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These gluten free pancakes are tender, light and fluffy and fluffy, and perfect every time. Assemble the dry ingredients ahead of time, add milk and eggs, and have classic pancakes in minutes.
You can also modify the recipe to make extra fluffy diner style buttermilk pancakes, and add vanilla extract for more depth of flavor. It's time to ditch that box and D.I.Y. a better pancake!
“These turned out really nice, fluffy and tender. I haven’t had pancakes in over 10-years, now I can again, thank you!”
my take
Nicole's Recipe Notes
- Perfect texture: Makes the lightest, fluffiest, most tender traditional pancakes.
- No clumps: We use very little xanthan gum, if any, so the raw batter doesn't clump if you don't pour it right away.
- Quick and easy: Make the dry mix now, then just add milk and eggs for pancakes in minutes.
- Super versatile: Use the dry mix anywhere you used to use Bisquick pancake mix, like a gluten free breakfast bake.
Recipe ingredients
- Gluten free flour: A high quality gluten free flour that doesn't already have xanthan gum added to it is ideal here. You can either make one from rice flour, potato starch, and tapioca starch, or use Nicole's Best, which doesn't have any gum. Too much makes chewy, gummy pancakes.
- Xanthan gum: Just a touch of xanthan gum added to the flour helps keep the pancakes from turning out too flat and the edges from feathering. You can leave it out, though!
- Baking powder & soda: Help give the pancakes lift and help them brown on the griddle
- Salt: brightens the other flavors
- Granulated sugar: Lightly sweetens the pancakes and keeps them tender
- Milk: Use your favorite type of milk, just avoid anything nonfat because fat is a tenderizer
- Egg: Adds lift and helps to bind the pancakes
How to make gluten free pancakes
- In a large bowl, whisk the dry ingredients (gf flour blend, optional xanthan gum, baking power, baking soda, salt, sugar)
- In a measuring cup or small bowl, whisk milk and an egg
- Pour milk and egg mixture in to the dry ingredients, and whisk until smooth.
- The batter will thicken slightly as it stands
- Heat a griddle or pan on the stovetop, then grease lightly
- Pour the batter onto the hot griddle about 1/4 cup at a time (I transferred mine to a pancake batter dispenser with blender ball).
- Let it cook until the top of each pancake has plenty of bubbles and the sides aren't shiny
- Flip with a wide spatula
- Let the pancakes finish cooking, and remove from the griddle
Expert tips
Avoid gum-included blends
You can make pancakes with one of the all purpose gluten free flour blends that already has xanthan gum in the blend, like Better Batter. I don't recommend it, though, since they both have way more xanthan gum than we need here.
Xanthan gum absorbs lots of moisture and will continually cause the pancake batter to thicken as it stands. To keep the batter pourable and not gummy, you'll need to keep adding more milk.
Use a bit of xanthan gum
Adding just 1/4 teaspoon of xanthan gum makes the perfect pourable pancake batter that isn't too thick and isn't too thin. Plus, the pancakes hold their shape with no “feathering” around the edges, and, like the batter, they're a bit thicker and more fluffy.
Use a nonstick griddle or pan
If your cooking surface isn't nonstick, you need to add so much butter or oil that the pancakes actually fry rather than cooking. You can still grease your nonstick cooking surface for pancakes to brown more on the edges.
How to multiply the dry mix
The dry mix makes a total of 1/2 cups + 3 tablespoons by volume, or 235 grams by weight. Multiply the recipe by 2, 3, or even 4 times, whisk it very well in a large mixing bowl, then transfer it to a sealed container stored in a cool, dry pantry.
When you're ready to make gluten free pancakes, measure out 235 grams of the dry mix, add the wet ingredients as directed, and voila! Perfect gluten free pancakes.
Ingredient substitutions
Dairy free
For dairy-free pancakes, replace the cow's milk with your favorite non-dairy unflavored, unsweetened milk from a carton (not a can). My favorite is unsweetened almond milk.
Egg free
Try “chia eggs” (flax eggs would add too much unwanted flavor), try “Just Egg” brand plant eggs (in the refrigerated section), or Bob's Red Mill egg-replacer. For a naturally egg-free pancake, use our vegan gluten free pancakes recipe.
Gluten Free Pancakes Recipe
Ingredients
For the dry mix
- 1 ½ cups (210 g) gum-free gluten free flour blend, (140 grams superfine white rice flour + 45 grams potato starch + 25 grams tapioca starch/flour)
- ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum, optional (See Recipe Notes)
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons (24 g) granulated sugar
For pancakes
- 1 (50 g (weighed out of shell)) egg, at room temperature, beaten
- 1 ¼ cups (10 fluid ounces) milk, at room temperature (See Recipe Notes)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, (optional)
Instructions
- To make the dry mix, place all of the ingredients in a large bowl and whisk to combine well. Store in a sealed container in a cool, dry location or in the freezer for longer storage.
To make pancakes.
- Place the egg, milk and optional vanilla extract in a small bowl and whisk to combine well.
- Place the dry mix in a large bowl, whisk to break up any lumps, and create a well in the center. Add the wet ingredients and whisk until smooth. The batter should be thickly pourable.
- Heat a griddle to medium-high or large nonstick omelet pan over medium heat.
- Pour or ladle as many pancakes onto the hot griddle or pan as you can fit without crowding, each about 1/4 cup of the batter.
- Allow to cook until bubbles break through the surface of the pancakes and the edges have begun to cook, about 2 minutes.
- Flip and continue to cook for another minute, or until the underside is browned.
- Remove from the griddle and repeat with the remaining batter. Serve warm.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Mix-ins & topping suggestions
- Miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips mixed in or sprinkled on top as the first side cooks
- Thinly sliced ripe bananas on top or just a few chopped ripe bananas mixed in gently; for gluten free banana pancakes with mashed banana in the batter, you need another recipe.
- Chopped fresh strawberries on top or mixed in gently
- Gluten free granola on top or mixed in to the batter
- My favorite: place pure maple syrup in a squeeze bottle, and swirl some on top while the first side is cooking
make ahead/leftovers
Storage instructions
Let leftover pancakes cool completely, and wrap them in stacks of 2 or 3. They will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Sprinkle lightly with water and refresh in the toaster.
For longer storage, wrap similarly, and freeze for at least 3 months. Defrost them at room temperature, overnight in the refrigerator, or in the microwave for about 20 seconds. Refresh the same way.
Store the dry gluten free pancake mix in a sealed container in a cool, dark pantry for at least 3 months, or freeze it for up to 6 months in a freezer-safe container. Let it come to room temperature before you use it with the other ingredients to make gluten free pancakes or bites.
FAQs
If your pancakes aren't puffing up at all, your chemical leaveners (baking powder and baking soda) may be expired. Check those dates before you mix!
As long as your pan is nonstick and it's hot enough, your pancake batter shouldn't stick. If you're concerned that your pan or griddle's nonstick coating isn't in great shape, just be sure to grease it well first.
Your griddle or the heat under your pan is probably too hot! You'll know it's too hot if, when you grease the surface, it begins to smoke.
I don't recommend that, as you want a lighter, fluffier recipe for waffles. Use our recipe for fluffy gluten free waffles recipe instead.
Gluten free buttermilk pancakes variation
If you love the taste of buttermilk and like extra fluffy gluten free pancakes, you will need a different list of ingredients to make them. They are:
- 1 1/4 cups (175 g) basic gum-free gluten free flour blend, or Nicole's Best multipurpose gluten free flour
- 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum (optional)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons (24 g) granulated sugar
- 2 eggs (100 g, weighed out of shell) at room temperature, beaten
- 3/4 cup (6 fluid ounces) buttermilk, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
To make diner style gluten free pancakes with buttermilk, using these ingredients, whisk the dry ingredients together in a large bowl, then the wet ingredients separately. Pour the wet into the dry, and whisk to combine. Prepare the pancakes the usual way, but pour straight down when pouring the batter so the pancakes are tall.
These are the best pancake recipes ever. The buttermilk variation is insane. I’ve eaten them everyday for like a month. Can you format the buttermilk ones to be doubled in volume? You are a gift.
Hi, L, so glad you love the buttermilk pancakes! I’m afraid it’s too confusing when I try to add that variation to the recipe card. I may spin it off into its own recipe so it can be [2X].
These turned out really nice, fluffy and tender. I haven’t had pancakes in over 10-years, now I can again, thank you.
You’re so welcome, Ali! I’m so glad you enjoyed the pancakes. Thank you for sharing your experience.
Good recipe! Had to add more oat flour because my applesauce was thin. I also used blueberry applesauce (no sugar added) and had blueberry pancakes. They were delicious.