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pouring maple syrup over stack of pancakes
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5 from 5 votes

Gluten-free Gingerbread Pancakes

These healthy whole grain Vegan Gluten-free Gingerbread Pancakes are the perfect vegan breakfast to start your day off right! They are packed with nutritious ingredients, are so soft fluffy, oil-free and absolutely delicious!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American, Gluten-free, Vegan
Keyword: gluten free gingerbread pancakes, gluten free vegan gingerbread pancakes, vegan gluten free gingerbread pancakes
Servings: 7 pancakes
Author: Brandi Doming

Ingredients

NOTE

  • Just like with baking, I always strongly encourage the use of a scale with pancakes. Pancakes, since they are cooked so quickly and are vegan, getting precise measurements is so important so that the texture turns out right. Mismeasuring could cause overly dry pancakes, too thick or thin of a batter and uncooked centers. Make sure to add the bowl to scale, hit zero and then start measuring, making sure to hit zero in between each addition. You do NOT need to even use cups, just the scale, bowl and my gram weights listed.
  • I use this scale.
  • I use this pancake griddle. It never sticks and requires no oil.

Instructions

  • I make my own raw buckwheat flour in my Vitamix. It only takes a few seconds and is much easier than trying to find the right kind of buckwheat flour. Additionally, if making homemade, (see picture above in the post) make sure you are not using toasted buckwheat, as the flavor will be overpowering. To make, simply add about a cup of buckwheat groats to the Vitamix and blend, starting low, increasing to high, for several seconds until completely fine. Measure out 80 grams only for the recipe. If using store-bought buckwheat flour, t is important to use the beige light-colored buckwheat flour and not the gray-colored one. That texture and flavor is too strong.
  • These have a lovely kick from the ginger. Use only 1 1/2 teaspoons for a milder taste.
  • To a large bowl, add the buckwheat flour, almond flour and potato starch. Add the baking powder, spices and salt. Whisk everything really well.
  • To the same bowl, pour in the milk, syrup, molasses and vanilla. Whisk gently until smooth. The batter will seem kind of runny at this point, but will thicken up a lot as it sits for 10 minutes while letting the pan heat up. This is necessary, as thick batters is what results in fluffy pancakes, so don't be tempted to add more milk. Do not use the batter before letting it sit a full 10 minutes!
  • Let the batter sit for a full 10 minutes while, at the same time, preheating up the pancake griddle or stovetop over medium-low heat, closer to low for the full 10 minutes. This allows the batter to react with the baking powder and fluff up and the pan to get plenty hot, which will result in properly cooked and fluffy pancakes. DO NOT skip this step!
  • After the 10 minutes, give one LIGHT stir around the edge of the bowl and then use 1/4 cup batter for each pancake (you should get 6-7 total this way) and cook the first side 4-5 minutes until the top is starting to look dry. This is important as to not flip them too soon. Flipping pancakes too soon will result in undercooked pancakes. Flip and cook the second side about 2 minutes. NOTE: You will notice that the batter is quite gooey, almost glue-like. With buckwheat-based pancakes, this is normal, but do not worry, it is only like that wet, but the finished pancakes are the opposite, they are nice and fluffy!
  • Serve with maple syrup and any other toppings you like. I loved the crunch of the pistachios on top.

Notes

  • Almond flour: Make sure you are using a superfine almond flour here so the pancakes turn out light/fluffy, otherwise a gritty almond flour will yield more dense pancakes.
  • Maple syrup: You can sub with agave for a more affordable option. I know many readers have told me how hard to find or expensive maple syrup is, so this is a great substitute.
  • Buckwheat flour: This flour cannot be subbed, it is the key to the fluffy texture and this flour combo I came up with. If you don't want to use buckwheat, there are many other vegan pancake recipes linked above the recipe card that don't use buckwheat flour.
  • Potato starch: This is the best starch for pancakes as it really makes them fluffy, so I highly recommend it. It can be hard to find in stores these days, so I just order it from Amazon and it ships in 2 days. Linked below on the recipe card. If you absolutely cannot use it, sub with cornstarch with the same weight amount, which will be about 4 tablespoons instead of 3, and keep in mind they will not be as soft and a tad more chewy.
  • Molasses: This adds a lot of moisture and flavor to the pancakes, so you really don't want to omit. I used regular here, not the blackstrap. Blackstrap is quite strong and bitter, so I don’t recommend it here. You can find regular molasses at nearly every grocery store, even Walmart and Target or online.