Festive Reindeer Pancakes
Festive and fun, Reindeer Pancakes are perfect for Christmas breakfast or any morning during the holidays. Easy to make and yummy to eat, they make the holidays extra special!
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For our family, something that sets apart the holidays from regular days is extra special breakfasts. At Christmastime, that means Rudolph Pancakes, and our kids absolutely love this tradition. They’re festive and fun, and the perfect Christmas breakfast. Cute bacon antlers, a strawberry for the nose, blueberry eyes, and dollops of whipped cream to hold it all together go on two pancakes to create the cutest and yummiest reindeer ever!
We like to make them on Christmas Eve morning, and that has been our tradition for many years. Along with Crockpot Hot Chocolate, it’s a favorite breakfast we look forward to all year.
I use my dad’s pancake recipe–the one I grew up with–and I’m sharing it below, but you can absolutely your favorite pancake recipe as well. To make it super easy, use a pancake mix!
Whether you make them on Christmas Eve morning, Christmas morning, or any other holiday morning, they’re sure to be a hit with everyone. If you’re looking for Christmas pancake ideas, this is a must try.
Table of contents
Ingredients
I love that I can also easily make them gluten-free for my daughter. You just need a few things…pancakes, strawberries, blueberries, whipped cream, and bacon! (You can use chocolate chips for the eyes, or turkey bacon antlers.) Most of these items you probably already have around the house for the holidays, but if not, they’re simple pantry items that are easy to find.
- all-purpose flour
- buttermilk
- baking soda
- butter
- eggs
- OR pancake mix (in place of the above ingredients)
- strawberries, halved (one per reindeer)
- blueberries (two per reindeer)
- bacon, cooked (one per reindeer–torn in half)
- whipped cream
Equipment
- Griddle
- Spatula
- Cookie sheet (cooking bacon)
Instructions
This is also something that your kids will really love to help with, and gets them in the kitchen with you. Give them each a job, or let them decorate their own pancake. Some of my most favorite memories with my kids are those spent in the kitchen. And the holidays make it even more special!
- Mix dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking soda) together in a large bowl.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the wet ingredients (buttermilk, beaten eggs, butter).
- Add the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients, and stir only until combined–don’t over mix.
- Griddle at 400 degrees–heat before cooking pancakes. Add a bit of vegetable oil or cooking spray to the griddle so the pancakes don’t stick. Cook your pancakes on the hot griddle, making equal amounts of larger pancakes and smaller pancakes.
Assemble the reindeer
Lay one larger pancake on the plate, and then place one of the smaller pancakes on top, toward the bottom of the larger one. Add dollops of whipped cream for the eyes and the nose, then put the berries on top—blueberries for the eyes, and a strawberry for the nose. Break the bacon into pieces, and use two for each antler, angling them outward. You’ve got the cutest reindeer pancakes ever!
Watch the video
More Christmas recipe ideas
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Rudolph Pancakes Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- strawberries, halved (one per reindeer)
- blueberries (two per reindeer)
- bacon, cooked (two per reindeer)
- whipped cream
Instructions
- Mix dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking soda) together in a large bowl.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the wet ingredients (buttermilk, beaten eggs, butter).
- Add the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients, and stir only until combined–don't over mix.
- Griddle at 400 degrees–heat before cooking pancakes. Add a bit of vegetable oil or cooking spray to the griddle so the pancakes don't stick. Cook your pancakes on the hot griddle, making equal amounts of larger pancakes and smaller pancakes.
To assemble the reindeer…
- Lay one larger pancake on the plate, and then place one of the smaller pancakes on top, toward the bottom of the larger one. Add dollops of whipped cream for the eyes and the nose, then put the berries on top—blueberries for the eyes, and a strawberry for the nose. Break the bacon into pieces, and use two for each antler, angling them outward. You've got the cutest reindeer pancakes ever!
Video
Originally posted 2017.
Easy and simple to make, yet it looks so cute. I bet the kids will love this for Christmas. Thanks for sharing.
Before I even read the post, I e-mailed it to my daughter who has a 12 year old; boyfriend has an 8 and 12 year old and EVERYONE loves bacon! How adorable. I am the world’s best maker of lopsided pancakes so maybe my deer will look like he’s got the mumps! I like whipped cream on pancakes even better than syrup! In a pinch, I bet frozen berries would work OK, too! Wouldn’t these be a hit at a hunter’s breakfast; everyone gets a buck!
Yay! I’m so glad you found them…I’m excited for you and your family to try them. I like whipped cream on pancakes better than syrup too!! And yes–super cute idea for a hunter’s breakfast! xoxo
woa your rudolph pancakes look simply elegant, in fact, they’re too cute to eat. Out of all the pancakes in the world, which ones are perfect to you?