Fluffy Gluten-Free Pancakes (Dairy-Free)

These foolproof and deliciously fluffy gluten-free pancakes are what pancake dreams are made of. They’re a cinch to make, and have the perfect light and airy texture that you’ll surely love. Serve them with fresh fruit and a generous drizzle of maple syrup and transform your breakfast routine! Dairy-free as well, but no one would know.

Jump to:

• Pancakes for Breakfast (or Lunch, or Dinner)
• The Fluffiest Gluten-Free Pancakes Ever
• Why This Recipe Works:
• Ingredients You’ll Need:
• Ingredient Notes/Substitutions:
• How to Make Gluten-Free Pancakes from Scratch (Step by Step)
• Dish by Dish Tips & Tricks:
• Optional Mix-In Ideas:
• Pancake Topping Ideas:
• Recipe FAQs:
• If you enjoyed this, you’ll also love these other gluten-free breakfast/brunch recipes:
• Brunch Recipes You’ll Enjoy:
• Fluffy Gluten-Free Pancakes (Dairy-Free)

Pancakes for Breakfast (or Lunch, or Dinner)

When the weekend rolls by, one of the things Juan and I really enjoy is indulging in a leisurely breakfast or brunch. Since we don’t have to rush to work during the weekends, it’s the perfect moment to cook up something a little more elaborate, sit down together and just relax and chat.

While I definitely love starting my day with savory meals such as baked eggs with spinach and mushrooms, low-carb omelet wraps or this easy crustless spinach quiche, I also really like to begin my mornings with something sweet.

Pancakes are synonymous with the weekend for me, and these easy gluten-free corn flour pancakes (cornbread in pancake form!) as well as these grain-free coconut flour pancakes (perfect for when you want something low carb and lighter) are both recipes that I absolutely love.

The Fluffiest Gluten-Free Pancakes Ever

This time, I wanted to experiment with making gluten-free pancakes using gluten-free all-purpose flour, and I was intent on fluffy light pancakes (or hotcakes as you may know them).

Since pancakes made with gluten-free pancake mixes can sometimes turn out dense, I had to make sure I found and tested a great recipe for fluffy pancakes before sharing it on the blog, and I’m stoked to tell you that I’ve finally found one!

In fact last week we literally made them twice in three days, with Juan (a.k.a. the blog’s Chief Tasting Officer) giving his stamp of approval, I’m beyond excited to share this awesome recipe with you. And Juan just requested that I make them again this weekend. Yep, that’s just how good they are.

Why This Recipe Works:

• The Fluffiest Pancakes Ever: These amazing pancakes have beautiful air pockets in them thanks to a significant amount of baking powder, which is basically the secret to making them perfectly fluffy.

• Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free: Not only are these pancakes incredibly fluffy, they’re also totally gluten-free and dairy-free too, which means even those with Celiac disease or on a gluten-free diet and those with lactose intolerances can indulge in them too!

Ingredients You’ll Need:

Here’s a visual overview of the ingredients required to make this gluten-free pancakes recipe. (For exact quantities and measurements, please scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.)

You’ll need eggs, sugar, oil, vanilla extract, gluten-free all-purpose flour, xanthan gum (if your flour blend doesn’t include it), baking powder, salt, and non-dairy milk. The good thing is that you probably already have all the ingredients to make these pancakes, so let’s just dive straight into making them!

Ingredient Notes/Substitutions:

• Eggs: The eggs act as a binder to bind the ingredients together, as well as help the pancakes to rise better. I personally have not tried this without eggs so I don’t know how it will turn out, but if you are allergic to eggs, you could try using aquafaba or an egg-replacer.

• Sugar: I used granulated white sugar in this recipe, but you can also use brown sugar if you prefer. If you are diabetic of insulin-resistant, I highly recommend that you use Lakanto monkfruit sweetener (a 1:1 sugar substitute that is zero glycemic-index).

• Sunflower Oil: I like using sunflower oil because I almost always have a bottle of it in my kitchen. You can also use other neutral-flavored vegetable oils if you prefer. Alternatively, if you are not lactose-intolerant, feel free to use melted butter instead.

• Vanilla: I like adding vanilla extract to add extra flavor, but you can leave it out if you prefer not to add it (or if you don’t have it on hand).

• Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour: For this gluten-free pancakes recipe, I recommend using a good-quality all-purpose gluten-free flour blend that is made up of lighter flours/starches (such as rice flour, corn starch, tapioca starch or potato starch) to ensure a lighter and fluffier texture. I do NOT recommend using gluten-free flour blends that include heavier flours (such as garbanzo bean flour) as that will result in a denser final texture. You can also substitute 1/2 cup of gluten-free flour blend with almond flour, brown rice flour or oat flour for added nutrients and texture.

• Xanthan Gum: Xanthan gum acts as a replacement for gluten in gluten-free flours and helps the ingredients to bind together better. If your gluten-free flour blend does not already include xanthan gum, make sure you add it in for best results.

• Baking Powder: In this gluten-free pancakes recipe, baking powder is required to make the batter rise and is the secret to making the pancakes fluffy. I highly recommend that you use baking powder to get the perfect fluffy texture. If you are Celiac or gluten-intolerant, make sure you use gluten-free baking powder.

• Almond Milk: I like to use my easy 5-minute homemade almond milk, but you can also use other non-dairy milks such as cashew milk, soy milk, rice milk, coconut milk or sunflower seed milk if you prefer. Alternatively, if you are not lactose-intolerant, you may also use normal dairy milk.

• Maple Syrup: I love drizzling pancakes in maple syrup for the perfect Sunday morning feel. However, you can also use honey or agave nectar if you prefer.

How to Make Gluten-Free Pancakes from Scratch (Step by Step)

1. Whisk Eggs, Sugar, Oil and Vanilla

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, oil, and vanilla extract until you get a light and pale yellow mixture.

2. Add Dry Ingredients

Sift the gluten-free all-purpose flour, xanthan gum (omit if your flour blend already has it), baking powder, and salt into the bowl with the wet ingredients. Whisk well until you get a thick mixture. 

3. Add Almond Milk

Add the almond milk and whisk some more until you get a homogeneous pancake batter.

(The batter should be rather thick, but you prefer thinner pancakes, you can add 1 or 2 extra tablespoons of milk). 

4. Cook Pancakes

Heat up a greased non-stick skillet (or pancake griddle if you have one) over medium heat, and using a measuring cup, scoop and pour 1/4 cup batter into the middle of the skillet or hot griddle to form each pancake.

Let the batter cook for at least 2 minutes or until bubbles rise to the surface of the batter and the bottom is golden brown, before flipping the pancake over to the other side. Allow the pancake to cook for another 2 minutes until it is golden brown on the second side before removing it from the skillet. Repeat until all the remaining batter is used. 

5. Serve and Enjoy

Serve the gluten-free pancakes with fresh fruit and a generous drizzle of maple syrup.

Dish by Dish Tips & Tricks:

• Testing the Batter: When making these gluten-free pancakes, I usually like to test out the batter by making a first pancake and checking if the texture is to my liking. If the batter is too thick for you, simply add 1 or 2 extra tablespoons of milk and mix well.
  
  If the batter is too liquid (resulting in thin pancakes), you can use less milk or add 1 or 2 tablespoons of gluten-free all-purpose flour until the batter results in thicker pancakes. Once you’ve got the consistency of your choice go ahead and make the pancakes of your pancake dreams!

• Make Buttermilk Pancakes: To make buttermilk pancakes, simply add a tablespoon of lemon juice to the almond milk (to create vegan “buttermilk”) and mix well before adding it to the batter.

• Pancake Griddle or Pan: If you have a pancake griddle, you can cook multiple pancakes at the same time depending on the griddle size, but since we don’t have one, I use my non-stick skillet to cook one pancake at a time. It does take up some time to cook up the whole batch, but trust me when I tell you it’s absolutely worth it!

Optional Mix-In Ideas:

Since this is a basic and easy gluten-free pancake recipe, you can add in some other fun ingredients such as:

• Fresh blueberries
• Banana puree/Apple puree
• Peanut butter/Cashew butter/Almond butter
• Chocolate chips/Cacao nibs
• Ground cinnamon
• Cacao powder

Pancake Topping Ideas:

There are so many ways to garnish these amazingly fluffy gluten-free pancakes, but here are some of my favorite toppings:

• Fresh fruit (berries or sliced bananas)
• Generous drizzle of maple syrup or honey
• Mixed berry chia seed jam
• Whipped cream
• Chocolate sauce

Recipe FAQs:

If you enjoyed this, you’ll also love these other gluten-free breakfast/brunch recipes:

• 10 Delicious Gluten-Free Brunch Recipes
• Corn Flour Pancakes (Gluten-Free Dairy-Free)
• Grain-Free Coconut Flour Pancakes (Dairy-Free)
• 5-Ingredient Banana Flaxseed Waffles (Gluten-Free, Paleo)
• Gluten-Free Pumpkin Waffles
• Gluten-Free Pumpkin Scones
• Gluten-Free Strawberry Crumb Bars (Dairy-Free)
• Creamy Millet Breakfast Porridge (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
• Gluten-Free Maple Peach Oatmeal
• Baked Eggs with Spinach and Mushrooms (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
• Crustless Spinach Quiche (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
• Sweet Potato and Kale Breakfast Skillet (Gluten-Free, Paleo)
• Omelet Wraps with Spinach, Lettuce and Mushrooms

Brunch Recipes You’ll Enjoy:

P.S. If you try this recipe, I’d love for you to leave a star rating below, and/or a review in the comment section further down the page. I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to check out my entire Recipe Index for all the recipes on the blog. You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram! Sign up for my Email List to get fresh recipes in your inbox each week!

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