This is the only gluten-free pancake recipe you'll ever need! The pancakes are perfectly light and fluffy, the recipe requires only 7 ingredients, and there’s even a vegan option!
I have a lot of pancake recipes on Simply Quinoa, but I call this one the perfect gluten-free pancake. Not because it’s better than my Fluffy Quinoa Banana Pancakes or Vegan Apple Cider Pancakes, but because it’s the kind of versatile, back-pocket pancake recipe we all need in our lives.
You can make it as-is, add mix-ins, make it vegan. Whatever! Think of it as your classic, every weekend pancake that will never steer you wrong. It's that good!
I kept things as simple as possible without sacrificing the one thing everyone wants in a pancake recipe: a light, fluffy texture. Thin, rubbery pancakes are a bummer, but these gluten-free pancakes won’t let you down! (That's what makes them the best.)
What Gluten-Free Flour is Best for Pancakes?
A lot of store-bought gluten-free all-purpose flour substitutes have a bunch of fillers and gums added, but using a single-source flour alone (like almond or oat) doesn’t always yield a great texture. After a lot of experimentation, I found that a blend of quinoa flour and oat flour worked out best. It also makes these pancakes super healthy, with protein and fiber!
Do Gluten-Free Pancakes Taste Different?
These pancakes do have a mild oat flavor, but they really don’t taste all that different from regular pancakes. Once you add the toppings, you really won’t notice any difference!
What You’ll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Quinoa flour – My all-time fave gluten-free flour that should be in absolutely everyone's cupboard! This flour is versatile, it's light, it's high-protein, and it's just all-around fab.
- Oat flour – I love oat flour because it's really fluffy and also can be made at home. You just blend oats in your blender until they're a fine flour. I keep a batch of homemade oat flour on hand just as I would any other flour!
- Baking powder
- Almond milk – Or any milk you like to use.
- Eggs – Or flax eggs, for a vegan option. You can also use another vegan egg substitute.
- Maple syrup – I find that pancake batter is always better with a touch of sweetness! I love maple syrup, but honey or coconut sugar would also work.
- Oil – I use olive oil (you can't taste it!), but you can use whatever type you'd prefer.
- Vanilla extract, cinnamon, or a pinch of salt – All of these are optional ingredients, but they’ll give the flavor a boost.
Gluten-Free Pancake Variations
Remember I said that this pancake recipe is versatile? Here are some of the mix-ins I like to add:
- Blueberry – Who can resist fluffy pancakes studded with plump blueberries?!
- Lemon – Add lemon zest for a bright, citrusy flavor. If you have poppy seeds, add those too!
- Apple & cinnamon – I usually grate a small apple and add a dash of cinnamon. So good for fall!
- Chocolate chip – When you need a little extra sweetness in your life, chocolate chip pancakes are just the best!
- More ideas – Banana, coconut, pecans, raspberries, strawberries, peanut butter chips, etc. So many options!
How to Make Gluten-Free Pancakes
Pancakes are probably the easiest thing to make on the planet. Especially this recipe since it's only 7 ingredients!
Make the batter. Whisk together the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl until they’re well-combined. In another bowl, whisk the wet ingredients, then pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir until the batter is smooth.
Add any mix-ins. If you're using any fruit, chocolate chips, or other add-ins, fold them into the batter.
Cook the pancakes. Preheat a pan or griddle over medium-low heat. Use a little cooking spray to grease it, then ladle 1/4 cup of batter onto the pan for each pancake and spread it a little with the back of a spoon. Cook the pancakes until bubbles form, pop, and leave little holes (about 1 minute). Flip and cook the other side another minute or two. Repeat with the remaining batter.
Serve. Plate the pancakes and serve them immediately with your favorite toppings.
Tips for Success
This recipe is practically fail-proof, but these hints and tips will help:
- Mix the batter well. You don’t have to worry about over-mixing because these pancakes are gluten-free! Mixing the batter thoroughly will incorporate air into it, which will help you get light, fluffy gluten-free pancakes.
- Keeping your pancakes warm. If you’re making a batch of pancakes for a crowd and want to keep them warm while you’re cooking, you can place the finished pancakes on a sheet pan in a 250ºF oven until you’re ready to serve them.
- Adjust the heat as needed. Different stoves (and pans) cook differently, so if you feel your pancakes are cooking too fast, you can lower the heat; if they’re taking longer than expected, notch the heat up a bit.
Topping Ideas
My favorite toppings for these gluten-free pancakes are coconut yogurt, berries, and syrup (and sometimes a drizzle of almond butter). For something different, add granola for a bit of crunch, or amp up the protein with hemp hearts. Coconut whipped cream is excellent too!
How to Store Leftovers
You can store leftover pancakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, which makes them perfect for meal prep breakfasts!
Can You Freeze These Pancakes?
Yes, you can freeze these gluten-free pancakes! They freeze fantastically.
You can either freeze them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, then once they’re frozen through pop them in an airtight container or freezer bag, or you can simply put them in a container with parchment between the layers to keep them from sticking to each other.
How to Reheat Pancakes
Okay, so you've frozen your pancakes, what now?! Easy peasy. Pop them out of the freezer, toss them in your toaster oven and toast them up. They might be slightly crispy on the outside, but they're like a better version of toast. I top them with the same things and it's literally like a 4-minute breakfast. Doesn't get any easier.
Otherwise, a microwave will work, or you can reheat them in a 350ºF oven for a few minutes until they’re warmed through.
The Best Gluten-Free Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa flour
- 1 cup oat flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/4 cup almond milk (or milk of choice)
- 2 large eggs (or flax eggs)
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons oil
for the mix ins (choose 1 of):
- 1/3 cup blueberries
- 1/3 cup chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 1 cup grated apple (from 1 small apple)
Instructions
- Whisk together the dry ingredients.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir to combine. Once you have a smooth batter, it's time to cook!
- Preheat a pan over medium-low heat. Use a little cooking spray to grease it. Spoon 1/4 cup of batter onto the pan and gently spread it out with the back of a spoon. Cook the pancakes until bubbles begin to form, about 1 minute, then flip and cook another 1 – 2 minutes. Repeat until all the batter has been used.
- Serve the pancakes immediately with your favorite toppings. You can also freeze these pancakes and reheat them in the toaster oven.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Hi! I don’t have quinoa flour on hand so could I just replace all the flour with all purpose GF flour? I will go buy quinoa flour eventually, I just don’t have it right now and would like to try this recipe 🙂
Thanks!
Oat flour is a better substitution for quinoa flour but if you want to substitute all of the flour with GF all-purpose flour that should work too. Start with less than 2 cups of flour and see if you need the full amount after stirring that in 🙂
I loved the possibility of using quinoa and oats in a pancake. And while the e pancakes looked good, they turned out too dense (probably because of the quinoa flour). Even with maple syrup added to the batter, we couldn’t get any hint of sweetness again probably because they were so dense. Did anyone else experienced this too? Are these supposed to be so dense.
Could we make this using only oat flour instead (and no quinoa flour)?
Thank you so much for sharing your creativity and love for pancakes! 😊
Thanks so much for bringing this to my attention. Yes! I definitely think you could try oat flour to make them a little lighter. Let me know how they turn out!!
Turned out fantastic. I halved all the ingredients; I used 1/2 ground oat flour, 1/2 quinoa, 1 egg, 1/2 soy milk, 1/4 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp vinegar, 1tsp maple syrup, and little bit of olive oil on pan.
After pouring batter on pan, I just put sliced bananas on top of it and flipped it when the pancake was bubbly. Turned out amazing!! the pancake wasn’t too heavy and the scent of quinoa flour was decent. Thank you for the recipe.
Thank you so much for sharing!! I love these pancakes 🙂
Hi, I’m wondering what kind of coconut yogurt do you usually use? Yours is always so creamy, nice and thick, but all the coconut yogurts I usually get at the market are runny, watery and thin! Thanks!
You have to make sure you’re getting a pure coconut yogurt (check the labels!). I like Coyo, Culina, Cocojoe, and The Coconut Collaborative 🙂
Hi, don’t understand how they can be gluten free using oat flour!!!
I use gluten-free oat flour 🙂
Hi love you pancakes found a difficulty founding quinoa flower can I use buckwheat instead or normal white one thanks in advance 😄
Buckwheat flour should work!
Hello
I recently started following you on YouTube cause I find that my tummy is getting increasingly sensitive to gluten.
I have a question about the flours you use for you pancake recipe. Can I use Madioc flour instead of quinoa flour?
Thank for sharing your knowledge 😊
Hi Anne! So glad you found us 🙂 I haven’t ever heard of that flour so I’m not sure! I’m sorry to not be more help.