Why You’ll Love This Date and Walnut Pancakes

• Naturally Sweet & Satisfying. The dates provide a deep, caramel-like sweetness that means you can seriously cut back on added sugar. You’ll find these pancakes are satisfyingly sweet without that sugary crash later.
• A Wonderful Textural Adventure. Forget boring, uniform pancakes. Every bite is a delightful surprise with soft, gooey bits of date and a satisfying crunch from the toasted walnuts. It’s a party in your mouth, honestly.
• Effortlessly Wholesome. We’re using simple, whole-food ingredients that you can feel good about. It’s a breakfast that fuels your body and your soul, without any weird additives.
• Incredibly Versatile. These pancakes are a fantastic base. Enjoy them classic with maple syrup, or get creative with toppings like Greek yogurt and berries for a brunch-worthy plate. They’re equally delicious sweet or savoury-adjacent.

Ingredients & Tools

• 200 g all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 large egg
• 300 ml buttermilk
• 2 tbsp maple syrup or honey
• 2 tbsp melted butter or coconut oil, plus extra for cooking
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 100 g Medjool dates, pitted and finely chopped
• 75 g walnuts, roughly chopped

Tools: A large mixing bowl, a whisk, a non-stick frying pan or griddle, a ladle or measuring cup, and a spatula.

The quality of your dates really makes a difference here—go for soft, sticky Medjool dates if you can. And that buttermilk? It’s the secret to creating incredibly light and fluffy pancakes with a subtle tang. A little goes a long way in building flavour.

Serves: 3-4 (makes about 8-10 pancakes) | Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 25 minutes

Before You Start: Tips & Ingredient Notes

• Get your dates sticky-ready. If your dates are even slightly dry, soak them in a bowl of hot water for 5-10 minutes before chopping. This will plump them up and make them wonderfully soft and melty in the pancakes.
• Don’t overmix the batter. This is the golden rule of pancake-making. A few lumps in the batter are absolutely fine—in fact, they’re desirable! Overmixing develops the gluten and leads to tough, chewy pancakes.
• Why buttermilk? The acidity in buttermilk reacts with the baking soda, creating tons of tiny bubbles that give the pancakes their signature lift and airy texture. If you don’t have any, you can make a quick substitute by adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to 300ml of milk and letting it sit for 5 minutes.
• Test your pan’s temperature. The perfect pancake pan is medium-hot. Too hot, and the outside will burn before the inside cooks; too cool, and you’ll get pale, greasy pancakes. A flick of water should sizzle and evaporate quickly.

How to Make Date and Walnut Pancakes

Serving Suggestions

Complementary Dishes

• Crispy Smoked Bacon or Turkey Rashers — The salty, smoky crunch is a perfect foil to the sweet, soft pancakes. It creates that classic sweet-and-salty balance that’s just irresistible.
• Sautéed Cinnamon Apples or Pears — Sliced fruit gently cooked in a little butter and cinnamon until tender amplifies the cosy, autumnal vibes of the pancakes beautifully.
• Scrambled Eggs with Chives — For a more substantial brunch, a side of creamy, soft scrambled eggs adds a savoury protein element that rounds out the meal perfectly.

Drinks

• A Strong Cup of Coffee — The bitterness of a good brew cuts through the sweetness and enhances the warm spices. It’s a match made in heaven for a slow morning.
• Chai Latte — The spices in a chai latte—cardamom, ginger, cloves—echo the cinnamon in the pancakes, creating a wonderfully harmonious and comforting flavour experience.
• Cold, Creamy Milk — Sometimes, the simple, classic option is the best. A glass of cold milk is refreshing and complements the homely feel of the pancakes.

Something Sweet

• Warm Maple Syrup and a Pat of Butter — The ultimate classic. The butter melts into the nooks and crannies, and the syrup soaks in, making each bite decadently moist and sweet.
• Whipped Coconut Cream and Fresh Berries — For a lighter, fresher take, the tartness of berries and the airy cream provide a lovely contrast to the dense, sweet pancakes.
• Greek Yogurt and a Drizzle of Honey — This adds a tangy, protein-packed element that feels indulgent yet wholesome. The honey adds a different floral sweetness compared to maple syrup.

Top Mistakes to Avoid

• Mistake: Overmixing the batter. This is the number one pancake killer. It develops gluten, leading to tough, rubbery pancakes instead of light, fluffy ones. A lumpy batter is a happy batter.
• Mistake: Cooking at the wrong temperature. I’ve messed this up before too—an impatiently hot pan will give you a burnt outside and a raw inside. Medium heat is your sweet spot for a perfectly cooked, golden-brown pancake.
• Mistake: Pressing down on the pancakes with the spatula. It’s so tempting, I know! But this squeezes out all the precious air bubbles you worked so hard to create, resulting in a dense, sad pancake. Just let them be.
• Mistake: Using stale baking powder. Your leavening agents lose their potency over time. If your pancakes aren’t rising well, it might be time to replace your baking powder. A good test is to spoon a little into hot water—if it doesn’t fizz vigorously, it’s time for a new tin.

Expert Tips

• Tip: Keep cooked pancakes warm in a single layer. Place them on a baking sheet in a very low oven (around 100°C/200°F). Stacking them straight away will make the steam soften them and they’ll lose their lovely texture.
• Tip: Toast your walnuts first. For an even deeper, nuttier flavour, spread the chopped walnuts on a baking tray and toast them in a 180°C/350°F oven for 5-7 minutes before adding them to the batter. It’s a simple step with a huge flavour payoff.
• Tip: Make a “test” pancake. The first pancake is often a sacrificial one—use it to test your pan’s heat and adjust accordingly. It also gives you a sneaky preview of how the final product will taste!
• Tip: For extra-fluffy pancakes, separate the egg. Whisk the egg white until it forms soft peaks, then fold it in at the very end, after you’ve mixed in the dates and walnuts. This incorporates more air for an incredibly light result.

FAQs

Can I make the batter the night before?
Honestly, I wouldn’t recommend it for the fluffiest results. The baking powder will start to react as soon as it hits the liquid, and leaving it overnight will cause it to lose its leavening power. For the best texture, mix the dry and wet ingredients separately the night before, then combine them in the morning. It takes just a minute and makes all the difference.

Can I make these pancakes gluten-free?
Absolutely! You can substitute the all-purpose flour with your favourite gluten-free flour blend. Look for a blend that contains a binder like xanthan gum, which helps replicate the structure that gluten provides. The result might be a tad more delicate, but just as delicious.

My pancakes are turning out too dark. What am I doing wrong?
This usually means your heat is too high. The sugars in the dates and maple syrup can caramelise and burn quickly. Try turning your hob down to medium-low. It might take a minute or two longer per side, but you’ll get a perfectly golden-brown pancake instead of a dark one. Patience is key!

Can I freeze these pancakes?
Yes, they freeze beautifully! Let the cooked pancakes cool completely, then layer them between sheets of parchment paper in a freezer-safe bag or container. They’ll keep for up to 2 months. To reheat, just pop them straight into the toaster or warm them in a 180°C/350°F oven for about 10 minutes until hot.

What can I use instead of buttermilk?
No buttermilk? No problem. The easiest substitute is the milk-and-lemon-juice trick mentioned earlier. Alternatively, you can use plain yogurt thinned out with a little milk until it reaches a pourable consistency. Even plain milk will work, though you’ll lose a little of the signature tang and tenderness.