Gluten-free pancakes

Gluten-free pancakes with peanut butter and maple syrup

People who know my love for breakfast carbohydrates, and especially for post-dance pancakes, often ask which gluten-free pancake and waffle mix I use. My personal preference is to never use a GF mix if I can avoid it. They are rather expensive considering you only get one use out of them, and I feel like I have no control over the ingredients. I prefer to work with a GF flour blend and use a traditional pancake/waffle recipe.

When I do this, my favorite flour blend is Bob’s Red Mill All-Purpose GF flour, because I feel that it substitutes fairly evenly for regular flour. Some of the other GF blends I’ve tried must have too much xanthan gum, because they get way too thick to pour, and I either have to remember to use less flour than the normal recipe calls for, or add more liquid at the end (which is undesirable because you are wasting the precious time during which the baking soda/powder is burning up its leavening action).

I have previously posted recipes for paleo pancakes and gluten-free waffles (which you can also use for pancakes), but here is another batter option.

This recipe serves two, and is what I prefer to use for late-night breakfasting. Sometimes I add in about a teaspoon unsweetened, dehydrated coconut for a more tropical flavor.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet

Blend together and set aside:

1 cup all-purpose gluten-free flour

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

Sprinkling of cinnamon

In a large bowl, beat

2 eggs

Blend in to eggs

2 tsp sugar, honey, or agave nectar

2 tbs melted butter, coconut oil or vegetable oil

1 cup buttermilk (or a ½ cup plain yogurt + ½ cup milk)

¼ tsp gluten-free vanilla extract

Add the dry ingredients to the wet, stirring just long enough to mix together. Bake on a lightly greased griddle at 375-degrees, or in a skillet over medium-low heat. Turn each cake once, when the bubbles that pop on the top no longer refill.

Top as desired. I like mine with sliced bananas, agave nectar and chopped pecans. Or as in the picture above, with peanut butter and pure maple syrup.

Gluten-free batter, mixed and ready to pour

The large bubbles on the surface will
stay open when the pancake is ready to flip

Finished gluten-free pancake

Gluten-free banana nut pancakes for one or two

Every once in a while, when we get the kids off to school, my hubby and I have a quiet morning in which we get to eat whatever we want. If I have a few bananas hanging around, I love to make these flourless banana-nut pancakes. They are pretty small, but the nuts make them rather filling.

One of two small pancakes

Notes:
Keep the skillet on medium-low heat. Because of the natural sugars from the banana and the coconut flour, the cake will brown quickly. If you use high heat, the exterior will burn before the inside sets.
Since these pancakes have no gluten or xanthan gum holding them together, they can be crumbly. Take care when flipping.
This recipe may be doubled if you have 2 bananas, or if you are very hungry.

Makes two pancakes.

Ingredients:

• 1 ripe banana
• 1 egg
• 1/4 tsp. gluten-free vanilla
• 2 tbsp. Bob's Red Mill almond flour
• 1 tbsp. Bob's Red Mill coconut flour
• 1/8 tsp. gluten-free baking powder (omit this for a Paleo option)
• 1 tbsp. chopped walnuts or pecans



Mash the banana with a wire whisk

• coconut oil

Directions:
Mash in a small bowl
1 ripe banana

Separate one egg. Add the yolk to the mashed banana.
Put the egg white in the bowl of an electric mixer with the wire whisk blade attached.
Beat the egg white on high speed until soft peaks form.

Add to the banana-egg yolk mixture:

Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form

1/4 tsp. gluten-free vanilla
2 tbsp. Bob's Red Mill almond flour
1 tbsp. Bob's Red Mill coconut flour
1/8 tsp. gluten-free baking powder (omit this for a Paleo option)
1 tbsp. chopped walnuts or pecans

Gently fold the egg white into the banana-egg-nut mixture with a rubber scraper, folding until the white is well incorporated. Do not overmix (that would deflate your egg whites)

Preheat a medium nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add and allow to melt:
1/4 tsp. coconut oil

Spread the batter around with a spatula

Pour 1/2 of the batter into the skillet. This batter is thick--you will have to spread it around with a rubber scraper to make a flat pancake shape.


Cook the pancake on medium-low heat until bubbles form in the top surface and do not immediately close up with batter, about 4 minutes per side. Gently flip the pancake with a spatula. As you start to slide the spatula under the cake, take a peek at the bottom side. It should be a rich dark brown before you attempt to flip.

Before cooking the second pancake, add another 1/4 tsp. coconut oil to the pan. It helps with flipping.

Top with pure maple syrup and enjoy immediately.