I have a sort of love affair with breakfast and brunch… I mean, really- what other meal can be so versatile? We can go sweet -OR- savory… we can load our dish with fruit -OR- veggies… we can add bacon, sausage, ham, cheese, eggs, steak… omelettes, pancakes, chilaquiles with fresh salsa verde and a fried egg on top, sweet potato and veggie hash… the possibilities are endless.
One of my favorite things about weekends is simply breakfast. I look forward to lounging a little longer with my coffee, curling up in my favorite chair with a fleece blanket, and then slowly making my way into the kitchen to start cooking. Or… slowly making my way into the kitchen to see what my husband is making us. I just love weekends, really… I love that we can all sit and enjoy a weekend breakfast the way we do dinners most nights, as a family around the table, one of the best parts of my every day.
One trick that I have found is really beneficial when making these Mini Dutch Baby Pancakes is to put the muffin tin in the oven while it preheats. Remove the tin immediately before you’re ready to grease and pour the batter in. These cook very quickly, and this helps set the edges.
Place a 12-cup muffin tin in your oven and preheat to 425 degrees F.
In a medium bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients until no lumps remain.
In a large measuring cup, whisk together the almond milk, eggs, sweetener, and vanilla. Add in freshly grated orange zest.
Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients vigorously until smooth. Alternatively, you can process all ingredients together in a blender or food processor.
Using an oven mitt or towel, carefully remove your hot muffin tin from the oven. Immediately spray with nonstick coconut oil spray, then pour your pancake batter into each muffin well, filling a little less than 1/2 way full.
Bake for 7-10 minutes until tops are set. Remove from oven and serve immediately with fresh fruit, real maple syrup, a dusting of powdered sugar, or whatever else sounds delicious.
Tell me, do you guys adore breakfast like I do? Do you save your special breakfasts for weekends or get up early enough to enjoy a warm breakfast every day? For me, I guess saving the special breakfasts for the weekends is just one more reason to look forward to Friday’s much-anticipated arrival. Till next time, stay warm my friends!