The Store-Bought Ingredient That'll Add Some Texture To Your Pancakes

If you find yourself with extra packaged granola that you don't know what to do with or simply want to upgrade store-bought granola to make it more interesting, we have the perfect solution for you: Add it to homemade pancakes.

By adding it to your morning stack of pancakes, you'll give those pancakes a nice crunch that they would otherwise be lacking, while also infusing some extra flavor. You can use any type of granola that you want. Something simple, such as a honey-flavored granola, is a great choice if you're looking to add that crunchy element without distracting too much from the pancake flavor. However, if you're looking to get creative and infuse new flavor into the pancakes, you may want to use a fruit-filled granola. Or, if you're looking for some nutty addition, a peanut butter-flavored granola.

Begin making the pancakes as normal until the pancakes are poured into the pan. When they're in the pan, sprinkle a handful of granola onto the batter, then continue cooking as usual. After the granola-infused pancakes are on the plate, complete with butter and syrup, you can even add some extra granola to the top if you want more crunch in each bite. This is also a good opportunity to incorporate multiple granola flavors — maybe you use one type of granola for mixing into the pancakes, then use a different flavor for the topping.

While honey-flavored granola in traditional pancakes is delicious, you can also get creative with the flavors of both the pancakes and the granola to make for more unique and fun combinations. For example, you may want to ditch traditional pancakes and make roasted berry pancakes instead, pairing them with raspberry or blueberry-flavored granola. How about the classic pairing of chocolate and banana? You can make fluffy banana pancakes and add in chocolate-flavored granola.

Meanwhile, if you're in a cinnamon-y mood, you can add cinnamon granola to cinnamon bun Christmas pancakes (which can be enjoyed any time of the year). Cinnamon-flavored granola would also be a good pairing for triple vanilla almond pancakes or, for a more dessert-like pancake meal, cannoli pancakes. Or, perhaps you'd like to try mixing blueberry granola into lemon ricotta pancakes for a bright and fruity infusion.

Whichever combination you ultimately decide on, don't forget the toppings. As mentioned above, an extra sprinkling of granola makes for a great topping alongside a helping of maple syrup, but, if you don't want any more crunch, you can also opt for fresh fruit. Or, a simple dollop of whipped cream is always delicious on any type of pancake.