If you are looking for fun and healthy breakfast ideas for kids, this Strawberry Gingerbread Pancake Cupcakes Recipe (a cupcake pancake hybrid) takes a boring old pancake and morphs it into a delicious and healthy breakfast cupcake, which is by far, way more FUN! Even better, it's easy and quick to make.
Although I love pancake cupcakes and so does my whole family, I created this recipe with kids in mind. It's hard to come up with fun breakfast ideas for kids that are also healthy and ideal for busy mornings. I'm happy to report that these healthy cupcakes for kids recipe was a big hit! They were inspired by my Gingerbread Pancakes (without molasses)
Jump to:
- 🥞Ingredient Notes
- 📖 Variations & Substitutions
- 🔪How to Make Pancake Cupcakes
- Expert Recipe Tips
- 🥗 What to Serve with Pancake Cupcakes
- 👪 Serving size
- 🌡️Storing and Freezing
- ❔ Recipe FAQs
- Didn't find the answer you're looking for?
- 🍳More healthy on-the-go breakfast ideas!
- 📋Strawberry Gingerbread Pancake Cupcakes Recipe
If you love gingerbread recipes that are great for kids, try my Gingerbread Smoothie too!
And if you are in need of a healthy breakfast on the go, something you can send in the lunch box to school with the kids (or take yourself), then this cupcake for breakfast (aka pancake cupcake recipe) is for you. You can pack the yogurt and syrup in separate containers or just skip it altogether (it's great with or without)!
🥞Ingredient Notes
You will need the following ingredients for this recipe for pancake cupcakes:
- Whole wheat flour. Whole wheat flour boosts the fiber in these muffins!
- Cook and serve butterscotch pudding. Makes these muffins creamy and adds a butterscotch flavor that melds perfectly with the gingerbread flavors. *Do NOT use instant pudding - it will not work.
- Ground ginger and cinnamon. These ingredients give this pancake cupcake that iconic gingerbread flavor when mixed with the butterscotch pudding mix.
- Strawberry Greek yogurt. A great alternative to whipped cream, and it's dreamy and creamy when mixed with syrup.
- Low sugar maple syrup (optional). The low sugar maple syrup adds the perfect touch to these pancake cupcakes, and the low sugar keeps them healthier!
- Butter extract/flavoring.
*Please see recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantities
📖 Variations & Substitutions
Make them portable! You can also make these into mini pancake cupcakes using a mini muffin tin! Make 12 regular-sized pupcakes, then use the remaining batter to make 6 little pancake muffins or make up to 40 minis. Either way, they are fun and delicious!
- Greek yogurt: You could also use different flavors of Greek yogurt and another fruit (i.e., blueberry)
- Pudding: You could also skip the ginger and use a different flavor of cook-and-serve pudding (i.e., chocolate or vanilla) Or use vanilla and add the ginger.
- Butter extract: You can substitute vanilla extract
- Toppings: You can add your favorite pancake toppings instead of Greek yogurt
🔪How to Make Pancake Cupcakes
Pancake cupcakes are made the same way you make cupcakes, except you use a pancake batter. You simply pour the batter ⅔ full, into lined muffin tins and bake for 20 minutes.
PREP: Preheat oven to 350°F/ 176° C. Line muffin tin with paper liners.
- Step 1: In a large bowl, add all ingredients (wet ingredients and dry ingredients), except toppings (Greek yogurt, fresh strawberries, and maple syrup).
- Step 2: Whisk until combined.
- Step 3: Pour batter ⅔ full into muffin tin lined with paper muffin cups.
- Step 4: Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown and the cake tester comes out clean. Cool in tin for 5 minutes.
- Step 5: Continue cooling on wire rack for 10 minutes.
- Step 6: Fit a pastry bag with 1M tip and fill to ½ full with Greek yogurt.***See video: How to frost a cupcake with a 1M tip , if you're not sure how to pipe with a 1M tip. And use the 2nd technique - the 'rose swirl' Pipe Greek yogurt onto pancake cupcakes (if you don't have a pastry bag, cut a hole in the end of a ziploc and swirl it on).
Expert Recipe Tips
- Use room-temperature ingredients for a smoother batter. Cold milk or eggs can cause the batter to thicken unevenly, which affects the rise and texture.
- Rest the batter for 5 minutes before filling the muffin cups. This allows the whole wheat flour to hydrate and the leavening to activate, giving you fluffier cupcake-style pancakes.
- Fill each muffin cup evenly for consistent baking. Using a cookie scoop or measuring scoop helps ensure every cupcake bakes at the same rate and rises uniformly.
- Rotate the muffin pan halfway through baking. This prevents uneven browning, especially if your oven has hot spots.
- Let the cupcakes cool completely before topping. Warm cupcakes will melt or thin the Greek yogurt swirl, so cooling ensures the topping stays defined.
- For extra strawberry flavor, add finely chopped strawberries to the topping. Mixing a small amount into the Greek yogurt gives a fresh burst of flavor without altering the cupcake texture.
- Warm the maple syrup slightly before serving. A lightly warmed drizzle blends more smoothly with the cool Greek yogurt topping.
- Use a light-colored muffin pan to avoid over-browning. Dark pans absorb more heat, which can lead to overly brown edges.
- If making minis, reduce bake time to 10-12 minutes. Mini pancake cupcakes bake much faster-keep an eye on them to prevent drying out.
- For meal prep, freeze without liners. Removing the paper liners before freezing prevents sticking and makes thawing quicker and cleaner.
🥗 What to Serve with Pancake Cupcakes
I love serving these Gingerbread cupcake pancakes with Air fryer turkey sausage and a fruit salad. They also go well with my portable Roasted Red Pepper Egg White Bites (shown)!
👪 Serving size
This easy breakfast recipe makes 15 pancake cupcakes. However, you can half, double, or triple the recipe by clicking on the serving number and selecting the number of servings you'd like. The ingredient quantities will automatically adjust. You can also use a mini muffin pan and get about 40 mini pancake muffins.
🌡️Storing and Freezing
These can be stored in the refrigerator, in an airtight container, for up to 3 days.
They can be frozen (without Greek yogurt topping) in a freezer bag or airtight container for up to 3 months. They freeze well and are great for a last-minute breakfast!
❔ Recipe FAQs
For the firmest topping, use cold Greek yogurt straight from the fridge. You can also pipe the topping right before serving to keep the swirl defined.
Absolutely. Add an extra tablespoon of brown sugar to the batter or drizzle with regular maple syrup instead of low-sugar
Butter extract can be swapped for vanilla extract, almond extract, or left out entirely. The cupcakes will still bake up deliciously.
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These pancake cupcakes are a nice change from traditional pancakes and the perfect breakfast for weekday mornings!
🍳More healthy on-the-go breakfast ideas!
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📋Strawberry Gingerbread Pancake Cupcakes Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cup whole wheat flour
- ½ cup cook and serve butterscotch puddding dry mix About ½ a 170 g package* do NOT use instant pudding - it will not work
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 large egg beaten
- 1 ⅔ cups milk
- 2 tablespoon canola oil
- ½ teaspoon butter flavor/extract
Garnish:
- 2 cups Strawberry Greek yogurt (non-fat) 500 g (about a container)
- 15 whole fresh strawberries
- low sugar maple syrup (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F/ 176 degrees C. Line muffin tin with paper liners.
- In a large bowl, mix all ingredients (wet ingredients and dry ingredients), except Greek yogurt, strawberries and maple syrup, together.2 cup whole wheat flour, ½ cup cook and serve butterscotch puddding dry mix, ½ teaspoon baking soda, 2 teaspoon baking powder, 2 tablespoon brown sugar, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 large egg, 1 ⅔ cups milk, 2 tablespoon canola oil, ½ teaspoon butter flavor/extract
- Pour batter ⅔ full into muffin tin lined with paper muffin cups.
- Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown and cake tester comes out clean. Cool in tin for 5 minutes.
- Continuing cooling on wire rack for 10 minutes.
- Fit pastry bag with 1M tip and fill to ½ full with greek yogurt. ***See video in notes, if you're not sure how to pipe with a 1M tip. And use the 2nd technique - the 'rose swirl'.2 cups Strawberry Greek yogurt (non-fat)
- Pipe greek yogurt onto pupcakes (if you don't have a pastry bag, cut a hold in the end of zip lock and swirl it on)
Garnish:
- Garnish with strawberry and serve with low sugar maple syrup (optional)15 whole fresh strawberries, low sugar maple syrup (optional)
Terri Gilson
These Strawberry Gingerbread Pancake Cupcakes are such a clever way to make breakfast exciting for kids. I love how they transform a simple pancake into something that feels like a treat, while still keeping it healthy. It's the perfect solution for busy mornings when you want to make breakfast special.
Cristina @ I Say Nomato
Pupcakes! Ha! I love it. These sound delicious, that strawberry greek yogurt topping? YUM!
Food Meanderings
Thanks! yes, it is strawberry greek yogurt - just piped on 🙂
Teresa
What an adorable and creative idea! They sound delicious, too.
Food Meanderings
thank you!
thefoodblognet
Such a cute idea. I'm sure the kids loved it, but I think my husband would love it too! 🙂
Food Meanderings
Thanks! Yes, they don't want to eat plain pancakes now!
clamontagne702
Breakfast cupcakes? I'm in!
Food Meanderings
I know, hey? Easy to convince the kidlets to eat breakfast on that day!
Sue Slaght
You are full of creative ideas! I am thinking this would definitely get kids to eat breakfast.
Food Meanderings
Thanks, Sue! Yes, the kids really loved it!