Buckwheat Pancakes with Savory Cranberry Sauce (VIDEO)

I hope you'll make this recipe soon. If you do, please tag me #innichka_chef on Instagram, Facebook, Patreon or Pinterest.

These buckwheat pancakes may be your next big star dish around the holidays. They are incredible; slightly sweet, fluffy, and a little bit crisp on the edges.

I do have to warn you, these pancakes may not be appreciated by guests who grew up on Bisquick. This dish is for people who like to live outside the box. The earthiness and nuttiness of buckwheat is beautifully married with savory cranberry sauce. If you are a foodie and not afraid to try a new, healthy version of traditional old-fashioned pancakes, this is going to be your new go-to recipe.

Why Buckwheat?

I've probably mentioned before how much I love buckwheat: a nutrient-packed, naturally gluten free and non-allergenic seed-grain (please note: This recipe is not gluten-free as written, but I have instructions to make it gluten free below).

What really sets buckwheat apart from other grains is its unique completed amino acid composition and highly digestible protein. It's full of fiber (both soluble and insoluble), vitamins, and minerals. It contains antioxidants and can improve overall heart health by lowering cholesterol and blood pressure levels. In fact, buckwheat is the only grain my mom's doctor recommended she eat since she has diabetes.

Buckwheat is great (it's the only grain my oldest son really likes to eat, especially for breakfast) and can be used in so many ways! A few months ago, I posted a recipe for buckwheat soup with wild mushrooms, and many more buckwheat recipes are coming for vegetarians, vegans, and meat lovers.

Let's Talk About Cranberry Sauce

Do you believe food is medicine? If yes, this sauce is for you. The spice is what makes this sauce savory and such a powerful food. There are endless reasons why cranberries are amazing berries with an enormous amount of health benefits (check out my Cape Cod-style chicken salad post for more about cranberries). Every year at the end of the Christmas season when fresh cranberries are about to disappear, I stuff my freezer with them! You can use this savory cranberry sauce for your next turkey dinner, pair it with grilled pork chops, or add it to the brie cheese on your cheese platter. It's so yummy and so good for you! I like to keep this sauce in my fridge year-round.

This sauce also features some powerful spices: rosemary, turmeric, fresh ginger, and black pepper. I use these wonderful spices A LOT in my kitchen. If you like to get more health benefits from food and homemade meals like I do, include these spices in your cooking as much as possible. They can do MAGIC.

Rosemary

Fresh rosemary gives off an aroma that I adore, especially around the holidays. This amazing herb is one of the most powerful antioxidants on earth. This herb is your best friend, especially when it comes to BBQ. Rosemary guards your health by keeping away unwanted intruders known as carcinogens that can increase your risk of certain types of cancers. So, keep the rosemary at your fingertips in your kitchen, especially when you light up the grill.

Turmeric & Black Pepper: A Dynamic Duo

Turmeric contains curcumin, and black pepper contains piperine. When they combine, they tend to have a greater effect on inflammation, digestion, reducing pain, and fighting cancer.

Ginger

Ginger is my go-to spice. I love to have ginger tea before going to bed. Ginger is rich in phytonutrients called gingerols, which are antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, antiviral- and anti-disease.

Gluten Free Option

If you'd like to make these pancakes gluten free, substitute the all-purpose flour with sweet rice flour.

How to store a buckwheat pancakes & cranberry sauce

These pancakes can be easily frozen. I often wrap them in foil and freeze them for up to 3 months. The cranberry sauce can stay in your fridge for up to 3 months, so pour any leftovers into a Mason jar to use for other recipes.

Let's make this breakfast...

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 40 minutes

Total time: 50 minutes

Author: Food Blog | Innichka Chef

Serves: 5 large pancakes or 10 small

Pancake Ingredients

½ cup all-purpose flour

½ cup buckwheat flour

½ tablespoon raw cane sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon pink salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

10 tablespoons butter, divided.

1 large egg, lightly beaten.

½ cup plain kefir or yogurt

Cranberry Sauce Ingredients

2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries

1-1½ cups raw cane sugar (depending on your taste)

Few sprigs of fresh rosemary, chopped

¼ teaspoon black pepper

¼ teaspoon turmeric

1 tablespoon candied ginger, chopped

Few tablespoons of cranberry juice or water

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. In a separate bowl, melt 2 tablespoons of butter and whisk it into the egg and kefir. Add the wet and dry together and mix until they're barely combined.

2. Heat a 6.5-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in the pan until it's foamy (the browned butter gives a nuttier flavor that's delicious!). Add ⅓ cup of the batter to the pan. Cook for about a minute and a half or until the edges start to brown and you see little bubbles. Flip and add another teaspoon or so of butter. Cook for an additional minute. Repeat with the rest of the batter.

3. For the cranberry sauce: add cranberries and sugar to a saucepan and stir with a wooden spoon. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a gentle boil on low heat. You can add a few tablespoons or cranberry juice or water to help the cranberries get through to the point where they start releasing their own juice.

4. Cover the pan and let it simmer for 5 minutes. Then uncover and let it cook 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce is done when it's thick and glossy.

5. Serve the buckwheat pancakes with cranberry sauce or maple syrup.

Enjoy!

Have you subscribed to my cooking channel? Go and click here to be the first to see my new videos and THANK YOU so much for subscribing. It means a lot to me!