The Best Gluten-Free American Pancakes Ever

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Whip up a batch of easy gluten-free American pancakes in minutes. Requiring minimal ingredients with a dairy-free option, they cook up into super fluffy pancakes the whole family will love!

I love a fresh stack of gluten-free fluffy pancakes on a lazy Sunday morning. Pair that with a cup of coffee, a few eggs, sausage and bacon, and you've got yourself a real breakfast and brunch treat that's almost as good as fresh biscuits from my homemade biscuit mix!

stack of gluten-free American pancakes with butter and maple syrup on white plate with fork

You may be wondering, what makes American pancakes so special? The difference is the leavening. Believe it or not, most common pancakes don't actually use any leavening whatsoever; in fact, in Europe, pancakes more closely resemble crepes than pancakes as we know them here in the States.

This gluten-free American pancake recipe uses a combination of xanthan gum, baking powder, and baking soda as leavening agents. The result is an incredibly soft, thick, and fluffy pancake that will soak up maple syrup like a sponge.

This truly is my favorite pancake recipe.

Why Make This Recipe

  • By far, my favorite way to eat these pancakes is lathered with maple syrup and paired with a piping hot cup of coffee, a few eggs, and some sausage and bacon. This is the ultimate weekend brunch.
  • This recipe for American style pancakes makes a batch of incredibly soft, thick and fluffy pancakes that will leave everybody craving more.
  • Gluten-free pancakes are a great candidate for easy freezing. To thaw, pull them right out of the deep freeze and throw them in the toaster. It's too easy! These pancakes make for a quick and easy breakfast for those busy weekday mornings before sending the kids off to school!
gluten-free American pancake recipe ingredients in small bowls on white marble countertop

Ingredient and Substitution Notes

  • Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour – I almost always use Authentic Foods Classical Blend gluten-free flour. Time and time again, this flour blend has given me the best results and gluten-free baked goods that taste no different than the original. Of course, if gluten is not a concern, you can substitute regular all-purpose flour with no trouble at all.
  • Xanthan Gum – I add xanthan gum to my flour to help give the pancakes a leavening agent. Some flours already contain xanthan gum, so be sure to check the ingredients before adding more. Too much xanthan gum and/or baking powder can give the pancakes a soapy flavor.
  • Eggs – Any egg will work, but I always recommend finding a good source for pasture-raised eggs, as they are often far more nutritious. For more information on the health benefits of pasture-raised eggs, check out this article, “Benefits of Pasture-Raised Eggs,” over at Sonrise Farms. If you wish to make this recipe vegan, simply substitute 1/4 cup of unsweetened applesauce for every egg in the recipe. It really works!
  • Milk – For this recipe, it's best to use whole milk, or almond milk if you want to make them dairy-free. I actually prefer to use A2 whole milk for its better digestive properties, if it can be found. That said, if dairy is a concern, I would highly recommend using almond milk over any other dairy-free milk. You won't even notice a difference.
  • Canola Oil – For this gluten-free pancake recipe, I recommend using canola oil. That said, if that's not available for whatever reason, you can also substitute 1:1 using vegetable oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, or even unsweetened applesauce. Heck, if dairy isn't a concern, you can just use melted unsalted butter instead!

How to Make Gluten-Free American-Style Pancakes

To make the recipe, just follow these steps…

  1. Whisk together the flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar in a large bowl.
  2. Make a well in the center of the mixture.
  3. Add the egg, milk, and canola oil to the well.
  4. Stir everything together just until moistened. Then set your griddle on low to medium heat, and lightly spray it with cooking spray.
how to make gluten-free American style pancakes by mixing ingredients together, in large mint green mixing bowl with whisk

Here's a handy tip on achieving a beautifully fluffy pancake: After mixing, always allow your pancake batter to rest for around 10 minutes; this allows the mixture to absorb all of the moisture and subsequently thicken slightly, and it ensures that everything is mixed together properly and that there are no inconsistencies within the batter. And always maintain a hot griddle; it should sizzle vocally at even the slightest hint of batter drippings– but don't run it too hot. A good way to test if the griddle is hot enough is by flicking a few drops of water onto the hot pan. If it sizzles, you're good to go.

  1. Spoon the pancake batter onto the hot griddle, adding enough to make your preferred size pancake.
  2. Cook the pancakes 'til the bottom edges have turned slightly crispy and golden brown in color.
  3. Flip the pancakes and cook the other side. Cook well, until each pancake is a nice golden brown and cooked through.
spooning pancake batter onto hot griddle, then cooking both sides of gluten-free pancakes 'til golden brown

Serve with warm maple syrup, apple butter, or powdered sugar.

hand pouring maple syrup on stack of gluten-free fluffy pancakes with butter, on white plate with fork

Expert Tips and Recipe FAQ's

How do you keep pancakes warm while cooking?

You can keep them warm by placing them on a baking sheet in a 200º F oven until you're ready to serve. This will keep the pancakes warm without accidentally cooking them any more.

Can I make these pancakes dairy-free?

If dairy is a concern, I would highly recommend using almond milk over any other dairy free milk. You won't even notice a difference!

Can I make these pancakes vegan?

This may sound totally crazy, but you can make this gluten-free pancake recipe vegan by substituting 1/4 cup of unsweetened applesauce for every egg in the recipe. It really works! You'll also want to cut out the dairy, as I explained above.

How should I store gluten-free pancakes?

Unfortunately, gluten-free pancakes don't store very well unless you freeze them, which I will explain more on later. If they're kept in an airtight container or plastic bag in the refrigerator, you might be able to get a few days out of them. If you want the best and fluffiest pancakes every time, it might be better to just make this homemade pancake mix recipe ahead of time instead.

Can you freeze this recipe?

Yes, you can freeze gluten-free American pancakes. To prevent them from sticking to each other, it's best to store them in an airtight container with layers of parchment paper in between the layers of pancakes. Stored like this, they should last up to 3 months in the deep freeze. To reheat, simply place your pancakes in the toaster until thawed.

What Toppings Can I Add?

  • This is sort of a no-brainer, but American pancakes ‘most always require a healthy douse of pure maple syrup!
  • My youngest son practically drowns his pancakes with fresh fruits and berries. Sometimes we add blueberries, sliced strawberries, raspberries, sliced bananas, etc. Actually, I love adding fresh blueberries to the batter before cooking, to make blueberry buttermilk pancakes.
  • Instead of maple syrup, try lathering the pancakes with your favorite fruit jams or preserves. A few that come to mind might include strawberry jam, blueberry syrup, peach preserves, etc.
  • Squirt a little whipped cream on top of that stack of pancakes!
  • For an especially sweet breakfast treat, throw a few chocolate chips in the batter before spooning the pancakes onto the griddle. Combine this with chopped walnuts and/or pecans….Yum! You'll thank me later.
  • While as this isn't really a topping, it's my personal belief that you can't have a proper pancake breakfast without a side of sausage, eggs, and bacon.
sliced stack of gluten-free American pancakes with maple syrup on white plate with fork

More Gluten-Free Breakfast Recipes

If you try this recipe, why not leave a star rating in the recipe card right below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page? I always appreciate your feedback. You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. And subscribe to my email list too!

stack of gluten-free American pancakes with butter and maple syrup on white plate with fork

Gluten-Free American Pancakes

Whip up a batch of easy gluten-free American pancakes in minutes. Dairy-free option, minimal ingredients, and super fluffy pancakes!
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Breakfast, Breakfast and Brunch
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 182kcal
Author: Mel Lockcuff

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar.
  • Make a well in the center of the mixture.
  • Add the egg, milk, and canola oil to the well.
  • Stir everything together just until moistened.
  • Set your griddle on low to medium heat, and lightly spray it with cooking spray.
  • Spoon the pancake batter onto the hot griddle, adding enough to make your preferred size pancake.
  • Cook the pancakes 'til the bottom edges have turned slightly crispy and golden brown in color.
  • Flip the pancakes and cook the other side. Cook well, until each pancake is a nice golden brown and cooked through.
  • Serve with warm maple syrup, apple butter, or powdered sugar.

Notes

*I almost always use Authentic Foods Classical Blend gluten-free flour. Time and time again, this flour blend has given me the best results and gluten-free baked goods that taste no different than the original. Do keep in mind that different gluten-free flours can give different results. Also, some gluten-free flours already contain xanthan gum, so be sure to check the ingredients in your flour before adding more. Too much xanthan gum or baking powder can give off a soapy flavor.
*If dairy is a concern, I would highly recommend using almond milk over any other dairy-free milk. You'll hardly notice a difference. If not a concern, whole milk works just fine.
*You can make this gluten-free pancake recipe vegan by substituting 1/4 cup of unsweetened applesauce for the egg in the recipe. If you use this option, don't forget to cut out the dairy, as I explained above.
*Here's a handy tip on achieving a beautifully fluffy pancake: After mixing, always allow your pancake batter to rest for around 10 minutes; this allows the mixture to absorb all of the moisture and subsequently thicken slightly, and it ensures that everything is mixed together properly and that there are no inconsistencies within the batter. And always maintain a hot griddle; it should sizzle vocally at even the slightest hint of batter drippings– but don't run it too hot. A good way to test if the griddle is hot enough is by flicking a few drops of water onto the hot pan. If it sizzles, you're good to go. 
How should I store gluten free pancakes?
Unfortunately, gluten-free pancakes don't store very well. If they're kept in an airtight container or plastic bag in the refrigerator, you might be able to get a few days out of them, but I highly recommend just making a larger batch to freeze. 
Can you freeze this recipe?
Yes, you can freeze gluten-free American pancakes. To prevent them from sticking to each other, it's best to store them in an airtight container with layers of parchment paper in between the layers of pancakes. Stored like this, they should last up to 3 months in the deep freeze. To reheat, simply place your pancakes in the toaster until thawed.

Nutrition

Calories: 182kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 505mg | Potassium: 58mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 94IU | Calcium: 137mg | Iron: 1mg
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