coco-anise diner style pancakes with a thai tea syrup

EP 2 of 'spring broke' where we ball on a budget

Let me set the scene: I’m doom-scrolling Instagram & dodging emails — when I stumble on those Golden Diner pancakes.

You know the ones. Fluffy. Larger than life. Slightly ridiculous.

The kind of pancakes that make you wonder why you’ve been settling for boxed mix. And suddenly, I’m obsessed.

But instead of hopping on a flight to NYC or dropping $28 plus tip (not in this economy), I decided to bring the vibe home — with my own twist. Because if there’s one thing I love more than a good pancake, it’s Thai tea. That creamy, floral, burnt-orange beauty has had a chokehold on me for years. So I thought: why not marry the two?

Thus, this stack was born.

Welcome to Episode 2 of Spring Broke — where we ball out on a budget, because flights are high, rent is higher, & the price of eggs?

Disrespectful. In each episode, I’ll bring a vacation in culinary form straight to your emails & kitchens for $5 or less per serving.

In this ep, I’m serving up brunch: soft, coconut-rich pancakes with a whisper of anise, topped with a salted Thai tea maple syrup that I could honestly drink from the bowl.

Let’s get into it. Starting with the pancakes. For fluff & height, yeast is a sure-fire ingredient but I opted for baking soda (in combo with an acid, like buttermilk) & baking powder for a faster, home-chef approachable technique. Alongside those dry ingredients, you’ll find all of the other pancake staples: flour, sugar & a bit of salt. Now, the wet batter is where the fun begins: full-fat coconut milk—YES, full fat, & anise extract are the standouts.

We carefully mix wet into dry; there will be lumps but a lumpy pancake batter is a good pancake batter. And an excellent pancake batter is a well-rested pancake batter.

Set it aside for a solid 10 minutes for optimal fluff & height. While your batter rests, we move on to arguably the best part of this whole affair: the salted Thai tea maple syrup. Ceylon tea is steeped in warm heavy cream until it glows. Maple syrup is vigorously whisked in along with a hearty pinch of salt until it is homogeneous.

straining is not mandatory but encouraged for a silky smooth sauce

The scent? Absolutely indulgent & would tempt the strongest of souls. But first we cook our pancakes: preheat a non-stick skillet low & slow. Oil it lightly. Add in 2 ladlefuls of the batter & then we wait. 5 minutes on the stove. Then 8 minutes in the oven at 375°F. No flipping, no fuss. Just trust the process.

They’ll puff & smell like a cozy dream.

Serve the pancakes stacked high or one per person then drown (don’t drizzle) with the salted Thai tea-maple syrup. No reservations required. No bottomless mimosa in sight. Just you, your skillet, & the softest pancakes of your life.

All that? For $2.79 & a lil’ coconut milk.

This is what we call broke luxury.

recipe — coco-anise diner style pancakes with a thai tea syrup

prep 35 min
cook 15 mins
total time 50 mins

ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• ½ cup white sugar

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder

• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda

• 1 ¼ cups full-fat coconut milk

• 1 ¼ cups buttermilk

• 1 teaspoon anise extract

• ¼ cup vegetable oil

• 2 large eggs

for Thai tea maple syrup

• ½ - ¾ cup whipping cream

• ½ tablespoon loose ceylon black tea

• 1 ½ cups pure maple syrup

• big pinch of salt
  

instructions

to prepare the pancakes, to a mixing bowl, add the sifted flour, sugar, salt, baking powder & baking soda. Whisk to combine & set aside. To a separate bowl, add the coconut milk, buttermilk, star anise extract, vegetable oil & eggs. Whisk well. Slowly add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredient bowl, whisking until most of the lumps are gone. Don't over-whisk.

Set the batter aside to thicken while you preheat the oven to 375°F. Preheat an 8" non-stick skillet over low-medium heat. Put the dial on the stove right between low & medium. Allow the skillet to preheat for 5 minutes.

Lightly coat the pan in oil. Add 2 ladlefuls of batter to the pan. Cook for 8 minutes. There should be gentle bubbles showing, especially around the edge. If it's cooking faster than that, reduce your heat a bit. Add the pan to the oven on the top rack for 8 minutes. Remove & run a rubber spatula around the edge. The pancake should pop out when you flip the pan over. Store cooked pancakes on a warm plate while you make the rest.

Serve hot topped with salted Thai tea maple syrup.

to prepare the salted Thai tea maple syrup, warm heavy cream in a small pot over medium heat. Once hot, add loose tea leaves & allow to steep for 10-12 minutes or until the tea imparts a light orange color. Add maple syrup & whisk until well combined. Add salt & mix again. For a thinner sauce, add additional maple syrup in ¼ cup increments. Serve hot.