The Cracker Barrel Item LeBron James Loves

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LeBron James has set a staggering number of NBA records in his 23 years of professional basketball, including being the all-time leading scorer. With such an impressive career, it's natural to wonder what James really eats. According to his teammates, his diet isn't as nutritious as you'd think. Take breakfast: James loves syrup-drenched French toast and fluffy omelets, as well as avocado, wheat toast, and turkey bacon or sausage. But when he dines out for his first meal of the day, he craves Cracker Barrel pancakes.

"They make the crispy outside skin with the warm center, oh my goodness," he said of the dish in a collaborative video with Bob Does Sports. While he noted he loves sweet and salty foods together for breakfast, he waxed poetic about the chain's decidedly sweet pancakes. "I like it crisp on the outside," he reiterated.

James is far from the only flapjack fan who swears by Cracker Barrel's pancakes. In fact, the chain sells 75 million pancakes a year, so it's safe to say they're a popular menu item. The resto's pancakes are fluffy, moist, and tender, thanks to buttermilk in the batter. They're served with whipped butter and syrup for good measure, and can be ordered with a number of sides and breakfast items, like biscuits and gravy or eggs. Better yet, there are many riffs on the plain pancakes, like strawberry-stuffed cheesecake, pecan, and chocolate chip varieties.

What makes Cracker Barrel's pancakes so special? If you ask LeBron James, it's the crisp, frizzled edges that give way to a tender, pillowy center. But the brand says it's the quality ingredients. Its pancake mix is courtesy of Shenandoah Mills, which produces many baking blends, gravy bases, batters, and other dry mixes. It's rich with buttermilk for a rustic, slightly tangy taste. The milled grains and other dry ingredients are meticulously balanced to ensure proper texture, rise, and flavor.

Diners can attest to the pancakes' superiority. "I think most diner pancakes are too thick. Cracker Barrel does them right. On the thinner side, crispy on the edge. The only downer is they don't use 100% maple syrup," one Reddit user shared. "So, so delicious! ... The pancakes and French toast have this buttery taste, and it complements the warm syrup," raved a Facebook user. "Their pancakes are the best I've ever had," chimed another.

Although the cooks are technically the only people who know Cracker Barrel's hack for delicious pancakes, fans have ideas for making similar results at home. Start with a hot, preheated griddle (or cast iron skillet) and lightly fry the pancakes in oil for crispness. Another key tip is including corn flour or corn meal in the pancakes like the chain does, which not only adds sweet, nuanced flavor, but also additional crunch to the pancakes' edges.