Creamsicle Pancake Bites

Looking for a fast breakfast option on those dreary winter mornings? These mini creamsicle pancake bites are freezer friendly and brighten up anyone’s day!

It’s hard to not love muffins, especially muffin “minis”. This delicious pancake bites recipe is simple to make, eat, and share. The addition of orange zest in the batter and the use of orange juice in the syrup are simply delightful. This unique use of a simple orange is so bright and cheery it will have your taste-buds singing!

Through many kitchen experiments, I have found that quite a few breakfast recipes take on a new life when made in muffin form. Take this recipe for example, pancakes are always a hit in our home, but baking this batter in the oven versus preparing on the stove-top creates a whole new morning meal!

Another perk of this recipe is the fact that no cutting is required for little ones. These small bites are perfect for young children to eat for breakfast on their own. Plus, they love dipping each mini muffin into their own bowl of citrusy syrup. But who are we kidding, these are a hit with the “big kids” of the house too!

Creamsicle Pancake Bites

Here is what you need:

Step 1: In a large bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, salt.

Step 2: In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together milk, maple syrup, eggs, applesauce, vanilla, and the zest of the orange.

Step 3:  Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.

Step 4: Spray a mini muffin tin or silicone pan with non-stick cooking spray. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step 5: Using a spoon or cookie dough scoop pour a scant tablespoon of the batter into each muffin well.

Step 6: Bake for 10-11 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from the pan and eat warm with syrup.

Step 7: To make the syrup, add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and fresh squeezed orange juice to a bowl and whisk together. Dip each pancake bite into the syrup or pour syrup over the warm bites on a plate.

Recipe Notes: These bites can be refrigerated for 1 week or frozen for months. The syrup stays fresh for a few days at room temperature. We like to serve the bites with small individual bowls of syrup for each person to dip their pancake muffins in.