These lofty gluten-free pancakes are so easy to make with 1 bowl, 10 ingredients, and 30 minutes. While most GF pancake recipes use bland mixes and xanthan gum, these are gum-free and made with just two alternative flours: sweet rice flour and sorghum flour, which give them big flavor, crispy edges, and pillowy middles. Read more about these and other alternative flours in my guide to gluten-free flours!
Buttermilk and butter make these pancakes super-moist, and vanilla and maple add big flavor to the batter. Make a big batch for pancakes all week long. See the notes for well-tested dairy-free and vegan options.
I've been working to develop the perfect gluten-free pancake recipe for years. After making (and eating) batch after batch, making tiny tweaks each time, I'm finally 100% happy with the recipe, and I'm so excited to share it with you.
These GF pancakes are:
- crispy and golden on the edges
- moist and tender in the middles
- lofty and pillowy
- easy to make with 1 bowl, 10 ingredients, and 30 minutes
- with well-tested dairy-free and vegan options that are every bit as good
- great for batch cooking for pancakes all week long
While most gluten-free pancake recipes call for gluten-free all-purpose flour mixes, these can turn out pasty, pale, bland pancakes that are full of starches and gums.
My recipe uses just two flours: sweet rice and sorghum, and no xanthan gum. These flours combine magically to turn out pancakes that you'd never know were gluten free. They have delightfully crispy edges and floofy moist centers. They get a touch of nutty flavor from the sorghum flour while the sweet rice flour adds a bit of chew and neutral flavor.
If you love pancakes and gluten-free recipes, you're in for a treat.
The Quest for the Best Gluten-Free Pancakes
This recipe began with one that I found on Food52 back in 2016 for extra-fluffy buttermilk pancakes. The trick, they said, was to separate the egg and stir in the egg white at the end. I was skeptical, but I swapped in gluten-free flours and took the recipe for a spin. I wasn't sure the technique would work with gluten-free flours. But the resulting pancakes were DELICIOUS – largely thanks to a whopping 10 tablespoons of butter!
I wiggled ingredients up and down to make the recipe work gluten-free as well as it could. Not that I have anything against butter, but even I couldn't pour quite so much into breakfast, so I took the butter down by 40%. And when I was happy with the results, I tried a batch with and without the egg separated. Turns out I couldn't detect a difference after all!
But these pancakes cook up thick and fluffy regardless. Their outsides are crisped in ghee, the centers are tender and delicate, and the salty/sweet levels make these gluten-free pancakes super flavorful.
Here's what one happy pancake-maker had to say about them:
5-Star Reader Review
“I've now made this recipe 2-3 times and I'm happy to say that it meets the very tough bar of tasty gluten-free, dairy free pancakes for me! I want to particularly note that there are a LOT of gluten free pancake recipes out there (and mixes) and nearly every single one takes what I consider the 'lazy' route of centering on 'gluten-free flour.' I prefer the recipe to be tested with specific gf flours so that the best-tasting and cooking can prevail. Your recipe puts sorghum and sweet rice as the centerpiece and they taste great together!”
—Elizabeth K.
Ingredients & Substitutions Suggestions
Many gluten-free pancake recipes start with a premade gluten-free all-purpose flour or pancake mixes. But I prefer creating my own flour blends for each specific recipe. This allows us to:
- experience the unique tastes and textures of gluten-free flours
- minimize and/or eliminate gums and starches
- skip the search for a specific flour brand
- avoid making a mega batch of flour mix that you may or may not like
Just two flours are needed for this GF pancake recipe, plus 8 other ingredients:
- Sorghum flour makes up the majority of this recipe. It boasts a mild, nutty flavor that reminds me of Cream of Wheat.
- Sweet rice flour a.k.a. glutinous rice flour is made from a sticky type of rice and helps these pancakes hold together without any additional starches or gums.
- Maple syrup sweetens these pancakes, making the recipe free of refined sugar. Feel free to use other sweeteners such as honey or coconut sugar if you prefer.
- Buttermilk moistens the batter and adds a bit of tang and tenderness. If you don't have any on hand you can thin yogurt with milk. For dairy-free, use a combination of plant milk and plant yogurt.
- Egg adds proteins that help fluff up the batter as the pancakes cook and create structure. For egg-free, I've tested these with with aquafaba (chickpea liquid) and Just Egg and both work beautifully.
- Baking soda promotes spreading and browning.
- Baking powder helps the batter rise.
- Salt sharpens the flavors.
- Vanilla adds sweet, floral complexity.
- Butter adds richness and makes those crispy golden edges. For dairy-free, use plant butter or the oil of your choice.
How to Make Gluten-Free Pancakes
These easy gluten-free pancakes are super simple to make, with a few mixing tricks turning out the fluffiest pancakes. This recipe makes 3 servings of pancakes, so feel free to double or triple the recipe if you're cooking for a crowd.
Batch Cooking
I like to make a double batch of these sorghum flour pancakes on Sunday and store the extras in the fridge or freezer for a quick breakfast during the rest of the week. Serve these up with whatever toppings you like: seasonal fresh fruit, yogurt or crème fraiche, butter, maple syrup, and/or toasted nuts or seeds.
Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Pancakes
These gluten-free pancakes can easily be made dairy-free too. Just swap out the butter for plant butter (I like Miyoko's Creamery best). In place of the buttermilk, use a plant yogurt (I like Forager cashew yogurt) thinned with plant milk (I prefer fresh almond milk or oat milk). See the recipe notes for measurements!
Gluten-Free Vegan Pancakes
These pancakes can be make vegan too! Use the dairy-free substitutions listed above and in the recipe notes. In place of egg, use 1/4 cup aquafaba (the liquid from canned or jarred chickpeas or white beans). Or use 1/4 cup Just Egg, which is an egg substitute made from mung bean plus some other ingredients.
Buttermilk Substitutes
I don't recommend using the lemon juice + milk trick here as the result is not as thick as buttermilk and will produce thinner cakes. Instead, thin yogurt with milk until it's the consistency of heavy cream or buttermilk. You can use a European-style yogurt, which you won't need to thin as much. Or start with a thick Greek yogurt and add extra milk.
Substitutes for Sweet Rice Flour and Sorghum Flour
Look for both of these flours with other gluten-free flours at health food stores or order them directly from Bob's Red Mill. Sweet rice flour aka glutinous rice flour can often be found at Asian markets.
In place of sweet rice flour, you can use Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour. This is based on sweet rice flour. Or try regular rice flour mixed with a small amount of tapioca flour.
In place of sorghum flour, use an equal amount of oat, teff, or buckwheat flour – measure by weight for the best results as all of these flours weigh differently. Be sure your flours are certified gluten-free if you're highly sensitive.
How to Make Uniformly-Sized Pancakes
I like to use a spring-loaded ice cream scoop to easily scoop my batter into the pan in equal-sized globs. It makes quick work, plus it's tidy, and it ensures pancakes that are the same size. I used a heaping #24 scoop to make these.
Gluten-Free Pancake Bliss
Top these pancakes with your favorite seasonal fruit: berries in the spring, stone fruit in the summer, sautéed pears or apples in the fall, and citrus in the winter. I prefer a scoop of yogurt on my pancakes since there's enough butter in there already. A flurry of hemp seed makes a pretty finish. And don't forget the maple syrup.
Got extra sorghum flour? Try these recipes:
- gluten-free dutch baby with sorghum & buttermilk
- gluten-free blueberry coffee cake
- gluten-free chocolate zucchini cake
- gluten-free zucchini bread
Got extra buttermilk? Try these recipes:
- gluten-free buttermilk skillet cornbread
- banana buckwheat buttermilk pancakes
- gluten-free lemon buttermilk pie
- gluten-free pumpkin buttermilk pie
- buttermilk ice cream
- miso buttermilk salad dressing
Bojon appétit! For more Bojon Gourmet in your life, follow along on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, or Pinterest, purchase my award-winning gluten-free baking cookbook Alternative Baker, or subscribe to receive new posts via email. And if you make this gluten-free pancake recipe, I’d love to know. Leave a comment and rating below, and tag your Instagram snaps @The_Bojon_Gourmet and #bojongourmet.
Lofty Gluten-Free Pancakes with Sorghum Flour
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
Dry Ingredients
- ¾ cup (90 g) sorghum flour (or try millet or oat flour by weight)
- ½ cup (75 g) sweet white rice flour (or try GF AP blend such as Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1)
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup (235 ml) well-shaken buttermilk (add 2-4 more tablespoons if you want more thin, crisp pancakes)
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) maple syrup, plus more for serving
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons (45 g) butter, melted
- ghee or neutral high-heat vegetable oil (such as sunflower), for cooking
Instructions
Make the Batter
- In a large bowl, whisk or sift together the sorghum and sweet rice flours with the baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a measuring pitcher or bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg, maple syrup, and vanilla.
- Pour the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture and quickly stir with a flexible spatula until halfway combined; 8 to 10 strokes. Pour in the melted butter and quickly but gently mix until the batter is just combined and no butter or flour streaks remain. Some lumps are ok. Take care not to overmix the batter or it will become thin and the pancakes will cook up flatter and more tough.
- Set the batter aside for a minute or two to thicken.
Cook
- Meanwhile, preheat a wide skillet or griddle over medium heat. I prefer well-seasoned cast iron or ceramic nonstick. When the pan is hot, lower to medium-low or low.
- Coat the hot pan with a thin layer of ghee or oil. Drop the batter by ¼ - 1/3 cups into the hot oil. Cook on the first side until the bottoms are golden, 2-3 minutes. Gently flip, taking care not to deflate the pancakes. Cook on the second side until the bottoms are golden, 2-3 more minutes.
- Remove the pancakes to a wire rack. When you’re ready to serve, reheat any cooled pancakes in the hot pan. Alternatively put them in a low oven while you cook the remaining pancakes.
- Serve the pancakes with your favorite toppings. I like mine piled high with fresh seasonal fruit, a big dollop of Greek yogurt, a sprinkle of hemp seed, and a drizzle of maple syrup.
- Pancakes can be made ahead and warmed in a hot skillet or toaster oven when ready to serve. They will keep for up to 4 days airtight in the refrigerator.
Notes
Nutrition
Madeline Taylor says
Are there awards for food photography? Because this post should definitely win one! Gorgeous! :)
Alanna says
Aw thanks mom! I had so much fun shooting this one. :)
Becky Winkler says
I am SOLD on these pancakes! Off to buy sorghum flour.
Alanna says
Yay!! Let me know how you like them. :D
Jay Doane says
These were amazing, but alas there are none left in the fridge. I CAN HAS MOAR PLZ?
Alanna says
Coming right up! ;)
Paige Cassandra Flamm says
These look incredible! I need to try them asap!
Paige
http://thehappyflammily.com
Alanna says
Aw thanks! Let me know if you give them a go!
April says
These were lovely! They cooked up nicely and tasted great.
I did a vegan variation with the following substitutions:
-2 tbsp flax meal with 3 tbsp water in place of the egg
- 1/2 c so delicious coconut yogurt (that's all I had)
- 1 c oatly milk
3/4 tsp xanthan gum
I also subbed Bob's Red Mill all purpose gluten free flour for the sorghum and rice flours, as that is what I had on hand.
Alanna says
I'm so glad that variation worked out! Thanks a bunch for the note.
Jeffrey Wall says
Thank You for this recipe ! I chose this recipe above others because I didn’t want to use the zanthan gum or syllium hull for binders. Plus I had the sweet rice flour on hand. May I say the sweetness and flavor is a game changer for me . And will probably omit white flour pancakes from my diet. A big benefit besides great flavor is I didn’t have that stuffed feeling after eating them that I have with gluten pancake . Again thanks .
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Aw I'm so happy to hear that you liked the pancakes and felt good after eating them - that's fantastic! Thank you very much for the rating and review!
Kara from Maryland says
These are my new go to pancakes. I used the Greek yogurt substitution for the buttermilk. And used regular brown rice flour.
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
I'm so glad you like the pancakes! That's great to know that brown rice flour will work (in place of sorghum I'm guessing?) And that the Greek yogurt sub works well too. Yay!
Dana says
damn girl - these look NUTS! Bravo!
Alanna says
That means the world coming from you! <333
Julie says
Best pancakes I've ever had! I have a large family so I tripled the recipe and we had plenty of leftovers 🙂 I milled sorghum grain into fresh flour, used Pyure maple syrup, and made the Greek yogurt and milk combination in place of the buttermilk. I really appreciate all of the cooking tips that you shared. I would not have thought to cook them in ghee or replace the buttermilk with yogurt/milk. This was my first time baking with sorghum. I look forward to checking out more of your recipes!
Shalom
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Aw I'm so glad the pancakes were a hit! They must have tasted extra delicious with freshly milled sorghum flour - yum!! Thanks so much for the sweet note, and shalom to you as well :)
Lena says
These pancakes were delicious...I made some plain and added blueberries to the remaining batter. Photos are stunning!
Alanna says
Aw I'm so glad you enjoyed them!
Cindy says
I really enjoyed these pancakes! I made a plant-based version but didn't have aquafaba so used Bob's Red Mill egg replacer. Just curious though...my gf pancakes are almost always a little bit raw in the middle - what is the secret to getting fluffiness all the way through?!
A says
Sounds like you need less liquid and potentially more baking powder. For fluffy things like pancakes/cupcakes/muffins, generally you have 1Tbsp baking powder per cup of flour. For pancakes you generally additionally have 1c wheat flour per 1c ‘milk’ liquid + an additional 1/4 c liquid fat + ~2 Tbsp liquid from your binder (e.g., flax egg, aquafaba, etc), + 1-2 Tbsp sugar. For extra fluffiness, you can add 1/2 tsp white or cider vinegar to your ‘milk’ to simulate buttermilk and give a little extra lift to your baking powder. If you use those ratios and still have problems after gently folding 1-2 Tbsp more flour into your batter (for GF flours like in this blog’s recipe you might need a little more than that), your pan temperature could be too low as well, or your pan heats unevenly / doesn’t retain heat well.
Alanna says
Thank you A so much for the tips! My apologies to Cindy for not responding sooner. I've never tried egg replacer so I'm not sure how the consistency affects the batter. A's tips seem solid to me! Cindy please let me know if you experiment some more. :)
Laurel says
These were the best pancakes I've ever made! The malty, buttery flavor reminds me of diner pancakes :)
Alanna says
Aw what a sweet compliment! I'm so glad you enjoyed them. :)
Kate says
I made the vegan version: 3/4 cup coconut yogurt, 1/4 cup Ripple milk, 3 TBSP avocado oil, and 1/4 cup aquafaba. (I did cook them in ghee, as our problem isn't dairy, but more of casein).
They cooked up nicely, gaining a kind of crisp top and bottom, softer in the middle. My son gobbled these up, but I wasn't so much a fan. The texture was a bit too fine in the middle for me, and it had a strong toasted rice flavor, which I don't really want in my pancakes. Would be curious to see how it would taste if tried other flours other than the rice, like millet or a combo of starches .... I may go experiment a little. Thanks for the recipe!
Alanna says
Thank you for your honest opinion and for trying my recipe. I'm surprised that you found the rice flour strong-tasting - I taste the flavor of the sorghum much more prominently. I'll be curious what you experiment with, so please come back and let me know!
Kate says
Okay, I have a new recipe, but it's a bit much - as in, a lot of ingredients. Gluten free and vegan (except for the ghee that I cook it in). I make a huge batch so I don't have to make breakfast for several days, so pardon the large measurements.
Night before, soak 2/3 cup raw cashews in water. In morning, start with wet ingredients: rinse nuts, dump in blender and fill with water to just under the 4 cup line. Add 3 bananas, 3 tsp vanilla, and 5 TBSP avocado oil. Blend smooth.
Dry ingredients: Whisk 1.5 cup almond flour, 1.5 cup oat flour, 1/2 cup potato starch, 1/4 cup tapioca flour, 1/4 cup ground flax, 3/4 cup sorghum flour, and 3/4 cup millet flour with 6 tsp baking powder and 1.5 tsp salt.
Whisk wet into dry and cook in ghee. You get a soft pancake that has the inner texture you can't get with rice flour. Nice flavor, crisp edges from the ghee. Delish and pretty darn healthy :)
Alanna says
Thanks for sharing!
amy says
Hi. I don't have sweet white rice flour on hand, but do have white rice flour. Do you think it would still work out if I just used white rice flour?
Alanna says
You can definitely try that. White rice flour isn't as fine or as sticky as sweet rice flour, so the batter may be more runny and the cakes more thin. You could try adding a little tapioca flour in if you have any, or using a GF all-purpose blend. Pancakes are pretty forgiving though, so whatever you try, it's likely to be delicious. :)
Corinne says
I've been gluten-free for 6 years and have made countless pancake recipes-- this recipe is the best. The pancakes exceeded expectations, which is saying something as I've made a lot of wonderful things from this website. The only sub I made was avocado oil for butter in the recipe, as I was low on butter and needed to save some to slather on top. I made a double batch and couldn't be happier! Thank you.
Alanna says
Aw this means so much to me! I worked really hard at developing the recipe and I'm thrilled that you love it! That's great to know that avocado oil works well as a butter substitute in the recipe.
David says
Thanks so much- great recipe. I came across it about a month ago and we've been eating it every weekend since. My daughters absolutely love it!
Today I got a hankering for gingerbread pancakes I once had at a restaurant- subbed 6T. Molasses for vanilla and maple syrup and added 1t. ground ginger and 1t. ground cinnimon- It turned out great. I look forward to checking out more of your recipes, thanks again.
Alanna says
Mmm that sounds delicious, thanks for sharing your gingerbread version! I'm so glad you and your daughters like the recipe!
Jonathan Linn says
Hi. I have made these pancakes twice in the last month and both times they turned out dry. Any idea on what I might be doing wrong?
Alanna says
Hm, that's odd! Dry like there wasn't enough liquid in the batter? Or dry like overcooked? If it's the first one, you can try adding a few more tablespoons of liquid to loosen up the batter. If it's the second one, maybe try cooking them a little less, or cooking them over higher heat so that they brown before they dry up in the middle. Hope that helps and that you give them another go!
jamie says
Would you have a suggestion for a sorghum or teff flour substitute? I am okay with gluten and do not have either of those on hand, but have everything else! Thanks!
jamie says
whoops, never mind..just saw the footnote!
Izzah says
Have made these multiple times with multiple variations and they're always perfect..What a solid recipe! I use a blend of yogurt and milk in place of the buttermilk and it works perfectly! Thank you, Alanna!
Alanna says
Aw I'm so glad you like the recipe Izzah! Thanks for the sweet note and for sharing your variation - brilliant!
Elizabeth says
Hi, Huge fan of your ricotta lemon pancakes, but decided to try these today. I substituted teff flour for sorghum (by weight), and yogurt + plant milk for buttermilk. The batter was *really* thick, I probably added extra 1/2 cup of milk to get a pourable batter. Very tasty!
Alanna says
Good call adding the extra plant milk – I'm so glad you liked them and the lemon ricotta pancakes too!
Trish says
These are delicious! Light, with crisp edges and flavorful. I goofed and combined the butter with the liquid ingredients but it didn’t seem to make a difference. Your recipes spoil me for any others and as always, your photography draws me in. Beautiful! Thank you!
Alanna says
Awww that makes me so happy! I'm *so* glad you loved the pancakes Trish.
Grant Block says
Can I use coconut flour instead of rice flour
Alanna says
Hi there, I wouldn't recommend subbing coconut flour here as it is *much* more absorbent than the other flours called for. You'd have to reduce the flour by about two-thirds and experiment a bit. Probably easier to start with a coconut flour pancake recipe that's already been formulated to use that flour. Let me know what you try!
Karen says
I got some Sicilian pistachio spread for Christmas. It is the kind of thing I usually keep for a special occasion and then a couple of years later find in the back of cabinet and wonder if it is still good. I resolved not to do that this time and the first thing I used it with was these pancakes. Delish! I’m looking forward to trying the teff variation.
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
I know how that goes, when something is "too good to use!" That pistachio spread sounds super special and delicious. I'm so glad you liked it with the pancakes, yum! Did you ever try the teff version?
Emily R says
Made these today with the oat flour sub for sorghum and made a buttermilk substitute with some milk and yoghurt. Extra delicious topped with some fresh strawberries, yoghurt, and maple syrup. My partner said these are his ideal type of pancake (fluffy with a little tiny bit crunch from cooking). Thanks for the recipe!
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Aw I'm so glad these were a hit with both of you! I feel the same way about the floofy middles and crispy edges.
Alene says
Hi! Anything I can replace the rice flour with? But then it would be a completely different pancake. I love sorghum flour though. I have a lemon drizzle cake recipe with all sorghum, with maybe a little tapioca flour, and it is delicious. Thank you.
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Hi Alene! Oh that cake sounds fantastic. I think you could try something similar here – more sorghum plus some tapioca. Please let me know if you experiment!
Alene says
These were delicious! I ended up using 1 cup of sorghum and a 1 /4 cup of tapioca with 1 extra tablespoon of buttermilk. That did make them crispy around the edges, which is how I like my pancakes. Sorghum flour has become my flour of choice lately! I don't always think of making pancakes because I like lighter breakfasts. My daughter is coming down in a week. I think even Miss Picky would like these! Thank you for putting up with my rice issue. I hope you have a nice day.
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
I'm so glad it worked well with those subs! I'm a sucker for those crispy edges too :) Please let me know how your daughter likes them - fingers crossed!
xo,
A
Monika says
I made these with quinoa flour, So Delicious coconut yogurt, and plant based better. They came out great! Thank you for this recipe.
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Hi Monika, Oh I'm so glad they worked well with those ingredients! It's such a versatile recipe right? Feel free to give a star rating too if you're so inspired! :)
Monika says
Adding my rating. So happy to have pancakes back in my life. :)
My husband (who’s not GF) ate my leftovers.
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Aw that makes me so happy. So glad they were a hit with both of you! :)
Kathy says
I've tested a lot of flour variations trying to find a good tasting, lofty gluten-free pancake and THIS is the one. I use a squirt of lemon juice in my oat milk and melted Myoko butter as I don't do dairy. Served with fruit compote and sprouted walnuts. Thank you.
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
This makes me so happy to hear! I was surprised how simple and delicious the blend of sweet rice and sorghum flours were in these pancakes too. So glad you're a fan! Those variations and accompaniments sound delicious.
Elizabeth K says
I've now made this recipe 2- 3 times and I'm happy to say that it meets the very tough bar of tasty gluten-free, dairy free pancakes for me! Thank you. I added two things: One is cinnamon, which I have to add to most things, and also some apple cider vinegar because I found in the first batch that the batter was a wee bit bitter with nothing to offset the baking powder/soda. Adding lemon or ACV takes care of it.
I want to particularly note that there are a LOT of gluten free pancake recipes out there (and mixes) and nearly every single one takes what I consider the 'lazy' route of centering on 'gluten-free flour.' This refers to a general GF flour mix of various brands, the ingredients of which include gum and potato (among other things.) I prefer the recipe to be tested with specific gf flours so that the best-tasting and cooking can prevail. Your recipe puts sorghum and sweet rice as the centerpiece and they taste great together!
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Hi Elizabeth,
Awwww thank you so much for this sweet review! I loved what you wrote so much that I added it into my post for other readers to see - I hope that's alright!
I'm so glad you love these pancakes and appreciate the use of sorghum & sweet rice flours. I love cinnamon in anything and everything too and I'm sure it's delicious here. That's a great tip about adding a little ACV or lemon juice to counteract the baking soda. The acidity in the buttermilk can do the same, but there's no harm in giving it a little more oomph!
xo,
Alanna
VH says
Deliciously dense, soft inside and crisp out, exactly how I enjoy eating pancakes. I used Bob's 1-1, aqua faba, and created buttermilk with yogurt and milk - learning about great replacements options from you!
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Aw yay, I'm so glad the pancakes worked well with those subs - brilliant. Very happy that you liked them! Thanks so much for the note!