When I left the dentist chair, my cheek felt like it was inflated with air. It wasn’t the usual numbness from Novocain — this was a sudden, painful puff that made my face feel like a balloon ready to burst. My dentist looked concerned, handed me a mirror and kept repeating reassurances that sounded uncertain: it should subside in an hour or two, definitely by tomorrow, call me if it hasn’t gone down. His nervous tone did little to calm me.
After visits to several dental professionals, consulting medical literature and some frantic internet searches, an oral surgeon identified the issue: subcutaneous emphysema. It’s rare but real — air trapped under the skin. The recommended treatment was simple but slow: monitor it and wait while the body reabsorbs the air, a process that can take up to two weeks. For much of that time I looked like a cross between the kid from the 80s movie Mask and a cartoon character. Even after more than a week, my cheek still made odd crunching noises when I yawned or moved my mouth quickly. It was unnerving, but not life-threatening, and the pain was manageable.
Working from home meant I could hide my swollen face while it slowly deflated. I was relieved it wasn’t worse — this condition can occur in other parts of the body, even after procedures like colonoscopies, which I can’t imagine would be comfortable. Once I was off the strict soup diet and ready for something more substantial but still gentle, I turned to a comforting recipe: Hootenanny Pancakes with Bourbon Maple Syrup.
Hootenanny Pancakes are baked and puff up in the oven, so their airy, inflated nature felt oddly appropriate while my cheek was healing. The pancakes also carry a nostalgic weight for me. My mom used to bake a big pan whenever I had a sleepover, and watching the batter rise and puff through the oven door was pure delight. That childhood memory brought a small smile to my swollen face and warmed my belly.
I updated that comforting childhood recipe into a slightly grown-up brunch: a giant puffy Hootenanny Pancake topped with toasted pecans and a warm bourbon-infused maple syrup. The combination of the pillowy pancake, nutty pecans and boozy-sweet syrup is joyful and comforting — exactly what I needed while recovering.
The takeaway? When life inflates you, make something that puffs back. These Hootenanny Pancakes with Bourbon Maple Syrup are perfect for sharing or for a quiet morning of self-care.
Sprinkle liberally with toasted pecans and sifted powdered sugar.
Then get to drizzling with the bourbon maple syrup!
Recipe
Hootenanny Pancakes with Bourbon Maple Syrup
- Author: Baking The Goods
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 2
Description
Hootenanny Pancakes with Bourbon Maple Syrup are a delight to make. A large, puffy pancake bakes up golden and airy, finished with boozy maple syrup and toasted pecans for a grown-up brunch twist.
Ingredients
Hootenanny Pancakes
- Whole pecans – ½ cup, toasted and roughly chopped
- Large eggs – 3
- All-purpose flour – ½ cup
- Whole milk – ½ cup
- Unsalted butter – 2 tablespoons
- Salt – a dash
- Cinnamon – ½ teaspoon
- Ground nutmeg – ¼ teaspoon
Bourbon Maple Syrup
- Maple syrup – ¼ cup
- Bourbon – 3 tablespoons
- Brown sugar – 1 teaspoon
- Vanilla – a splash
Instructions
Hootenanny Pancakes
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Place a 10″ cast iron skillet in the oven while it heats.
- Spread pecans on a baking sheet and toast in the oven 6–8 minutes, until fragrant. Cool and roughly chop.
- Vigorously whisk the eggs, milk, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla until light and frothy. Use a whisk or a blender on high for 1–2 minutes.
- Whisk in the flour until just combined. Let the batter rest a few minutes so the flour hydrates.
- Carefully add the butter to the hot skillet so it melts. Remove the skillet from the oven and pour the batter directly into the melted butter—do not stir. Bake 20–25 minutes, until the edges are golden and the center is puffed and set.
Bourbon Maple Syrup
- While the pancake bakes, prepare the syrup.
- Warm the maple syrup and brown sugar in a small heavy pot over medium heat until the sugar dissolves.
- Reduce heat to low and stir in the bourbon and vanilla. Keep warm while the pancake finishes baking.
- When ready, dust the pancake with powdered sugar, scatter toasted pecans and serve with warm bourbon maple syrup.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes