American Pancakes with Blueberries and Buttery Crumble Recipe
These pancakes are a “weekend” version of breakfast, because besides fluffy cakes you also get a crunchy, buttery crumble on top. In the US, richer pancakes like these often appear at lazy brunches when no one is in a hurry. The blueberries inside and the crisp topping are a bit like a cross between pancakes and a crumble dessert.
The combination of fluffy American-style pancakes, juicy blueberries, and a crunchy buttery crumble makes this feel like a brunch dessert and breakfast in one. The crumble bakes right onto the pancakes, adding texture without extra work at the table.
Chef's tips
Chill the crumble well so it stays in small clumps on top of the pancakes instead of melting too quickly. Keep the heat at medium – too high and the crumble will brown before the inside of the pancake is cooked through.
How to serve
Stack the pancakes on a plate, crumble-side up, and drizzle with maple syrup or honey. Add a dollop of yogurt or whipped cream and plenty of fresh berries for a café-style brunch at home.
Ingredients
- wheat flour - 220 g
- baking powder - 2.5 teaspoons
- sugar - 2 tablespoons
- salt - 0.25 teaspoons
- milk at room temperature - 280 ml
- egg at room temperature - 1 piece
- butter melted, slightly cooled, for the batter - 40 g
- fresh or frozen blueberries - 120 g
- butter for the crumble, cold - 30 g
- wheat flour for the crumble - 40 g
- brown sugar for the crumble - 2 tablespoons
- vegetable oil for frying, more if needed - 1 tablespoon
Preparation
- Make the crumble: put the flour and brown sugar into a bowl, add the cold butter cut into small cubes. Rub with your fingers until you get clumps resembling wet sand. Chill the crumble in the fridge while you prepare the batter.
- In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the egg with the milk, add the melted, slightly cooled butter, and mix.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir briefly with a spoon or whisk just until combined. If there are a few small lumps of flour, that’s fine – don’t overmix, or the pancakes won’t be as fluffy.
- Gently fold the blueberries into the batter, trying not to crush them (do not thaw frozen blueberries beforehand).
- Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat and lightly grease it with oil.
- Spoon about 2–3 tablespoons of batter for each pancake. Immediately sprinkle 1–2 teaspoons of crumble on top of each pancake, pressing it down lightly.
- Cook for 2–3 minutes, until small bubbles appear on the surface and the edges start to set. Carefully flip the pancakes with a spatula and cook for another 1.5–2 minutes, until the other side is golden and the crumble is lightly crisp.
- Keep the finished pancakes covered (for example, in a low oven heated to 70–80°C) while you cook the rest of the batch.
Storage
Leftover pancakes can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days and reheated in a dry pan or toaster. For longer storage, freeze and reheat directly from frozen in a low oven or toaster.
These pancakes are my go-to when I want something a bit special for brunch without turning on the oven for a full crumble. Kids especially love the crunchy topping and pockets of warm blueberries inside.
