Back to School Pancake Bar

The first day of school was always a major deal for me. While, like any kid, I loved summer break with its lazy days and open schedules, back-to-school time was always full of excitement. I would pick out my outfit days or even weeks in advance, saving their first wear for that opening day of the new school year. I would line up, color code and organize my new school supplies—fresh pencils, crayons, and notebooks still make me swoon! Often times, my mom would do something special, making my brother and me a weekend-style breakfast or taking us out for ice cream after school. 

 So I put together this DIY pancake bar to celebrate the first day of school and fill kids up for a day of learning. Plus, who doesn’t love a variety of toppings, spreads and drizzles for custom-made, ultimate pancake satisfaction?!

The pancake bar begins with golden, fluffy Bisquick pancakes. To save time, you can even make the pancakes ahead of time; just freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet, pop into a zip-top bag and stash in the freezer for the big day. Warm them up in the toaster and serve! For the toppings, I think the more variety, the better. A few of the components take some making and mixing, but all can be done ahead of time! I’ve included some indulgent additions like sprinkles and chocolate-hazelnut spread, along with some fresh fruit, nuts and crunchy granola. The best thing about this pancake bar is that you can include or exclude according to your family’s tastes. Little, super-easy decorative tape flags on skewers take the pancake creations from a fun breakfast to a pancake celebration!

To make a fun layer-cake-style stack of pancakes, begin with fluffy Bisquick pancakes.

Come up with a toppings game plan…so much variety!

Next, smear on your favorite spread. I’m a fan of chocolate-hazelnut spread.

Next up, toppings! I went with berries and granola for this one.

Top with another pancake and repeat.

Finally, time to eat your creation!

You’ll need just a few simple supplies for the decorative tape flags: skewers, tape and scissors. Simply use whatever decorative tape you can find, trim down some bamboo skewers (or even use toothpicks). Viola!