Clinton Street Baking Company's Famous Blueberry Pancakes Recipe (2024)

By

Brett Moore

Clinton Street Baking Company's Famous Blueberry Pancakes Recipe (1)

Before becoming a food writer, Brett Moore earned a culinary degree and worked as a professional chef.

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Updated on 07/20/21

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Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 15 mins

Total: 25 mins

Servings: 18to 20 servings

80 ratings

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New York Magazine voted Neil Kleinberg’s blueberry pancakes the best in the city twice, so you know they are really good. Neil's secret is separating the eggs and gently folding in the whipped egg whites. If you don't care for blueberries, then bananas and walnuts can be substituted. They're even amazing plain with just maple syrup or maple butter!

Ingredients

  • 4 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder

  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 6 large eggs, separated

  • 3 cups whole milk

  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted, plus 2 teaspoons for the griddle

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 2 1/2 cups blueberries, or sliced bananas and 1 cup chopped walnuts

  • 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar or cinnamon sugar, for dusting

  • Maple butter, optional

Steps to Make It

Here’s the secret of these pancakes: to make them right, you must fold egg whites into the batter. Neil discovered early on in the bakery’s existence that if he applied his French techniques—that is, you make a cake lighter by folding in whites (almost like a soufflé)—the batter gets lighter but retains the springy resiliency that makes for a proper pancake. The other key to magnificent pancakes is to avoid over-mixing, which creates too much gluten development in the flour and makes them tough.

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Clinton Street Baking Company's Famous Blueberry Pancakes Recipe (3)

  2. Measure and sift all the dry ingredients into a large (preferably stainless steel) mixing bowl: flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.

    Clinton Street Baking Company's Famous Blueberry Pancakes Recipe (4)

  3. Whisk together the yolks, milk, melted butter, and vanilla in a mixing bowl until combined. Whisk the wet mixture into the dry mixture. The result should be slightly lumpy, yet combined to form a batter.

    Clinton Street Baking Company's Famous Blueberry Pancakes Recipe (5)

  4. Whip the egg whites in a medium mixing bowl until they reach medium peaks (soft in the middle). Either whip them by hand with a whisk or put them in the bowl of an electric mixer to whip. Be careful not to overwhip the egg whites.

    Clinton Street Baking Company's Famous Blueberry Pancakes Recipe (6)

  5. Gently mix half of the whipped whites into the batter with a large rubber spatula. Then gently fold the remaining half into the batter. Remember: this batter should be slightly lumpy and have large parts of egg whites not fully incorporated; it should look like whitecaps in the ocean with foam on top. Note: The batter will last a few hours in the fridge without deflating too much.

    Clinton Street Baking Company's Famous Blueberry Pancakes Recipe (7)

  6. Heat a griddle—either an electric griddle, a stovetop griddle, or a big flat pan—to 350 to 375 F. Grease the hot griddle with the remaining butter. Drop cup (approximately 4 tablespoons) of pancake batter on the griddle and cook to set. Add 1 tablespoon blueberries or sliced bananas and 1 teaspoon walnuts before turning the pancakes. Never add the fruit to the mix; always add the fruit to the pancakes once they’re on the griddle. When you see bubbles start to form on top, lift the pancake halfway up to see if it’s golden brown and crispy on the edges. If ready, flip the pancake.

    Clinton Street Baking Company's Famous Blueberry Pancakes Recipe (8)

  7. When the pancake is golden brown on both sides, remove with a spatula. Repeat with the remaining batter and filling, cooking several pancakes at a time. Garnish with confectioners’ sugar for the blueberry pancakes, cinnamon sugar for the banana-walnut. Serve warm with maple butter.

    Reprinted with permission fromClinton St. Baking Company Cookbookby Dede Lahman and Neil Kleinberg (Little, Brown and Company, 2010).

    Clinton Street Baking Company's Famous Blueberry Pancakes Recipe (9)

Common Mistake

Many cooks don’t heat the griddle enough, which is why the first pancake is usually a dud. Make sure it’s very hot, then put the butter on. A teaspoon or tablespoon is fine. Use just enough so that the pancake doesn’t stick.

Note: To ensure that the whites whip up to maximum height, clean and dry all of your utensils. Also, when separating, be careful not to get any yolk into the whites. Peaks are “soft” when you put your finger in the whites and they fall over. Peaks are “medium” when you put your finger in and they drip over a bit but stay somewhat up. “Stiff” peaks develop when you whip the whites longer and they stay straight up.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
256Calories
10g Fat
36g Carbs
6g Protein

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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 18to 20
Amount per serving
Calories256
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 10g13%
Saturated Fat 5g27%
Cholesterol 78mg26%
Sodium 199mg9%
Total Carbohydrate 36g13%
Dietary Fiber 1g4%
Total Sugars 16g
Protein 6g
Vitamin C 2mg9%
Calcium 111mg9%
Iron 2mg9%
Potassium 113mg2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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Clinton Street Baking Company's Famous Blueberry Pancakes Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret of amazing pancakes? ›

Don't use cooking fat - This is the real secret to the technique. If you want those perfect edge to edge golden brown tops and bottoms on your pancakes leave the pan totally dry. No butter, no cooking oil, no nothing.

Why are blueberry pancakes good? ›

In this country, fruits have become a popular ingredient in pancakes. Blueberries contain a compound anthocyanin offering the blue color and a host of health boosting effects. Health benefits include lower blood pressure, improved insulin response and reduced risk of cancer.

Who owns Clinton Street Bakery? ›

It is owned by a husband-and-wife team of restaurateurs, seasoned chef Neil Kleinberg and DeDe Lahman.

Where did blueberry pancakes come from? ›

The Sweet Beginnings of Blueberry Pancakes

This pancake variation became popular in the United States during the early 20th century. As blueberries gained popularity, cooks began incorporating them into their pancake recipes, adding a delightful burst of flavor and a touch of antioxidants to the breakfast table.

Why do restaurant pancakes taste better than homemade? ›

Restaurants use better quality ingredients

Restaurants tend to use real, farm-fresh eggs and real milk when making their pancakes, which as you might guess, adds to a richer, higher-quality eating experience.

Is it better to use fresh or frozen blueberries in pancakes? ›

Fresh and thawed frozen blueberries both work great. All-purpose flour – It makes up the base of the batter. Baking powder, baking soda, and an egg – They help the pancakes rise. Cinnamon – It adds warm, spiced flavor.

Why do IHOP pancakes taste better? ›

While the griddles themselves likely vary from one diner chain to the next, diners are pretty much all working with a waffle iron or griddle that's already hot. IHOP, for instance, requires its pans to be heated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and uses Crisco instead of butter to grease it, says Grimm.

Should I cut up blueberries for pancakes? ›

The pancake also doesn't cook evenly. Plus, whole blueberries make for a messy and explosive eating situation. Cutting blueberries in half, strawberries into thin slices, and flattening out flexible raspberries allows the batter to swallow up the berry and seamlessly cook on both sides.

Who owns United States Bakery? ›

1907. The Franz brothers saved up and acquired their uncle's bakery - United States Bakery at East 7th & Burnside, and the decision was made to keep and use the United States Bakery name.

Who owns 4 Birds Bakery? ›

JENNA UNRUE, OWNER + CHEF

Jenna has owned and operated 4 Birds Bakery since 2017 and builds on inspiration from her many travels to Japan, California, St. Louis and more.

Who owns baked NYC? ›

With four cookbooks, a cookware line, and Baked NYC locations in Brooklyn and Manhattan, Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito have built a baking empire serving fresh, classically American cakes and desserts. Baked NYC feels just as familiar and traditionally American as the story behind it.

Are blueberry pancakes good for you? ›

These pancakes are packed full of healing nutrients and are gluten, lactose and sugar free! Blueberries are one of the most powerful foods on the planet. They are full of natural vitamins including A, C, D, E and K, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacine, B6, Folate, Panthothernic Acid, Choline and Betain.

Why are my blueberry pancakes raw in the middle? ›

Avoid High Heat

Mortillaro explains that high heat results in uneven cooking as it burns the outside while leaving the inside batter raw. "This is because the high heat does not allow enough time for the heat from the pan and oil to penetrate to the center of the pancake," she says.

Why do my blueberry pancakes stick to the pan? ›

It's too hot

One of the most common ways to ensure your pancakes stick to the pan is to use too hot a pan. A pan that is too hot will cause butter to brown before the other ingredients start to cook. This will often cause it to stick to the bottom of the pan before the rest of the pancake has actually cooked.

Why are IHOP pancakes so delicious? ›

The secret is in the griddle

So how are IHOP's pancakes perfect every time? For starters, that griddle is set to a very specific temperature — 350 degrees to be exact — and, believe it or not, it is not slicked with oil or butter, or any other fat, for that matter.

What makes pancakes fluffy and helps them rise? ›

Pancakes and waffles typically both contain baking soda, which causes them to rise. As soon as the baking soda is combined with the wet ingredients (which contain an acidic ingredient, like often buttermilk), it starts producing carbon dioxide gas bubbles that cause the batter to rise.

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