The Best Gluten-Free Pancakes

This is my go-to recipe for the best gluten-free pancakes. They come out light and fluffy—with hardly any work required. It’s a simple one bowl recipe. Stir the batter together, let it rest for a few minutes, and then cook them on a hot griddle. That’s it! 

Looking for a gluten-free and grain-free pancake recipe? Try these fluffy almond flour pancakes or these cute coconut flour pancakes.

Ingredients Explained

Here’s what you need to make a batch of these pancakes.

• Gluten-Free Flour. Gluten-free flour blends vary from brand to brand. This recipe was developed with Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Flour blend. Using a different blend might change the results. 
• Sugar. A little granulated sugar adds a touch of sweetness and helps with browning. 
• Egg. One egg does a lot! It adds structure, flavor, and helps with the rise. 
• Milk. Use your favorite milk. Both traditional and dairy-free milk work. 
• Oil. Oil works great and it’s what I usually use.  If you prefer a buttery flavor, use melted butter. Just remember to let it cool a little before adding it to the batter.
• Vanilla Extract. The vanilla adds a nice flavor. Almond or lemon extract can be used too. 
• Baking Powder. Makes the pancakes nice and fluffy.
• Salt. Use table salt. It blends easily into the batter. 

Variations

If you love blueberry or chocolate chip pancakes, you can use this recipe to make them! For an extra pop of flavor, make a batch of blueberry-chocolate chip pancakes. The two flavors go great together. 

• Blueberry Pancakes: Stir ½ cup of fresh or thawed blueberries into the batter.
• Chocolate Chip Pancakes: Replace the granulated sugar with light brown sugar and sprinkle a few chocolate chips onto the batter immediately after you spoon the batter onto the griddle. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream.

How to Make Gluten-Free Pancakes

This recipe is so easy you can make a batch while still half asleep. Grab a bowl, whisk everything together, and cook. That’s it! No whipping egg whites. Just light and fluffy pancakes that gluten-free eaters will gobble up.

Step One: Make the Batter.

First whisk the dry ingredients together. This evenly distributes the sugar, baking powder, and salt within the gluten-free flour, ensuring that each pancake rises and browns uniformly.

Then add the wet ingredients. Mix until the batter is smooth. You might see a lump here and there. That’s fine. 

Run a spatula along the bottom and sides of the bowl. If you see any dry flour, stir it gently into the batter.

Step Two: Let the Batter Rest.

After you mix it, let the batter rest (sit on the counter) for between 5 and 15 minutes. This helps the gluten-free flours and starches fully absorb the liquid. 

Since it thickens a little during the rest, give the batter a stir right before cooking. If it’s too thick to drop from a spoon, stir in a tablespoon or so of milk.

Step Three: Cook on a Hot Griddle.

The key to great gluten-free pancakes is to cook them on a hot greased griddle. Oil your pan with a light brush of oil or a spray of nonstick cooking spray. 

When your pan is hot－but not smoking－spoon about a ¼ cup of batter onto it. 

Cook the pancakes for about two minutes. When you see a few bubbles on the surface of the pancake, it’s time to flip them. Then cook for another minute or so.

How to Flip a Pancake

There’s a bit of an art to flipping a pancake. Here’s how to do it.

• Heat and grease the griddle. If you cook pancakes on a cold pan, they won’t brown or rise nicely. And if your pan isn’t nicely greased, they’ll stick. Nonstick and cast iron griddles are perfect for gluten-free pancakes! If you’re using an electric griddle, heat it to 350℉. 
• Leave space. First, remember that it’s hard to flip a pancake on a crowded griddle! Leave about an inch between each pancake. 
• Wait for bubbles. Look for the batter to lose a little of its shine and for bubbles to appear on the surface.
• Use a the right spatula. The best spatula for flipping a pancake is a large one with a thin edge. If the spatula is too small, it’s hard to get under the pancake to flip it.
• Take a peek! I like to gently slide the spatula under the pancake and carefully lift the edge. I give it a quick peek to see if it’s brown. If it’s still pale, I let it cook for another minute or so.

• Flip gently. Lift the pancake a little. There’s no need to lift it very high off the pan. Then, using your wrist, quickly flip the pancake. Think of it more like a turn, than a flip.
• Cook until brown. After you flip, the pancake only needs a minute or so more to cool. You can gently tap the top to make sure it’s set and not soft.

Keeping Pancakes Warm

Place a parchment-lined baking sheet into the oven before you mix the pancake batter. Heat your oven to 225°F. As you make the pancakes, transfer them to the warm baking sheet. Pancakes keep for about 30 minutes in a warm oven. After that, they start to dry out.

Storing and Reheating Leftovers

If you’ve got leftover pancakes, lucky you! They’re great for a quick gluten-free breakfast. 

Store the leftover pancakes covered at room temperature for a day. They tend to dry out. So I recommend freezing leftovers. 

Freezing

Place cooled pancakes into a freezer bag or container. If you’re going to stack them, put a piece or waxed or parchment paper between them.

They keep for about two months in the freezer. 

Reheating

When you’re ready to eat, you’ve got options! 

• Microwave. Place frozen pancakes in a single layer on a microwave-safe plate. Heat on medium-high for one minute. Flip the pancakes and heat for another 30 seconds or until warm. The reheating time will vary depending on your microwave.
• Air Fryer. Place the frozen pancakes in a single layer on the tray of your air fryer. 
• Oven. If you need to reheat a lot of pancakes, the oven is the best method. Heat the oven to 325℉. Place the frozen pancakes on a baking sheet. Heat until warm, this usually takes about 10 minutes. 

Note: This recipe was originally published in 2017. It has been updated to use a gluten-free flour blend. Here is the link to the original gluten-free pancake recipe.