Gluten-free Quinoa Pancakes Recipe Revealed: Variations Coming Soon!

 

I have been struggling to fine-tune these pancakes for several weeks now. I had never used quinoa flour before, and wanted to feature it in a new recipe creation. I also wanted to give people who read my blog a taste of how I mix flours together for general-purpose mixes.

These pancakes come out pretty thick and fluffy with a moist and tender yet resilient texture. The quinoa flour lived up to its reputation of having a slightly bitter flavor. I used Ancient Harvest brand. Does anyone have any tips for another brand to try? I thought the best way to work with this flavor was to use buttermilk instead of or in addition to milk. The sourness of buttermilk counteracts the bitterness of the quinoa.

Update: I've made these pancakes several times since I posted this recipe and they have never failed.  I serve them to people who normally eat wheat with good results.  I have my flour arranged in my cupboard now so it's easy to mix everything together.  I really need recipes to be easy in the morning!

Pre-heat griddle or cast-iron skillet. In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients:

1/2 Cup Quinoa Flour
2/3 Cup Brown Rice Flour
1/4 Cup White Rice Flour
2 Tbsp Sorghum Flour
1 Tbsp Tapioca Flour
1 Tbsp Potato flour
3 Tbsp Sugar
1/4 tsp Xanthan gum
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder

In a smaller bowl, combine:

2 Cups milk or buttermilk (or a combination of the two)
1 egg, whisked
3 Tbsp melted butter

Put the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until well-combined. Don't fret about over-stirring: this worry is reserved for gluten-bearing flours! Let the mix stand for a minute to thicken. Re-stir and pour the batter onto the griddle to make the size of pancake that you desire. Cook as you would normal pancakes: after a few minutes, the pancakes will form bubbles. Flip them and cook the other side. If the batter is too thick you will not see any bubbles come up and your pancakes will be raw inside even after browning both sides. Add one tablespoon of milk or water to the mix, stir, and try again. If the batter is too thin the pancakes will be too flat and the dough will be too moist inside when cooked. Add one tablespoon of rice flour, combine thoroughly, and try again.

Serve the pancakes with your favorite toppings.

I love my Lodge cast iron skillet, but what I wish I had was this reversible griddle.  It has a grill on one side and the other side is a flat griddle which would be perfect for making several pancakes at once.

The variations: The Best Gluten-free Pancakes You Will Ever Eat, and Buckwheat Pancakes.  If you like this recipe, you might also like my Easy Waffles Recipe - it's gluten-free and dairy-free.  If you have any suggestions or want to link to your own recipe, please leave it in the comments or links!