Silver Dollar Pancakes with Vanilla Bean Butter {Recipe}

Silver Dollar Pancakes with Vanilla Bean Butter will change your breakfast routine all for the better! These mini pancakes and butter dotted with vanilla bean will make anyone who eats them full of smiles and yum's!

 

Last Saturday seemed to be the perfect day to make silver dollar pancakes. Our oldest was home for spring break, the youngest didn’t have to be at work for a few hours and my husband and I made sure our day was free of anything scheduled.

It was bitter outside and I was totally in the mood for a nice cozy, lazy morning, so I grabbed a cookbook off the shelf and found a nice recipe for what I used to call Swedish Pancakes.

Weekend Breakfast with Small Pancakes

Silver Dollar pancakes are basically just mini cakes that cook up in a flash.

A small amount of batter goes a long way since you are only dropping the batter by a tablespoon creating pancakes that are, well, the size of a silver dollar.

I have no idea why I called these Swedish pancakes, I guess it’s like calling over easy egg a “Dippy Egg.”

You didn’t call it that? Just me? Oh, well…

The book I grabbed– New York Cult Recipes, by Marc Grossman, has been a favorite as of late- it is full of over 100 of NYC’s most iconic foods and it is glorious!

I’ve made the classic buttermilk flapjacks (adding in mini chocolate chips) and homemade granola and can’t wait until I hit the lunch section filled with burgers with homemade buns, grilled cheese, soups and more.

Silver Dollar Pancakes with Vanilla Bean Butter

It's easy to put together this recipe and the little pancakes cook up like a charm. 

Make sure to use a non-stick skillet when making these because a steel pan will make them stick to the bottom creating a mess! My two favorite pans to use are my Swiss Diamond 10-inch or Le Creuset non-stick pan. 

I've never been a fan of cooking spray, so I suggest using melted butter or vegetable oil instead. 

Some other kitchen tools you can have on hand for easy cooking:

• A firm, thin spatula for flipping your mini pancakes.
• Measuring spoons for recipe prep and pouring batter. 
• Measuring cups for flour and other ingredients.
• A large mixing bowl to prepare your pancake batter.

How to Make Silver Dollar Pancakes

Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl and stir well with a whisk.

Next, combine milk, melted butter, and vanilla in a bowl.  Be sure to add beaten eggs to milk mixture slowly (so eggs do not cook if the butter hasn’t cooled enough!) until all combined.

Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add wet ingredients. Stir until combined (lumps are ok and are encouraged!)

Heat skillet over medium-high heat with a quarter-sized amount of vegetable oil.

Pour a tablespoon of batter into a hot pan. Cakes should sizzle.

Adjust heat if cake browns before small bubbles appear on top. Cook pancakes until golden brown. 

Flip and cook an additional minute.

Vanilla Compound Butter

The Vanilla Butter, on the other hand, is my creation and it came out awesome if I do say so myself.

It was super easy and is delicious on the silver dollar pancakes and the cinnamon raisin toast I had the following morning.

There is something to be said for using vanilla bean paste– on the flavor scale, nothing compares in the world of baking and having a whole jar of this stuff makes me want to put it in everything I bake.

I've made berry butter for summer pancakes, so I thought why not give it a go? Compound butter is so underutilized in my opinion.

They are so easy to make and provide so much flavor to a dish. This sweet version of butter did not last long, which tells me I’ll be making it again sooner rather than later.

Eatpicks Vanilla Bean Butter

• 3 Tbsp. softened unsalted butter
• ¼ tsp. vanilla bean paste (I use Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Paste)
• Pinch of sugar
• Stir the butter with a fork to break up.
• Add vanilla bean paste and sugar.
• Stir with the back of a spoon until completely incorporated and creamy.

Serve over pancakes, French toast or toast!

Hopefully, you will have a lazy weekend planned and have a chance to make these little discs of happiness topped off with a pat of vanilla butter joy.

Why Are They Called Silver Dollar Pancakes?

Because they are made the size of silver dollar coins. When I was a kid, this coin was the prize to find under your pillow from the Tooth Fairy! 

How Do You Make Perfectly Round Pancakes?

Use a round measuring tablespoon or Pancake Bottle. You do not need much batter, but you do need to pour slowly and carefully. 

What Can Mini Pancakes Be Topped With?

Let your imagination run wild! These small cakes are just like the larger ones, so you can top them with anything! Some of our favorites are: 

• Vanilla compound butter (recipe below!) 
• Favorite Maple Syrup
• Confectioner sugar
• Fresh Berries
• Chocolate chips
• Jam

Be sure to try our Homemade Vanilla Extract Recipe too!

If you enjoy making these delicious Silver Dollar Pancakes, please be sure to share on Pinterest and Facebook! Tag us with @eatpicks so we know you tried them! 

Silver Dollar Pancakes, recipe adapted from New York Cult Recipes 

Original Post: 2/27/15

Updated: 2/5/20