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Enjoy heart shaped pancakes that are naturally deep red in color from roasted beets. Cocoa powder makes these easy homemade red velvet pancakes delicious! This breakfast is especially perfect on Valentine’s Day.
Why this recipe works:
- Beets are the best way to get a deep red color that is natural. They also make the pancakes extremely soft and velvety to the point that they will completely melt in your mouth.
- A small amount of cocoa powder and brown sugar creates a red velvet flavor.
- The combination of ingredients creates a homemade pancake that cooks perfectly, holds it’s shape, and is completely moist in the middle.
Top tips for making this pancake recipe:
- Roast the beets with the skin on in foil in the oven until they are very soft. Once cooked, the skin will easily peel off.
- A high quality blender will create a super smooth puree of the beats when blended with the milk.
- Don’t over mix the pancake batter once you combine the dry and wet ingredients. There’s a sweet spot between well mixed and lumpy.
- Cook the the pancakes over low heat. This allows the center of the pancake to cook without the bottom burning. It will make flipping them extremely easy.
- Use a heart pancake mold to get perfectly shaped hearts every time.
So delicious with syrup and butter.
As with any pancake, a thin pat of butter and the right amount of real maple syrup makes them complete.
Can you think of a better way to show your sweetheart that you love them on Valentine’s Day than with bright red heart shaped pancakes?
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup mashed beets 2 large roasted beets, peeled
- 2 cups milk
- 2 large eggs slightly beaten
- 4 tablespoons butter melted
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- butter for cooking
Instructions
- To roast the beets, removed the stems and wrap in aluminum foil. Cook in 350 degree F oven for one hour or until very soft to the touch. Once cool enough to handle, remove skin.
- Process peeled and roasted beets with milk in a blender until smooth. Add in eggs, melted butter, and vanilla and process on low until well combined.
- In a medium sized bowl, thoroughly combine flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, brown sugar, and salt.
- Pour in the wet ingredients and stir to combine. Do not over stir and like with any pancakes, a few small lumps are fine.
- Heat griddle over low heat and grease with butter. If using heart pancake molds, use a silicon brush to grease inside edge of mold. Cook until pancake starts to set, 5-10 minutes, then flip and allow to finish cooking, another 2-3 minutes.
- Serve with a pat of butter and real maple syrup.
Notes
Top tips for making this pancake recipe:
- Roast the beets with the skin on in foil in the oven until they are very soft. Once cooked, the skin will easily peel off.
- A high quality blender will create a super smooth puree of the beats when blended with the milk.
- Don’t over mix the pancake batter once you combine the dry and wet ingredients. There’s a sweet spot between well mixed and lumpy.
- Cook the the pancakes over low heat. This allows the center of the pancake to cook without the bottom burning. It will make flipping them extremely easy.
- Use a heart pancake mold to get perfectly shaped hearts every time.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This post was originally published in January 2015 and has been updated with more helpful information and recipe tips. Don’t worry – it’s still the same recipe!
can the beets be roasted ahead of time?
Yes!
CAN YOU USE CANNED BEETS – JUST ASKING I AM SURE THE FRESH WOULD TASTE MUCH BETTER
I’m a big fan of roasted beets. I feel like they’re very different from canned.
This is such an amazing idea for Valentine’s Day! So sweet and fun! I love it!
these are so perfect for valentines day!
These are too cute! Love how creative you are with these pancakes. It’s definitely a must try!
Also, just left my real name. I didn’t know it would be published. Can you please remove?
Original question: Can i use coconut flour (or some other gluten free flour susbtitute)? And will almond milk be ok? Answer: I’ll delete the other comment with your last name. Substitutions can definitely be made, but you’ll have to tinker with the recipe as I have no idea how much to use or how it will change the final pancake. Thanks! Krissy
I know this is an older comment, but to anyone else wondering, I made several substitutions:
I used almond milk and it turned out great!
Also used half AP flour, half rice flour just because that’s all I had on hand.
I loved that it wasn’t very sweet and you could adjust that with your toppings.
I made these and they are so delish and cute….and love the hint of cocoa!!
Craving a stack of these pancakes right now – I just love how they are healthy and beetroot!
These are gorgeous!
Oh my! These are adorable, and I love that you used beets! I love beets, but my husband not so much. Haha I want to see his reaction to these pancakes. I bet he won’t say anything negative, since they are so cute! Gotta try soon!