Easy Pink Pancakes (Naturally Dyed!)
Celebrate Valentine’s Day with all things pink by making these fun, colorful Easy Pink Pancakes topped with strawberry jam and fluffy, vanilla whipped cream. They’re all-natural and dye-free!
Making these Pink Pancakes with Beets
Beets are naturally very potent in color, making them a great all-natural alternative to food coloring when making these Easy Pink Pancakes.
You only need a little bit to color the pancakes, so you don’t have to worry about these pancakes tasting like anything but pancakes. My kids had no idea that I added beets to the pancake mix until I told them.
And because you’re using such a small amount, you don’t need to make any alterations to your recipe or pancake mix instructions. See how easy that is?
Tools Needed to Make Pink Pancakes
You’ll need a few kitchen tools to prepare this beet pancake recipe. Here’s what I recommend having on hand before getting started:
- Vegetable Peeler – to peel the beet skins off the beets.
- Sharp Knife – to cut the beets into smaller pieces.
- Saucepan with Steamer Basket and Lid – to steam the beets.
- Blender or Food Processor – to make the fresh beet puree.
- Measuring Cups and Spoons – to measure the ingredients in the pancake batter.
- Mixing Bowls – to mix the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients.
- Wire Whisk – to beat the egg.
- Wooden Spoon – to stir the pink pancake batter.
- Cast Iron Pan or Griddle – to cook the pink pancakes.
- Pancake Spatula – to flip the pancakes when cooking.
What’s in this Pink Pancake Recipe?
Wondering what makes these pancakes pink? They’re dyed naturally with fresh beet puree. Here’s what you’ll need to make this recipe:
- All-Purpose Flour
- Granulated Sugar
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Sea Salt
- Large Egg
- Melted Butter
- Buttermilk
- Beet Puree
For the complete ingredient list and detailed instructions to make these pancakes with beet puree, scroll to the bottom of this post for the FREE printable recipe card.
How to Make Naturally Dyed Pancakes
Want a quick overview of how this pink pancake recipe is prepared? Here’s what the process looks like:
First, you’ll steam the beets. Then, puree them until completely smooth.
After that you’ll make the pancake batter. Combine the wet ingredients together, whisking until well mixed and then stirring the beet puree in.
In another bowl, you’ll combine the dry ingredients. Then, you’ll mix the wet ingredients and dry ingredients together until a batter is formed.
After that, you’ll cook the pancake batter on a hot griddle.
The above is simply a quick summary of this beet pancake recipe. Check out the full recipe in the free printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for all the detailed instructions.
Tips for Making the Best Pink Pancakes
- Bring the egg to room temperature before making the beet pancake batter. The egg will combine better with the melted butter if it isn’t cold. Learn how to bring eggs to room temperature quickly.
- Make sure the beets are tender enough to puree until they’re completely smooth. You don’t want any little chunks of beets in your pancakes.
- Add the beet puree in small amounts so you can adjust by adding more if you’d prefer a darker color.
- Preheat the griddle before starting to cook the pancakes – this will help them cook more evenly.
- Keep the cooked pink pancakes warm until serving by placing them on a wire cooling rack set atop a baking sheet in a warm oven.
Pink Pancake FAQs
Got questions about how to make this recipe? Here are the answers to a few commonly asked questions. Feel free to leave any other questions in the comments on this post and I’ll respond with answers.
What Can I Use in Place of Buttermilk?
If you’re out of buttermilk, no worries! Check out these 6 Substitutes for Buttermilk.
Can I Make Beet Pancakes with Pancake Mix?
Feel free to add this beet puree to your favorite store bought pancake mix for something a little simpler. You can also add the beet puree to this recipe for homemade pancake mix.
Would this Work with Waffles?
Want waffles instead? Try adding the beet puree to this recipe for Healthier Whole Wheat Waffles or these Fluffy Belgian Waffles.
Can I Freeze these Pink Pancakes?
I definitely recommend making a larger batch of pancakes and freezing them so you can reheat them later.
My kids love when we make pancakes on a Saturday morning and make an extra large batch to stash in the freezer for them to reheat for breakfast during the week. I love it because it makes breakfast super easy on school mornings!
If you’ve never frozen pancakes before, check out this quick tutorial to learn how to freeze and reheat pancakes.
Pink Pancake Serving Ideas
You can serve these pink beet pancakes however you like. These are a few of our favorite topping ideas:
- Top your beet pancakes with a dollop of vanilla whipped cream and a pile of fresh berries – so fresh and colorful for summertime!
- If you don’t have fresh berries, try your favorite strawberry or raspberry jam with a dollop of whipped cream on top.
- You can’t go wrong with the classic pancake topping – butter and maple syrup. Here’s a quick hack for pouring maple syrup.
- If you want a different pourable topping option for these pink pancakes, try this Strawberry Sauce instead of maple syrup.
Try these Pink Pancakes at Home!
Next time you’re looking for a fun way to make your Saturday morning pancakes, give this Pink Pancake recipe a try!
Did you love the pink color and that the pancakes are naturally dyed? Leave a comment below and give it a review for others to see what you thought of this great recipe.
On Instagram? Share your photo and tag me with @goodlifeeats and #goodlifeeatsrecipes with. I’d love to see a photo of your pink beet pancakes!
More Pancake Recipes to Try
A lightened up, gluten-free version of perfect griddlecakes, these Applesauce Oatmeal Pancakes are sweet, flavorful and perfect for a weekend breakfast!
These Carrot Cake Pancakes are easy to prepare and perfect for a Saturday morning or an Easter brunch. This recipe is the perfect way to use up tons of carrots!
Gingersnap Pancakes are sweetened using a touch of molasses and brown sugar and flavored with warm spices like cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg for extra flavor.
Don’t see what you’re looking for here? You can always head over to check out the recipe index to look for more recipes.
Get More Easy Recipes via Email
Did you love this recipe for beet pancakes? Sign up to receive Good Life Eats Email Updates and never miss another recipe!
What is your favorite easy breakfast treat?
Pink Pancakes
Celebrate Valentine's Day with all things pink by making these fun, colorful Easy Pink Pancakes topped with strawberry jam and fluffy, vanilla whipped cream. They're all-natural and dye-free!
Ingredients
For the Beet Puree
- 3 medium beets – stems removed and peeled, about 6.5 ounces once prepared
- 1/3 cup cold water
For the Pancakes
- 2 cups (10 ounces) All-Purpose Flour
- 2 tablespoons Granulated Sugar
- 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
- 1 Large Egg, room temperature
- 3 tablespoons Butter, melted
- 1 3/4 cups + 2 tablespoons Buttermilk
- 2 - 6 tablespoons Beet Puree, according to color preference.
Instructions
To Make the Beet Puree for the Pancakes
- Remove the stems and leaves from the beets and discard. Peel the beets and slice into quarters.
- Add beats to a steamer basket in a medium sized saucepan with 1 cup of water in the bottom.
- Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat. Then, reduce the heat to low and cover the pan with a lid.
- Steam the beets until tender, about 10-15 minutes.
- Turn the heat off and carefully remove the lid.
- Using tongs or a large serving spoon, add the beets to a blender or food processor.
- Blend the beets, using your blender according to manufacturer instructions, adding water in tablespoon increments until the beets are pureed and completely smooth. Set aside.
To Make the Pink Pancake Batter
- Measure the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium sized mixing bowl.
- Using a wire whisk, stir until the dry ingredients are well sifted. Set aside.
- In another medium mixing bowl, lightly beat the egg until the egg and yolk are combined. Then, add the melted butter and whisk until incorporated with the egg.
- Add the buttermilk, whisking until well combined. Stir in 1/4 cup of the beet puree.
- Make a well in the center of the bowl containing the dry ingredients.
- Pour the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture, stirring gently with a wooden spoon or flexible spatula.
- Do not beat or over mix. It is ok if a few lumps remain as long as there are no large dry spots.
Cooking the Pink Pancakes
- Preheat a large skillet or cast iron griddle on the stove over medium heat for 3 minutes.
- Then, using a silicone pastry brush lightly brush the hot pan with oil.
- Pour 1/4 cup of the pancake batter on the hot, oiled skillet leaving 2 inches of space between each pancake to account for spreading.
- Cook the pancakes for 1 - 2 minutes, or until the tops begin to bubble slightly.
- Then, using a thin spatula, flip the pancakes to the other side. Cook for an additional 1 - 2 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Repeat the cooking process with the remaining pancake batter, adding extra oil if needed.
- Serve the pink pancakes while still hot.
Notes
You'll likely have extra beet puree if you only make one batch of the pancakes. Beet puree can be frozen in ice cube trays, an airtight container, or in a plastic freezer bag.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 2-3 pancakesAmount Per Serving: Calories: 263Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 49mgSodium: 643mgCarbohydrates: 41gFiber: 1gSugar: 8gProtein: 8g
GoodLifeEats.com offers recipe nutritional information as a courtesy. This provided information is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although GoodLifeEats.com makes every effort to provide accurate information, these figures are only estimates.
Leave a Comment