Simple 100% Whole-Grain Gluten Free Pancakes Recipe

I have played with many kinds of whole-grain gluten free flours over the years. Well, some are not technically called grains. By definition, grains contain 3 parts. The germ, where the baby seed is. The endosperm holds food for the developing seed. And the bran, a protective covering.

All grains are seeds, but not all seeds are grains. Some nutritious gluten free seeds are treated like grains in baking and cooking. Buckwheat and quinoa are examples. For our purposes here, I lump all these flours into the whole-grain category.

When I meet a new flour, I start by making pancakes. Just the one flour in a basic recipe so I can see how it behaves, note the taste and texture. Pancakes are popular, quick, easy, and not a huge investment of time, effort, or ingredients. It is a good place to start.

This recipe is adapted from Best Buckwheat Pancakes on Allrecipes.com. The gluten is gone and a bunch of fat. It is xanthan and other gum free. It works with or without dairy.

I am not a fan of commercial dairy substitutes. They are often thin, tasteless, or taste awful, and are expensive. I use fruit juice instead. Apple, apricot juice, or pineapple work well. The natural sugars in the juice may make the pancake brown quicker. Just watch them and turn down the griddle if it burns too fast.

We serve our pancakes with loads of fruit sauce. Most often pureed raspberries from our garden because we have so many. I like to add walnuts and whipped cream to make these a filling meal for breakfast, lunch or dinner. A hit of dark chocolate chips doesn’t hurt either. You won’t be hungry in an hour.

Blueberries and real maple syrup are lovely too. Or cooked sliced apples and brown sugar. Cranberries and pears during the holidays are nice.