Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Pancakes — A Mother’s Day Brunch Worth Waking Up For

Mother's Day, round two of the cooking-for-Mom tradition I've established. Last year was Babcia's bigos. This year I wanted to give Mom something she wouldn't cook for herself — something indulgent, unfussy, purely for pleasure. I made brunch. At her house, because Mom deserves to eat in her own kitchen without having to cook in it. The menu: French toast made with brioche from Sciortino's, thick-cut and soaked overnight in a custard of eggs, cream, vanilla, and cinnamon. Cooked on a buttered griddle until golden and custardy inside. Served with maple syrup, fresh berries, and a dollop of whipped cream. Plus: bacon. Thick-cut applewood bacon, baked in the oven until crispy. And fresh-squeezed orange juice, because I am a good son and also because Mom's immune system needs vitamins after the Wisconsin winter. Mom cried. Obviously. She cries at Mother's Day brunch the way other people cry at weddings. "Jake, this is beautiful," she said, and she ate every bite and had seconds on the French toast and thirds on the bacon. Dad ate silently and enormously, which is his standard setting. After brunch, Mom showed me the photos she'd compiled — the album from Babcia's things. It's beautiful: photos from the 1950s through the 2010s. Babcia as a young bride. Babcia holding Mom as a baby. Babcia in her kitchen — that kitchen — stirring something at the stove, wearing the apron I now have hanging in my apartment. Babcia at my baptism, beaming, holding me like I was made of gold. Mom gave me three of the photos. I'm going to frame them. One for my kitchen wall — Babcia at the stove, stirring, the way I remember her — and two for wherever they feel right. At the brewery, I'm developing the Polish-inspired honey lager that Marcus half-approved. The recipe is simple by design: pilsner malt, a touch of honey malt, Saaz hops, clean lager yeast, and a small addition of local honey during the boil. The name: Kowalski Lager. Marcus said, "You're naming it after yourself now?" I said, "I'm naming it after all of us." He rolled his eyes. But he approved the test batch.

The whole philosophy behind that Mother’s Day brunch — cooking something indulgent, unfussy, and purely for pleasure — is exactly what these pancakes are. If I’d had this recipe in my back pocket alongside the brioche French toast, they would have landed on Mom’s table without a second thought: whole wheat so you feel slightly virtuous, peanut butter and chocolate chips so you absolutely don’t. She would have had thirds on these too, and I wouldn’t have stopped her.

Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes | Servings: 4 (about 12 pancakes)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• Butter or cooking spray, for the griddle
• Maple syrup, for serving

Instructions

1. Mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and brown sugar until evenly combined.
2. Whisk the wet ingredients. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, milk, eggs, peanut butter, melted butter, and vanilla extract until the peanut butter is fully incorporated and the mixture is smooth.
3. Combine. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined — a few lumps are fine. Do not overmix or the pancakes will be tough. Fold in the chocolate chips.
4. Rest the batter. Let the batter rest for 5 minutes while you heat your griddle. This gives the baking powder time to activate and the whole wheat flour time to hydrate.
5. Heat the griddle. Heat a large griddle or non-stick skillet over medium heat. Lightly grease with butter or cooking spray. The griddle is ready when a drop of water skitters and evaporates on contact.
6. Cook the pancakes. Pour about 1/4 cup of batter per pancake onto the griddle. Cook until bubbles form across the surface and the edges look set, about 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes more.
7. Keep warm and serve. Transfer finished pancakes to a baking sheet in a 200°F oven to keep warm while you cook the remaining batches. Serve stacked high with maple syrup and extra chocolate chips if desired.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 480 | Protein: 18g | Fat: 22g | Carbs: 56g | Fiber: 6g | Sodium: 480mg