Almond Flour Pancakes That Will NOT Leave You Wishing for REAL Pancakes

If you've given up wheat flour for any reason, whether you have celiac disease, are just gluten-intolerant or -sensitive, or have adopted a Paleo or Primal diet, you know that horrible moment when you bite into a flour-free version of an old favorite and it is either a) gross or b) only okay.  Either way, all that tends to happen is that you now miss the original more than you did before you tried the substitute.  Well, I won't say this recipe is perfect, but my most-of-us-try-to-stick-to-a-Paleo-diet family really, really enjoys it, even the non-Paleo members.  If you're looking for a good pancake recipe, this one is worth a try.  Best of all, it is a simple recipe.  No weird substitutions, no hoops to jump through to get it to turn out.   It works pretty much like any other pancake recipe you've tried.  Honestly, you just get to have good pancakes that won't make your stomach hurt, your skin break out, or whatever nasty side effect you get from wheat.  Even better?  Almond flour and eggs turn this into a high protein meal...if you forego the sweetener, which we often do, you're really having good for you pancakes.  Who knew? 

Almond Flour Pancakes

(adapted from Elana’s Pantry)

 Ingredients:

Whole Batch

3 cups Honeyville blanched almond flour

½ cup water

8 eggs

½ cup ghee or coconut oil, melted**

2 tablespoons real maple syrup or agave nectar*(I often omit this)

2 tablespoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking soda

Pinch of salt

Ghee or butter for frying

 

Half Batch

1 ½ cups Honeyville blanched almond flour

1/3 cup water

4 eggs

¹/₃ cup ghee or coconut oil, melted**

1 tablespoon real maple syrup or agave nectar*(I often omit this)

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon baking soda

Pinch of salt

Ghee or butter for frying

Instructions:

1. With mixer or blender or whisk, combine ingredients until smooth and creamy.
2. Using ghee or butter, grease griddle.  (I use an electric griddle set to 350^oF.)   
3. When griddle is hot, pour pancake batter onto griddle.
4. Pancakes will bubble.  When the bubbles stay open, flip pancakes and cook other side.  Serve warm.

Hints and Tips:

The recipe as written makes a more liquid batter and, thus, a flatter pancake.  Sometimes I like to make a more cake-like pancake, especially when I’m adding blueberries to the batter.  Just play around with the liquid to get your desired consistency.

A half batch is ideal for my still-at-home family of four.  When I’m making them to be eaten at home, I omit the maple syrup because my family will pour syrup on top no matter what.  When I’m making them for quick weekday breakfast on the go, I include the syrup.  They reheat really well, so they’re the ideal commuter breakfast (not that anyone I know eats while they’re driving!)

**The original recipe called for heavy cream, which I never have on hand.  I played around with liquid to fat ratios to get the desired texture.  When you use butter instead of ghee or coconut oil, you might run into a problem with your batter being too watery.  If that happens, just decrease your water or increase your almond flour until you get the consistency you like.

NOTE:  Elana’s Pantry recommends Honeyville Blanched Almond Flour for all of her almond flour recipes.  I haven’t tried a different almond flour with this recipe, so I don’t know how that might work.  If you try a different brand, let me know.