Need a top of the morning treat to get your little leprechauns out the door? Sit the wee lads and lassies down to a stack of Lucky Charms Cereal Pancakes.
Made with Bisquick mix, these pancakes come together quickly. The fun is in choosing the toppings to go between the layers. Dollops of whipped cream add a lofty base for fresh fruits. Try a mix of blueberries, blackberries, sliced strawberries, mandarin orange segments and chunks of kiwi and pineapple for a rainbow effect. Finish off your masterpiece with candy sprinkles and a scattering of marshmallows from a box of Lucky Charms cereal.
The green food coloring is entirely optional of course, but green pancakes are the perfect start for St. Patrick's Day. Or save the recipe for your next Dr. Seuss celebration. These layered short stacks look like they could have been engineered in Whoville.
[READ MORE: 7 ways to celebrate St. Patrick's Day in the Chattanooga area]
Find more recipes at luckycharms.com/recipes.
Lucky Charms Cereal Pancakes
Prep time: 15 minutes
Total time: 15 minutes
Servings: 13 pancakes
For pancakes:
2 cups Original Bisquick pancake baking mix
1 cup milk
2 eggs
Green gel food color, if desired
Toppings, as desired:
Lucky Charms marshmallows from 1 box (10.5-ounce) Lucky Charms cereal
Whipped cream topping in aerosol can
Rainbow candy sprinkles
Miniature chocolate chips
Fresh berries
Chocolate-flavor syrup
Maple syrup
Heat griddle or skillet over medium-high heat or electric griddle to 375 degrees. (Surface is ready when a few drops of water sprinkled on it dance and disappear.)
In medium bowl, beat Bisquick mix, milk and eggs with whisk until mixed well. Tint with food color.
Brush griddle with vegetable oil or shortening. For each pancake, pour slightly less than 1/4 cup batter onto hot griddle. Cook 1 to 2 minutes or until puffed and bubbles begin to form on top. Turn; cook other side until golden brown. Remove from griddle to serving plate. Repeat with remaining batter. If not eating immediately, remove pancakes to cooling rack. Keep warm in 200-degree oven.
Serve with toppings.
To assemble, have 1/4 cup each of chopped strawberries, mandarin orange segments, chopped kiwifruit, pineapple, halved blackberries and blueberries. Place 1 pancake in center of large plate, spread or pipe whipped cream on top, then place strawberries and mandarin oranges on top; top with next pancake, and repeat with more whipped cream and the next fruits. Repeat until all the fruit has been used. Top with additional whipped cream, marshmallows and sprinkles.
Nutrition information (per 1 pancake): 90 calories (25 calories from fat), 2.5 grams fat (1 gram saturated, no trans fat), 30 milligrams cholesterol, 190 milligrams sodium, 14 grams carbohydrate, 2 grams sugar, 3 grams protein.
Exchanges: 1 starch, 1/2 fat
Tips:
* Don't flip 'em more than once. Repeated cooking on both sides toughens rather than browns the pancakes.
* To test the griddle, sprinkle with a few drops of water. If the bubbles jump around, the heat is just right to start cooking the pancakes.
* To separate marshmallows from the cereal, pour the box of Lucky Charms onto a large tray. Pick out all the marshmallows (about 2 cups) for a topping; reserve remaining cereal for another use.
- Recipe from General Mills
Contact Lisa Denton at ldenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6281.