by Kathy Hamman Miller

Pancakes will never be the same! Here’s a recipe that’s never too late in the day to serve up, for a memorable family fun get together. You can use your favorite box mix or family pancake recipe for this also. You just don’t want the batter to be to thin.

Start with making the caramel pineapple topping.

Caramel Pineapple Topping ingredients:

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup butter

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup of the pineapple juice drained from the drained canned.

Pancake Batter ingredients:

2 cups flour,

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

1 large egg

1 3/4 cups milk

1/4 cup melted butter slightly cooled plus more for frying

1 – 20 ounce can pineapple slices in heavy juice, drained, juice reserved.

Caramel Pineapple Topping Instructions:

In a medium size sauce pan, whisk the butter, brown and white sugar with the pineapple juice until it dissolves, add in heavy cream. Over medium heat, bring to a slow rolling boil, whisking until it reduces to a syrup. This takes about five minutes, turn burner off, remove from heat.

Pancake Instructions:

In a large mixing bowl combine the dry ingredients — the flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder and baking soda. Make a well in the center and add the milk, slightly cooled melted butter, and egg. Mix together until smooth. If you find the batter too thick, fold a couple extra tablespoons of milk into the batter at a time, until reaching the desired consistency. Set the batter aside and allow to rest while heating up your pan or griddle.

Place the split in half, maraschino cherries, in the center of the pineapple slices on the heated griddle for about 30 seconds. This will allow the heated fruit to adhere to the pancake batter, then add the pancake batter over top, just enough to cover the edges of the pineapple.

Cook each side for about 45 seconds to a minute . Serve with the homemade caramel pineapple topping over the pancakes. Enjoy!