Blueberry Oatmeal Pancakes

From apples in pie, to peaches in cobbler, and from cherries in clafoutis, to bananas in pudding, certain fruits have their calling.  With blueberries, they answer to pancakes.  Nothing says pancakes, like blueberry pancakes.  That is, unless you’re making blueberry oatmeal pancakes.

Replacing most of the flour with oats turned out to be a great adaptation for an otherwise classic recipe.  I should have stopped there though.  Once I had oats in my mind, I immediately thought raisins – another one of those traditional pairings.  After dropping blueberries in the batter, I changed to amaretto-soaked raisins.  It was not to be.  Raisins and oats, I learned, are best left to cookies.  But at least I knew I tried.

The combination of blueberries, oats, and buttermilk, however, remains a hit.

Blueberry Oatmeal Pancakes

PREP TIME: Requires soaking overnight
COOK TIME: 7 minutes
YIELD: 12 pancakes

WHAT TO GRAB:
1 pint of fresh blueberries
2 cups buttermilk
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
3 tablespoons sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 cup butter, melted
Warm maple syrup

HOW YOU DO IT:

1.  Combine the oats and buttermilk in a small bowl, and refrigerate overnight.

2.  When morning arrives, preheat your griddle on medium-low heat.

3.  In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar.  In another large, mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, butter, and buttermilk-oats until combined.  Make a well in the dry ingredients, and slowly whisk the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients.  Mix until just well combined.

4.  Grease the griddle.  Working in batches, pour 1/4 cup of the pancake batter onto the griddle.  Gently drop six or seven blueberries into each pancake.  Cook the pancakes for about 4 minutes, or until bubbles appear on top and the underside is nicely browned.  Flip the pancakes and cook for another 3 minutes.  If making a second batch of pancakes – and why wouldn’t you – the cooking time may be a bit shorter.

5.  Serve with warm maple syrup and top with extra blueberries!