Here's Exactly When to Add Blueberries to Pancakes

Blueberries are a popular pancake inclusion. They’re a very breakfast-y fruit—there is literally a cereal called “Blueberry Morning”—and they add a nice pop of color to an otherwise beige dish. Also: They just taste good. They’re sweet and slightly sour, the perfect counterbalance to sweet, buttery pancakes. But making blueberry pancakes isn’t as simple as tossing a handful of the fruit into a bowl of batter.

When you shouldn’t add blueberries to your pancakes

Frozen berries hold their shape better than fresh ones, and starting out with a lower-temp fruit means it’s less likely to overcook. Once you have your berries, you need add them at the appropriate moment. Stirring them into a bowl of raw batter can cause them to burst, coloring your entire pancake. And, even if they make it through the stirring portion of the recipe, a hot pan can cause them to rupture on contact. To add blueberries to pancakes and keep them (mostly) intact, you need to give them a cushy foundation on which to rest.

When to add blueberries to your pancakes

Start by ladling circles of batter onto a griddle or flat pan, just like you would any pancake. Let it cook until you start to see some bubbles, which indicates a beautifully browned crust has formed on the bottom of your flapjack. Gently place as many berries as you desire on top of the batter, leaving a little space between each berry to ensure the pancake cooks properly. Flip the pancake over, and resist any urge to press down on it with your spatula.

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Let it cook for another minute or two, then slide onto a plate with bacon, syrup, butter and/or whatever breakfast accoutrement you usually consume with pancakes. Enjoy your perfect blueberries inside your perfect pancakes.