Pancake Day, or Shrove Tuesday as it is also known, is such a brilliant idea in my eyes. I mean, who doesn't love the excuse to eat dessert for dinner?! These Chocolate Orange Pancakes are super indulgent, I've topped them with whipped cream, a generous drizzle of melted Terry's Chocolate Orange and juicy orange segments. They're also easy to make, as most pancakes are, and you can even make a batch and reheat them later. So, why wait until Pancake Day, they'd also make an amazing dessert or sweet breakfast treat any time of year!

For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.

How to make Chocolate Orange Pancakes

Whip up the cream first and put it in the fridge so it is ready. To make the pancake batter, stir together the self raising flour, cocoa powder, orange zest and sugar.

In a jug whisk together milk, vegetable oil, orange extract and egg. Pour the milk mixture slowly into the flour mixture, stirring it as you pour until a smooth batter is created.

Warm up a frying pan on a medium heat and add a little bit of oil, then use a ladle to spoon blobs of the pancake mixture into the pan. Once bubbles start to appear on the surface, flip them over. This will only take a couple of minutes. Let them cook for another minute or so on the other side, then they are ready to serve!

What can you serve with the pancakes?

I served the Chocolate Orange Pancakes drizzled with melted Terry's chocolate orange, a dollop of the whipped cream, and some juicy mandarin orange segments. You could also serve with maple syrup, marmalade, other fresh fruits or chocolate sauce.

Can the pancakes be made with plain or all purpose flour?

Self raising flour, which is very commonly used in the UK where I am based, already contains a raising agent and a little salt too. Therefore if you want to swap it for plain or all purpose flour, you will need to add some additional baking powder and also a little salt if you like. Some people like to add salt to recipes and some don't, so I'll leave that up to you as it won't affect the pancakes. The general advice is to add 2 teaspoons baking powder (a measuring teaspoon, not the kind you stir your coffee with) per every 200g plain or all purpose flour. So for this recipe you'd need to add 1 + ¼ teaspoons baking powder. Please note, I have not tested this recipe using plain or all purpose flour.

Can these pancakes be made gluten free?

Yes! For gluten free you can replace the self raising flour with a gluten free self raising flour blend. If you only have a gluten free plain flour blend, you will need to add baking powder. The general advice is to add 2 tsp baking powder per 200g flour, so for this recipe you'd need to add 1 + ¼ teaspoons baking powder. You may also like to add ¼ tsp Xanthan Gum for better texture.

Can these pancakes be made dairy free?

Yes, all you need to do is use a dairy free milk and the pancakes will be dairy free. Please do check the labels of everything you use in case of cross contamination.

More tips for making the Chocolate Orange Pancakes:

It's much easier to pour the wet ingredients into the dry ones, this will also help prevent a lumpy batter
The batter must be used immediately once it's been made, the longer it is left unused, the less fluffy and risen the pancakes will be
Once the pancakes have been cooked and cooled, you can freeze them for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight and reheat either in the microwave or in a frying pan

Troubleshooting

If you have any questions about this recipe, or if something went wrong and you need help, please use the comment form below and I will get back to you. You can also get in touch with me on my Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. I'd love to hear from you!

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