Pancakes are one of the best breakfast and dessert options to eat. They are so versatile and can include a huge variety of different toppings and ingredients. Apart from these, there are many side dishes to serve with pancakes which you must try.
What starts off as a very simple and plain batter mix, transforms into a mouth wateringly good dish when cooked and the toppings are added.
Whether you have cooked American pancakes, or French crêpes, there are so many side dishes and topping combinations to consider.
While you can eat pancakes on their own, they taste even better when they are combined with delicious side dishes.
In this article, we have selected and discussed the 15 best and delicious side dishes and toppings that you can serve with pancakes. They are all super tasty!
1. Bacon
When it comes to the best sides for pancakes, you really can’t beat bacon. Not only is bacon super tasty, but it compliments the taste of the pancakes perfectly.
There’s a reason why bacon, maple syrup and pancakes are one of the best and most common breakfast food combinations!
If you love a mixture of sweet, and savory flavors, with a bit of saltiness added into the mix, bacon is the perfect side to consider.
We particularly enjoy maple glazed bacon, but you can choose to serve the pancakes with plain bacon too.
2. Scrambled Eggs
If you’re someone that enjoys the taste of more savory breakfast options, with just a small amount of sweetness, scrambled eggs are the perfect side dish to consider.
The savory flavor of the eggs offsets the sweetness from the pancakes, and creates a delicious combination of flavors.
The scrambled eggs work well with other breakfast food items included in this article too, such as bacon and sausages.
Why not try a combination of all three served alongside your pancakes next?
3. Hash Browns
Hash browns are full of potatoey goodness, and are the perfect side dish to eat alongside pancakes.
They are a great savory option, and help to off-balance the sweetness from the pancakes. Even so, they work well with the sweetness.
The beauty of hash browns is that you can serve as many or as little as you want. They are super easy to cook and prepare, and they’re also fairly filling too.
4. Sausages
As we have already discussed, sausages are a great option to combine with pancakes. They work similarly to bacon when it comes to side dishes, and they provide a level of savory to the meal.
Even so, they taste great when drizzled with maple syrup, which works well.
Typically, people select between bacon or sausages when it comes to pancake side dishes. However, we think that you should combine the both to create the ultimate pancake side dish!
5. Fruit Salad
If you’re looking for a slightly healthier pancake side dish or topping, fruit salad is the perfect option to consider. The beauty of fruit salad is that it’s completely versatile.
You can choose to add as many different types of fruit to the salad as you wish.
As pancakes are plain, all types of fruit work well with them. Our personal favorites include banana, strawberry, raspberries, blueberries, and passion fruit.
You can get creative with the toppings, and if you’re feeling adventurous you can add some Greek yogurt and honey to the top of the fruit salad too!
6. Avocado
Avocado may seem like a strange side dish to serve with pancakes, but it works surprisingly well. The great thing about avocado is that it’s a great breakfast item.
It works well with sausages, bacon, and scrambled eggs. As a result, if you are already adding these to your pancakes, you can also include avocado for the ultimate savory pancake stack.
7. Syrups
When it comes to syrups, there are so many different options to choose from. From strawberry and raspberry, to chocolate, you really are spoiled for choice.
Syrup is one of the most popular pancake toppings, and it’s easy to see why. It takes the taste of the pancakes to the next level, and allows them to taste absolutely delicious.
The syrups work particularly when they’re combined with other ingredients and toppings such as fruit or candy. The option you decide is down to personal preference.
8. Maple Syrup
Maple syrup deserves to be its own topping within this article given how delicious it is. When it comes to pancake toppings, it’s one of the most popular choices.
The sweetness and stickiness of the syrup works perfectly with the pancakes, and it’s easy to see why so many people choose to top their pancakes with it.
9. Whipped Cream
If you’re feeling fancy, you can add whipped cream to your pancakes. Whipped cream is particularly great for dessert pancakes, especially when it’s paired with fruit or chocolate sauce.
It helps to take the pancakes to the next level in terms of their flavor.
Whipped cream is one of the easiest toppings to add to your pancakes, and it adds a sweetness and creaminess to the overall flavor.
10. Peanut Butter
Peanut butter is a type of food that works well with almost everything. Whether you are preparing a savory meal or a sweet one, you can typically incorporate peanut butter into it, and it will taste good.
When it comes to pancakes, they are not an exception to this. In fact, peanut butter works particularly well with pancakes.
You can choose to add peanut butter to the batter of the pancakes, or you can simply add a dollop of peanut butter to the top of the pancakes when they are ready to be served.
11. Coffee
If you want a liquid side dish to serve with pancakes, it doesn’t get much better than coffee. Coffee is such a versatile drink and one that is one of the most common breakfast choices.
As a result, it just makes sense to serve it alongside pancakes.
Whether you decide to have a black coffee, one that uses oat milk, or one packed with syrups, coffee compliments pancakes well.
12. Milkshake
If you are someone that has a sweet tooth, you can decide to serve a milkshake alongside your pancakes. If you’re eating savory pancakes, the milkshake can provide a much needed sugar rush.
The beauty of milkshakes is that there are an endless amount of flavors to choose from. As a result of this, there is always the perfect option to compliment your pancakes.
Milkshakes and pancakes are always a great combination to have.
13. Ice Cream
In a similar vein to milkshakes, if you prefer your pancakes to be full of flavor, you can choose to add ice cream to the top of them.
We enjoy vanilla and chocolate ice cream in particular, but any type of ice cream can work well with plain pancakes.
The coldness from the ice cream works well with warm pancakes, and the combination is delicious.
If you prefer a sharper taste, you can choose to add a sorbet to the pancakes instead of ice cream.
14. English Breakfast Tea
If you’re not a coffee lover, why not try an English breakfast tea to accompany your pancakes instead?
English breakfast tea is a tasty option for a breakfast drink, and it also helps to provide that much needed caffeine boost.
It can be drunk with or without sugar, and as the taste isn’t overly powerful, it works well with the pancakes.
While it’s a drink more popular in the UK, if it’s something you haven’t tried before, we would highly recommend it.
15. Lemon And Sugar
Last, but not least, we have the classic topping of lemon and sugar. This topping works best when added to French crêpes, but you can add it to American pancakes too.
The combination of the sweetness from the sugar, and the sharpness from the lemon is great. This is a classic flavor you definitely need to try if you haven’t already!
RELATED: 15 Amazing Pancake Cake Recipes
Summary
We hope this article has helped you to decide between some great side dishes and toppings that can be served with pancakes. As you can see, there are many different options to choose from.
You’re not limited to just pancake toppings. While all of these options are different, they are just as tasty, and foods we would certainly recommend purchasing.
Which one of these 15 delicious side dishes will you select to serve with your pancakes first?
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Have Pancakes For Dinner?
Yes, you can absolutely have pancakes for dinner if this is something you fancy eating.
Who said you have to eat boring things like chicken, or potato salad, go crazy and cook yourself pancakes instead!
You may be surprised to learn that a lot of people choose to eat things that are traditionally seen as a breakfast or dessert option for their dinner.
You can also eat savory pancakes, which are the ideal dinner option. Why not follow up a savory pancake with a sweet one too?
What To Add To Pancakes To Make Them Better?
There are many things you can add to pancakes to make them taste better, especially if you are using a box or premade mix.
We would always recommend using vanilla or vanilla essence as this helps to flavor the batter and makes it taste less plain.
You can also choose to add sugar to the mix. When it comes to the toppings any toppings you enjoy work well with pancakes.
You can even decide to add things such as protein powder, chocolate, and chocolate chips to the pancake batter.
Should I Cook Pancakes In Butter Or Oil?
In general, it’s typically better to cook pancakes in oil. This is because the oil can withstand the higher temperatures of the pan with no issues.
When it comes to using butter, while this is possible, it can cause the pancakes to burn as butter burns at high temperatures.
This can affect how well the pancakes cook. The last thing you want is burnt pancakes!
Hi! My name is Jessica, and I recently decided to set up the site My Baking Heart, as an extension of my love for baking. It is something I have enjoyed since being a young child, when I would bake cookies and cakes with my grandma
Over the years, I have developed my skills and love to try all kinds of baking, from genoise sponges, to peach cobbler, and everything in between. New recipes are so much fun to follow and recreate.
Through this site, I hope to teach others the basics of baking, from how to use certain equipment, to the best types of recipes to follow. My site is a mixture of useful informational content, recipes, and of course, review of the best types of baking equipment.
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