Pancakes have always been one of my favorite foods. There’s something about a fluffy stack of pancakes covered in butter and syrup that makes getting up just a little bit easier.
And though my preferences for pancakes have evolved over the years to include much healthier versions, I can always go back to enjoy a classic stack with no mix-ins or crazy flavors.
Though John and I are not required to eat gluten-free, a number of our friends are, which has not only caused us to be more considerate of their needs but also more aware of how gluten sneaks its way into so many of the foods we enjoy – including pancakes.
I was inspired to create a gluten-free pancake mix not only for gluten-free eaters, but also for those who hope to experiment with gluten-free eating or are just looking for a more wholesome, homemade everyday pancake mix.
Though I’m not a gluten-free cooking expert (yet), I do know one thing about baking gluten-free: mixing/blending flours is a must. It provides diversity and complexity, which (hopefully) provides the final product with a density and texture that is similar to that of gluten-containing goods.
For this reason I went with a wholesome mix of brown and white rice flours, buckwheat flour, GF oat flour, cornmeal, and a pinch of xanthan gum for binding. The rest is pretty basic stuff: sugar, salt, baking soda, and baking powder.
You guys, the result was amazing and exactly the GF mix I was hoping for.
Just add roughly:
1 1/2 cups milk or buttermilk
1 egg
1 Tbsp melted butter or oil
And voila! You have some seriously fluffy, delicious (and hearty) pancakes on your hands.
What do they taste like? Fluffy, not too sweet and perfect under a drizzle of melted butter and honey or syrup.
John and I both agreed that you wouldn’t be able to guess they were gluten-free if you didn’t know otherwise. That counts as a massive success in my book. Make this for yourself for quick, weekday breakfasts, or as a Christmas gift for gluten-free eaters in your life. They’ll love you forever – promise.
This recipe is also customizable! Add any spices you prefer to the mix, such as cinnamon, cardamom, or nutmeg. And if you can’t get your hands on any of the flours I list, play around with the other GF flours to compensate. It should be fairly forgiving. As well, boost their flavor by adding mashed banana, blueberries, peanut butter or chocolate chips to the batter before cooking. And lastly, don’t forget the butter and syrup (or honey, as I prefer). Enjoy!
NOTE: Recipe updated January 8, 2016 to include: Added note about raw buckwheat flour, not toasted buckwheat flour. I buy raw buckwheat groats from the store and grind them into flour!
Gluten Free Pancake Mix
Ingredients
PANCAKE MIX*
- 1 cup brown rice flour
- 3/4 cup white rice flour
- 1 cup GF oat flour
- 1 cup raw (LIGHT) buckwheat flour (ground from raw buckwheat groats, NOT toasted buckwheat that's darker in color)
- 1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
- 3/4 tsp xanthan gum
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 Tbsp baking soda
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar*
FOR PANCAKES*
- 1 cup Gluten-Free Pancake Mix
- 1 large egg
- 1 Tbsp butter, melted
- 1 – 1 1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk* (or non-dairy milk)
Instructions
- Add all dry ingredients to a bowl and whisk until well combined. You could also sift the mixture if you have one on hand, but do so several times to ensure it’s thoroughly mixed.
- To make pancakes (according to the amounts as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size), whisk 1 large egg, 1 cup of buttermilk or milk, and 1 Tbsp melted butter or coconut oil. Then add in 1 cup of mix. If your batter appears too thick (it should stream out of a measuring cup, not glop), add more buttermilk.
- Let batter rest for 5-10 minutes and preheat griddle to medium heat. Lightly grease surface and add 1/4 cup measurements of the batter. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until bubbles form on top and the edges appear dry, checking around the 2 minute mark to ensure they aren’t too brown. Adjust heat as needed.
- Cook for 1-3 minutes more or until the other side is brown and the pancake feels firm when lightly pressed with a spatula. One batch should yield about 10 pancakes.
- Serve with butter and honey or syrup. Store leftovers in the freezer. To reheat, simply thaw for 30 seconds in the microwave and then toast in a toaster until warmed through.
Notes
*If you’d rather not use granulated sugar, you can alternatively grind raw sugar to a fine consistency.
*I tried making these vegan, subbing a flax egg for the chicken egg, and almond milk + lemon for the buttermilk. The pancakes did cook up but they were a tad more grainy than the egg version. I much preferred the version with an egg, but it is possible to make them vegan.
*Sub non-dairy milk for buttermilk if preferred. Start with 1 cup in the batter and if it appears too thick, add up to another 1/2 cup.
*Recipe makes ~4 1/4 cups pancake mix
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate for 1 pancake of a 10-pancake batch made with 1 cup gluten-free pancake mix, 1 egg, 1 Tbsp butter, and 1 cup buttermilk.
Gail says
This was my first time using GF flours, so was a little apprehensive! I loved your recipe, flavorful and light! I am using it in place of my usual recipe, even though I don’t need to eat GF. I do have a question about how long the mix keeps-is it really only 3 to 4 days? I would not be able to use it all up in that time frame, and you say not to freeze it. Since it is a mix, I would want to have it on hand to use over a longer time. Can you advise how to keep it longer? Thanks, Gail
We’re so glad you love these pancakes, Gail. Thank you for sharing! The dry mix will last for several months stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator (for best freshness). It’s just the cooked pancakes that will only last 3-4 days.
Sheila Balfour says
It’s Canadian Thanksgiving and I made these pancakes today! Made the gluten free flour blend too. These are the best gluten free pancakes hands down. You cannot tell they’re gluten free at all. I made no substitutions as I had everything on hand. I’ve also made your pumpkin pancakes and they too are delicious.
Thank you for your efforts and generosity in sharing. Love all MB recipes!
Aw, thank you SO much for your kind words and lovely review, Sheila! We’re so glad you enjoy our recipes! Hope you had a lovely Thanksgiving :)
Susan Saruk says
I have given up on trying to find a gluten-free flour recipe for myself that does not promote Xanthum Gum. Research has proven that it is not good for us at all regardless of what industry is promoting.
Trying to find these different flours at a reasonable price in a rural area is close to impossible. What are we supposed to do now?
Hi Susan, we have a version without xanthan gum here. Hope that helps!
CAL says
I have been making oancake and waffle mix without xanthan gum. They turn out light and fluffy and not slimy or too wet . You don’t need to add xanthan gum to a lot of recipes.
Scott says
Been struggling with Bobs Red Mills 1:1 and pancake mix using egg replacer and almond milk. Was coming out very gummy. I tried this GL flour blend and also got gummy pancakes, but way better flavor. To fix, I removed the egg replacer completely and kept to one cup of almond milk. This creates a rather thick batter which thickens up more after letting it sit for 5 mins. I can then spoon it out and shape it in the pan to the desired thickness and presto, this makes a perfect light and fluffy pancake, very little different than regular wheat flour, milk and eggs version.
Sorry for all the mods, but this recipe has changed the game for me. My son has developed food sensitivities and had to eliminate many items. He can now enjoy breakfast again and doesnt even know the difference. Great site, looking forward to finding for gems. Cheers.
We’re so glad it worked out well, Scott! Thank you for sharing your experience!
Jen says
What a great mix! I make waffles with this with all sorts of add ins, and the mix is incredibly forgiving. For waffles I do 1/2 cup mix, 1 egg, 1/2 cup butter milk, 1/2 cup Greek yogurt (extra protein for my little ones), 1T melted butter, roughly 1/3c mix in (I’ve done pumpkin, grated carrots, thawed berries). It always turns out! I add more or less milk based on the consistency. This is exactly what I was looking for instead of the starchy white flour mixes available on the market. Really what a versatile recipe. Thank you!
Amazing! Sounds SO delish. Thanks so much for the great review and for sharing your modifications, Jen! So glad you enjoy this recipe!
Kati says
I used a combination of rice and oat flour, and when I cooked them up I used aquafaba instead of the egg. They were some of the best vegan, gluten-free pancakes I’ve made! Fluffy and not chewy like some that I have made. Thanks for this recipe!
We are so glad you enjoyed them, Kati! Thank you so much for the lovely review! xo
Laurel says
i am wanting to try this mix for an upcoming camping trip and am wondering if you think this flour combo might work as a slight modification from the recipe? cheers!
1 cup brown rice flour
1 cup white rice flour
1 cup GF oat flour
1/2 cup millet flour
1/2 cup almond meal
Hi Laurel, in our experience, millet flour is quite bitter. We’d suggest using sorghum flour as another option in its place. Let us know if you try it!
Laurel says
thanks! i use millet flour on the regular for muffins and pancakes, i might still give it a try and will definitely let you know how it goes!
Heather says
So delighted with this find! I did not find my first batch super fluffy so I may mix and let it rest but we love them anyway!
Yay! Thank you for sharing, Heather! xo
Kate says
This is HANDS DOWN the best gluten-free pancake mix – I have tried a lot! This is a staple in our house. Thank you for such a great recipe!
A nice variation is to add an extra 1/4 cup cornmeal into a batch of the pancakes (sometimes I do just the cornmeal, sometimes I also add a cup of blueberries). You need the full milk amount with this version. So tasty!
Yum! Thanks for the lovely review and sharing your variation, Kate! xo
Janet says
This is my go-to mix. I leave out the sugar. This morning I used it for waffles by adding another egg and doubling the melted coconut oil instead of butter. Delicious with goat yoghurt and blueberries, I even forgot the maple syrup until the last few bites!
Janet says
I also used the darker buckwheat without a problem. That’s what I’m used to and I enjoy the nuttier flavor.
We’re so glad you enjoy it! Thanks so much for sharing, Janet! xo
Reagan says
pancakes are a saturday ritual in my house, and this recipe literally makes the perfect ones. i will u
use whatever plant milk i have on hand that week, usually almond. i have also substituted the eggs with flax eggs or egg replacer on occasion and it still works great! it also accepts lots of banana pretty well, so if you’re into that… they are usually a bit thicker cakes, but you can get thinner ones if you spread it out more.
my brother is the only non-gf + super picky eater in our house and he loves them.
We’re so glad you enjoy this recipe, Reagan! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Dottie Ricketson says
THIS IS THE BEST GLUTEN FREE PANCAKE MIX EVER! After spending way too much $$$ for years buying Pamelas GF Pancake mix I tried this recipe and I’ll never look back! I make a batch, put it in a mason jar in the fridge and use for weeks till it’s gone for both pancakes and waffles! For waffles I add extra ghee and a little sugar to the mix and they’re awesome! The mixture of buckwheat and cornmeal give you pancakes and waffles just the slightest crunch – SO DELICIOUS and much less expensive than buying a mix! Give this a try-you’ll be glad you did!
Amazing! Thanks for sharing Dottie!!
Phillipa Finlayson says
Hi is there an alternative to the corn? I’m allergic to gluten and corn :0(
Hi Phillipa, we’d recommend using a bit more of the other flours to make up for the cornmeal. Hope that helps!
Tyler says
Would you mind also adding a note to use specifically light buckwheat flour? The light kind does not include the seed hull, which makes the flour more lightweight and less gritty than the dark kind.
I bought the darker flour thinking it’s raw and not toasted like the recipe says, and maybe the gray color won’t be noticeable. However, it made a difference when following your cookie recipe that uses this pancake mix. I feel dumb for not knowing the difference and hope other people won’t make the same mistake.
Will add that note!
R. fortin says
Hello! I have just now discovered your site and I think it will be very helpful to me, but I can see that you often use tapioca AND potato starch in the flour blends. I cannot have potato starch or xanthan or guar gum, so I am wondering if your recipes will work for me. Any suggestions ? Thank you!
Hi, so tapioca and potato are important for getting a light and fluffy texture. But arrowroot might work in some recipes if you can have that? We’d suggest doing a search in the comments of specific recipes to see what others have tried. Hope that helps!
Allie says
I can’t for the life of me get these not to stick to the pan. I make gf pancakes all the time and never this issue. I substituted flaxegg and used corn flour instead of meal… everything this same. Any ideas how I could fix? Tried adding more flour, tried oil and butter, tried flipping earlier ..
Hi Allie! So sorry to hear this recipe has been giving you issues. We actually have a more recent gluten-free pancake mix that you might like to try, otherwise we’d suggest letting the pancake cook in the pan for as long as possible before flipping, at least ~3 minutes per side. Hope this helps!
Melody says
Thank you for this best ever GF pancake mix! I used store bought Buckwheat flour though because that’s what I have on hand. I was low on white rice flour so added more brown rice flour instead. I made the dairy free pancakes and just can’t believe how fluffy they are! No one in my family even noticed they were gluten free. I also used this mix to make Japanese Taiyaki, worked beautifully too!
Whoop! Thanks so much for sharing, Melody!
Carla Rhyant says
Recipe turned out great. I was skeptic all on the cornmeal but really pleased with the resulting texture. Would definitely make it again.
Dee says
I made this and substituted the buckwheat for sorghum flour. Since we didn’t have any oat flour, I increased both the brown rice and sorghum by a half a cup. The pancakes came out fluffy and not to sweet – it’s a family hit – this is awesome since my daughter’s super picky. Thank you!
Yay! We’re so glad your family enjoyed it! Thanks so much for the lovely review! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Suze says
Thank you – these are definitely the best GF pancakes I have made so far with the kids giving them 5/5! Can I ask how long you would keep the dry pancake mix? Would you suggest keeping it in the pantry or freezer?
Thanks again for a wonderful recipe, I shall be checking out your other GF recipes for sure!
We’re so glad they enjoy them! The dry mix would be best stored in the fridge. It should keep several months.
Pamela says
I LOVE this recipe. I’ve been using it and playing with it for years. I’ve also given it as a gift several times and it always gets rave reviews. Recently I’ve been playing with subbing in some ground pepitas for some of the flour and adding extra coconut. I’m living this. I always double it, which fits perfectly in a half gallon jar. Oh, also, I’ve been using it to make scones lately too with good success. Thank you for this one!!
So great! Thanks for sharing, Pamela!
Lisa says
I use the gluten-free flour mix for a lot of things, and it works well. But when I mix it with the rest of the ingredients to make these pancakes, these pancakes do not look anything at all like in the picture. They look more Brown and like buckwheat pancakes which isn’t very appetizing, and they don’t smell really like pancakes either. I used everything fresh and I’m not sure that I will be making these again unless you can recommend something.
Hmm, are you using buckwheat flour that you grind from buckwheat groats? Or bagged buckwheat flour? We find the type that comes in the bag is darker because it is toasted.
Sarah says
OMG! Definitely THE pancake recipe for me, it’s going on the refrigerator! Thank you so much for sharing this! I learned I was allergic to wheat, a little over a year ago, and it has been SO hard to find decent recipes worth doing over and over again. I mixed up all kinds of flours to your ratio of dry vs. other ingredients (white rice, coconut, almond and even some flaxseed and hemp powders) and it still came out fluffy and perfect. Thanks again!
We’re so glad you enjoy this recipe, Sarah! Thanks for sharing!
Gaby says
Awesome recipe. They came out light and fluffy and so very tasty.
I used an ice-cream scoop and 150 g of flour mix with 1 egg yielded 10 pancakes.
Also, used ghee instead of butter, and only 20 g, and used almond milk (1 cup).
I just need to figure out how to replace the sugar….
Thanks for sharing!
Nancy says
Delicious ! I put in coconut sugar and used half the amount for what it called for. I did not put in cornmeal. I instead used rice flour and white rice flour in place of the corn meal
Super fluffy !
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Nancy. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Nancy says
I meant to rate this recipe ! Just amazing ! I was so surprised they were fluffy and light and delicious ❤️
Oh yes forgot to mention that we ended up putting raw milk instead of buttermilk or almond milk. ?
Thanks for sharing, Nancy!
Karin says
YEP!
FA-BU-LOUS!!
I didn’t have white rice flour so I used 1/2 cup tapioca starch as a substitute.
Thank you so much!!
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Karin. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Laura says
I would love to use this flour blend to make your cookie recipe but can I not add in the sugar? Can’t have to much sugar, and cookie recipe calls sugar also. Please advise me.
Thank you, laura
Hi Laura, we haven’t tried that, but it might work. If the dough appears too wet, you may need to add more of the mix to compensate for the lack of sugar. Let us know if you give it a try!
Kaloyana says
Although I strictly followed the recipe, my pancakes never cooked right, they stayed raw inside, no matter how low was the teperature and how long I fried them . What am I doing wrong?
Hi Kaloyana, was your baking powder fresh and did you use a full 1 Tbsp? That should help them rise and cook in the middle. Otherwise, is it possible that the low temp on your stove isn’t very low?
Kaloyana says
I am sure I don’t do it right, because the same happened with the pizza dough, but yes, the temp was low, they were cooking for liek 30 min each, and it was still moist in the middle. The baking powder is ok, it works with normal dough with gluten. Will see what else can I try with this mixture. Love this blog.
Hmm, maybe try using less liquid or more baking mix next time?
regi says
This is seriously amazing!
I am wondering – could a person use buttermilk powder in the mix so she could just add water later on? ( I rarely have buttermilk on-hand) I know I could do the vinegar + milk thing, but, you seem to be a genious, so, thought I would ask??
Thanks! love your site!!
That should work! We haven’t tried it, but let us know how it goes!
Danabee says
These are the bomb! So much better than GF recipes calling for all those different (nutritionless) starches. These are thick and fluffy and kind of nutty (thank you, buckwheat). I subbed almond meal for the white rice flour. I use about 25% more mix than directed when making the pancakes and they are very thick and fluffy. I also stirred in a handful of fresh raspberries and mashed them a little then added cinnamon. This is our new favorite GF pancake mix. Thank you!
Amy says
I’ve made this recipe twice now, and they’re delicious, especially when I add a few blueberries on top while they cook! One question though, would this recipe also work in a waffle maker? We usually make your vegan/gluten free waffle recipe, but since we have a fair bit of this mix leftover (stored in the freezer), my hubby wondered if it would be equally as successful in our waffle maker…your thoughts, Dana? :)
We haven’t tried that, but if you want to make it into waffles, we would recommend increasing the amount of butter! Hope that helps!