Take Five Pancakes
Time Out | The Dave Brubeck Quartet
I named these “Take Five Pancakes” after the immensely popular hit track “Take Five” from Time Out because everybody wants to eat at least five. After attempting more variations of pancakes than anything else, this is the result. The sourness of buttermilk is often too overpowering for me in pancakes, so I set out to create a similar effect without the buttermilk. The blend of white and whole wheat flour plus the presence of whole milk yogurt makes the texture hearty yet fluffy. The edges have a touch of crispness, and the pancakes rise at least a full centimeter off the griddle. They are marvelous.
The batter is best the day it’s made, but keeps for 1-2 days in the fridge. Flavor in pancakes comes from the type of fat in the batter, so the specific yogurt and margarine or butter are critical. I use Mountain High whole milk yogurt and Smart Balance but suggest testing a variety to discover your favorites.
This recipe had the honor of being featured on WORT, Madison’s community radio station, in January 2026. The jazz program Journeys into Jazz was kind enough to host me to talk about the cookbook and this recipe.
Pancake ready to be flipped
This pancake’s edges are starting to look dry and well-formed, which is a good indicator that it’s ready to be flipped. I’m cooking it on a non-stick electric griddle, which is my recommendation for how to cook these pancakes (more on that in the equipment recommendation below).
Flipped pancake
This pancake has been flipped and is cooking.
Finished pancake
Look at that perfect golden-brown color!
Genuine Dad Equipment Recommendation: Electric griddle
Hello, dads and dad-adjacents. Here’s a Genuine Dad Equipment Recommendation* for your kitchen. A nonstick electric griddle is fantastic for precisely controlling heat, easy cleanup, and making foods that feed a family in a flash. It’s also relatively energy-efficient. We use our electric griddle for pancakes, grilled sandwiches (grilled cheese, grilled PB&J, avocado melts…), quesadillas, and more. Use with a silicone spatula, clean gently, and they last for 10+ years in my experience. In our kitchen, we use the Presto Electric Griddle (Amazon link).
This griddle is superb because of the plastic guard around the edge which is not heated, allowing for a safe edge to grab onto so that the griddle can be held steady while flipping pancakes or sandwiches. As of writing it’s available for $32 which is a steal for such a versatile kitchen gadget that we use several times per week. I can also attest to Presto’s customer service. I once had a griddle fail under warranty and they replaced it with an easy process that was much faster than anticipated.
*Genuine Dad Equipment Recommendations are real, tested recommendations for equipment I’ve used for years in my kitchen. These recommendations are exclusive to Dads Jazz Cookbook. I only recommend products that I have personally found to be durable, high-utility, and nearly essential for my cooking.
Album Pairing: Time Out | The Dave Brubeck Quartet
🎵 Listen to the album while you cook or eat 🎵
Take Five Pancakes
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp Smart Balance butter or margarine can also work, but Smart Balance has the perfect flavor
- 1 C unbleached white flour
- 1 C whole wheat flour
- ¼ C sugar
- 2 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 C plain yogurt full fat and not Greek. I use Mountain High, which is 3.7% fat
- 1 C skim milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
Instructions
- Melt 3 Tbsp Smart Balance (suggest on medium power in the microwave, covered) and allow to cool to room temperature.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients: 1 C flour, 1 C whole wheat flour, ¼ C sugar, 2 ½ tsp baking powder, ½ tsp baking soda, ½ tsp salt.
- In a small bowl, whisk together wet ingredients: 1 C plain yogurt, 1 C skim milk, 2 eggs, 1 tsp vanilla.
- Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and whisk until combined. Batter will be lumpy. Do not over-mix.
- Add the melted Smart Balance to the batter and whisk until smooth.
- Let batter rest while heating an electric griddle to 350° F.
- When the griddle is at temperature, cook pancakes by dropping 2-3 large spoonfuls of batter onto the griddle.
- Flip pancakes when edges start to look cooked and the griddle-side is golden-brown. Any bubbles may not yet have popped when the pancakes should be flipped (batter may or may not bubble at all). Cook for another 2-3 minutes after flipping and serve immediately.
Notes
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