Trader Joe’s Silver Dollar Pancakes Review + A Recipe!
Trader Joe’s organic silver dollar pancakes make a quick, convenient breakfast for adults and kiddos alike. They’re not as good as homemade pancakes, but they work in a pinch.
Trader Joe’s Silver Dollar Pancakes:
I’m nothing if not a pancake person. I make pancakes at least twice a week! I have high standards for carbalicious breakfast foods and I wanted to love Trader Joe’s organic silver dollar pancakes.
They weren’t terrible, but they weren’t the best either – a solid 6 in my opinion. They were a little squishy, especially when cooked in the microwave.
That being said, my kiddos love these adorable miniature-sized pancakes. And I love how convenient they are!
- Rating: 6 out of 10
- Kid-friendly rating: 8 out of 10
Ingredients:
Always check the box if you have allergies! It’s not uncommon for products to change, including the ingredients.
- Water
- Organic wheat flour
- Organic cane sugar
- Organic soybean oil
- Organic oat fiber
- Organic egg
- Organic skim milk
- Baking powder (Sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium bicarbonate, cornstarch, monocalcium phosphate)
- Organic soy lecithin blend (Organic soy lecithin, organic rice maltodextrin, organic rice concentrate)
- Sea salt
- Organic dough conditioner (Organic cornstarch, organic soy lecithin, enzymes)
- Organic vanilla extract (Water, organic ethyl alcohol, organic vanilla bean extractive)
Nutritional Facts:
At the time of writing, 3/6/2024, the nutritional facts on the side of the box per serving are as follows:
One serving size is 3 pancakes and there’s 3 servings per box.
- Calories: 240
- Total fat: 5 grams
- Saturated fat: 1 gram
- Trans fat: 0 grams
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
- Sodium: 300 mg
- Total carb: 42 grams
- Dietary fiber: 3 grams
- Total sugars: 8 grams
- Incl. added sugars: 7 grams
- Protein: 6 grams
How to Cook Trader Joe’s Mini Pancakes:
On the side of the box, it gives you three ways to cook these mini pancakes – toaster oven, standard oven, or the microwave.
My 9 year old daughter makes them in the microwave. I always make them in the toaster oven because they don’t sweat or get as squishy.
Microwave Oven:
My daughter just pops them in for 30 seconds and calls it a day. But the box instructs you to do it this way:
- Remove desired number of pancakes from the package.
- Place in a stack of three on a microwave-safe plate.
- Place a damp paper towel over the stack.
- Heat at 50% power in a 1200 watt microwave.
- Cook 3 pancakes for 45 to 60 seconds, 6 pancakes for 60 to 65 seconds, 9 pancakes for 70 to 80 seconds, and 12 pancakes for 90 to 105 seconds.
Standard or Toaster Oven:
I just wrap mine in foil and cook for 4 minutes, but here’s what the box says to do.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Remove frozen pancakes from package and place flat on a baking sheet.
- Seal tightly with aluminum foil.
- Bake 5 to 6 minutes. Do not use the toaster setting.
How to Make Homemade Silver Dollar Pancakes:
Silver dollar pancakes are a breeze to make and they’re freezer-friendly. I prefer to make my own most of the time.
Key Ingredients:
All you need are basic pantry staples!
- All-purpose flour – If you want to, you can swap regular flour with Bob’s Red Mill’s 1 to 1 Gluten Free Baking Flour.
- Sugar – For a little sweetness! Not too much though. Syrup adds plenty of sweetness.
- Baking powder & baking soda – Both are necessary! Together they create a light and fluffy texture.
- Kosher salt – A little bit of salt enhances sweetness.
- Egg – For structure!
- Milk – I recommend whole milk. It adds a rich flavor!
- Vegetable oil – Fat is essential for light and fluffy pancakes. Melted butter works too.
- Vanilla – This is a great opportunity to use Trader Joe’s vanilla bean paste!
How to Make them:
The process is the same as regular pancakes, only the batter is thinner! Since the pancakes are so small, the batter shouldn’t be too thick.
- Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
- Add the wet ingredients and mix to combine. Don’t go crazy! Just mix until a pancake batter forms. It will be on the thinner side!
- Let the batter sit for 10 minutes. This gives the baking powder time to activate.
- Cook the pancakes in a hot skillet for 1 to 2 minutes per side. Once you see lots of bubbles, it’s time to flip them. You only need about one tablespoon of batter per pancake.
Recipe Tips:
- The batter should be thin. These pancakes are tiny! If you make a thick batter, they will look like small English muffins instead of pancakes.
- The pan should be hot before you start. It should be set to medium. If the pancakes are browning too quickly, turn it down to medium-low.
- The pancake batter spreads. I fit 7 pancakes in a 12-inch nonstick skillet. Give them each a little space for the batter to spread. They will puff up as they cook.
- Don’t add too much batter! You only need a tablespoon per pancake.
Storage Tips:
- Store: Let the pancakes cool completely. Store the cooled pancakes in a zip-top bag or airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: Transfer the cooled pancakes to a freezer zip-top bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheat: Reheat the mini pancakes in the microwave in 15-second increments until warm. Don’t overheat them!
More Trader Joe’s Reviews:
Silver Dollar Pancakes Copycat Recipe
Equipment
- Large nonstick skillet
Ingredients
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup whole milk
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt. Stir to combine.
- Add the egg, whole milk, vanilla extract, and vegetable oil. Whisk until incorporated. The batter should be fairly thin.
- Let the batter sit for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add one tablespoon of vegetable oil to the skillet.
- Once the pan is up to temperature, use a tablespoon measuring spoon to scoop the batter into the skillet. The pancake should be small! You should be able to fit 6 to 7 pancakes per batch.
- Let the pancakes cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until you see lots of bubbles and the bottoms are golden. Flip the pancakes and cook for 1 to 2 more minutes.
- Repeat with the remaining pancake batter.
