Gluten-Free Sourdough Pancakes

These gluten-free sourdough pancakes are my favorite GF pancakes (ok, maybe after these chocolate-stuffed ones!). They are soft, moist, flavorful, stable, and easy to make. If you don't have a GF sourdough starter, check out my regular GF American pancakes recipe instead.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

- Quick. No whipping egg whites, no overnight fermentation.

- Texture. Unlike many other pancakes I tried, these don't taste dry or bitter. Instead, they are moist, fluffy, and flavorful!

- Flavor. Gentle notes of sweetness are combined with the richness of oil and milk to create a depth of flavor!

Eggs - make sure to use room-temperature eggs. To quickly bring them to room temp, place them in a bowl with hot water for 5 minutes!

Gluten-free flour - I used my homemade gluten-free nightshade-free flour mix but other blends should work well, too!

Oil - sunflower, coconut, avocado, or any other oil should work great! I used sunflower oil.

Baking powder - check the package to make sure it is gluten-free!

Sourdough starter discard - fed or unfed. I know many recipes state you should use a 100% hydration starter but for this recipe, you can use any starter you've got!

Substitutes

To make dairy-free pancakes use plant-based milk if necessary.

Honey - you can also use maple syrup or sugar.

Oil - you can use melted butter but the pancakes will not be as fluffy and light.

To make vegan GF sourdough pancakes use bananas in place of eggs (or you can try chia eggs), plant-based milk, and maple syrup in place of honey.

Add the sourdough starter, eggs, milk, oil, and honey to a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine.

Then, add the dry ingredients (preferably mix those well prior to adding, especially if adding xanthan gum separately). Whisk to combine and leave to set for 5-10 minutes (GF flour needs time to absorb liquids well).

Heat the pan on the stove for a few minutes. I prefer using a cast iron pan as it fries the pancakes evenly unlike the regular non-stick pan. If using a cast iron pan, you only need to preheat it on a medium fire and then take the heat down all the way. For a non-stick pan you will have to adjust the heat as you go and judge by the appearance of the pancakes.

Use ¼ cup to scoop the pancakes onto the pan. Fry the pancakes for about 1 minute on one side (until bubbles start showing and the pancake is flippable).

Then, flip and fry for another minute on the other side. Repeat with all the pancakes and enjoy! Top with maple syrup, honey, or jam (I have a great recipe for elderberry jam!)

- If at all possible, use a cast iron pan, otherwise, a non-stick griddle or skillet will do! I noticed that when I fry my pancakes in a cast iron pan they fry through evenly without me having to change the heat level halfway through baking. A non-stick pan, on the other hand, had to be adjusted all the time and I would have dark pancakes on the outside and wet on the inside from time to time!

- The first pancake is the test one! You will see, based on the results, whether or not to adjust the heat levels or wait a bit longer for the pan to preheat. To check if the pan is hot enough, sprinkle a droplet or two of water onto the surface and if it sizzles and evaporates quickly, you should be good to go!

- I fry one pancake at a time to avoid them overlapping with each other. But if you make smaller ones, you can fry more at one time!

- Rest the batter for at least 5-10 minutes before frying. If your pancakes are gritty, rest the batter for 20-30 minutes.

- With gluten-free flour, it is always better to use a digital scale vs cups as it is very easy to overpack flour. Every gram makes a difference when it comes to baking gluten-free!

- Check my elderberry recipe collection for ideas of what to serve with these pancakes!

FAQ