These red velvet pancakes are a perfect, tasty treat for breakfast or dessert on Juneteenth

Culinary historian Adrian Miller told Insider there are a few theories as to why red is embraced on Juneteenth, which originated on June 19, 1865. There are different theories because the information wasn't always documented, Miller told Insider. 

"The one I hear frequently is that red symbolizes the blood shed by enslaved West African ancestors," he said. "So, red pays homage and respect to those ancestors who died during the Atlantic slave trade."

That's why so many Juneteenth community events feature red foods throughout the day.

Chef Chris Scott shared a family-friendly recipe for red velvet pancakes ahead of Juneteenth. 

Scott is a veteran chef with more than 30 years of professional experience. During that time, Scott appeared as a finalist on Bravo's "Top Chef" and competed in "The Great Soul Food Cook-Off" on OWN.

He's also an author whose cookbook, "Homage: Recipes and Stories from an Amish Soul Food Kitchen," was released in September 2022. 

Scott recalled celebrating Juneteenth with his family as a child. 

"The one thing for sure that all the families always had was always some type of red food," Scott told Insider. "It could be a watermelon salad, red velvet, strawberry sodas, or grilled meat with red barbecue sauce." 

Scott's red velvet pancake recipe was simple, quick, and tasted like everyone's favorite cake flavor.

To make it, you'll need:

• 1.5 cups of all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp of sugar
• 2 tsp of baking powder
• 1 tbsp of cocoa powder
• 1 tsp of salt
• 2 eggs
• .25 cups of milk
• 1 cup of buttermilk
• 1 tsp of vanilla extract
• 1 tsp of white vinegar
• 2 tsp of red food color
• .25 cups of melted butter

Combine the all-purpose, granulated sugar, baking powder, cocoa powder, and salt in a large container.

Add the eggs, milk, and buttermilk to the dry ingredients.

Add the vanilla extract, white vinegar, and melted butter to the bowl. After mixing, the batter should take on a brownish color. At this point, it smelled and tasted just like red velvet cake.

Pour the red coloring into the batter and stir until it takes on a deep red color.

The final step is adding the batter to a stovetop pan and cooking the pancakes. Personally, I added a bit of butter into the pan, but feel free to use your preferred method.

From the first bite, I knew Scott's recipe was an absolute success. Each piece tasted like I was downing an actual slice of red velvet cake. The pancakes were sweet, but not so saccharine that my face puckered or I had to stop midway through.

Although you can use traditional maple syrup and butter, I also tried these pancakes with some whipped cream and it worked well! One of the best things about this recipe is its versatility, whether they're made for breakfast or a quirky dessert.

Another great point about this recipe is that most of the ingredients you need are either in your kitchen or a quick grocery store trip away. The entire process only took about 35 minutes, including the time I spent snapping photos and adjusting my lighting.

I definitely recommend this recipe for anyone with a sweet tooth or who enjoys a nice slice of red velvet cake.

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