Blue Corn Blueberry Piñon Cakes Recipe

Dry ingredients

In a large bowl whisk together 1 cup blue cornmeal, 1 cup all-purpose flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, and 2 tbsp granulated sugar until evenly combined.

Wet ingredients

In a separate medium bowl whisk 1 1/4 cups buttermilk, 1 large egg, 3 tbsp melted cooled unsalted butter, and 1 tsp vanilla extract until smooth.

Combine batter

Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet mixture. Gently fold with a spatula until just combined — small lumps are fine. Do not overmix. If batter seems too thick, loosen with up to 2 tbsp additional buttermilk. Let the batter rest 5–10 minutes to hydrate the cornmeal and allow baking powder/baking soda to activate.

Fold in blueberries and piñon

Gently fold 1 cup fresh blueberries and 1/2 cup coarsely chopped roasted piñon nuts into the rested batter, taking care not to crush the berries. Reserve about 2 tbsp whole blueberries and 1 tbsp chopped piñon for topping if desired.

Preheat skillet

Place a heavy skillet or nonstick griddle over medium heat. Add 1–2 tbsp neutral oil or a bit of butter and allow it to warm until shimmering but not smoking. Test heat by sprinkling a few drops of water — they should dance and evaporate.

Cook pancakes

For each pancake, pour about 1/4 cup batter onto the hot skillet (adjust size as desired). Cook until bubbles form on the surface and edges look set, about 2–3 minutes. Sprinkle the reserved blueberries and chopped piñon onto each pancake immediately after pouring if using. Flip gently and cook 1–2 minutes more until the underside is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Repeat, adding more oil/butter to the skillet between batches to prevent sticking.

Keep warm

Transfer cooked pancakes to a baking sheet and keep warm in a 200°F (95°C) oven while finishing the rest so they remain tender and warm for serving.

Finish and serve

Stack pancakes and top with reserved blueberries and extra chopped piñon. Add a pat of butter if using, sprinkle 1 tsp lemon zest over the stack for brightness (optional), and drizzle with maple syrup or honey to taste (about 1/2 cup for the batch). Serve immediately.