On most mornings, I like to start with a cozy cup of chaya/chai. It’s such a comforting and peaceful way to wake up. But, you know what’s also my favorite? Pancakes! That’s why I had to make these Cardamom Pancakes with Butter Chai Syrup. P.S. This recipe features Diaspora Co’s new single-origin green cardamom straight from Kerala and it is magical!
My favorite part about this is the Butter Chai Syrup. First, I freshly brewed loose black tea leaves. Second, I added in a few spices similar to what I’d add in my tea. After that, I dropped in a little butter and let it cool. Similar to how every cup of chai is different, you can add in whatever spices you like to make this feel more like your cup! Also, this syrup can be used outside of just pancakes by the way. For example, you can use it on top of frosted pancakes. Add it to your marinade to make chicken wings, or drizzle it on top of some ice cream. It will not disappoint!
Like chai? You might also like my Baked Chai Donuts with Ginger Milk Glaze or “Spill The Chai” Cookies.
If you decide to make my Cardamom Pancakes with Butter Chai Syrup tag me @thefamiliarkitchen on social media. I’d LOVE to see how it turns out for you!
Cardamom Pancakes with Butter Chai Syrup
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
AP Flour, 2 cups
Sugar,1/4 cup
- Baking Powder, 2 tsp
- Baking Soda,1 tsp
- Cinnamon,1/4 tsp
- Green Cardamom, 8-10 pods, ground
- Ginger Powder, 1 tsp
- Salt,1/2 tsp
Wet Ingredients
- Warm Milk,1 1/2 cups
- Unsalted Butter, 1/2 stick, melted
- Lemon Juice, 2 tbsp
- Egg, 1, yolk and whites separated Yolk adds creaminess; whites add fluffiness. When separated, they perform their role better 🙂
- Vanilla Paste or Extract,1 tsp
The Chai Syrup
- Loose Black Tea Leaves, 2 tsp
- Water, 1 cup
- Sugar, 2 cups
- Unsalted Butter,1/2 stick, melted
- Green Cardamom, 3-4 pods, ground
- Ginger Powder, 1 tbsp
Instructions
Make the syrup
- In a microwave safe cup, add the water and loose black tea leaves. Microwave for 2-3 minutes or until the tea boils. Strain tea and set aside. Add the strained tea and sugar to a sauce pot on medium high heat. Mix together. Once the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and let it continue to boil for about 5 minutes or until the syrup thickens. You'll know it's done when the syrup feels sticky when pinched between your fingers. Mix in the butter and the remaining spices and then let cool.
Mix the dry ingredients.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Set aside.
Mix the wet ingredients.
- In a microwave safe cup or bowl, add the milk and butter and warm it in the microwave until the butter is just about melted (about 45 seconds). Be careful to not boil the milk - it should just be warm. Remove from the microwave and add in the lemon juice. Mix together and set aside.
Make the batter.
- Now add the separated egg yolk and white into the flour mixture along with a little of the milk mixture and whisk together. Add the milk mixture little by little and keep whisking until the batter forms. Once all the milk has been added in, mix in the vanilla paste. Whisk until everything is fully combined, but don't over mix it. Let the batter rest for about 5 minutes to let the ingredients combine (this is an important step).
Make pancakes!
- Heat a skillet on medium heat and lightly grease it with butter. Once the skillet is hot, pour about 1/4 cup of batter in a gentle stream so that a round shape forms. Cook on one side until you see tiny little holes form on top of the pancake and then flip the pancake. When the pancake flips, you should see it slightly rise a little. Cook for about 30 seconds. Done!Top with fresh fruits, butter chai syrup, butter slab, and whipped cream - whatever you want!
Hi! Very excited to try out this recipe. Had a question about the egg. By separated do you mean only using either the white or the yolk? Not sure if I understood correctly.
Hi! Can’t wait to hear what you think of this recipe! Ah, so I meant to add a note on this. You can add the egg (yolk and white) all at once, no problem. I personally like to separate the egg whites from the yolk and THEN add in. Egg whites on their own create airiness while yolks on their own create a creaminess. It makes a subtle difference to separate them so no problem if you prefer to just crack in the whole egg 🙂
Tried this recipe and it tasted amazing! Everybody in my family loved it too! Thank you!