baked the whole lot in a dish as it also makes the best baked oats. Put some blueberries in and will have it tomorow, warmed through, with some fat free greek style yoghurt!!
Made the pancakes today they were delicious had lemon juice and blueberries. Easy to make and syn free worth while.
Thank you
Brigid
Omg made these tonight for the first time and they were superb thank you so much! Currently doing slimming world and didn't use my HEB today and wanted something sweet - fab!
First time making American pancakes they are delicious will certainly make again
Served with strawberries and maple syrup
A winner