This one’s for the pancake lovers! Sarah’s created her very own twist on matcha pancakes, infused with the rich flavour of Japanese green tea and Greek yoghurt for extra fluffiness.
In this post you’ll learn
Matcha Pancakes – Not Just for Breakfast!
Sarah is our resident pancake chef here at Wandercooks HQ. She’s made endless batches of pancakes for both our families (learning a thing or two from Laura’s Dad along the way) and has pretty well mastered the art of pancake flipping at home!
Matcha pancakes are the ones we turn to when we want something a little extra fancy. The batter comes together in minutes making them just as good for a lazy brunch as they are for a sweet dessert.
Related: Poffertjes (Mini Dutch Pancakes) / Dadar Gulung (Coconut Pandan Pancakes)
So what makes Matcha Pancakes special?
These pancakes are inspired by our visits to the matcha souvenir stores we visited in Kyoto, Japan. There you’ll find traditional sweets like matcha yatsuhashi (made from glutinous rice flour), alongside modern treats like matcha pancakes, matcha cookies and matcha ice cream.
The bright green colour makes them extra fun (who doesn’t love green pancakes!). The rich earthy flavour balances out the sweet flavour and fluffy texture. Plus the addition of Greek yoghurt also makes them a little extra healthy – win win!
You can tone them up or down, serving them with your regular favourite pancake toppings for a simple breakfast, or adding fresh fruit and toasted nuts to make them extra special.
Ingredients & Substitutes
- Self Raising Flour – Our go-to flour for pancakes. If you only have plain or all purpose flour, be sure to add in a teaspoon of baking powder as well.
- Sugar – We always use caster sugar or white sugar. Raw sugar or coconut sugar also work great if you prefer to use them.
- Matcha Powder – Note that there are two main styles of matcha out there: ceremonial grade (for drinking) and culinary grade (for cooking). We use and recommend culinary grade matcha powder for this recipe since it has a more intense, bolder flavour that won’t get drowned out in the finished pancakes. Plus it’s a little cheaper than ceremonial grade matcha (always a bonus!).
- Egg – This recipe is based on extra large free range eggs which are usually around 58 g / 2 oz each.
- Milk – We use dairy milk but you can swap this for any style of milk or plant based milk you prefer, such as soy, almond or oat milk.
- Greek Yoghurt – For extra flavour with a light tanginess. The extra protein from the yoghurt also makes the pancakes lighter and fluffier. You can use plain greek yoghurt or go for a lightly sweetened variety if you prefer. Pro-tip: Serve your freshly cooked pancakes with extra Greek yoghurt instead of cream – it’s amazing!
- Butter – For cooking. Try using salted butter for a little extra flavour zing. You can also use margarine, Nuttelex or sub with coconut oil if you prefer.
Let’s Get Cooking!
- Whisk the self raising flour, sugar and matcha powder in a large mixing bowl until the matcha is evenly mixed through the flour.
- Add the egg, Greek yoghurt and milk. Slowly whisk into a smooth, slightly runny batter. Tip: See our recipe video to check the consistency. If your mixture isn’t runny enough, you can stir in another small splash of milk.
- Heat a small scoop of butter (around ½-1 tsp) in a large frying pan or skillet over low to medium heat. Pour in a ladleful of batter and allow it to spread out into a wide circle.
- Cook for around 2-3 mins until lots of bubbles start popping on the surface and the edges start to become crispy and golden brown, then flip and cook the other side for another 2-3 mins.
Serve with your favourite toppings, such as extra yoghurt, whipped cream, maple syrup and/or fresh berries.
Quick Tips
Storage
Leftover matcha pancakes will last a day or two in the fridge. Always store in an airtight container to avoid them drying out. You might also like to place a layer of baking paper between each pancake to stop them sticking together. You can technically freeze them this way too, though we don’t usually do this as they’re all eaten up well before then!
Reheat in the microwave in quick 30 second bursts until warmed through.
FAQs
All you need are a few quick and easy swaps:
– Use coconut yoghurt instead of Greek yoghurt.
– Use your choice of plant milk instead of dairy milk (such as coconut milk or soy, oat or almond milk).
– Cook the pancakes using coconut oil instead of butter.
Yes you can. You’ll need to swap the flour for gluten free flour, but this can often result in flatter, more dense pancakes. You might like to try these extra steps too.
– Separate the egg white from the egg yolk. Mix the yolk into the batter, then whip the egg whites until soft peaks form.
– Very gently fold the whipped egg whites into the pancake batter until just mixed, but don’t over do it! The trapped air in the egg whites should help give the pancakes the extra fluffiness you’d expect from regular pancakes.
PLEASE NOTE we haven’t personally tested this method. If you try it, please let us know how you go!
– Whipped cream (for the ultimate indulgence!) or a simple dollop of heavy cream / thickened cream. Avoid pouring cream as a pancake topping, you’ll just end up with a runny mess and no real flavour benefit.
– Yoghurt – Extra Greek yoghurt or pot set coconut yoghurt are divine (and healthier hehe)!
– Maple Syrup – So much yum! Sub with honey or agave syrup if you like.
– Fresh Berries – Go for blueberries, strawberries, raspberries (or a mix of all three!). For extra berry goodness, you might like to try the blackberry coulis from our blancmange (vanilla pudding).
Variation Ideas
- Bold Flavour – Double the matcha powder if you know you love that extra green tea flavour and bright green colour.
- Quick Tweaks – Add a tsp of vanilla extract and/or a pinch of salt into the batter before cooking.
- Pancake Cake – Stack the pancakes on top of each other, with a layer of thick yoghurt or cream in between as well as slathered over the top. Serve with a light sprinkle of matcha powder, fresh berries and a drizzle of maple syrup. Perfect for an extra special treat for a birthday or Mother’s Day celebration!
- Extra Texture – Stir in a handful (or two!) of dark or white choc chips, or crushed macadamias into the batter. Or scatter almond flakes or crushed peanuts over the top as a garnish.
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★ Did you make this recipe? Please leave a comment and a star rating below!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups self raising flour
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 tbsp matcha powder aka Japanese green tea powder, culinary grade (perfect for cooking)
- 1 egg
- ½ cup Greek yoghurt 125 ml / 4.4 fl oz
- ½ cup milk 125 ml / 4.4 fl oz
- 1 tbsp butter for cooking
Instructions
- Whisk the 1 ½ cups self raising flour, ¼ cup sugar and 1 tbsp matcha powder in a large mixing bowl until the matcha is evenly mixed through the flour.1 ½ cups self raising flour, ¼ cup sugar, 1 tbsp matcha powder
- Add the 1 egg, ½ cup Greek yoghurt and ½ cup milk. Slowly stir into a smooth, slightly runny batter. Tip: See our recipe video to check the consistency. If your mixture isn’t runny enough, stir in another small splash of milk.1 egg, ½ cup Greek yoghurt, ½ cup milk
- Heat a small scoop of 1 tbsp butter (around ½-1 tsp) in a large frying pan or skillet over low to medium heat. Pour in a ladleful of batter and allow it to spread out into a wide circle.1 tbsp butter
- Cook for around 2-3 mins until lots of bubbles start popping on the surface and the edges start to become crispy and golden brown, then flip and cook the other side for another 2-3 mins.
- Serve with your favourite toppings, such as more yoghurt, whipped cream, maple syrup and/or fresh berries! For extra garnish, add slivered almonds and a sprinkling of matcha powder.
Video
Recipe Notes
- Avoid Burning – Cooking on medium low gives plenty of time for the pancakes to rise and cook through without risk of burning.
- Non Stick – Use a non-stick pan to keep it easy. If cooking on stainless steel cookware, make sure it’s pre-heated before you add the butter. To test this, flick a few drops of water onto the surface. If it sizzles and evaporates, it’s not quite hot enough yet. If it bounces around like a little ball of water, it’s hot enough to get cooking. At this point, you can add your butter, melt it and spread it around, then pour in your batter.
- Pancake Shapes – Cook one pancake at a time for nice even circles. Cook multiple pancakes at a time if you don’t care about the shape and just want delicious(ly wonky) pancakes faster – this is what we usually do!
- Keep Them Hot – Pre-heat your oven to around 120˚C / 250˚F while you’re making your batter. As you finish cooking each batch of pancakes, pop them on a baking tray and place them in the oven to keep warm while you cook the rest of your pancakes. Avoid stacking them, instead spread them out on the tray like you would for cookings. This helps keep them warm AND crispy rather than soggy. (Or you can do what we usually do at home – eat each batch while the next one is cooking!)
- Storage – Leftover pancakes will last a day or two in the fridge. Store in an airtight container to stop them drying out. Place a layer of baking paper between each pancake to stop them sticking together. You can freeze them this way too. Reheat in the microwave in quick 30 second bursts until warmed through.
Nutrition
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