These Maja Blanca Pancakes are basically the Filipino dessert turned into breakfast. Coconut milk and sweet corn keep that classic maja blanca flavor, just fluffy and griddled instead of chilled and set.
If you've made my McDonald's copycat pancakes or ube pancakes, you know I like turning Filipino classics into breakfast. This one sounds unusual, coconut milk and corn in a pancake, but it works, and it's just as good for weekend brunch as it is for a merienda moment.
For more, check out my full lineup of Filipino-inspired breakfasts.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- A classic Filipino dessert turned into breakfast, familiar flavor, different format
- Made with simple pantry ingredients
- Coconut milk keeps the pancakes soft
- Sweet corn adds texture and the right amount of sweetness
- Works for breakfast, brunch, merienda, or dessert Kid-friendly and easy enough for a busy morning
What is Maja Blanca?
Maja blanca is a popular Filipino dessert made with coconut milk, sugar, corn, and cornstarch. It's creamy, lightly sweet, and usually topped with toasted coconut or latik (coconut curds).
You'll often see it at holidays, parties, and family gatherings, it's simple, but it carries a lot of nostalgia for a lot of people.
Turning it into pancakes keeps that same coconut and corn flavor, just fluffy and griddled instead of chilled and set.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Base of the Pancakes
- All-purpose flour: The base of the pancakes.
- Baking powder: Helps make the pancakes light and fluffy.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness.
- White sugar: Adds just enough sweetness without overpowering.
- Cream-style corn or whole corn kernels: Brings that classic maja blanca flavor.
- Coconut milk: The star ingredient, gives richness and coconut flavor.
- Eggs: Helps bind everything together.
- Oil: Adds moisture to the batter.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitution and Add-Ins
- Use corn kernels instead of cream-style corn if you want more texture.
- Swap coconut milk for evaporated milk or regular milk if needed.
- Replace sugar with honey or maple syrup. Add vanilla extract for extra aroma.
- Mix in shredded cheese for a sweet-salty combo.
- Add ube extract for a vibrant purple color and extra Filipino flair.
How to Make Maja Blanca Pancakes
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients: coconut milk, eggs, and oil.
- Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring until just combined. Be careful not to overmix—the batter should be slightly lumpy.
- Gently fold in the corn until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
- Heat a skillet or griddle over medium heat and lightly grease with butter or cooking spray.
- Pour a ladleful of batter onto the skillet, using the back of the ladle to spread it into a circular shape.
- Cook the pancakes for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and cooked through.
- Serve hot, topped with a generous drizzle of Blonde Butter Syrup.
Blonde Butter Syrup
Blonde Butter Syrup complements Maja Blanca with its rich, buttery flavor, enhancing the sweetness and adding a luxurious touch to the dish.
Ingredients
You will only need 3 simple ingredients. Yes just 3!!
- Butter
- Heavy Cream or Evaporated Milk
- Sugar
How to Make It
- In a small saucepan, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat.
- Once the butter is melted, pour in the heavy cream or evaporated milk and stir until well combined.
- Add the granulated sugar to the saucepan and continue to stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.
- Allow the mixture to come to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the syrup cool slightly before serving.
- Drizzle the warm Blonde Butter Syrup over your Maja Blanca Pancakes for a decadent finishing touch.
Variations
- Cheesy Maja Blanca Pancakes: Add shredded cheese to the batter for a sweet-savory combo.
- Ube Maja Pancakes: Mix in ube extract for a vibrant purple hue and added flavor.
- Coconut Caramel Pancakes: Drizzle with coconut caramel sauce for a decadent finish.
- Chocolate Chip Pancakes: Fold in chocolate chips for a kid-approved twist.
- Vegan Maja Pancakes: Use plant-based milk and flax eggs to make it vegan-friendly.
What To Serve With This
- Fresh fruit: Mango, banana, or berries add a fresh contrast to the sweetness.
- Toasted coconut or latik: Both are traditional maja blanca toppings, so they tie the pancake version back to the original dessert.
- Condensed milk: A rich, sweet drizzle.
- Cheese slices: A nod to how maja blanca is traditionally topped.
- Ube taho syrup: A Filipino pairing that leans into the same coconut-forward, lightly sweet territory.
- Ice cream: Turns it into dessert.
- Hot coffee or tea: Rounds out the breakfast spread.
Storage Instructions
Let the pancakes cool completely, then store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a toaster or microwave for best results.
Rose's Tips
- Don't overmix the batter. A few lumps are fine, overmixing makes the pancakes dense instead of fluffy.
- Let the batter rest for a few minutes before cooking. This gives the baking powder time to activate and the corn a chance to settle evenly.
- Drain canned corn well. Extra liquid thins the batter and can make the pancakes soggy in the middle.
- Keep the heat at medium, not high. These brown fast because of the sugar and coconut milk, high heat burns the outside before the inside cooks through.
- Make the blonde butter syrup while the pancakes cook. It comes together in about 5 minutes, perfect timing to have it ready when the last pancake comes off the griddle.
Recipe FAQs
Use a toaster or skillet to maintain their fluffy texture.
Ensure your skillet is well-greased and properly preheated before cooking.
You can, but the corn is what gives this recipe its maja blanca flavor.
Yes. Freeze fully cooked pancakes in a single layer, then store in a freezer bag for up to 1 month.
It’s best made fresh, but you can mix the dry ingredients ahead and add wet ingredients when ready to cook.
Other Breakfast Recipes You’ll Love
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Maja Blanca Pancakes
Equipment
- 1 non-stick pan
- 1 MIxing Bowl
Ingredients
Maja Blanca Pancakes
- 1 cup All purpose Flour
- 2 tablespoon white sugar
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 2 tablespoon oil
- ¼ cup sweet cream-style corn or whole kernel corn
Blonde Butter Syrup
- ½ cup Salted butter
- ¾ cup white sugar
- ½ cup heavy cream or evaporated milk
Instructions
Maja Blanca Pancakes
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.1 cup All purpose Flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt, 2 tbsp white sugar
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients: coconut milk, eggs, and oil.1 egg, 1 cup coconut milk, 2 tbsp oil
- Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring until just combined. Be careful not to overmix—the batter should be slightly lumpy.
- Gently fold in the corn until evenly distributed throughout the batter.¼ cup sweet cream-style corn or whole kernel corn
- Heat a skillet or griddle over medium heat and lightly grease with butter or cooking spray.½ cup Salted butter
- Pour a ladleful of batter onto the skillet, using the back of the ladle to spread it into a circular shape.
- Cook the pancakes for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and cooked through.
- Serve hot, topped with a generous drizzle of Blonde Butter Syrup.
Blonde Butter Syrup
- In a small saucepan, melt the salted butter over medium heat.½ cup Salted butter
- Once the butter is melted, pour in the heavy cream or evaporated milk and stir until well combined.½ cup heavy cream or evaporated milk
- Add the granulated sugar to the saucepan and continue to stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.¾ cup white sugar
- Allow the mixture to come to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the syrup cool slightly before serving.
- Drizzle the warm Blonde Butter Syrup over your Maja Blanca Pancakes for a decadent finishing touch.
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Notes
- Do not overmix the batter. A few lumps are fine and help keep the pancakes fluffy.
- Use medium heat so the pancakes cook through without browning too quickly.
- Cream-style corn gives the best maja blanca flavor, but whole corn works if that’s what you have.
- Coconut milk adds richness, but you can substitute regular or evaporated milk if needed.
- These pancakes are lightly sweet. Add more sugar or serve with syrup if you prefer them sweeter.
- Best served fresh, but leftovers reheat well in the microwave or toaster.
