Homemade Cherry Pancakes

Finding a breakfast that feels special enough for lazy weekend mornings but doesn’t take hours to make can be tough. You want something that goes beyond basic pancakes, but you also don’t want to dirty every dish in your kitchen or spend your entire Saturday standing at the stove.

That’s exactly why I love these cherry pancakes. They strike the perfect balance between everyday comfort food and something that feels a little fancy, plus they come together in about the same time it takes to make regular pancakes. The fresh cherries add a sweet-tart bite, and the yogurt keeps everything fluffy and moist without any fuss.

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What Kind of Cherries Should I Use?

Fresh cherries are ideal for this recipe when they’re in season, giving you the best flavor and texture in your pancakes. Sweet cherries like Bing or Rainier work wonderfully, but if you prefer a bit of tartness, sour cherries can add a nice contrast to the sweetness of the batter. If fresh cherries aren’t available, frozen cherries are a perfectly good substitute – just make sure to thaw them first and pat them dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. You’ll want to pit your cherries before adding them to the batter, and you can either leave them whole for bursts of cherry flavor or roughly chop them for more even distribution throughout each pancake.

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Options for Substitutions

These pancakes are pretty forgiving when it comes to swapping ingredients:

• Cherries: Fresh cherries are great, but frozen cherries work just as well – just thaw and drain them first to avoid extra moisture. You can also swap in blueberries, raspberries, or diced strawberries for a different flavor.
• Strained yogurt: If you don’t have strained yogurt (or Greek yogurt), regular yogurt works fine. You can also use sour cream or buttermilk – just reduce any added liquid slightly if using buttermilk since it’s thinner.
• All-purpose flour: Whole wheat flour can replace half of the all-purpose flour for a heartier pancake. For a gluten-free version, try a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend.
• Seed oil: Any neutral oil works here – vegetable oil, canola oil, or even melted butter if you prefer. Coconut oil is another option if you like a hint of coconut flavor.
• Vanilla powder: Vanilla extract is the easiest swap – use about 1/2 teaspoon of extract in place of the powder.
• Baking powder and baking soda: These are essential for fluffy pancakes, so don’t skip them. If you’re out of one, you can use 2 teaspoons of baking powder total and omit the baking soda.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake people make with cherry pancakes is cooking them over high heat, which burns the outside while leaving the inside raw – medium or medium-low heat is your friend here, especially since the cherries add extra moisture that needs time to cook through.

Another common error is flipping the pancakes too early, so wait until you see bubbles forming on the surface and the edges look set before you flip, which usually takes the full 3-4 minutes.

To prevent your cherries from making the batter too wet, pat them dry with a paper towel after pitting, and don’t skip the resting time after mixing your wet and dry ingredients – letting the batter sit for 5-10 minutes helps the baking powder activate and creates fluffier pancakes.

Finally, resist the urge to press down on the pancakes with your spatula while they cook, as this squashes out all the air and makes them dense instead of light.

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What to Serve With Cherry Pancakes?

These cherry pancakes are pretty filling on their own, but I love adding a dollop of Greek yogurt or whipped cream on top for extra creaminess. A drizzle of warm maple syrup or honey brings out the sweetness of the cherries even more, and if you’re feeling fancy, a sprinkle of powdered sugar makes them look bakery-worthy. For a complete breakfast spread, serve them alongside some crispy bacon or breakfast sausage to balance out the sweetness, or keep it simple with a hot cup of coffee and fresh fruit on the side.

Storage Instructions

Store: Leftover cherry pancakes keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days. Just stack them with a piece of parchment paper between each pancake and store in an airtight container. They make a great quick breakfast throughout the week!

Freeze: These pancakes are perfect for freezing. Let them cool completely, then layer them with parchment paper in between and pop them in a freezer bag. They’ll stay good for up to 2 months, which is great when you want to make a big batch on the weekend.

Warm Up: To enjoy your pancakes again, just microwave them for about 30 seconds or pop them in the toaster for a minute or two. If they’re frozen, you can toast them straight from the freezer or let them thaw in the fridge overnight first.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 600-700
• Protein: 17-20 g
• Fat: 18-22 g
• Carbohydrates: 95-110 g

Ingredients

For the wet mixture:

• 7 oz yogurt (Fage 5% Greek yogurt recommended)
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 tbsp avocado oil
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 tsp lemon zest

For the dry mixture:

• 3.5 oz King Arthur all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt

For the assembly and serving:

• 5.3 oz fresh cherries, pitted and halved
• 1.5 tbsp olive oil or butter for the pan
• confectioners sugar
• honey for drizzling

Step 1: Prepare the Cherries and Mise en Place

• 5.3 oz fresh cherries, pitted and halved
• 3.5 oz King Arthur all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 7 oz yogurt
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 tbsp avocado oil
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 tsp lemon zest

Pit and halve the fresh cherries first, as this is the most time-consuming prep task.

Set them aside in a small bowl.

While working on the cherries, measure out all your dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt) into one bowl, and have your wet ingredients (yogurt, sugar, vanilla, avocado oil, egg, and lemon zest) measured and ready nearby.

This ensures smooth cooking once you start making the batter.

Step 2: Make the Wet and Dry Mixtures

• 7 oz yogurt
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 tbsp avocado oil
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 tsp lemon zest
• 3.5 oz King Arthur all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt

In one bowl, whisk together the yogurt, sugar, vanilla extract, avocado oil, egg, and lemon zest until smooth and well combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Keep these two mixtures separate for now—this prevents the baking powder and soda from activating too early, which keeps your pancakes light and fluffy.

Step 3: Combine and Heat

• wet ingredient mixture from Step 2
• dry ingredient mixture from Step 2
• 1.5 tbsp olive oil or butter for the pan

Pour the wet ingredient mixture from Step 2 into the bowl with the dry ingredients.

Fold them together gently with a spatula until just combined—a few small lumps are fine, and overmixing will make the pancakes tough.

While you’re folding the batter, place a large skillet or griddle over medium heat and add the olive oil or butter.

Let it heat for about 1 minute until it shimmers or foams slightly.

Step 4: Cook the Pancakes with Cherry Toppings

• batter from Step 3
• 5.3 oz fresh cherries, pitted and halved from Step 1

Once the pan is hot, scoop about 1/4 cup of batter into the pan per pancake, spacing them so they don’t touch.

I like to let the batter sit for about 30 seconds before adding cherries—this gives it a chance to set slightly and hold the fruit in place better.

Gently press 3 halved cherries from Step 1 into the top of each pancake.

Cook for 3-4 minutes until the edges look set and the bottom is golden, then carefully flip and cook the other side for another 3-4 minutes until golden brown.

Step 5: Plate and Finish

• confectioners sugar
• honey for drizzling

Transfer the cooked pancakes to a serving plate.

Dust lightly with confectioners sugar and drizzle with honey for a beautiful finish that complements the tart cherries.

Serve warm while the pancakes are still soft and fluffy.

Homemade Cherry Pancakes

Delicious Homemade Cherry Pancakes recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 37 minutes mins

Servings 3 servings

Calories 650 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the wet mixture:

• 7 oz yogurt (Fage 5% Greek yogurt recommended)
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 tbsp avocado oil
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 tsp lemon zest

For the dry mixture:

• 3.5 oz King Arthur all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt

For the assembly and serving:

• 5.3 oz fresh cherries, pitted and halved
• 1.5 tbsp olive oil or butter for the pan
• confectioners sugar
• honey for drizzling

Instructions

 

• Pit and halve the fresh cherries first, as this is the most time-consuming prep task. Set them aside in a small bowl. While working on the cherries, measure out all your dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt) into one bowl, and have your wet ingredients (yogurt, sugar, vanilla, avocado oil, egg, and lemon zest) measured and ready nearby. This ensures smooth cooking once you start making the batter.
• In one bowl, whisk together the yogurt, sugar, vanilla extract, avocado oil, egg, and lemon zest until smooth and well combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Keep these two mixtures separate for now—this prevents the baking powder and soda from activating too early, which keeps your pancakes light and fluffy.
• Pour the wet ingredient mixture from Step 2 into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Fold them together gently with a spatula until just combined—a few small lumps are fine, and overmixing will make the pancakes tough. While you're folding the batter, place a large skillet or griddle over medium heat and add the olive oil or butter. Let it heat for about 1 minute until it shimmers or foams slightly.
• Once the pan is hot, scoop about 1/4 cup of batter into the pan per pancake, spacing them so they don't touch. I like to let the batter sit for about 30 seconds before adding cherries—this gives it a chance to set slightly and hold the fruit in place better. Gently press 3 halved cherries from Step 1 into the top of each pancake. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the edges look set and the bottom is golden, then carefully flip and cook the other side for another 3-4 minutes until golden brown.
• Transfer the cooked pancakes to a serving plate. Dust lightly with confectioners sugar and drizzle with honey for a beautiful finish that complements the tart cherries. Serve warm while the pancakes are still soft and fluffy.