Easy Gluten-Free Pancakes
Updated
I always keep this easy gluten-free pancake mix on hand—it’s made with pantry staples and comes together in minutes. You can store the dry mix in an airtight container and just add the wet ingredients when you’re ready to cook. It’s just as convenient as a boxed mix but even better tasting.
My Go-To Gluten-Free Pancake Recipe
For years, I used gluten-free Bisquick, but with a big family, going through an entire box each time got expensive. Then, I remembered my mom’s Betty Crocker recipe she made all the time when I was a kid, I figured I could make some small adjustments to fit it into our dietary needs. That’s how I came up with this recipe—and even my gluten-free banana pancakes, which have become a family favorite.
I usually double the recipe to feed my crew, but if you have extras, they freeze beautifully for quick breakfasts later. You can customize them with your favorite mix-ins to make them even better. Try blueberries, chocolate chips, or your favorite add-ins. Whether you’re making a small batch or enough to feed a crowd, these pancakes turn out perfectly light and fluffy every time!
Easy Gluten-Free Pancakes
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 egg, Vegan option use Bob's Red Mill gluten-free egg replacer
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose gluten-free flour*, I like Pillsbury gluten-free flour. Not all gluten-free flours are created equal. You may experience different baking results depending on the gluten-free flour blend you choose.
- 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum, (leave out if your flour blend already has it)
- 1 tablespoon gluten-free baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup milk, dairy-free/Vegan use almond, cashew, or coconut milk
Instructions
- In a large bowl whisk the egg (or egg replacer), granulated sugar, pure vanilla extract, and the vegetable oil together.
- Add the gluten-free flour, xanthan gum (leave out if your flour already has it), gluten-free baking powder, and salt to the egg mixture and mix until fully combined.
- Stir in milk and mix until smooth. For thinner pancakes stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk.
- Scoop the batter into a 1/4 cup measuring cup and pour the batter onto a greased griddle or pan for each pancake. I love using an electric griddle set to 350°F for even cooking.
- Cook the pancakes until the batter starts to bubble and pancakes start to puff. Flip/turn the pancakes and cook the pancakes until they are golden brown.
- Top with butter, syrup or favorite topping. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Make Easy Gluten-Free Pancakes Step by Step
Gather the Ingredients: Gather all the ingredients together.
Combine the Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 2 tbsp granulated sugar, 2 tbsp vegetable oil, 1 egg (or egg replacer), and 1 tsp pure vanilla extract.
Mix in the Dry Ingredients: To the wet ingredients, add 1 cup gluten-free flour, ¼ tsp xanthan gum (if your flour doesn’t include it), 1 tbsp gluten-free baking powder, and ¼ tsp salt. Mix until the ingredients are combined.
Add the Milk: Mix in ¾ cups milk (or dairy-free alternative) and whisk until the batter is smooth. If you prefer thinner pancakes, add an extra 1-2 tbsp milk.
Scoop the Batter: Use a ¼ cup measuring cup to scoop the batter out and pour it onto the greased hot griddle or pan. I love using an electric griddle set to 350°F for even cooking.
Cook the Pancakes: Cook the pancakes until bubbles form on the surface and they begin to puff up. Flip them over and cook until golden brown.
Top the Pancakes: Top with your favorite pancake toppings like butter and maple syrup. Check your syrup—not all are gluten-free. I always go for pure maple syrup.
Serve and Enjoy: Serve the pancakes up warm and enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
One of the best things about these gluten-free pancakes is how easy they are to customize! My family loves adding different mix-ins to keep breakfast fun and delicious. Sometimes, we go classic with chocolate chips or fresh blueberries, while other times, we get creative. For a chocolatey twist, I mix in cocoa powder and a little sugar, or go all out with a chocolate peanut butter combo—cocoa powder, chocolate chips, and a swirl of peanut butter. For a savory spread, I’ll serve these alongside frittata and crispy bacon.
Storage Instructions
I’ll store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days. To reheat them, I pop them on a plate and microwave them for 20-30 seconds. My kids also love popping them in the toaster for a crispier texture.
It’s easy to make extra gluten-free pancakes and freeze them for busy mornings. Simply let them cool, place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and flash freeze for 10 minutes to prevent sticking. Then, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or airtight container for easy storage and quick reheating.
More Brunch Treats to Make
Gluten-Free Beignets: These pillowy, fried dough squares dusted in powdered sugar feel like a bakery treat at home and make any gluten-free brunch spread feel extra special next to pancakes and coffee.
Gluten‑Free Buttermilk Biscuits: Another fluffy, comforting baked good that fits into breakfast or brunch round-ups with pancakes.
Gluten-Free Waffles: Crispy on the outside and fluffy inside, these waffles are a brunch classic that pairs perfectly with pancakes, fresh fruit, and a hot cup of coffee.
Buckwheat Waffles: If you love gluten-free pancakes, these buckwheat waffles are another great breakfast option. They have the same hearty flavor and fluffy texture, but cook up crisp in the waffle iron for a delicious twist on classic pancakes.
These pancakes are so delicious and fluffy! I used King Arthur measure for measure flour. I think it does make a difference to use a room temperature egg! Thanks for sharing the recipe. This will definitely be part of my rotation.
Did not work for us. Spongy and too thick, refused to cook through, burned on griddle setting 350. Used better batter flour.
Hi Cece, Thank you for giving the recipe a try and for sharing your feedback. I’m sorry to hear the pancakes didn’t turn out as expected.
One thing that may have affected the results is the flour blend. Better Batter can absorb moisture a little differently than some other gluten-free flour blends, which can result in a thicker batter. If the batter is very thick, the pancakes can end up taking longer to cook through and may brown too quickly on the outside.
If you decide to try the recipe again, you could add a splash or two of milk to thin the batter slightly and lower the griddle temperature to around 325°F if your griddle tends to run hot. That should give the pancakes a little more time to cook through before the outside browns.
I have made these pancakes several times. This is my go to recipe. Everyone loves them and cannot tell they are gluten-free!
This is our family’s favourite pancake recipe! It’s a regular Friday morning tradition in our house. Thank you for your service to the GF community!
I threw out all my other recipes.
Fantastic! Crispy edges and fluffy moist pancake. I did only use 1 teaspoon baking powder, not the tablespoon called for. Perfection.
We have made this recipe so many times! Its fantastic. I have used King Arthur and Bobs Red Mill. DO NOT use Pamelas!! it ruins the consistency and became a sludge mess.
The amount of baking powder this recipe called for was alarming. I decided to trust the process & was very disappointed with how dry it turned out.
Hi Hayley, I’m sorry the pancakes didn’t turn out as expected. The amount of baking powder is intentional, as gluten-free pancakes often need extra leavening to help create a light and fluffy texture since they don’t have the same structure as traditional pancakes.
That said, if the pancakes turned out dry, a few things can affect the final texture, including the type of gluten-free flour blend used, how the ingredients were measured, and whether the batter was overmixed or cooked a little too long. Gluten-free flours can absorb moisture differently, so making sure the batter has the right consistency is important.
Add the milk before adding dry ingredients. Adding it last makes absolutely NO Sense. Mixture is clumpy now. I have no idea why this is the suggestion way???
Hi JD, I’m sorry for the confusion. The reason the recipe has you combine the dry ingredients first is because it was developed to work both as a pancake recipe and as a make-ahead dry mix. The batter may look a little lumpy at first, but that’s normal and should come together as the wet ingredients are mixed in. If the batter stayed unusually clumpy, we’d be happy to help troubleshoot. Let us know which gluten-free flour blend you used, as different blends can affect the final texture.
I followed the recipe exactly as instructed. The batter was pure liquid. Terrible!
Hi Amos, hanks for taking the time to leave feedback, and I’m really sorry to hear this didn’t turn out as expected.
A very thin, liquid batter usually points to a difference in the gluten-free flour blend being used. Different blends absorb liquid very differently, and some are much lighter or starch-heavy, which can result in a runnier batter even when measurements are followed exactly. Measuring flour by volume vs. weight can also make a big difference here.
The pancake batter in this recipe is intended to be pourable, but it should still be thick enough to hold its shape slightly on the griddle—not watery. If it looked fully liquid, I’d recommend checking your flour blend first, as that’s the most common cause of this issue.
I really appreciate you trying the recipe and sharing your experience—this kind of feedback is helpful for troubleshooting and improving clarity for other readers.
These were so good and fluffy. I did have to add more milk. I have missed pancakes