Have you ever seen a good peach turn bad? It’s truly tragic. Last week, some exquisite organic peaches on my kitchen counter faded away. As they awaited their turn to be used in a blog recipe, those peaches began to sprout some unattractive fuzz.
I’m to blame. I had forgotten how fast a good peach can spoil. I continue to believe that I have committed a terrible crime. It was, at the very least, a flagrant breach of my own summer peach policy. A ripe peach is better off being consumed over the sink than being wasted. Right?
I’m practicing peach repentance with pancakes. Oat and yogurt-based pancakes that are fluffy, gluten free and gently spiced. Thinly sliced peaches caramelize against one side of the cakes once you flip them over.
I owe credit for the idea to Ali and Deb. Ali commented a couple of days ago on my blueberry lemon yogurt pancakes. She said she made them with peaches and they were divine. You guys have the best ideas (thanks, Ali!). Her comment reminded me of Deb’s peach pancake cooking method in The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook, where she pours batter onto a hot pan and tops the pancake with peach slices before flipping it over.
Also read: Caramelized Sweet Potato, Red Pepper and Feta Frittata
INGREDIENTS
- ⅔ cup plain yogurt
- 2 tablespoons butter or coconut oil, melted
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (about 1 small lemon, juiced)
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup oat flour*
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- Slightly heaping ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 peach, halved, pitted and very thinly sliced (into about ⅛-inch slices)
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a small-ish bowl, stir together the yogurt, butter, lemon juice, honey and vanilla extract. Beat in the eggs.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the oat flour, baking soda, salt, ginger and cinnamon.
- Form a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. With a big spoon, stir just until the dry ingredients are thoroughly moistened. Do not overmix or you’ll run the risk of getting tough pancakes! Let the batter sit for 10 minutes.
- Heat a heavy cast iron skillet or nonstick griddle over medium-low heat. If you’re using an electric skillet, preheat it to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- You’re ready to start cooking your pancakes once the surface of the pan is hot enough that a drop of water sizzles on contact. If necessary, lightly oil the cooking surface with butter or cooking spray (I don’t oil the surface of my non-stick griddle and my pancakes turned out great). Give the batter one gentle stir, then scoop a scant ¼ cup batter onto the pan. Place two to 3 peach slices on top of the pancake. Let the pancake cook until the top edges of the pancakes are more matte than shiny and the underside is golden, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Once the bottom side has cooked sufficiently, flip it with a spatula and cook for another couple of minutes or so, until golden brown on both sides. You may need to adjust the heat up or down at this point.
- Serve the pancakes immediately or keep warm in a 200 degree Fahrenheit oven.