Fluffy black sesame pancakes (Printable)

Fluffy pancakes enriched with nutty black sesame seeds and topped with a sweet syrup drizzle.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
02 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
03 - 1½ teaspoons baking powder
04 - ¼ teaspoon salt

→ Black Sesame Paste

05 - ¼ cup black sesame seeds
06 - 2 tablespoons honey
07 - 1 tablespoon warm water

→ Wet Ingredients

08 - 1 cup whole milk
09 - 1 large egg
10 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
11 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ For Serving

12 - Maple syrup or honey for topping
13 - Toasted black sesame seeds, optional
14 - Fresh berries, optional
15 - Whipped cream, optional

# Directions:

01 - Toast black sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Cool slightly, then grind to fine powder using spice grinder or food processor. Mix with honey and warm water until thick paste forms.
02 - In large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
03 - In separate bowl, whisk together milk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla extract.
04 - Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Stir gently until just combined. Do not overmix.
05 - Fold black sesame paste into batter until evenly distributed. Batter will be thick with sesame streaks.
06 - Heat non-stick skillet or griddle over medium heat and lightly grease with butter or oil.
07 - Pour approximately ¼ cup batter per pancake onto skillet. Cook 2-3 minutes until bubbles form on surface and edges appear set.
08 - Flip pancakes and cook 1-2 minutes more until golden brown and cooked through. Repeat with remaining batter.
09 - Serve pancakes warm topped with syrup, toasted black sesame seeds, and optional berries or whipped cream.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Black sesame brings an earthy, sophisticated flavor that makes breakfast feel like something special rather than routine.
  • They're foolproof enough for a lazy Sunday but impressive enough to serve when people come over.
  • The whole process takes less than 30 minutes, which means you can justify making these on a weekday if you really want to.
02 -
  • Don't skip the toasting step for the black sesame seeds—that's where the magic happens, and store-bought ground sesame just won't give you the same depth of flavor.
  • If your batter sits for more than 10 minutes, it'll start to thicken and your pancakes will be dense instead of fluffy, so work quickly once you've mixed everything together.
03 -
  • Buy black sesame seeds from an Asian market instead of the regular grocery store—the quality is noticeably better and the price is usually lower.
  • If you don't have a spice grinder, a food processor works perfectly, and in a pinch you can even use a mortar and pestle (though your arm will get a workout).
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