A variation on the texture of classic gluten free pancakes, these gluten free buttermilk pancakes have the classic diner-style flavor and extra height for a true tall stack!
Why this recipe works
This recipe uses the same dry mix as our classic pancakes recipe, but has a few key differences that make taller, fluffier pancakes with a more robust flavor.
Instead of milk, we use 1 cup of real buttermilk which has tang and less water than milk, add melted butter for extra flavor, and use twice as many eggs, for more structure to hold that taller rise.
Recipe ingredients
The dry mix in these pancakes is identical to our classic pancakes, with one optional addition. The differences in the wet ingredients require special attention:
- Gluten free flour: Provides most of the structure for the pancakes. A blend with a small amount of xanthan gum, or one without any to which you add some, works best. Try our 3-ingredient gum-free gluten free blend, or use Nicole’s Best, which doesn’t contain any gums. Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 gluten free contains much less gum than most brands, works reasonably well. Better Batter’s classic blend contains too much xanthan gum, making the batter difficult to pour and the pancakes gummy.
- Xanthan gum: Helps the pancakes rise taller and hold their shape as they cool. You can still make the pancakes without it, but you’ll need to reduce the buttermilk by 2 tablespoons to 7 fluid ounces.
- Baking soda and baking powder: Add rise, and help the pancakes brown during cooking.
- Salt: Balances sweetness and brightens other flavors.
- Sugar: Adds sweetness and helps the pancakes caramelize and brown during cooking.
- Vanilla powder: Adds deep vanilla flavor without any additional liquid. I used Beyond Good brand, purchased on Amazon, but it’s expensive and if you don’t love vanilla, it’s not worth it. You can omit it entirely, or replace it with 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract.
- Buttermilk: Adds richness, tangy flavor, and height to the pancakes. If you don’t have any, you can easily replace it with an equal amount of plain lowfat kefir, or whisk together half milk + half sour cream or plain Greek yogurt by volume.
- Butter: Adds richness, tenderness, and flavor. Also helps to thin the batter enough to make it pourable, since it’s melted.
- Eggs: Help the pancakes rise tall, and hold their structure as they cool. Also bind the pancakes together.
How to make gluten free buttermilk pancakes (step by step photos)
Prepare dry ingredients
Whisk together the flour blend, xanthan gum, baking soda and powder, salt, sugar, and vanilla powder (if using) in a large bowl. This will be your mixing bowl. Whisk everything together well to ensure there aren’t any clumps, which could lead to unevenly risen pancakes.
Prepare wet ingredients
Whisk together the buttermilk, melted butter and eggs vigorously until very smooth. Make sure your buttermilk and eggs are at room temperature to ensure they combine evenly and smoothly. Avoid using even very soft butter that isn’t quite melted or the batter will be too thick to pour evenly.
Heat the skillet or pan
Before you finish making the pancake batter, heat an electric skillet to 350°F or a nonstick pan over medium heat so it’s ready to cook pancakes when the batter is. Once the surface is warm, grease it lightly so your pancakes don’t stick and brown well.
Combine wet and dry ingredients
Pour the whisked wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and whisk until fully combined and smooth. The batter should be pale yellow and a whisk should leave a visible trail, but the mixture should be smooth and soft, not stiff. It will be thicker than it is with the classic pancakes.
Portion batter
Using a ladle or measuring cup, pour about 1/4 cup of batter straight down onto the hot, greased griddle. Use the bottom of the ladle or cup to spread the batter into a 4-inch round. You can also skip spread out the batter for fewer, extra-tall pancakes. They will just take a bit longer to cook on the first side.
Cook on first side
Let the pancakes cook undisturbed for about 3 minutes. They’re ready when about 2 inches on the outer perimeter of the pancakes don’t appear wet, meaning that they’re set. This will avoid pancakes with “feet.” Bubbles should have broken through the surface all over, indicating that the pancakes are cooking all the way through.
Finish cooking the pancakes
Use a wide, flat spatula to flip the pancakes over and continue to cook until lightly golden brown on the second side. Press down on each pancake gently with the spatula after flipping to ensure that all parts of the second side touch the hot griddle. This will help the second side brown fully.
Ingredient substitutions
Dairy free
In place of butter, use block-style vegan butter like Melt or Miyoko’s brand. You should even be able to use Earth Balance buttery sticks, which I usually avoid in baking because they have too much moisture. Here, it shouldn’t matter as much, but omit the salt since they contain so much.
In place of buttermilk, try half unsweetened nondairy milk with a similar consistency to cow’s milk (I like coconut milk in the carton) and half dairy free sour cream or Greek-style plain yogurt by volume.
Egg free
The eggs do a lot of work in these pancakes, and really help the pancakes hold their height after cooking, so your results with an egg replacement won’t be the same. You can try two “chia eggs”, Just Egg liquid egg replacement from the refrigerated section, or Bob’s Red Mill’s egg replacer.
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In a large bowl, whisk together the flour blend, xanthan gum (if using), baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, and (optional) vanilla powder.
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In a separate bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, and melted butter.
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Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, and whisk until smooth. The mixture should be soft and thickly pourable, and not at all stiff.
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Heat a griddle to 350°F or a large nonstick omelet pan over medium heat, and grease it lightly with a neutral oil.
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Scoop about 1/4 cup of batter per pancake. Pour the batter straight down onto the pan and spread gently into a 4-inch round. Do not crowd the skillet or pan.
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Allow the pancakes to cook until bubbles break through the surface all over, and the outer 2-inch edges of each pancake appears set and no longer shiny (about 3 minutes).
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Flip and continue to cook for another minute, or until the underside is browned. As each pancake is cooking on the second side, to help the second side brown more fully, press it down gently with a large spatula.
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Remove from the griddle or pan and repeat with the remaining batter, greasing the surface lightly before adding each batch. Serve warm.
For best results, use a gum-free gluten free flour blend like Nicole’s Best, our homemade 3-ingredient gum-free blend, or a low xanthan gum blend like Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1. Avoid blends with standard xanthan gum content or your batter will be too thick to pour and the pancakes too chewy and gummy.
Xanthan gum
Optional, but helps the pancakes rise taller. If you leave it out, reduce the buttermilk by 2 tablespoons to 7 fluid ounces.
Serving: 1pancake | Calories: 152kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 52mg | Sodium: 309mg | Potassium: 57mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 196IU | Calcium: 101mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Storage instructions
Pancakes are always best right after cooking. If you’re making a large batch or using a small cooking surface, you can keep the pancakes you’ve already made warm on a sheet pan in a 200°F oven.
Store any completely cool leftover pancakes wrapped tightly in an airtight container or plastic wrap in stacks of 2 or 3 in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or the freezer for up to 3 months.
Defrost any frozen pancakes for 15 seconds in the microwave, then sprinkle lightly with lukewarm water and refresh in the toaster or warm oven until heated through.
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