Red Velvet Christmas Pancakes

Ingredients

• 0.3 cup butter softened
• 4 oz cream cheese softened (half of 8-oz package)
• 2  eggs 
• 1 teaspoons purple gel food coloring red
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar 
• 14 servings m&m candies 
• 1 cup milk 
• 3 tablespoons milk 
• 2 cups powdered sugar 
• 14 servings powdered sugar 
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder unsweetened
• 2 cups frangelico 
• 2 cups frangelico 

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• whisk
• hand mixer
• cookie cutter
• ziploc bags

Directions

1. In medium bowl, beat cream cheese, butter and 3 tablespoons milk with electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Gradually beat in 2 cups powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, on low speed until topping is smooth. Cover; set aside.
2. In large bowl, stir all pancake ingredients except powdered sugar with wire whisk until well blended.
3. Heat griddle or skillet over medium-high heat (375F). (To test griddle, sprinkle with a few drops of water. If bubbles jump around, heat is just right.)
4. Brush with vegetable oil if necessary or spray with cooking spray before heating.
5. For each pancake, pour slightly less than 1/4 cup batter onto hot griddle. Cook 2 to 3 minutes or until bubbles form on top and edges are dry. Turn; cook other side until golden brown. Use seasonal-shaped cookie cutters to cut out shapes from warm pancakes. Or, generously grease inside of any seasonal-shaped pancake mold. Fill mold according to manufacturer's directions and cook as directed.
6. Spoon cream cheese topping into resealable food-storage plastic bag; seal bag.
7. Cut off tiny corner of bag; squeeze bag to create outline around edge of shapes or drizzle topping over pancakes.
8. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and candy sprinkles.