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My Favorite Grain-Free Coconut Flour Pancakes

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Wellness Mama » Blog » Recipes » Breakfast Recipes » My Favorite Grain-Free Coconut Flour Pancakes

coconut flour pancakes recipe

When we ditched the grains years ago, pancakes were one of the foods my kids missed most. I lost no time trying to figure out a healthy grain-free pancake recipe that could fill the void. After many (sometimes failed) kitchen experiments, we settled on these coconut flour pancakes as our new Sunday morning pancake recipe.

We rotate these pancakes with our favorite almond flour pancake recipe for variety. Both are a great choice and have about equal flavor and fluffiness (although admittedly are more dense than regular pancakes).

We’ve seen so many health improvements that we won’t be going back to the traditional version any time soon. Besides, they’re delicious!

Coconut Flour Pancakes for a Crowd (Paleo & Low Carb)

As I said, I tried a lot of different types of pancakes in my quest to develop a grain-free pancake recipe. I tried sweet potato pancakes, almond flour pancakes, and several different variations of coconut flour pancakes. Eventually, I realized that the recipe was right in front of me. I found I could make my coconut flour apple cinnamon muffins recipe into pancakes with very few changes!

This recipe makes 12 pancakes which may not sound like a lot, but thanks to the healthy fat, protein, and fiber from coconut flour and eggs, you don’t need to eat a stack of pancakes to be full.

I often double the recipe and keep some in the fridge for an easy on-the-go snack for the kids. (This works especially well because the pancakes are a little sweet on their own thanks to the applesauce and optional honey. No maple syrup needed!)

These guys also make pretty good “bread” for a breakfast sandwich. Add a fried egg and bacon for a delicious combo of slightly sweet and savory.

Grain-Free, Dairy-Free Pancakes: What to Expect

The batter for these pancakes is pretty different from traditional pancake batter, but it turns out great in the end. Don’t worry if it seems too thick or doesn’t bubble the way regular pancake batter does. I scoop the batter with a ¼ cup measure and then use the bottom of it to spread the pancakes out a little bit.

These pancakes also take a little longer to cook than regular pancakes, so don’t rush them. They’re ready to flip when the spatula will slide underneath without them falling apart. (Look for the bottom to be nicely browned). To speed up the cooking process, I suggest using a griddle so you can make more at one time. And make sure you grease it with butter or coconut oil between batches.

Toppings and Variations

Sometimes we add different mix-ins like bananas, blueberries, or even a few chocolate chips for some fun pancake variations! If you just love drizzling something on your pancakes, skip the honey in the recipe and give this wild blueberry maple syrup a try.

Coconut Flour Pancakes Recipe

Grain-free coconut flour pancakes that are packed with protein for a healthy and filling breakfast.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Calories 64kcal
Author Katie Wells

Servings

12 pancakes

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients together with a blender, whisk, or immersion blender and let sit 5 minutes to thicken.
  • Fold in mix-ins like fresh blueberries if desired.
  • Heat a large skillet or pancake griddle.
  • Grease skillet or griddle with 1 tablespoon coconut oil or butter.
  • Use a ¼ cup measure to scoop batter onto cooking surface, using the bottom of the measure to spread the pancakes out a little.
  • Cook approximately 3-4 minutes per side until it is browned on the bottom and easy to flip. These do take a little longer than “regular” pancakes, so don’t rush them!
  • Grease skillet or griddle with additional butter or coconut oil as needed between batches.
  • Top with butter (it makes everything better!) or ghee and enjoy!

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Coconut Flour Pancakes Recipe
Amount Per Serving (1 pancake)
Calories 64 Calories from Fat 18
% Daily Value*
Fat 2g3%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Cholesterol 68mg23%
Sodium 142mg6%
Potassium 39mg1%
Carbohydrates 7g2%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 105IU2%
Vitamin C 0.2mg0%
Calcium 12mg1%
Iron 0.5mg3%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Notes

  • This recipe makes twelve 4-inch pancakes
  • Make this recipe without the cinnamon for a great breakfast sandwich bread 

Like this recipe? Check out my new cookbook, or get all my recipes (over 500!) in a personalized weekly meal planner here!

Have you made real food pancakes? I’d love to hear your favorite recipe! Talk to me below!

This coconut flour pancakes recipe is made with coconut flour and eggs for a healthy and filling breakfast that is grain free.

Katie Wells Avatar

About Katie Wells

Katie Wells, CTNC, MCHC, Founder of Wellness Mama and Co-founder of Wellnesse, has a background in research, journalism, and nutrition. As a mom of six, she turned to research and took health into her own hands to find answers to her health problems. WellnessMama.com is the culmination of her thousands of hours of research and all posts are medically reviewed and verified by the Wellness Mama research team. Katie is also the author of the bestselling books The Wellness Mama Cookbook and The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.

Comments

152 responses to “My Favorite Grain-Free Coconut Flour Pancakes”

  1. Rachel Knighten Avatar
    Rachel Knighten

    Made these this morning and they were tasty! I’ve noticed that most of my coconut flour creations are dry so I added a tad of coconut milk which seemed to help. Yummy & filling. Thanks for the great recipe 🙂

    1. Ashley Avatar

      how much coconut milk did you add? My coconut flour Paleo bread is very dry i have noticed and i would love to continue a Paleo lifestyle but if i cant convine my husband soon its going to be difficult.

  2. Michelle Valdes Avatar
    Michelle Valdes

    Has anyone tried this with homemade coconut flour?  It’s so different than the kind you buy in the store, so the amounts to add are, in my experience, really different.  I’m having a hard time finding a recipe for using the homemade flour.  Thanks! 

  3. Wena Avatar

    Coconut (ant way)  almond butter, brussel sprouts, nectarines,  chicken

  4. trina Avatar

    YUM! I jut tried your recipe, but had to make a few ACD (Anti Candida Diet) friendly adjustments & they turned out fantastic! I’m so excited!
    I halved your recipe, since I was only cooking for one – used ghee instead of butter/coconut oil – added a little almond meal to the coconut flour & some organic, unsweetened, shredded coconut.
    I’m still in phase one of ACD, so I can’t use applesauce or any fruits, yet. I used coconut milk & stevia as moisture & a little sweetener. PERFECT!
    Definitely calms the cravings for something sweet & somewhat cake-like.
    Thanks for sharing!

  5. Mary Avatar

    This recipe has too many whole eggs, the dietary cholesterol added by these eggs, plus the butter to cook, and to serve has got to make these cakes unhealthy.  I realize this is a website for those who wish to avoid certain products perceived by them to be harmful, which they believe to be in modern wheat based food/products, however one would be advised to seek another substitute for regular pancakes as this recipe is high too high in fat and cholesterol.

    1. Wellness Mama Avatar
      Wellness Mama

      The whole eggs are exactly what is healthy about these! Dietary cholesterol is not the problem! Statistically, high cholesterol is not correlated to heart disease and over half of all people who have a heart attack have normal cholesterol

      1. MargeGunderson Avatar
        MargeGunderson

        THANK YOU sooooo much for helping get the correct information out! It’s still an uphill battle trying to convince friends and family, but the more sources out there confirming it the better. I’ve lost 50 pounds and all of my numbers have improved drastically on a high fat (daily coconut oil plus cooking in it), low carb, no wheat, mostly grain-free diet.
        Thanks also for an excellent informational site; I’ve bookmarked it and plan to come back often.

      2. H. Harriet Hancock Avatar
        H. Harriet Hancock

        Thank you Katie. What you say is true. As a certified nutritionist and speaker/reearccher. The early studies about dietary cholesterol were flawed. Eggs and other high cholesterol foods are actually very beneficial for us. The liver makes cholesterol and usually scarring in arteries cause by homocystein, or other inflammation, prompts the body to lay down cholesterol “bandages” to heal these areas; The fix for homocystein is a good B-vitamin complex.

    2. Carri Avatar

      I agree with Wellness Mama. Dietary cholesterol is not bad for us like they told us years back. This is old school information. The new findings are that Trans Fats (the man made stuff) was the culprit not natural foods like cream, butter, eggs and meat. We would do well to stick with naturally derived foods NOT man made. There were many nutritionist and scientists that were telling us this all along.
      Eggs are one of the healthiest foods you can eat.

        1. S. Smith Avatar

          No, Drs are not nutritionists, however, they do know some factors that clog arteries as well as obesity (caused by high caloric intake). Saturated fats are not good for you. Good fats include such things as coconut oil, olive oil, avocados, etc… The yolks in eggs are not considered a healthy fat. Also keep in mind caloric intake. Fat has 9 calories per gram, so make sure you don’t go overboard with the butter and other fats or you will find yourself gaining weight. It’s not rocket science, eat healthy natural foods, “good” fats, and calories in must equal calories out or you will have weight gain! 🙂 The healthiest foods you can eat are lean proteins, lots of greens/veggies, and healthy fats (not saturated or trans-fats).

          1. Mimi Avatar

            There are so many sources that are now proving that saturated fats – yes tallow, butter etc) are great for us and that if anything we need more of them. These nutritionists believe in ancestral / paleo or stone age diet. Sources you can visit include Weston Price Foundation, Chris Kesser, and my favorite The Perfect Health Diet by the Jaminets who explain everything quite scientifically both being researchers. They show that 50 – 60% of calories should be from saturated and monos (not poly). Hence animal fat is shown to be healthy along with coconut oil and some olive oil. Whats more animal fats and coconut oil do not get damaged with cooking whereas vegetable oils do. Egg yolks are similarly shown to be healthy and great source for nutrition. Visit their websites.

        2. Marie Avatar

          It’s cooking now and it smells delicious! One question: do I cook on low, medium, or high? Thank you!

    3. Erica Avatar

      5 stars
      ” I realize this is a website for those who wish to avoid certain products perceived by them to be…”

      It’s ironic that you said that after saying they were unhealthy because of the GOOD cholesterol! Gotta love people?!

  6. Katie Wellness Mama Avatar
    Katie Wellness Mama

    Posting for reader, Cat who was having trouble getting the comments to work correctly:

    Oh. My. Goodness.
    I made these this morning for breakfast and I can honestly, truly, veritably tell you that they were THE BEST pancakes I have ever had. Ever. And that’s not saying my mom’s classic flapjacks are no good, they just simply cannot be compared with this awesomeness. I followed the recipe in its fullness, though added just a bit more applesauce since the batter had to sit for a while and got a little thick. I also didn’t add as much honey: maybe a tsp or so rather than a tbs (first experiment with raw honey). It took a little practice to get the timing and flipping method just right, but they were amazing! The raw honey was brilliant as a sweetener in this. And ahhh the blueberries~! Thank you so much for the recipe! I never want wheat pancakes again! 😀 

    …but um..I have a few confessions to make…
    One: There are a few of these hidden in the very back of the refrigerator that I am reserving for myself to be revisited very sneakily in the morning before everyone else gets up. . .shh!
    Two: I cooked these in bacon grease. Just for, ya know, “overkill good measure”. ;p

  7. Bec bertrand Avatar
    Bec bertrand

    Thanks for the recipe!  I’ve made these, but the batter didn’t bubble. The consistency of the batter is similar to canned pumpkin-a tiny bit thinker. Did I do something wrong? We liked them! I was confused about the coconut/butter. It was to IN the batter, correct? Thank you!

  8. pam Avatar

    I finally made these coconut pancakes for dinner last night along with the meal and they were a hit, except for my husband, he just does not like anything made with coconut flour, so I need to find a recipe for pancakes made with almond flour, so far everything that I have made with the almond flour is a thumbs up from him.  One of my favorite recipes is from  Grain Free Wife  website.  German puff pancakes!  Incredible, easy to make and I put them in the refrig and they warm up real nice to either have with fruit or I love to put my chili on top of a piece.  This is made with coconut flour also.  I highly recommend the recipe.

    1. Lisa B Avatar

      5 stars
      Same with my fiance, doesn’t like coconut at all, however, when I sneak in a little bit of it here and there, he doesn’t seem to mind it. Perhaps like with children, you need to give just a bit here and there to build up the taste/tolerance for it.
      I’m still working on him, because coconut has so many benefits.

      Has anyone found a cassava root flour that is healthy? I read one comment here that its toxic removal process is unnatural and unregulated.

      PS I make these with almond flour and a little coconut flour and a spoon of almond butter and sometimes spoons of banana. Delicious.

      thanks!

      1. Lisa B Avatar

        5 stars
        Anyone thinking about adding psyllium husk, do not do it!
        it stinks and tastes like mushrooms gone bad.
        Personal experience.

  9. Colmer Avatar

    These are very tasty. The coconut flour adds a subtle sweetness. I have made several other real food pancake recipes, and I think this is one f the tastiest. I did however have a lot of trouble with cooking them. The hardest part was flipping them. They kind of went everywhere. I also had trouble with them getting charred. I tried to give them more time before flipping them, but they got black, and still didn’t flip well. Maybe just a lower cooking temp overall? That way they could cook longer before flipping and not get black. Will have to experiment more. I want to try these with pumpkin.

    1. Sarah Avatar

      I had this trouble, too. What worked for me was placing a lid on the pan. When you flip the pancake leave the lid off. The pancakes may not have bubbles this way. I also found that cooking on low for 2 minutes each side worked really well.

  10. Laelle Avatar

    These were awesome!  Our batter was really thick…had to spread it out with bottom of measuring cup to flatten quite a bit.  And this was still to get a nice, thick pancake.  Maybe because we used fresh pureed apples instead of the applesauce?  But didn’t really matter because they were moist, flavorful and had a great texture.  Topped with butter and a small dribble of maple syrup.  Thanks for another wonderful recipe!

    1. blair Avatar

      How did you get yours to be moist? Mine were tasty, but pretty crumbly and a bit dry for my liking. I used an entire cup of applesauce and a good slop of coconut oil and they still turned out dry. More oil next time?

  11. Mike Avatar

    Wellness Mama – I’m new here but wanted to say thanks for this website and sharing your ideas. It has been fun to explore. I’ve come across tapioca flour – flour from a cassava root – and am anxious to try it to compare to the coconut and almond flours. Is there any reason you are aware of to avoid this flour – I’m assuming it is OK since it is from a cassava. Any thoughts would be appreciated and thanks again for your efforts.

    Mike.

    1. Sioban Avatar

      Cassava root has to be processed to remove cyanide! I stopped using it when I found out it is processed out of the country where there is no way to regulate  the process. If you do use it and notice a metalic taste then the cyanide is still present. A built up of cyanide in the body will cause  irreversable paralysis.

      1. Savannah Avatar
        Savannah

        Wellness Mama, can I refrigerate the batter and use next day?

  12. Alexandra C White Avatar
    Alexandra C White

    These are great! thank you! Will they stay together? I dont have a hand mixer…my last ones from another website fell apart while cooking! 🙁

  13. Amy Avatar

    Yay!! I have been trying various pancake recipes for weeks trying to find one that tasted good and cooked well.  I had some success with an almond flour recipe, but they stuck badly to my skillet.  Probably operator error 🙂

    This recipe turned out great!  Nutritious and tasty and, best of all, no frustration.  You have saved our Saturdays!!

  14. Crystal Avatar

    What can I replace the applesauce with? I generally try to stay away from sugar, even if it is from fruits. Maybe upping the oil or adding something like heavy cream? 

    1. Mbsamos Avatar

      Why not zucchini purée (or a winter squash with season changing)? You may want to skin them if the skins are bitter. I’ve made “apple crisp” with no apples by using zucchini slices.

    1. Wellness Mama Avatar
      Wellness Mama

      I get mine from TropicalTraditions.com, but you can also find on
      Amazon and in some local stores, depending on where you live.

      1. Maryalice Avatar
        Maryalice

        Thanks for the link for the coconut flour as I’m not sure we have it here in town.  We do have almond flour and I was wondering what are your thoughts on that and on wheat flour? 

        1. Wellness Mama Avatar
          Wellness Mama

          Almond flour is good, though not interchangeable with coconut flour
          in recipes. I recommend avoiding wheat in all forms completely.

          1. Rose Avatar

            I tried Almond flour pancakes and they sat on me like a ton of bricks..I was not so happy with the results, I am looking forward to trying these! NO Grain is good!

      1. MargeGunderson Avatar
        MargeGunderson

        Hi, Joannesjazz – sorry to sound dense here, but did you really mean TJMaxx that sells clothing? I believe you, just making sure it wasn’t one of those darn-you-autocorrect phone funnies. Thanks!

        1. Meg Byers Avatar
          Meg Byers

          Yes TJMaxx. They have a great selection of health foods, oddly enough!

          1. Dan Avatar

            I bet TJ Maxx has the same shelf life storage policy for their food and clothing.

    1. Wellness Mama Avatar
      Wellness Mama

      I would think that any kind of fruit, or even vegetable puree could
      be used, though I’d up the oil or flour accordingly. I’ve been
      thinking of trying with a carrot puree with more coconut oil.

      1. Betsy Avatar

        I made the applesauce muffins with pumpkin puree and they were great! So, I am guessing that you could have some delicious Pumpkin Pancakes!

        1. Pam Bell Avatar
          Pam Bell

          that sounds really good, I will have to try the pumpkin puree, the applesauce made the pancakes to sweet for my taste. Thank you for sharing

    2. Jenni J Avatar

      You can add a little almond milk and organic raisins. I did and it was delicious.

  15. Niki Avatar

    This recipe looks flavorful – I’m excited to try it! We made coconut pancakes using Mark’s Daily Apple recipe – they were good… but needed ‘something’. Thanks for the recipe!

    1. Niki Avatar

      Me again — I’ve been following this thread and love coconut flour pancakes. If you’re interested in a bit of a tangent from coconut flour, this is a protein-packed take on grain-free pancakes: 1/4 cup ground almonds, 1 banana, 3 eggs. Blend in food processor. Fry. Delicious and so simple! I make these more than I care to admit- great protein first thing in the AM :).

      1. Amy Avatar

        Thank you so much Niki, your recipe was fantastic and I was finally able to make some ‘normal’ pancakes. I love that they also taste of banana. Everything I’ve tried so far with almond/coconut flour has turned out flaky and I failed to get the correct pancake consistency. They tasted good but broke apart in the pan. I added raisins to the recipe too because I love them warm.
        Gorgeous! Thank you again 🙂

      2. Kristine Avatar

        5 stars
        Thank you Niki for sharing your recipe.
        While I was about to make my own coconut flour-I noticed your comment sharing your simple recipe and I tried it out right away with ground coconut instead of almonds (I Love almonds, but was out of stock at the moment), the other day I took a scraped carrot instead and along with bananas, eggs and vanilla – it tasted great! I liked to make them with coconut oil on a high heat and they turned out yummi! My kid literally couldn’t wait to get some more! So simple, quick, tasty and most of all – Healthy!!! Thank you Katie for an amazing website & Thanks everyone for your comments!

        1. Ashley Avatar

          No luck with this recipe. Thick and sloppy. Unable to flip. Thinking my coconut flour is the issue. I use Arrowhead Mills. Are the pancakes in your picture using this recipe? My batter was darker from the apple sauce. Any advice would be appreciated! Thanks!

          1. Suzanne Avatar

            The pancakes pictured are from this recipe. These do behave a little differently from those made with wheat flour. I had to spread them out a little bit with the bottom of the measuring cup after I scooped it onto the griddle and they took significantly longer to cook before flipping. And I’ve found that I sometimes have to add extra coconut flour depending on the brand I’m using and make sure to let the batter sit for a few minutes before cooking. Good luck!

      3. Melissa Avatar

        5 stars
        Thanks for this site!! I love it!

        I tried a combo using ingredients I had on hand. My child is off wheat to see if it helps her. My whole family is intolerant to it, and it’s all she wants, but she has problems with allergies.

        I tried this because my kid doesn’t do banana flavor, but with half, you can’t taste it.:

        INTO BLENDER COMBINE:
        ½ c coconut and almond flour (fine grind)
        3 eggs
        Tiny bit vanilla extract
        Tbl greek vanilla yogurt
        Fish oil- lemon flavored 2 tbl (costco)
        Turbinado sugar 1 tsp melted in micro with water to cover
        ½ a banana
        Water to thin
        Bit of salt
        Bit of melted butter
        *Fry in butter and canola spray, spray the spatula to keep it from sticking. Do silver dollar size, and allow plenty of cook time.

        Would be great with blueberries!

    2. Kim Avatar

      2 stars
      I tried this recipe this morning, and the pancakes didn’t turn out. The batter was thick but didn’t hold together. Trying to flip the pancakes was like flipping applesauce. The pancakes fell apart although they turned dark brown as if they were “done.” I used homemade applesauce, so maybe that was the problem???

      1. Muriel Fahrion Avatar
        Muriel Fahrion

        I used store bought applesauce with no added sugar. Once the griddle was hot I turned it down to a low setting. This worked fine.

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