"Giant Oreo" Stacked Pancakes Recipe

Pancakes are a classic breakfast offering and an excellent foundation for experimentation. Whether you go for a buttermilk batter with maple syrup or chocolate chips and whipped cream, the options are plentiful. Mashed recipe developer Patterson Watkins shares a decadent take with this "giant Oreo" stacked pancakes recipe. She combines cocoa-rich pancakes with layers of frosting for the ultimate Oreo-lover treat.

Surprisingly, Watkins says, "I am a savory breakfast kinda person. It is extremely rare that I'll order something from the sweeter side of the breakfast menu." She still loves desserts and sweet snacks, and she finally understands why that category of morning meal never spoke to her in the past. "Those traditional breakfast treats pale in comparison to something as outrageous as a stacked and stuffed Oreo cookie–themed pancake," she says, remarking that she is "presently and pleasantly converted."

This breakfast snack is a hearty meal by itself, but Watkins suggests pairing it with fresh mixed berries to introduce "a great fruity infusion of freshness for this rich and chocolatey pancake." Meanwhile, she recommends serving the pancakes with a glass of chilled milk to mimic the iconic cookie pairing. "If you need an even greater kick of energy/boost, iced coffee or hot coffee works well, too," she says.

For the pancake batter, you'll need all-purpose flour, dark unsweetened cocoa powder, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, whole milk, unsalted butter (melted), eggs, and vanilla extract. Next, for the creamy filling, you'll need softened unsalted butter, powdered sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla extract. Finally, you'll want whipped cream or whipped topping and crushed Oreo cookies to garnish the pancakes.

To make the pancake batter, sift the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, and baking powder into a large bowl.

Add the salt to the sifted ingredients and whisk to combine.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.

Add the milk, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla to the well.

Whisk the wet ingredients together before incorporating the dry ingredients. Continue whisking to create a thick batter. Cover and refrigerate until you're ready to cook.

To make the filling, place the softened butter in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.

Whisk until fluffy.

Add the powdered sugar to the bowl and whisk until combined.

Add the heavy cream and vanilla to the bowl and whisk until combined. Cover the bowl and refrigerate while you cook the pancakes.

Heat a large, non-stick skillet over medium heat and lightly spritz with cooking spray.

Once hot, pour ⅓ cup of batter into the skillet, and cook until the edges of the pancake begin to bubble, about 2 minutes.

Flip the pancake and cook for 1 minute more, or until fluffy and cooked through.

Remove the pancake from the skillet, set aside on a wire rack–lined baking sheet, and repeat the above steps for the rest of the batter. Let the pancakes rest until they are cool to the touch, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, remove the filling from the refrigerator and place it in a piping bag fitted with a large, round tip. The filling might have firmed up while refrigerated — it will soften while the pancakes cool.

Once cooled, pipe the filling onto the pancakes, stacking them one on top of the other (as high as you'd like to go).

When you're ready to serve, dollop the stacks with whipped cream and sprinkle with crushed Oreos.

Classic Oreos feature a chocolate cookie with creamy frosting, but there are plenty of boxed variations on the market. Similarly, you can modify this Oreo pancake recipe to create a wide selection of pancakes to satisfy your cravings. For starters, Watkins suggests trying a simple mint remix. "To craft a minty version of this recipe, add a little peppermint extract and some green food coloring to the filling," she says. She warns that peppermint extract can be fairly pungent, so begin with ¼ teaspoon, then taste and adjust.

If you're all about chocolate flavors, try a double chocolate version by adding extra cocoa powder to the creamy filling. Watkins suggests 2 to 3 tablespoons, along with ½ tablespoon of heavy cream to ensure that the consistency isn't too thick. For a special occasion like a birthday (or for fans of birthday cake), Watkins suggests incorporating about ¼ cup of rainbow sprinkles into the filling: "I would add just a little extra vanilla extract, as well — about ¼ to ½ teaspoon to really get those birthday cake flavors." 

Watkins advises cooling the pancakes on a wire rack before layering on the filling and stacking them. Be patient and don't skip this step, or else your stack won't hold well. "The butter-based filling will melt if piped onto a hot pancake," she explains, comparing it to spreading frosting on a cake. "If you really want that impressive stacked pancake 'look,' definitely cool the pancake completely"

If you want to speed up this recipe to serve it for breakfast without pushing it too far into the morning, you can prepare the filling a few days ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator. "Just be sure to remove the filling as instructed to soften it slightly before piping," she says. You can also mix the batter ingredients ahead of time with just a small adjustment. "You may need to thin the batter a little before cooking (it tends to thicken overnight). A tablespoon or two of whole milk will do the trick," Watkins instructs.