chocolate pancakes + vanilla syrup [a peterson family original]

My husband's family are big fans of breakfast. Every morning Julie, my mother-in-law, makes breakfast for the family, usually it's pancakes. She has done that for years, which is a giant task considering they have 12 kids. Half of them are married now, but that still leaves 6 kids plus my in-laws. If you do the math, I'll help you....6+2=.......8. Thats 8 mouths to feed. Which is probably at least 2 batches of this recipe!

I'd say a good chunk of the town have had these pancakes or other varieties of them.

Julie's Famous Chocolate Pancakes + Vanilla Syrup:

Vanilla Syrup (make first & set aside)

2 c. sugar

2 T. clear gel (only found online) or cornstarch

1 stick of butter

2 c. milk

1 t. vanilla

Combine sugar & clear gel in bowl. Melt butter in sauce pan, once melted add milk & bring to a boil. Add sugar/clear gel mixture, stir until combined. Whisk in vanilla. 

Chocolate Pancakes

2 c. flour

1 1/2 t. baking soda

1 T. sugar

1 t. salt

1 egg

1 t. vanilla

as much milk as you want until it's the consistency you want!

3/4 c. cocoa powder

mix the first 6 ingredients (flour, soda, sugar, salt, egg, & vanilla), then start adding the milk

add milk until its the consistency you want ( keep your milk out, you're going to need more)

Then start to add the cocoa a little at a time unless you want to inhale a cloud of it. Not to mention it's easier to stir in that way. 

 Once the cocoa is all stirred in, add more milk until it's back to pancake consistency.

Heat up the pan & start making the pancakes as big or small as you want. (don't make fun of the scoop, I didn't bring any measuring cups this summer because I do not bake, that's Brady's thing, so we improvised)

I'm a fan of turkey bacon, so while Brady was making the pancakes I made the bacon!! 

eat them hot & right out of the pan, drenched in Vanilla Syrup. Brady likes to spread peanut butter on his before he drowns them with syrup. I tried it, but I liked them w/o the pb. SO dress your delicious pancake however you please. 

• bananas
• strawberries/any berry
• nutella
• jam
• (according to Brady) I'm gross & I like to drag mine through my over-easy egg yolk!

I'm severely lactose intolerant/corn intolerant so we subbed almond milk for the milk in the pancakes & I use pure maple syrup for my syrup instead! Also if you're not in the mood for chocolate pancakes just omit the cocoa powder. My mom-in-law also makes Pumpkin Pancakes with Apple Cider Syrup for Thanksgiving, but you'll have to wait till then for those.....

How do you dress your pancakes??