Craving a breakfast that's both savory and satisfying? These cheese and ham pancakes are a delightful twist on a classic, offering a burst of flavor in every bite.
Get ready to transform your morning with this easy-to-follow recipe that promises golden-brown perfection.
Ingredients
For the Cheese and Ham Pancakes recipe, you're gonna need a few things, and don't worry, it's all pretty simple! Grab 1 cup of plain flour—all-purpose works just fine, I promise—plus 2 teaspoons of baking powder for that fluffy lift.
A pinch of salt and pepper is next, gotta season it right, y'know? Crack in 1 egg and pour in 215 ml of milk; that's about 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons, give or take—I'm not measuring with a microscope here!
Now, for the good stuff: 1 1/4 cups of grated cheddar cheese—or any melting cheese that tickles your fancy is fine by me. Don't be stingy! And 1 1/4 cups of chopped ham; leftover Christmas ham works wonders. Think of these pancakes as a savory dish primed for sharing with others, much like cheesy garlic bread.
Finally, chop up 1 1/2 cups of shallots, about 4 stalks, and slice 'em real fine!
Cooking
Now, let's get cooking! I start by heating a non-stick pan over medium-high heat—or medium if your stove's like, super strong. If I'm using extra ham for topping—fancy, I know—I cook it in just 1 tsp of butter. I cook it until golden, and then I remove it. I put it on paper towels to drain it. Don't want it soggy!
For the pancakes, I add about 2 tsp of butter and swirl to melt. Then I drop 1/4 cup of batter into the pan. Next, I roughly spread each one into a 7cm/3" circle. I repeat this to fill the pan. I can usually get three in a small pan or four in a large one. I cook for 2 minutes until the bottom's deep golden—yum! Flip and cook the other side for 1 1/2 minutes then remove onto a rack.
Recipe Notes
I hope you enjoyed cooking that batch of pancakes; they're looking good! For the milk, I use low fat, but you can use any type—even non-dairy. It's important to have the right amount, around 215 ml, so the batter spreads and cooks perfectly.
Use any cheese you want – Tasty(Australian cheese), Monterey Jack, or Gruyere (fancy pants!). Don't use parmesan, it's so strong, or, if you want to, reduce it to 3/4 cup, and, with mozzarella, add 1/2 tsp salt.
For the ham, leftover Christmas ham is great. If you're using bacon, use about 300g. Chop it, cook it till golden, and drain it! Consider adding a bit of flour to the mix for a golden brown pancake edge.
I use an ice cream scooper — best kitchen buy ever—for a perfect 1/4 cup. It's handy for everything round, like cookie batter and meatballs! Oh—and ice cream!
Short Recipe Version
Cheese and Ham Pancakes
Prep time: 5 mins
Cook time: 15 mins
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
- All-purpose flour: 1 cup
- Baking powder: 2 tsp
- Salt: 1/4 tsp
- Egg: 1 large
- Milk: 1 cup
- Melted butter: 2 tbsp
- Cooked ham, diced: 1/2 cup
- Parmesan cheese, grated: 3/4 cup
Instructions:
- In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In another bowl, whisk together egg, milk, and melted butter.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
- Gently fold in ham and parmesan cheese.
- Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium heat.
- Pour 1/4 cup of batter onto the hot surface for each pancake. (7cm/3" diameter)
- Cook for 2-3 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through.
- Serve immediately.
Nutrition Information (Per Serving – Estimated):
- Calories: 280
- Protein: 15g
- Fat: 16g
- Carbohydrates: 18g