Macaroni and Cheese Pancakes
Leftover macaroni and cheese just found a new home in sweet-and-savory pancakes. Make them for breakfast or dinner, and remember the addictive sweet heat of the hot sauce-maple syrup -- it's also great on waffles and fried chicken.
- Level: Easy
- Total: 30 min
- Active: 30 min
- Yield: 4 servings (12 pancakes)
Ingredients
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, plus more for serving
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup buffalo-style hot sauce, such as Frank's Red Hot
Kosher salt
2 cups prepared macaroni and cheese, cold or at room temperature
2 1/2 cups prepared pancake batter
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar
Directions
- Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Turn off the heat and whisk in the maple syrup and hot sauce. Season with salt. Cover to keep warm.
- Gently stir the macaroni and cheese into the pancake batter. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter and swirl to coat.
- Scoop 3 pancakes into the pan, about 1/3 cup each. Use the back of a spoon to lightly spread out the batter, making sure that there is enough space around each pancake so they do not touch. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of Cheddar on top of each pancake, using the back of a spoon to lightly press into the batter. Cook until there are a few bubbles around the edges of the pancakes and the undersides are lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Flip the pancakes and cook until the cheese is completely melted and lightly browned, about 2 minutes more.
- Carefully wipe out the skillet and repeat the process with the remaining pancake batter and Cheddar, adding 1 tablespoon butter to the skillet for each new batch.
- Serve the pancakes in stacks of 3 topped with the remaining butter and hot sauce-maple syrup mixture.
