Easy Nectarine Pancakes

Finding a breakfast that feels special enough for weekend mornings but won’t keep you tied to the stove for hours can be tricky. You want something that goes beyond basic pancakes but doesn’t require a ton of fancy ingredients or complicated steps, especially when you’re trying to feed hungry family members who are already asking “when will it be ready?”

Thankfully, these nectarine pancakes hit that sweet spot perfectly: they’re easy enough for a regular Saturday morning, use simple ingredients you probably already have, and the fresh nectarines make them feel like a real treat without any extra fuss.

What Kind of Nectarines Should I Use?

For these pancakes, you’ll want to use overripe nectarines that are soft to the touch and maybe even a little wrinkled. Don’t worry if they look past their prime – that’s exactly what you want! Overripe nectarines are sweeter and have more concentrated flavor, plus they’ll break down easily when you mix them into the batter. If your nectarines are still firm, you can leave them on the counter for a few days until they give slightly when pressed. Yellow or white nectarines both work great, so just go with whatever looks ripest at the store.

Options for Substitutions

This pancake recipe is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps and substitutions:

• Overripe nectarines: If you can’t find ripe nectarines, peaches work perfectly as they’re basically the same fruit. You can also use canned peaches (drained) or even fresh berries like blueberries or chopped strawberries.
• Plain flour: All-purpose flour works the same way. For a healthier twist, you can substitute up to half the flour with whole wheat flour, but your pancakes will be a bit denser.
• Milk: Any milk works here – almond milk, oat milk, or buttermilk are all good options. If using buttermilk, reduce the baking powder to 2.5 teaspoons since buttermilk adds extra lift.
• Golden syrup: Honey or maple syrup make great substitutes. If using honey, use slightly less as it’s sweeter than golden syrup.
• Brown sugar and caster sugar: You can use regular white sugar in place of caster sugar, or swap both sugars for just brown sugar if that’s what you have on hand.
• Butter: Melted butter works just as well as softened, or you can use vegetable oil or melted coconut oil for a dairy-free option.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making nectarine pancakes is overmixing the batter, which creates tough, dense pancakes instead of light and fluffy ones – mix just until the ingredients are barely combined, even if there are still a few lumps.

Another common error is cooking on heat that’s too high, which burns the outside while leaving the inside raw, so keep your pan at medium heat and test with a drop of water that should sizzle gently.

Make sure your nectarines are truly overripe and soft, as firm fruit won’t break down properly and can create uneven cooking, and don’t forget to pat any excess juice from chopped nectarines before folding them into the batter to prevent soggy pancakes.

Finally, resist the urge to press down on your pancakes with the spatula while they cook, as this squeezes out air bubbles and makes them flat and heavy.

What to Serve With Nectarine Pancakes?

These fruity pancakes are already pretty special on their own, but I love serving them with a dollop of Greek yogurt or whipped cream to balance out the sweetness. A drizzle of maple syrup or honey works great too, especially if you want to go all out with the breakfast vibes. For something a bit different, try adding some crispy bacon or breakfast sausage on the side – the salty-sweet combo is really good with the nectarine flavors. You could also serve them with fresh berries like blueberries or strawberries to keep the fruit theme going, and maybe a hot cup of coffee or fresh orange juice to round out the meal.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: Store your leftover nectarine pancakes in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container with parchment paper between each pancake. The fruit keeps them nice and moist, so they actually taste great cold too! I sometimes grab one straight from the fridge for a quick breakfast on busy mornings.

Freeze: These pancakes freeze really well for up to 2 months. Just make sure they’re completely cool, then stack them with parchment paper in between and pop them in a freezer bag. It’s such a time-saver to have homemade pancakes ready to go on hectic weekday mornings.

Warm Up: To enjoy your pancakes again, just pop them in the toaster on a low setting or warm them in the microwave for about 30 seconds. If you’re heating from frozen, give them an extra 15-20 seconds. The nectarine pieces get all jammy and sweet when warmed up – it’s almost like having fresh pancakes again!

Preparation Time	10-15 minutes
Cooking Time	20-30 minutes
Total Time	30-45 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Easy

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1200-1350
• Protein: 15-20 g
• Fat: 50-60 g
• Carbohydrates: 180-200 g

Ingredients

For the pancakes:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 overripe nectarines, pitted
• 1 large egg (free-range preferred)
• 2 tbsp light brown sugar
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar

For the nectarine syrup:

• 1 overripe nectarine, chopped
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup golden syrup

Step 1: Preheat the Oven

Start by preheating your oven to 150ºC to keep the pancakes warm as you cook them.

This will ensure all your pancakes are ready to serve hot and fresh at the same time.

Step 2: Prepare the Pancake Batter

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 overripe nectarines, pitted
• 1 large egg (free-range preferred)
• 2 tbsp light brown sugar
• 1 tsp salt

Place 1 1/2 overripe nectarines (pitted and roughly chopped) and 1 1/4 cups of milk in a blender and blend until smooth.

Add 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, 1 large egg, 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (softened), and 1 teaspoon salt.

Blend until the mixture is well combined and smooth, making sure no lumps remain.

Step 3: Cook the Pancakes

• 3 tbsp unsalted butter, softened (for greasing)
• pancake batter (from Step 2)

Heat a medium non-stick frying pan over medium-low heat.

Use a paper towel to lightly grease the pan with some softened butter.

Pour 1/3 cup of pancake batter (from Step 2) onto the pan.

Cook for about 2 minutes until bubbles appear on the surface, then flip the pancake and cook for another minute until golden and cooked through.

Transfer cooked pancakes to a plate, cover with foil, and keep warm in the preheated oven.

Repeat with the remaining batter to make approximately 10 pancakes.

I find that keeping the pancakes in a warm oven helps them stay fluffy and moist.

Step 4: Make the Nectarine Syrup

• 1 overripe nectarine, chopped
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup golden syrup

While pancakes are cooking, prepare the nectarine syrup.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine 1 overripe nectarine (chopped), 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar.

Cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced to a jam-like consistency, about 8-10 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in 1/2 cup golden syrup.

Set aside.

For extra flavor, I sometimes add a small knob of butter to the syrup right before serving.

Step 5: Assemble and Serve the Pancakes

Stack the warm pancakes on serving plates and generously drizzle with the homemade nectarine syrup (from Step 4).

Serve immediately and enjoy!