Double Chai Spiced Pancakes

If you love chai spice, then these Double Chai Spiced Pancakes are for you! For a double dose of chai deliciousness, traditional chai spices (cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and ginger) are mixed into the batter along with an added boost from chai tea concentrate! That's twice the spice, for the coziest pancakes you will eat all season.

Come October (ok- we lied- September), we are all about the chai. For these cozy pancakes, we drew inspiration from our favorite fall drink chai tea. Not only do we want to drink our chai but we also want to eat it too!

The batter starts like most pancake recipes, but then is infused with chai spices and chai tea concentrate, to drive home those warm flavors.

The buttermilk makes these nice and fluffy. Exactly what pancake dreams are made of. We top ours off with a nice guzzle of maple syrup. Obviously. And you should, too.

Why you should "Chai" these pancakes

See what we did there?

• A chai-lover's dream with warm, fall spices
• Store-bought chai concentrate makes these a breeze
• Suited to Thanksgiving or Christmas brunch

Here is what you will need to make these double chai spiced pancakes.

• Flour All-purpose.
• Baking powder and baking soda For that rise!
• Chai spices Chai spice is a blend of aromatic spices commonly used in Indian cuisine, particularly for making chai tea, a popular Indian spiced tea. For these pancakes, we will use cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and ginger. Feel free to use prepared chai spice (these may contain other spices, such as pepper, star anise, nutmeg mace allspice, or fennel).
• Sugar To sweeten the pancakes slightly. The rest of the sweetness will come from the chai concentrate.
• Salt Balances out the sweetness.
• Buttermilk Keeps the pancakes light and fluffy.
• Butter Melted.
• Egg
• Chai tea concentrate A mixture of black tea, sugar, and chai spices found commercially in stores and online. Also sold as chai tea latte concentrate. You want the liquid, not the powder.
• Butter for cooking

See the recipe card for quantities.

Chai pancakes step-by-step

Below is a quick visual on how to make chai-spiced pancakes. Full instructions are located in the recipe card.

Step 1. In a medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, sugar, and spices). Whisk until combined.

Step 2. In a separate bowl, add the melted butter to the buttermilk and stir. Add the egg and chai concentrate, and whisk until combined.

Step 3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.

Step 4. With a spatula, mix the batter until combined and no flour streaks remain.

Step 5. Heat a nonstick pan over medium heat. When the butter sizzles, add a heaping ¼ cup of batter to the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes until bubbles form and poke through the batter (you should see about 6-8 bubbles).

Step 6. Flip the pancakes and continue to cook 1-2 minutes more, or until golden brown. Remove from the heat and keep warm in the oven until you finish with the remaining batter.

Expert tips

For all the best pancake tips and tricks, visit our ultimate guide for making the fluffiest pancakes.

Substitutions and variations

• Chai spice Use 2 teaspoon of prepared chai spice mix in place of the individual spices.
• Chai tea concentrate If you don't have chai concentrate, you can make your own in a pinch by brewing a strong cup of chai tea (1 chai tea bag to ¼ water plus 1 tablespoon of sugar).
• Buttermilk Try this easy swap for buttermilk. Add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a measuring cup. Fill the cup with regular milk (whole or 2% milk works best) until you reach the 1-cup mark. Stir the mixture and let it sit for about 5-10 minutes. It will curdle and thicken, mimicking the consistency of buttermilk.

Serve it with

We're a maple syrup purist, but pancake toppings are endless. So why not get creative and try some of these favorites?

• Maple syrup The classic pancake topping, maple syrup complements the warmth of chai spices nicely. Choose the real deal if you can; it makes all the difference. To bring out the flavors, try mixing maple syrup with a touch of ginger syrup for the ultimate fall topping.
• Whipped cream Decadent, but good! Or you can try Greek yogurt to make it a little healthier.
• Fresh fruit Sliced bananas, berries, or poached pears can add a refreshing and fruity contrast.
• Chopped nuts: Toasted almonds, pecans, or walnuts add the best texture and crunch.
• Honey Not a fan of maple syrup? Honey is a great alternative.
• Whipped butter Top it with our festive gingerbread butter!
• Caramelized bananasSauté banana slices with a bit of brown sugar and butter until they caramelize, then use them as a topping.
• Chai latte Make it a triple chai breakfast, and serve it with this fun version of a chai latte!

Keeping leftovers

These double chai spiced pancakes are best eaten right away. But let's be real, your first pancake will be cold by the time you finish the rest. So preheat the oven to 200°F, and place the pancakes on a baking sheet (separated) to keep them warm until you are ready to eat.

For longer storage, you can freeze the pancakes for up to 3 months. To freeze your pancakes, make sure they are cooled. Layer a piece of parchment paper between each pancake to prevent sticking. Store in a freezer-safe plastic bag or wrap tightly in food wrap.

To reheat, place them in a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes until heated through. You can also use your toaster to reheat them. We would avoid using the microwave as they will get mushy.

Kitchen questions

Why are our pancakes burning?

This can be caused by having your heat too high. You may need to adjust your heat throughout the cooking process. Also, flip when you see at least 6-8 bubbles form on your pancakes.

Why are our pancakes dense and chewy?

This can happen when you overmix the batter. When combining the wet and dry ingredients, stir only until flour streaks disappear. Don't be tempted to have a smooth batter; it is meant to be lumpy and thick. Overmixing will cause the gluten in the batter to activate, leading to dense and chewy pancakes.

Looking for pancake pairings?

Try some of our favorites.

Ingredients

Makes 8 (4-inch) pancakes

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground cloves
• ¼ tsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp ground cardamom
• ¼ tsp kosher or fine sea salt
• 1 tbsp white granulated sugar
• ¾ cup buttermilk, room temperature
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted, and slightly cooled
• 1 large egg, slightly beaten, at room temperature
• ¼ cup chai tea concentrate
• butter for cooking

Equipment

• medium-sized bowls
• measuring spoons and cups
• whisk, spatula
• non-stick griddle or frying pan
• sheet pan

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200℉.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, cardamom, salt, and sugar until evenly combined.

3. In a separate bowl, add the butter to the buttermilk, mixing slowly to combine. Add the egg, and chai concentrate, and whisk again.

4. Pour the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture. Using a spatula, combine until no flour streaks are visible. Do not overmix! The batter will be thick and lumpy. Let the batter rest at room temperature for 10 minutes before cooking.

5. Heat a griddle at 375℉ or a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Add the butter. When it sizzles, drop ¼ cup batter onto the griddle or pan. Cook until the edges are set and holes begin to develop in the batter. It will be time to flip when you notice 6-8 bubbles that pop and form holes that stay open on the surface of the pancake (about 2-3 minutes). Flip the pancake and repeat on the other side until golden brown and cooked through (another 1-2 minutes more). Repeat with the remaining batter. Add cooked pancakes to your baking sheet and keep warm in the oven until ready to serve.

6. Serve warm with maple syrup, butter, or toppings of your choice.

Kitchen notes

• Chai spice: Use 2 tsp of prepared chai spice mix in place of the individual spices.
• Chai tea concentrate: If you don't have chai concentrate, you can make your own in a pinch by brewing a strong cup of chai tea (1 chai tea bag to 1/4 cup of water plus 1 tablespoon of sugar).