FATHER’S DAY

Try cinammon-raisin pancakes.

All the men in my life choose breakfast as their favorite meal of the day. Some like eggs, omelets and savory selections, but most prefer vehicles for syrup. Think pancakes, waffles, crepes, hot cereal, even bacon and sausage. So I’m always on the lookout for recipes and ideas suitable for a river of sweetness.

Sweet, syrupy and meltingly warm cinnamon buns inspire this year’s Father’s Day breakfast. We served them at our daughter’s wedding brunch last fall. Now, the treats are forever linked to that memorable occasion. Friends take it upon themselves to drop off a half-dozen buns, spotted with dark raisins, on sunny Saturday mornings.

On a recent weekend getaway, we embraced cinnamon bun pancakes at a breakfast diner. Smeared with soft cream cheese and drizzled with cinnamon syrup, they were the start of a new relationship.

We’ll start our homemade whole grain pancakes with fresh ground cinnamon — full-bodied and flavorful. To boost the cinnamon punch, I sprinkle cinnamon chips over the cakes while they cook. Hershey’s makes a nicely flavored, not too sweet, cinnamon chip that gets meltingly soft when heated. Mix the chips with small bits of crispy bacon and sprinkle the combo on the cakes. Or, stir in dark raisins for a cinnamon raisin treat.

Sticking with our cinnamon raisin theme, I plan to set my father up with jars of cinnamon raisin overnight oatmeal for a sweet breakfast treat. I mix oats, quinoa flakes and chia for a hearty cereal blend. Coconut and cinnamon add flavor; raisins or berries add sweetness. The dry mix can be portioned into small jars several days in advance. Add the milk of your choice to the jars the night before you want to eat the overnight oats. The next morning, dad can sweeten the deal with all the syrup his heart desires.

E. JASON WAMBSGANS/CHICAGO TRIBUNE PHOTOS; SHANNON KINSELLA/FOOD STYLING Fresh ground cinnamon and a sprinkling of cinnamon chips are incorporated in cinnamon raisin pancakes.