New Mexico Vegan Blue Corn Pancake Recipe with Piñon Butter

5 from 3 votes

Hearty vegan blue corn pancakes with pine nut butter and maple syrup. This is what dreams are made of!

Prep Time20

Cook Time14

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 1054kcal

Cost: $8.50

In a dry sauté pan set over medium-low heat, toast the pine nuts until lightly golden all
over, about 6 minutes. Transfer them to the empty bowl of a food processor.
Add the coconut oil, margarine, salt, cinnamon, and agave nectar to the now- empty sauté pan and melt them together over medium heat.
Pulse the toasted pine nuts in the food processor several times to yield coarse fragments. Stir in the coconut oil mixture, then scrape out the food processor’s contents into a small bowl. Refrigerate and let cool until the fats have solidified (about 1 hour). Using a rubber spatula, mix everything together (the pine nuts may have settled during the initial chilling). Use the pine nut butter immediately, or store in an airtight container for later use. (The butter will keep in the refrigerator for months, if it isn’t eaten well before then.)

Pass the cornmeal, masa harina, spelt flour, baking powder, and sea salt through a mesh strainer into a medium bowl. Alternately you can just whisk the cornmeal mixture together to remove and small lumps or clumps. In a separate bowl, mix together the milk, agave nectar, 3 tablespoons oil, and vanilla extract. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and add the wet ingredients. Whisk together to form a smooth, light blue batter.
Heat a griddle, nonstick frying pan, or cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, heat 1 tablespoon of vegan margarine, and spread it around the surface of the pan until melted. Ladle out 4 tablespoons of batter to form each pancake. I use a lightly oiled ¼ cup measuring cup (which is 4 tablespoons) to spoon batter right onto the cooking surface to keep the size and shape of the pancakes consistent. Cook the pancakes for 2 to 3 minutes until bubbles form on the surface and the edges start lifting off the pan. Flip and fry on the other side for about 2 minutes, or just until cooked through. Add more margarine to the pan before frying the next batch.
Plate two or three pancakes per person with a half teaspoon of pine nut butter spread between each of the layers of pancakes, and a little more dolloped on top. Serve the syrup in a small pitcher on the side, warmed if preferred.

Sift and Mix with Care:
- Sift blue cornmeal, blue corn masa harina, spelt flour, baking powder, and sea salt into a bowl. Alternatively, whisk the mixture to ensure a smooth batter without lumps or clumps.
Wet Ingredients Magic:
- In a separate bowl, combine unsweetened plant-based milk, agave nectar, 3 tablespoons of oil, and vanilla extract. Create a well in the dry ingredients, add the wet mix, and whisk to form a smooth, light blue batter.
Heat It Right:
- Heat a cast iron griddle or nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of vegan margarine, spreading it until melted. Ladle 4 tablespoons of batter for each pancake, ensuring consistency in size and shape.
Perfect Flip Timing:
- Cook the pancakes for 2-3 minutes until bubbles form on the surface and edges lift. Flip and fry for an additional 2 minutes or until cooked through. Add more vegan butter before frying the next batch.