Silver Dollar Hamcakes (Mini Pancakes with Ham) • Recipe for Perfection (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between silver dollar pancakes and regular pancakes? ›

Silver dollar pancakes are just as light and fluffy as regular pancakes; the only difference is their size. Simply spoon one tablespoon of batter into the skillet or a piping bag or squeeze bottle to create these adorable minis.

Lumps are just fine here! You want to stir until the batter is just combined, no more, no less. Overmixing leads to tough, chewy pancakes. Another step I like to take to achieve light and fluffy pancakes is to let the pancake batter rest on the countertop for 45 minutes to an hour before cooking.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and baking powder. Stir in the buttermilk, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla. Pour ¼ cup of pancake batter for each pancake onto the griddle. Cook until the edges start to set and the pancakes are golden-brown underneath.

These bite-sized pancakes are similar to the small Scottish pancakes, sometimes known as drop scones, since the batter is dropped directly into the skillet. In the U.S., we refer to them as "silver dollar" pancakes, as they are roughly the size of the old-school coin.

Buttermilk Makes Fluffier Pancakes

But buttermilk doesn't just help create those air bubbles; it helps retain them, too, especially in an application such as pancakes. Its creamy body yields a thick batter that's exceptionally good at holding on to those air bubbles during cooking.

While the griddles themselves likely vary from one diner chain to the next, diners are pretty much all working with a waffle iron or griddle that's already hot. IHOP, for instance, requires its pans to be heated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and uses Crisco instead of butter to grease it, says Grimm.

Restaurants use better quality ingredients

Restaurants tend to use real, farm-fresh eggs and real milk when making their pancakes, which as you might guess, adds to a richer, higher-quality eating experience.

Baking powder (double acting) provides two rises: The first occurs when the baking powder comes into contact with a liquid, the second when it's exposed to heat. Too much baking powder will create a very puffy pancake with a chalky taste, while too little will make it flat and limp.

Can I Use Water Instead of Milk in Pancakes? Milk adds both flavor and texture to pancake batter, so if you are looking to make pancakes without milk, a simple swap to water doesn't always do the trick. For pancakes made without milk, you'll want to add some flavor through melted butter and vanilla extract.

Beat two eggs with 4 tablespoons of sugar and about one teacup (or 3/4 of a cup) of milk. Add 4 teacups of flour and mix in another teacup of milk "as required" Mix in 3 teaspoons of cream of tartar and 2 tablespoons of bicarbonate soda (baking soda) Fold in 2 tablespoons of melted butter.

What do Southerners call pancakes? ›

In the South, pancakes are interchangeably called hotcakes, griddlecakes, and flapjacks, though British flapjacks are made with rolled oats cooked in the oven. In the U.S., pancakes are made with flour, eggs, butter, and milk, and cooked on a griddle or frying pan to form leavened flat cakes.

Intense production levels continued in the early-mid 1920s until surpluses reached unmanageable levels. Mintages gradually curtailed before the denomination was discontinued entirely in 1935. Mint officials knew inventories far outweighed demand, so the master dies for the silver dollar were destroyed in 1937.

For instance, folks from the South and Southeast call them flapjacks, while people from the West, North, and even the East tend to call them pancakes. Some states have entirely different names for pancakes altogether.

This is because protein pancakes tend to be made with healthier ingredients, such as protein powder, oats, and egg whites. In contrast, regular pancakes are often made with refined flour, sugar, and butter. As a result, protein pancakes tend to be lower in calories and fat, and higher in protein and fiber.

Restaurants use better quality ingredients

However, along with that ease, you may be taking a hit in the overall taste department. Restaurants tend to use real, farm-fresh eggs and real milk when making their pancakes, which as you might guess, adds to a richer, higher-quality eating experience.