Overnight Yeast [Blueberry] Pancakes

It's been a long while since homemade pancakes have made an appearance in my life, which is incredibly out of character. Pancakes are my ultimate morning comfort food. As fun as it is to go out to brunch and order a stack, homemade is always better.

The difficulty comes in choosing between a messy kitchen to clean up versus just leaving a tip for someone else to. Most of the time, I admit I choose the later. Not everyone (me) is coordinated or patient enough to measure flour before noon without covering themselves or the counter in it too.

Overnight, yeasted pancakes have been on my pancake recipes-to-try list for about three years now. Although curious about the texture and taste, I mainly loved the idea of prepping the batter a day (or two!) before. That way all that weekend breakfast required was baking the bacon and brewing the coffee. Isn't it nice to save ourselves the frustration (and not have to resort to store-bought, preservative-filled "just add water" pancake mixes)?

This particular recipe creates a thin batter that results in some of my favorite pancakes to date! They magically puff up on a preheated skillet, but are also a bit dense...in a very dreamy way. There's a pleasant tang thanks to both the buttermilk and yeast, complimented perfectly by our best breakfast friends: salted butter and maple syrup.

Gosh, I love breakfast.

I halved the below recipe when making these just for Garland and I (used 1 egg + 1 egg white rather than 1 1/2 eggs). It resulted in only a few leftover---perfect for quick freezer breakfasts in the weeks following. Toasting and slathering leftover pancakes in peanut butter and maple syrup is one of my favorite, occasional mid-week treats. And, again, so convenient! I'm looking forward to keeping this recipe with me for years to come.

Overnight Yeast Pancakes

Servings: 10-12 large pancakes

1 teaspoon (about 1/2 package) active dry yeast
2 tablespoons lukewarm water
2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups buttermilk
3 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons honey, or 1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup blueberries

• Dissolve the yeast in the water. In a large bowl, combine buttermilk, eggs, oil and honey. Once well-mixed, add in the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt along with the dissolved yeast solution. Whisk to combine--the batter does not need to be completely smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and place in fridge overnight (or up to 3 days).
• When ready to cook pancakes, heat and lightly butter (or cover in non-stick spray) a griddle or nonstick pan over medium heat. Stir the batter and gently add in blueberries or other mix-ins, if using. Pour 1/3 cup into the skillet; and cook until bubbles appear on the surface (~ 2 mins). Flip and cook until the remaining side is lightly golden. 
• Keep warm on a pan in a preheated oven (set to 200 degrees) until ready to serve. 

Notes: Washington Times - Warning: Little black dots may form on the batter’s surface on days 2 and 3 — they’re a harmless result of oxygenation. Just stir to combine.