Cornbread Pancakes with Fresh Strawberry Syrup

Topped with a fresh strawberry syrup, Chef John's cornbread pancakes are light and fluffy with a lovely texture in each bite from the cornmeal.

• Preparation Time: 25 mins
• Cooking Time: 45 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins
• Calories: 744 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 pound fresh strawberries, hulled
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided, or more as needed
• 0.5 teaspoon baking soda
• 0.75 cup all-purpose flour
• 0.5 cup white sugar
• 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
• 0.5 cup cold water
• 1.25 cups cornmeal
• 1.75 cups buttermilk

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Place strawberries in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in sugar, water, and lemon juice and bring to a simmer. Lower heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until strawberries are very soft, and the syrup starts to thicken, 15 to 20 minutes.

Step 2

Remove from the stove and carefully pass through a mesh sieve into a bowl. Discard any seeds and fibrous bits that are left in the sieve. Let syrup cool for 15 minutes, then cover and store in the refrigerator until needed.

Step 3

Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl until all ingredients are well incorporated; set aside.

Step 4

Place buttermilk, cornmeal, and 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir with a whisk until butter melts and mixture starts to simmer. Once simmering, cook and stir until very thick, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool for 10 minutes.

Step 5

Whisk eggs into the cooled cornmeal mixture until incorporated. Add the reserved flour mixture and stir with a spatula until well combined and no flour remains in the saucepan; batter will be thick but still scoopable.

Step 6

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, scoop 1/3 cup batter for each pancake into the hot skillet and press them down with the back of a spatula to flatten out. Cook until the outside edges start to look a little dry, about 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and repeat on the other side until pancakes are cooked through, another 3 to 4 minutes. Repeat to cook remaining pancakes, adding more butter to the skillet as necessary.

Step 7

Top warm pancakes with strawberry syrup.

Step 8

Gather all ingredients.