While being forced to stay inside for long stretches of time hasn’t exactly been fun for many people, the past few weeks have demonstrated that there's an endless amount of creativity happening in the kitchen these days.
From cloud-like beverages, such as whipped coffee and strawberry milk, to the revival of Depression Cake, the internet has proven to be a treasure trove of unique and often bizarre recipes to keep away blues caused by stay-at-home orders.
The latest craze popping up on TikTok and Instagram is something innovative home cooks have dubbed "pancake cereal."
No, this isn't a new boxed cereal that tastes like pancakes. Pancake cereal is made by cooking up a batch of teeny, tiny pancakes that are served in a bowl, then topped with any number of ingredients, like butter, maple syrup, fruit, chocolate chips and even milk.
The basic recipe is pretty straightforward and not that different from how one makes regular pancakes. Instead of pouring batter into a skillet free-hand, you’ll need to use some sort of squeeze bottle, syringe or plastic bag with the corner cut off.
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First, start by mixing up your favorite pancake batter, either from a box or, if you’re feeling ambitious, from scratch. Some people have even started experimenting with other batters, like Funfetti.
Next, pour the batter into whatever tool you’ll be using to squeeze it out. Then dispense small, round blobs of batter (about 1-inch in diameter) into a greased pan and cook until you see the edges start to harden. Since these pancakes are so tiny, it might only take about one or two minutes per side, so you'll need to watch them closely and work quickly.
When they’re done, toss the baby pancakes into a bowl, top with whatever your heart desires and dig in.
Amy Jones, a fitness instructor, shared a healthier version of pancake cereal on Instagram, opting to use Trader Joe's Buttermilk Protein Pancake Mix.
She told TODAY the hardest part about making the mini cakes is flipping them over, so she used a “very small spatula” to do so. She also recommends making them in two pans, or two rounds, so you can easily leave enough room around each tiny pancake while it cooks.
Sam Schnur of The Naughty Fork tried the recipe out as well, and shared a how-to video with her nearly 900,000 followers on Instagram Thursday.
Schnur first saw the recipe on TikTok and wanted to re-create it. However, she said the concept isn’t new.
“(A similar dish) has been around for quite awhile in the Netherlands. They're called poffertijes and are usually made with butter and sugar," she told TODAY. "However, I'm using pancake batter, which is a little different, so we can call them mini pancakes."
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She recommends paying extra attention when flipping them over so the pancakes don’t all stick together.
Once the pancakes are cooked, Schnur said she likes to “toss them all in butter after so they all crisp up together.”