This blog post was made in partnership with California Walnuts. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Something about cooler weather just means cozy, slower mornings, you know? And with cozy, slower mornings come pancakes. Naturally.
Growing up, it was always such a treat when my dad would make chocolate chip pancakes on Saturday or Sunday mornings. Plus, I’ve always loved carrot cake, so this merger of pancakes and carrot cake sounded pretty ideal to me.
These Walnut Carrot Cake pancakes are delicious. They’re super fluffy, dense and moist with the perfect hint of sweetness. I’d probably choose these over actual carrot cake any day. I felt the baby move a lot after I ate this – which she usually does after I eat something I especially love – so really, there’s the best review I can give ya!
And, not only are these pancakes delicious, but they’re filled with super nutrient dense ingredients that’ll keep you feeling full and satisfied. They’re made with oat flour – one of my favorite flours to cook with because of the fiber it provides. Plus, it’s super easy to make. I pretty much always have oats on hand, and simply use a high power blender to grind them into flour.
These pancakes get some protein from both the oat flour, walnuts and Greek yogurt, which also help to make them super fluffy. Plus, don’t forget the carrots! Shredded carrots in this recipe add micronutrients like vitamins A and C to the pancakes.
But, the star of the show here that I want to talk about are the walnuts. Chopped walnuts not only give these pancakes the perfect crunch and bite, but also add more nutrients than you probably realize! Just one ounce of walnuts provides 4 grams of fiber, 2 grams of protein 2g of fiber and 4g of protein and 2.5 grams of the omega-3 fatty acid, ALA. In fact, walnuts are the only nut that provides an excellent source of ALA.
I’m thrilled to partner with California Walnuts this year to share more about walnuts, including how they’re grown and how versatile they are (if you haven’t seen this Vegan Walnut Bolognese recipe from last year – it’s a must!). It’s always important to buy food from farmers you can trust, too – there are over 4,500 walnut growers in California; many of them are operated by families in California who have been in the walnut business for decades.
Lastly, an important tip: when it comes to storing your walnuts, make sure to do so in the refrigerator, or in the freezer if you’re planning to store them in bulk for a month or more. Cooler temps will keep your walnuts fresh for longer.
Notes
- Oat flour: To make oat flour, simply grind oats in a high power blender or food processor until the consistency is fine and flour-like. You can also substitute the oat flour for whole wheat flour.
- Coconut oil: Make sure the coconut oil is softened or melted before adding. If you don’t have or don’t like coconut oil, unsalted butter can also be used.
- Maple syrup: For sweeter pancakes, add a little more maple syrup. Honey can also be used in a 1:1 substitution. I prefer using the recommend amount of maple syrup in the recipe and then drizzling more on top as needed.
- Milk: I like using unsweetened vanilla plant-based milk of choice here to add a little more of the “cake” flavor to the pancakes. Or, if you prefer to use cow’s milk, that will also work.
- Greek yogurt: Again, I like a vanilla Greek yogurt to give the pancakes more of a carrot cake flavor. Try a 2% or full fat version here.
- Carrots: After chopping the carrots, I used a high power blender to grate the carrots finely. About 3-4 medium sized carrots makes the 3/4 cup of grated carrots needed for this recipe. Hack: to make grating in a blender even easier, you can also start with pre-shredded carrots. Or, if you don’t have a high power blender, simply grate the whole, peeled carrots with a cheese grater.
- Walnuts: The more the merrier with these! See above for necessary storage instructions. I also highly recommend adding extra walnuts to top the pancakes with.
- Pancake making: I use round silicone molds when making pancakes to help keep them round and fluffy. They also make them easier to flip, too. Not a must, but definitely a recommendation to get the most picture perfect (and seamless) pancakes.
Ingredients
- 1 cup oat flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon softened coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup vanilla Greek yogurt
- 3/4 cup unsweetened vanilla plant-based milk of choice
- 3/4 cup grated carrots about 3-4 medium, peeled carrots
- 3/4 cup chopped walnuts
- Cooking spray
Optional (for topping)
- Maple syrup
- Chopped walnuts
- Grated carrots
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine oat flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Mix until well combined. Set aside.
- In a separate large bowl, combine coconut oil, vanilla extract, Greek yogurt and unsweetened vanilla plant-based milk of choice. Mix well.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients and mix well.
- Fold in the grated carrots and chopped walnuts.
- Spray a large pan with cooking spray. Let pan warm on medium heat. Add 1/4 cup of batter per pancake, and let cook for about 3-4 minutes, until the sides are bubbling. Use a spatula to flip the pancakes and cook for about 2-3 minutes on the other side. Repeat as needed for remaining pancakes.
- Serve immediately. Optional to top with more maple syrup, chopped walnuts and/or grated carrots. Store leftover pancakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
