For years in planning to become an Innkeeper I researched and tested different recipes for future use. I knew several pancake recipes would be needed in my repertoire but didn’t think a simple buttermilk pancake offering would be interesting….though I do love buttermilk pancakes! Buttermilk makes virtually every baked good taste better! Visiting Santa Fe, I was introduced to blue corn and was hooked. Our Turquoise Bear blue corn pancake recipe, along with our house-made Piñon butter on top, is our most requested recipe by guests. Enjoy!
Ingredients for the Pancakes
- 1 ½ cups flour
- 1 ½ cups blue corn meal
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 eggs
- 2 1/2 cups milk
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled (plus more for greasing the griddle)
- ½ cup Piñon nuts (pine nuts)
Ingredients for the Piñon Butter
- 1/4 cup Piñon nuts
- 2 Tablespoons honey
- 1 stick butter (room tempreture)
- dash of salt
Makes about 12 four inch pancakes or 30 three inch pancakes
Directions
- Set griddle to 350 degrees.
- In one bowl, whisk together the flour, blue corn, baking powder, sugar and salt.
- In another bowl, gently mix the egg, milk, buttermilk and cooled butter and pour this over the dry ingredients. Stir just until moistened; be careful not to over mix. You want the batter to be slightly lumpy.
- Pour onto a hot, buttered griddle. Sprinkle 5 or 6 pinion nuts on each pancake. Flip when other side has nicely browned (about 3 or 4 minutes) and cook another 3 minutes.
- Dust with powdered sugar and top with Piñon Butter.
For the Pinion Butter
- Crush ¼ cup of Piñon nuts with mortar and pestle or small food processor.
- Combine ground nuts with honey, salt, and butter.