Father's Day Breakfast Recipes For Dads Who Love To Pour On The Maple Syrup

All the men in my life choose breakfast as their favorite meal of the day. Some like eggs, omelets and savory selections, but most prefer vehicles for syrup. Think pancakes, waffles, crepes, hot cereal, even bacon and sausage. So I’m always on the lookout for recipes and ideas suitable for a river of sweetness.

Sweet, syrupy and meltingly warm cinnamon buns inspire this year’s Father’s Day breakfast. We served them at our daughter’s wedding brunch last fall. Now, the treats are forever linked to that memorable occasion. Friends take it upon themselves to drop off a half-dozen buns, spotted with dark raisins, on sunny Saturday mornings. On a recent weekend getaway, we embraced cinnamon bun pancakes at a breakfast diner.

Smeared with soft cream cheese and drizzled with cinnamon syrup, they were the start of a new relationship. We’ll start our homemade pancakes with fresh ground cinnamon — full-bodied and flavorful. Thanks to The Spice House for its thoughtful selection of interesting cinnamons; experimenting with Vietnamese, Indonesian and Ceylon cinnamons keeps us wanting more.

To boost the cinnamon punch in our whole grain pancakes, I sprinkle cinnamon chips over the cakes while they cook. Mix the chips with small bits of crispy bacon and sprinkle the combo on the cakes. Or, stir in dark raisins for a cinnamon raisin treat. I’m also a fan of King Arthur Flour’s powdered mix called Baker’s Cinnamon Filling.

Vietnamese cinnamon flavors the mix — I add the mix (dry) directly to the pancake batter in place of the sugar and ground cinnamon. Alternatively, follow the package directions, and stir 1 tablespoon water into ¼ cup of the mix to make a delicious thick spread to top the pancakes as they come off the griddle.

I like to sandwich two small (silver-dollar size) pancakes together with this spread. Sticking with our cinnamon raisin theme, I plan to set my father up with jars of cinnamon raisin overnight oatmeal for a sweet breakfast treat. I mix oats, quinoa flakes and chia for a hearty cereal blend. Coconut and cinnamon add flavor; raisins or berries add sweetness. The dry mix can be portioned into small jars several days in advance. Add the milk of your choice to the jars the night before you want to eat the overnight oats.

The next morning, dad can sweeten the deal with all the syrup his heart desires. 1 Mix cinnamon chips and raisins in a small bowl. 2 Mix flours, quinoa flakes, oats, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl. Whisk the eggs in a medium bowl until frothy.

Whisk in the milk and 1/3 cup melted butter. Whisk the liquid ingredients into the flour mixture just enough to combine. 3 Heat oven to 200 degrees. Put a baking sheet into the oven to heat. 4 Heat a large nonstick griddle or 2 nonstick skillets over medium heat until a drop of water evaporates on contact. Add a small pat of butter and a little oil to the griddle. For each pancake, ladle a scant ¼ cup batter onto the hot surface, spacing the pancakes 1 or 2 inches apart.

Cook until a few bubbles pop on the surface of each pancake; about 1 minute. Sprinkle with some of the cinnamon chips and raisins. Adjust the heat to keep the pancakes from browning too much. Cook until first side is golden, about 1 more minute. Flip the cakes carefully, and cook the second side about 1 minute more.



Remove from the griddle with a spatula and place on the heated pan in the oven. Repeat to cook more pancakes. 5 To serve, spread with the softened cinnamon cream cheese, sprinkled with powdered sugar and/or cinnamon honey. Cinnamon cream cheese: Mix 4 ounces light cream cheese (softened) with 1 tablespoon honey and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon in a small bowl until smooth.

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