These gingerbread pancakes will make any morning feel like a holiday

This recipe reminds me of those vintage Looney Toons cartoons where the aroma of something cooking lifts Bugs Bunny off his feet and into midair. He blissfully floats along, surrendering to the fragrant current, until he reaches its source and devours the dish.

Similarly, the wafting scent of cinnamon, ginger and cloves when these pancakes are cooking lures everyone into the kitchen in the same intoxicating way, setting the cozy, relaxed mood that makes holiday mornings so treasured and sparking anticipation of the deliciousness to come.

These pancakes aren’t just enticing — with their gingerbread essence and decadent date sauce — they are nutritious too, made with a mix of whole grain and almond flours, protein-rich milk and eggs, and no refined sugar.

Instead, the pancakes are lightly sweetened with molasses, which imparts a quintessential gingerbread depth of flavor, as well as minerals, such as iron, calcium and magnesium.

But it’s the date sauce decadently dolloped on top that makes the pancakes stand out as a real treat. A puree of dates, milk and a touch of salt delivers a sweet, fruity flavor that’s reminiscent of caramel, along with the dried fruit’s fiber and essential minerals. (The sauce can be made in advance, and is also delicious dolloped over ice cream or as a dip for apple slices.)

Topped with whipped cream for extra-festive flair, these pancakes are a memorable and nourishing treat for holiday mornings, or anytime you crave a special breakfast.

• Ellie Krieger is a registered dietitian nutritionist and cookbook author who hosts public television’s “Ellie’s Real Good Food.” Learn more at www.elliekrieger.com.

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Gingerbread Pancakes With Date Sauce

12 to 14 dates (8 ounces/227 grams) Medjool dates, pitted

1¾ cups (420 milliliters) milk (any fat level; regular or nondairy), divided

¼ teaspoon plus a pinch fine salt

1⅓ cups (160 grams) whole-wheat pastry flour

½ cup (52 grams) almond flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1½ teaspoons ground ginger

1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, plus more for serving

½ teaspoon ground cloves

2 large eggs

2 tablespoons (40 grams) unsulfured molasses (not blackstrap)

1 tablespoon neutral oil, such as avocado or canola, or melted unsalted butter, plus more as needed

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Whipped cream, for serving (optional)

If the dates are very dry, soak them in hot water for 10 minutes to rehydrate them, then drain.

In a food processor, combine the dates with a pinch of salt and process until finely chopped (see Notes). With the processor running, drizzle in ¾ cup (180 milliliters) of the milk, and continue to process, stopping to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula, as needed, until a smooth, creamy sauce forms. You should have about 1¼ cups. Set aside about half (½ cup plus 2 tablespoons) of the sauce to serve with the pancakes. (Refrigerate the remaining sauce — it’s great on toast, or as a topping for yogurt or oatmeal.)

In a medium bowl, whisk together the whole-wheat flour, almond flour, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and the remaining ¼ teaspoon of salt until well combined.

In a large bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 cup (240 milliliters) of milk, the eggs, molasses, oil and vanilla until well combined. Add the flour mixture to the milk mixture and stir until just combined. It’s okay if some lumps remain.

Heat a large (12-inch or wider) nonstick griddle or skillet over medium heat until hot. Lightly oil the bottom of the skillet and, working in batches, as needed, depending on the size of your pan, ladle about ¼ cup of the batter per pancake into the skillet. Cook until golden brown on the bottom and the tops are covered with bubbles, about 2 minutes, then flip and continue cooking until golden brown on the other side, about 2 minutes more.

Divide the pancakes among plates, top with a dollop each of the date sauce and whipped cream, if using, sprinkle with more cinnamon, and serve.

4 to 5 servings (makes 10 pancakes)

Notes: The date sauce can also be made in a high-speed blender: In a blender, combine the milk, dates and salt, and blend on high, scraping the sides as needed, until smooth. It won’t be as smooth as it would be in the food processor, but it works fine.

Storage: Refrigerate the pancakes for up to 3 days. Refrigerate the sauce for up to 4 days.

Substitutions: For almond flour, use ½ cup whole-wheat pastry flour. For Medjool dates, use 8 ounces/113 grams other types of dates. Egg-free? Use an egg substitute. Gluten-free? Use a gluten-free all-purpose flour mix. For whole-wheat pastry flour, use white whole-wheat flour, or ⅔ cup (83 grams) each all-purpose flour and regular whole-wheat flour.

Nutrition | Per serving (2 pancakes and 2 tablespoons sauce), based on 5: 358 calories, 56g carbohydrates, 71mg cholesterol, 11g fat, 6g fiber, 12g protein, 1g saturated fat, 391mg sodium, 25g sugar

— Ellie Krieger