5 trending pancake flavours to try this year

Marks & Spencer report that pistachio searches and posts are up 50 per cet= t from last year, leading to the release of their new pistachio creme just in time for Pancake Day. The silky spread is made in Italy and perfect for drizzling generously on pancakes, but can also be used as a cake filling, swirled into ice cream or cheesecakes, or even just dipped in to with a spoon...

Try our chocolate, raspberry & pistachio pancakes recipe for our take on the trend – a delicious speedy dessert on Pancake Day or an indulgent weekend breakfast.

2. Matcha

Pistachio isn't the only ingredient turning our pancakes green this year! Colourful, Insta-friendly matcha drinks have been taking over our social feeds for a while, and now it's moving into pancakes, too. From towering fluffy stacks topped with yogurt and granola to adorable mini matcha pancake bites, there are plenty of ways to add some matcha to your pancakes. You can make lacy matcha pancake crêpes by adding a tablespoon of your favourite matcha powder to your mixture. Scatter with a fine dusting of matcha powder for a finishing touch. Bird & Blend make a huge range of flavoured matchas, from Gingernut to peaches and cream, so you could experiment with extra flavours in your pancakes. There's even a maple pecan pancakes matcha for a meta twist!

For an extra-green spin on the trend, try our spinach & matcha pancakes recipe topped with yogurt, green apple, mint and a drizzle of lime curd or marmalade.

3. Cottage cheese

High-protein recipe inspiration is a steady trend people are looking for all year round and Pancake Day is no exception. Blitzing cottage cheese into pancakes is increasingly popular on socials (check out Pinterest for plenty of inspiration) due to the high protein content and creamy texture of the cottage cheese, which adds both nutrition and flavour. It helps create light and fluffy pancakes while offering a healthier alternative to more familiar recipes by reducing the need for excess sugar and fat. Plus, its mild taste pairs well with both sweet and savoury toppings and blends in easily.

Cottage cheese can also be used as a filling or topping for pancakes: make these spinach & tuna pancakes for a high-protein dinner on Pancake Day that includes three of your five-a-day.

4. Birthday cake

If you're not going green, add colour to your pancakes by jumping on the birthday cake pancakes trend instead. Spotted all over Pinterest (and often known as Funfetti pancakes too), this is an easy trend to get on board with if you've got a sweet tooth. Add a dash of vanilla and handful of sprinkles to classic American pancakes to recreate the fun birthday cake flavour. Top with whipped cream or even a drizzle of icing for the full birthday cake feeling – finish with candles if you're celebrating!

5. Pickle pancakes

This one is sure to be divisive: you'll either be desperate to try it or confused why anyone would want to! We pinpointed 'swavoury' as a food trend for 2025 – sweet-savoury dishes that appeal to your whole palate – and pickle pancakes are a prime example of this. This year we have seen pickle pancakes popping up in various forms: slices of pickle coated in pancake batter for mini pickle pancake bites (add a dipping sauce of your choice), while over on Instagram @hellomynamesjon adds sliced pickles and grated cheese to the middle of thick American pancakes, for hits of briny flavour in every bite. Do you dare try?

To dip your toe in this flavour trend, try adding some chopped pickles to our okonomiyaki recipe – a traditional savoury Japanese pancake, pickles would go well with the cabbage and pork filling and tangy sauce toppings. You could also add in a sprinkling of chopped pickles to spring onion pancakes for extra tang.

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