The Ultimate Healthy Blueberry Pancakes (One-Bowl Recipe!)

 
In the middle of December, I booked a single-night stay one weekend at a charming little hotel in the Los Angeles area to attend my close friend’s wedding reception dinner. When I arrived that afternoon and carried my suitcase up the steps of the impressive stone entryway, I paused to marvel at the festive fir garlands intertwined with twinkling white lights strung around the two-story wooden doors before walking through them to check in.  

Inside looked like even more of a magical holiday fairytale. A gigantic Christmas tree sat in the lobby, red and gold glass ornaments hanging from every branch with more tiny softly glowing white lights generously interspersed between, and crimson red poinsettias adorned the grand marble staircase circling upwards to the hotel guest rooms on the second floor. As much as I wanted to simply stand and soak it all in, I headed over to the front desk to grab a key and find my room before I needed to change for the black tie gala that evening.
 

 
When I greeted the helpful person sitting behind the counter, he inquired whether I was there for the private event. When I responded no, he politely shared that the event would last late into the evening and start again with breakfast in the morning, so I might hear a bit more noise compared to their usual quiet and peaceful atmosphere.

Smiling, I reassured him that wouldn’t bother me one bit, and he looked a little more relaxed as he handed me the key and pointed out the elevator. Even so, I hoisted my suitcase and climbed the marble stairs, fully intent on using every moment I could to admire the magical Christmas decorations throughout the hotel.

The following morning, after repacking my suitcase and closing my room’s door behind me, I walked back downstairs to return the key and drive home. As I reached the final flight of steps, my eyes lit up as I smelled a familiar cozy aroma…
 

 
Freshly cooked pancakes!

The entry to the private event’s dining room sat directly in front of the marble staircase, and I spotted a few people standing in a buffet line holding white plates and peeking underneath each chafing dish’s lid. A few of them had loaded scrambled eggs, hash browns, and bacon onto their plates… But far more people had stacks of fluffy blueberry pancakes generously doused in maple syrup sitting on theirs.

As tempting as it was to stop by the hotel’s main dining room and see if I could order the same pancakes there, I realized it’d be a better idea to drive back home before traffic picked up on the freeway… So with a little internal sigh, I wheeled my suitcase past the stunning Christmas tree and out of the grand entryway, loaded it into my car’s trunk, and pulled out of the parking lot.
 

 
But since I was still recalling (and therefore craving!) the hotel’s pancakes a few days later, I whipped up a batch of these Healthy Blueberry Pancakes for myself back at home. They’re incredibly easy to make, supremely fluffy, and packed full of sweet juicy berries — exactly the way I love my pancakes!

However, unlike the hotel’s recipe… This one contains no heavy cream, buttermilk, refined flour or sugar — yet they’re still thick, soft, and supremely satisfying!

I may have even eaten some of the leftover pancakes for dinner that same night… They’re just that good! 😉
 

HOW TO MAKE THE BEST HEALTHY BLUEBERRY PANCAKES

Let’s go over how to make these healthy one-bowl blueberry pancakes!

You’ll start off with — you guessed it! — one large mixing bowl. In that bowl, you’ll whisk together a teensy bit of oil or melted butter, an egg white, and a generous splash of vanilla.

That last bit is actually key to this healthy one-bowl blueberry pancakes recipe! Vanilla extract can imitate and enhances butter’s rich flavor, so by adding a bit more than you typically would in traditional pancake recipes, it makes these healthy ones taste just as rich and buttery!
 

 
You’ll also stir in a teensy bit of pure maple syrup. Remember to use the real kind that comes directly from maple trees! The only ingredient on the label should be “maple syrup,” and it generally comes in thin glass bottles or squat plastic jugs (like this!).

However… Since my family always douses their stacks of pancakes with a heavy drizzle of more pure maple syrup… I only add a teensy tiny bit to the batter. Too much more just seems like sweetness overkill! But if you prefer, you can definitely add more maple syrup to your pancake batter. I won’t judge one bit! 😉
 

 
Next comes the second key ingredient… Greek yogurt! If you’ve browsed through my recipes before, then you already know how much I love using it. In this recipe, Greek yogurt adds the same moisture to your batter as extra oil or butter but for a fraction of the calories. It also gives your healthy one-bowl blueberry pancakes a protein boost!

Once you’ve stirred that in, you’ll add the third key ingredient. It might sound a little strange to add this particular thing to pancake batter, so bear with me for a second, okay? That third key ingredient is…
 

 
Plain white vinegar! Vinegar (an acid) reacts with baking soda (a base — you’ll add that in a bit!). When these two ingredients react, it creates air bubbles. Those air bubbles help your healthy one-bowl blueberry pancakes rise, which gives them a really moist and fluffy texture. And I promise you cannot taste any vinegar in your fully cooked pancakes!

After stirring in some milk and water to thin out your batter, you’ll add the three remaining dry ingredients: white whole wheat flour, baking powder, and baking soda. As crazy as it sounds, white whole wheat flour actually exists, and it’s not a combination of white (aka all-purpose) flour and regular whole wheat flour! Instead, it’s made by finely grinding a special type of soft white wheat (hence the name!), whereas regular whole wheat flour comes from a heartier variety of red wheat. They have the same health benefits (like extra fiber!), but white whole wheat flour has a lighter taste and texture… Which lets the extra fluffy texture of your healthy one-bowl blueberry pancakes shine!

As for the baking powder and baking soda, don’t dump them into the bowl! Instead, pour the flour in first, and then sprinkle them over the top of the flour. Sprinkling helps prevent clumps, which means your healthy one-bowl blueberry pancakes will rise properly and have the perfect moist and fluffy texture.
 

 
Just one more ingredient to go… The blueberries! I always try to use fresh blueberries, but frozen ones will also work. Just remember that frozen blueberries will often dye your batter a grayish color, and your pancakes may take an extra minute or two to cook on each side.

Hint: Add all of the blueberries to the bowl of batter! Some people wait until the pancake batter is on the griddle or in the pan and then press individual blueberries into each dollop of batter. When doing it this way, I’ve found that the batter can’t “climb” up the sides of the blueberries to completely cover them, so the blueberries stick out like little mountains and the second side doesn’t cook properly.
 

HOW TO COOK PERFECT HEALTHY BLUEBERRY PANCAKES

With your bowl of batter ready, let’s go over how to cook your healthy pancakes. Here are my tips for making the best ever blueberry pancakes!

Use nonstick pans. Definitely not metal ones! As you can see in my photos over here, metal pans tend to burn your pancakes… But whenever I use nonstick pans, I always end up with perfectly golden pancakes. Oh! Before I forget… I also use two pans so the cooking process goes twice as fast! (I don’t own a pancake griddle, but that should also work!)

Use cooking spray. While some people prefer to drop a pat of butter into their frying pans, I prefer using cooking spray because it creates a much more even coating… Which means your pancakes won’t stick to the pan! Also, remember to wipe off any leftover cooking spray and reapply in between rounds of cooking pancakes!
 

 
Use really low heat. I turn my burner down almost as low as it can go! If you use medium or high heat, you’ll burn the outsides of your pancakes, and the centers can often still be raw or underdone. Low and slow is the way to go for perfect blueberry pancakes!

Use a scant 2 tablespoons of batter. I have this super handy 2-tablespoon measuring spoon that I always use for cooking pancakes! Then I use this mini spatula to get all of the batter out and then spread it into a circle in the pan. (Well… I try to, anyway. Most of my pancakes end up looking like ovals or blobs, not circles! 😉 ) With these healthy one-bowl blueberry pancakes, I’ll also use the spatula to move the berries around a bit in the batter once it’s in my frying pan.
 

 
Use your wrist to flip. When the edges of your pancakes look firm and the tops start to bubble, it’s time to flip your pancakes! I use a small, really thin spatula (like this!) to flip my pancakes. If you use your whole arm to flip each pancake, you’ll often end up with a pancake “skirt,” as I call it, which looks like a lacey bit of batter around the edges of your pancake. (You can see what I mean here!) It won’t affect the taste though — only the appearance!

Whew! I think that just about covers everything. And now that you’re a batter-making, pancake-flipping pro…
 

 
Serve yourself a big tall stack of fluffy pancakes, and dig in! And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! 🙂 ) I’d love to see your healthy blueberry pancakes!

Healthy Blueberry Pancakes (One-Bowl Recipe!)

© Amy's Healthy Baking

Yields: 20 pancakes

My family is really picky about their blueberry pancakes, but they called these the best blueberry pancakes they’ve ever had! These pancakes are fluffy, moist, and positively packed with juicy berries. We almost never have leftovers! But if you do, the leftovers will keep for at least five days (if not longer!) if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, and they freeze and reheat really well too.

5 from 7 votes

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Ingredients 

• 1 tsp unsalted butter or coconut oil, melted
• 1 large egg white, room temperature
• 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp pure maple syrup
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ cup (60g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
• 2 tbsp (30mL) distilled white vinegar (see Notes!)
• ½ cup (120mL) nonfat milk
• ¼ cup (60mL) water
• 1 cup + 2 tbsp (135g) white whole wheat flour or gluten free* flour (measured like this)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 cup (140g) fresh blueberries (see Notes!)

Instructions

• In a medium bowl bowl, whisk together the butter, egg white, vanilla, maple syrup, and salt. Stir in the Greek yogurt, stirring until no lumps remain. Stir in the vinegar until fully incorporated. Stir in the milk and water. Pour the flour evenly over the top of the batter, and evenly sprinkle the baking soda and baking powder on top of the flour. Stir until the flour is just incorporated. Gently fold in the blueberries.
• Lightly coat a large nonstick pan or griddle with nonstick cooking spray, and briefly preheat over low heat.
• Using a scant 2 tablespoons of batter for each pancake, dollop the batter onto the hot pan, and spread into a circular shape using a spatula or back of a spoon (if desired). Let the pancakes cook for 2-3 minutes, or until a slight skin starts to form around the edges. Slide a spatula underneath, and flip. Continue to cook for another 1-2 minutes or until cooked through. Re-coat the pan with nonstick cooking spray, and repeat with the remaining batter.

Notes

IMPORTANT MEASURING NOTE – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: It's really important to measure the flour correctly, using this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own and love!) Too much will dry out your pancake batter.

 

IMPORTANT MIXING NOTE – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: It’s very important to sprinkle the baking soda and baking powder on top of the flour before stirring them in! This prevents clumps, which means your pancakes will cook properly and have the best texture.

 

IMPORTANT BATTER CONSISTENCY NOTE – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: Remember… Thick batter = thick pancakes. Thin batter = thin pancakes. However, when you add thick batter to your pan, it does not spread, so you’ll need to spread it a bit yourself using a spatula, the back of a spoon, or the bottom of a measuring cup to get that nice, circular pancake shape.

 

For even thicker pancakes, decrease the water by 2 tablespoons.

 

For thinner pancake batter, add more water or milk until you achieve your desired pancake batter consistency.

 

IMPORTANT FLAVOR NOTE – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: These pancakes aren’t overly sweet — and that’s intentional! Because my family usually covers their pancakes in lots of maple syrup, I found that adding more sweetener to the batter was completely unnecessary.

 

However, if you prefer sweeter pancakes, replace 2-4 tablespoons of milk with an equal amount of pure maple syrup, honey, or agave. (For example, if adding 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, then reduce the milk by 2 tablespoons [which would be 6 tablespoons of milk instead of ½ cup].)

 

SWEETENER ALTERNATIVES: Honey or agave may be substituted for the pure maple syrup.

 

VINEGAR NOTE + ALTERNATIVE: You cannot taste the vinegar in the fully cooked pancakes! It fully reacts with the baking soda, which helps your pancakes rise and turn puffy in the pan, and it also helps with their moist and fluffy texture.

 

If you don't have distilled white vinegar, substitute lemon juice instead. Although I haven't personally tried it yet, other readers have had decent success with apple cider vinegar.

 

MILK ALTERNATIVES: Any milk may be substituted for the nonfat milk.

 

FLOUR ALTERNATIVES: Whole wheat pastry flour, regular whole wheat flour, or all-purpose flour may be substituted in place of the white whole wheat flour.

 

BLUEBERRIES NOTES + ALTERNATIVES: Frozen blueberries may be substitute for the fresh, if you prefer. Just remember that they often dye the batter a grayish color, and your pancakes may require an extra minute or two per side to cook.

 

Do not wait to add the blueberries until after you’ve dolloped the batter into your pans! If you do this, the batter can’t cling to and “climb” up the sides of the berries to fully cover them, so the blueberries stick out like little mountains and prevent the second side from fully cooking. They must be folded into the bowl of batter for the best results!

 

DOUBLING THE RECIPE: This recipe is easily doubled or tripled to make more.

 

HOW TO STORE: Leftovers will keep for at least four or five days (if not longer) if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If you have any leftovers, they freeze really well too!

 

GLUTEN FREE OPTION: For the gluten free flour, I recommend the following blend: ½ cup (60g) millet flour, ½ cup (60g) tapioca flour, 2 tbsp (15g) brown rice flour, and ½ teaspoon xanthan gum. Many store-bought gluten free flour blends (I like this one from Bob's Red Mill) will work as well, if measured like this.

 

EGG FREE, DAIRY FREE + VEGAN OPTION: Use coconut oil (or any other oil!), your preferred non-dairy yogurt (ie almond-, soy-, or coconut-based) and your preferred non-dairy milk. My favorite vegan alternative for the egg white is 1 ½ teaspoons of Ener-G + 2 tablespoons (30mL) of warm water.

 

For more cooking tips, see the blog post above, as well as the text and pictures in this blog post of mine.

 

{gluten free, clean eating, low fat, lower sugar, dairy free option, egg free option, vegan option}

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?I'd love to hear what you think of it in a comment below! If you take a picture, tag @amys.healthy.baking on Instagram or use the hashtag #amyshealthybaking.

View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
 
 
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡  Healthy Blueberry Oatmeal Pancakes
♡  Healthy Dark Chocolate Pancakes
♡  Healthy Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes
♡  Healthy Banana Pancakes
♡  The Ultimate Healthy Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins
♡  The Ultimate Healthy Blueberry Scones
♡  The Ultimate Healthy Blueberry Crumble
♡  …and the rest of Amy’s healthy pancake recipes and healthy breakfast recipes!