Gluten-free pancake recipe by Kirsten Chick, author of Nutrition Brought to Life
Kirsten says:
Have I told you yet how much I adore pancakes? Classic Shrove Tuesday pancakes, paper-thin crepes, fluffy scotch pancakes… I love them all. Sadly, gluten often doesn’t love me.
It’s difficult to replicate the pancakes of my childhood with gluten-free flour options, as part of their appeal was the gooeyness that only gluten can truly provide. However, buckwheat crepes are pretty much standard in France, and naturally gluten-free.
What I end up making most, however, are fluffy scotch pancakes, or drop scones as they are sometimes known. They work really well with buckwheat flour, brown rice flour and various gluten-free flour mixes. They need a thicker batter, and a pinch of bicarb to make them fluffy. I use them…
- instead of bread and crackers for houmous and other dips and spreads
- with poached eggs, mushrooms and watercress for a mouthwatering breakfast
- with berries and yoghurt or coconut cream as a breakfast or dessert
- with lemon juice, raw local honey and a few sultanas stirred into the batter for a sweet treat
To make them super digestible, make the batter the night before, cover with a cloth or paper towel and leave at room temperature overnight, and add the bicarbonate of soda and any extra ingredients just before cooking. This gives the flour a chance to ferment a little and reduce levels of phytates – adding a splash of lemon juice will help with this.
Ingredients for gluten-free pancakes
100-200g brown rice flour, buckwheat flour or a gluten-free flour mix
1-2 eggs
water, coconut milk or other plant-based milk – enough to make a thick batter
splash of lemon juice – if soaking overnight (see above)
pinch of bicarbonate of soda
Method for gluten-free pancakes
Stir the egg(s) into the flour, and then gradually whisk in the liquid until you have a thick batter.
Just before cooking, stir in a pinch of bicarbonate of soda.
Melt a little butter, ghee or coconut oil in a frying pan over a moderate heat.
Add 1tbsp batter to the pan, and watch it spread to about the size of your palm or a little smaller. You can probably fit two more into the pan if required.
When bubbles start to appear on the pancake(s), give the pan a little shake, and the pancake(s) should be able to move around the pan. They are now ready to flip over – you can use a fish slice to do this.
Cook for another couple of minutes, then serve.
Batch-cooking and/or storing the batter
As above, soaking helps make these gluten-free pancakes super digestible. You can even keep the batter in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
By storing as above, you can easily just cook a few pancakes at a time. Alternatively, these gluten-free pancakes freeze very well and you just need to pop them in a toaster or under the grill when you are ready for your next pancake treat!
Healthy gluten-free pancake image courtesy of Lesley Burdett Photography
