My kids discovered a new joke this week. I’ve heard it about 100 times in the past few days. It goes like this:
Just in case you didn’t catch that, here’s the dialogue.
Madison: What is Captain Hook’s favorite kind of breakfast?
Donovan: I dunno.
Madison: Peter Pan-cakes!
<insert hilarious laughter here>
Oh yes, the fun we have. Try to contain your giggles. The other day, after hearing this knee slapper for the fourth time in a row, I had a brilliant idea. I’d make them some Peter Pan-cakes! I figured we could use sprinkles as “pixie dust” and voila! Breakfast can so easily get booooooooring. Cereal, eggs, toast, more cereal. I make pancakes at least once a week usually. But even that can get drab. I’ve mixed it up with cinnamon swirls (a very big hit), but sprinkles just seemed genius…and, easier than the cinnamon roll version. Little flecks of happiness make everything more fun!
Granted, pixie dust really should be gold and glittery, but my kids didn’t seem to mind using the brightly colored kind instead. They pretended to be Tinker Bell and had a great time sprinkling it into the pancake batter. We even watched the bowl carefully to be sure it wouldn’t float away after receiving the magic coating. Guess bowls aren’t capable of coming up with a happy thought.
Feel free to call them funfetti pancakes if that’s a bigger hit with your munchkins (or child-at-heart person you’re making these for). Around my house, these will always be called “Peter Pan-cakes”. It was an instant classic and something I’m sure I’ll be making for the rest of my kid’s lives. They’ve been requested every day for a week now.
Below is my favorite easy pancake recipe. Nothing fancy, but the pancakes are delicious and light. It makes just enough for a few people, so if you have a bigger brood, teenagers or starving morning people, be sure to double it.
Peter Pan-cakes
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 rounded tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup shortening, melted (or butter, or applesauce)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
colored sprinkles
Directions
- In a small bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Crack an egg into a 1 cup measuring container. Add milk until full to 1 cup. Stir milk/egg, vanilla, sprinkles and shortening into dry ingredients just until moistened.
- Pour batter by 1/4 cupful onto a greased hot griddle. Turn when bubbles form on top of pancakes; cook until the second side is golden brown.
Bakerlady 