Overnight Oatmeal-Buttermilk Pancakes

My husband absolutely loves the overnight buttermilk oat pancakes served at Main Road Biscuit Company on the North Fork of Long Island. We have tried a couple of versions to try to replicate them at home. Now I love them too! 🙂

This first version was adapted from Molly Wizenberg@Orangette.net, via Food52.com, contributed by Catherine Lamb. We used sea salt, butter instead of oil, and added vanilla extract as well as fresh strawberries and bananas. We ate them for breakfast on Mother’s Day as well as my husband’s birthday. Great.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

• 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 2 cups buttermilk, shaken
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour (I used white whole wheat flour)
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick), melted and cooled (can substitute coconut oil or any oil of choice)
• oil or non-stick spray for greasing the pan or griddle
• fresh bananas and fresh or frozen strawberries, diced, optional
• nuts or chocolate chips, optional
• pure maple syrup, yogurt, berries, or bananas, for serving

1. The night before, mix the oats and buttermilk together in a large bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
2. If you’re feeling especially efficient, mix the dry ingredients in a smaller bowl and set aside on the counter. (a great plan!)
3. The next morning, take the oat mixture out of the fridge. If you haven’t already, mix the dry ingredients together with a whisk until incorporated.
4. Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter (or oil) to the oat mixture, stir together, then add the dry ingredients. Mix until fully incorporated, but be careful not to overmix. Batter will be very thick.
5. Grease a griddle or large pan with and set it over medium-high heat. When you flick water at the skillet and it sizzles, it’s ready.
6. Ladle the batter onto the hot pan (I used a 1/3 cup measure, but feel free to adjust if you want larger or smaller pancakes). If desired, sprinkle on sliced bananas, berries (fresh or frozen), nuts, or chocolate chips. (I mixed both diced bananas and strawberries into the batter prior to placing on the griddle.)
7. When the top of the batter bubbles, the edges begin to set, and the bottom is bronzed, flip pancakes. They’re done when the underside is done and they don’t squish when pressed lightly with your finger. 
8. Serve with maple syrup or a dollop of yogurt and additional berries and/or banana slices, as desired. 

This second version was also wonderful. It is Swedish in origin. The original recipe suggests serving them with lingonberry jam instead of maple syrup.

The recipe was adapted from the former Tres Joli Bakery Café in Oakton, Virginia, via Bon Appétit and epicurious.com. I added frozen blueberries to the batter and served them drizzled with maple syrup.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

• 2 cups old-fashioned oats or quick-cooking oats
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 2 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• cooking oil spray or melted butter, for skillet or griddle
• pure maple syrup or lingonberry preserves, for serving
• fresh or frozen blueberries, optional
• whipped cream, for serving, optional

1. Combine the oats, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
2. Whisk buttermilk, eggs, 1/4 cup melted butter and vanilla in medium bowl.
3. Add to dry ingredients; whisk until blended but some small lumps still remain.
4. Cover with plastic wrap and let batter stand to thicken, about 2 hours at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator.
5. Preheat oven to 250°F. (or set a warming drawer to medium)
6. Heat heavy large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Brush skillet with melted butter or coat with cooking oil spray.
7. Fold fresh or frozen blueberries into the prepared batter, if desired. (I added 1 cup of frozen blueberries.)
8. Working in batches, ladle batter by 1/4 to 1/3 cupfuls onto the pan. Cook pancakes until bottoms are golden brown and bubbles form on top, about 2 minutes. Turn pancakes over; cook until bottoms are golden brown, about 2 minutes.
9. Transfer cooked pancakes to a baking sheet or serving platter. Keep warm in oven or warming drawer.
10. Repeat with remaining batter, brushing skillet with more butter or cooking spray, as necessary.
11. Serve with lingonberry preserves or syrup, topped with fresh blueberries and/or whipped cream, as desired.

Overnight Golden Sourdough Waffles

I made these super light and slightly tangy waffles for my husband’s birthday breakfast. They were absolutely amazing topped with fresh berries and sliced bananas and drizzled with pure maple syrup.

The wonderful recipe was adapted from theperfectloaf.com. I weighed the ingredients and incorporated whole wheat flour into the batter. According to the original recipe, these waffles also freeze incredibly well. Perfect.

Yield: about 10 waffles

• 460g (2 cups) buttermilk
• 126g(1/2 cup or 1 stick) butter, melted and cooled
• 100g (1/2 cup, stirred down) ripe sourdough starter
• 125g (1 cup) all-purpose flour
• 113 g (1 cup) whole wheat flour
• 7g (1 1/2 teaspoons) raw sugar
• 110g (1/2 cup) water, if needed
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature, separated
• 5g (1 teaspoon) fine sea salt
• 3g (1/2 teaspoon) baking soda, sifted

The night before:

1. Add buttermilk and the melted and cooled butter to a large mixing bowl.
2. Add your ripe sourdough starter and mix thoroughly (use a whisk and your hands if needed).
3. Sprinkle the sugar on top and whisk in your flour, a little at a time, until incorporated.
4. If necessary, use some of the 110g (1/2 cup) reserved water to break up the batter until it resembles a traditional pancake batter. If you have a 100% hydration starter, you probably won’t need to add any water, but if your flour is extra “thirsty” or you have a stiff starter it might be necessary. (I didn’t add any water.)
5. Cover the bowl and let sit at room temperature overnight.

In the morning:

1. Warm your whole eggs to room temperature by letting them sit for a few minutes in a bowl of warm water.
2. Sift the baking soda and salt onto the top of the batter.
3. Crack the eggs and place the whites in one clean bowl and the yolks in another.
4. Whisk the egg whites until they form stiff peaks.
5. Lightly scramble up the egg yolks in the second bowl.
6. Pour the yolks into the batter and gently stir through.
7. Then, using a spatula, fold the eggs whites into the mixture until just incorporated (and no more).
8. Cook in your smoking hot waffle iron until done to your liking. (I cook mine for 5 minutes.)

Note: If you want to increase the amount of sourness you could hold back some of the sugar in the mix, let the batter ferment longer, or ferment the same time but at a slightly warmer temperature.