Now you can enjoy a warm stack of pancakes just by turning on the oven! This Chocolate Chip Pancake Casserole is a true short cut recipe using frozen buttermilk pancakes soaked in a rich egg custard with vanilla, cinnamon, pecans and an indulgent sprinkle of chocolate chips. Pancakes have never been so easy!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- An easy, hot pancake breakfast without having to flip just a few on the griddle at a time and everyone gets to eat together!
- And not just any pancakes, but gooey, melty, chocolatey chippy pancakes!
- Using frozen pancakes is a brilliant shortcut, creating a prep time of just 5 minutes!
- This recipe truly feeds a crowd, making it perfect for entertaining at the holidays, brunch get-togethers and game day mornings.
- But this pancake casserole recipe also halves very easily to feed just your family. (use an 8×8 dish)
Back To School Breakfast Ideas
These pancakes are also perfect for busy school mornings! Put them together the night before and you have a nice, hot breakfast the next day. Kids can heat up the leftovers for the rest of the week, making school mornings low stress and delicious!
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Pancake Casserole Ingredients
I’ll walk through an overview of ingredients & steps in these next sections along with helpful tips!
Look for specifics at the end of the post in the recipe card.
- frozen pancakes
- eggs
- half and half cream
- ground cinnamon
- vanilla extract
- light brown sugar
- salt
- semi sweet chocolate chips
- chopped pecans
Recipe Variations
- Instead of chocolate chips, try blueberries (fresh or frozen), sliced strawberries or a mix of the two.
- Omit the pecans, if there is someone in your group who doesn’t like nuts.
- Cook up your own pancakes from a mix or from scratch.
- Top with a light sprinkle of powdered sugar for an extra special presentation!
How To Make Chocolate Chip Pancake Casserole
Half the Pancakes. Grease 9×13 casserole dish. Cut pancakes in half. Line dish the dish with the pancakes, standing pancakes cut side down in the casserole dish, making 2-3 overlapping rows.
Whisk the Custard. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, cream, brown sugar, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon and salt. Pour over the halved pancakes, making sure that each pancake is soaked.
Top. Sprinkle pecans and chocolate chips over the pancakes, tucking quite a few in between the rows. Cover with the casserole tightly with aluminum foil and refrigerate at least 2 hours to overnight so that the pancakes have plenty of time to soak up all that custard!
Bake. When you are ready to bake, remove the casserole dish from the refrigerator to take the chill off and preheat oven to 350℉. Place the casserole in the preheated oven with the foil on. Bake for 45 minutes or until the custard in the center is set.
Serve. Add a few pats of butter to the top, if desired. Allow casserole to sit for 5 minutes before serving with maple syrup!
Tips For The Best Pancake Casserole
- Make sure the pancakes are placed cut side down in the casserole dish. The cut side makes it easier for the pancakes to absorb the rich egg custard.
- Don’t skimp on the refrigerated soaking time. If the pancakes haven’t absorbed enough of the custard, they will be tough after baking in the oven. The longer the soak time, the better the casserole!
- I love the shortcut of using frozen pancakes, but if you want to make your own, here are some things to know!
- Freshly-made pancakes absorb the custard more quickly if you want to make your own pancakes from a mix or from scratch.
- Making your own pancakes also lets you control how thick or thin your pancakes are. Frozen pancakes are always on the thin side.
What to Serve with This Recipe
- Pineapple Orange Fizzies
- Bourbon Maple Candied Bacon
- Creole Sausage Balls
- Green & Red Fruit Salad
- Baked Gouda Cheese Grits
- Lyonnaise Potatoes
Storing and Freezing
This casserole is an excellent candidate for freezing. Instead of refrigerating to soak, cover the casserole tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. You can also freeze after baking if you allow the casserole to cool completely before covering tightly.
Leftover casserole can be stored, covered in an airtight container, in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Other Breakfast Casseroles You’ll Love
Ingredients
- 24 frozen pancakes
- 6 large eggs
- 2 cups half and half cream
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips (adjust to your taste)
- 1 cup chopped pecans (adjust to your taste)
Instructions
- Grease 9×13 casserole dish. Cut pancakes in half. Line dish the dish with the pancakes, standing pancakes cut side down in casserole dish, making two overlapping rows.
- In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, cream, brown sugar, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon and salt. Pour over pancakes, making sure that each pancake is soaked.
- Sprinkle pecans and chocolate chips over the pancakes, tucking some in between the rows. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate 2 hours to overnight.
- When you are ready to bake, remove the casserole dish from the refrigerator to take the chill off and preheat oven to 350℉. Place the casserole in the preheated oven with the foil on. Bake for 45 minutes or until the custard in the center is set.
- Add a few pats of butter to the top, if desired. Allow casserole to sit for 5 minutes before serving with maple syrup!
Notes
- Make sure the pancakes are placed cut side down in the casserole dish. The cut side makes it easier for the pancakes to absorb the rich egg custard.
- Don’t skimp on the refrigerated soaking time. If the pancakes haven’t absorbed enough of the custard, they will be tough after baking in the oven. The longer the soak time, the better the casserole!
- I love the shortcut of using frozen pancakes, but if you want to make your own, here are some things to know!
- Freshly-made pancakes absorb the custard more quickly if you want to make your own pancakes from a mix or from scratch.
- Making your own pancakes also lets you control how thick or thin your pancakes are. Frozen pancakes are always on the thin side.
Nutrition
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