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
Ingredients
- 5 eggs
- 1 cup applesauce
- ½ cup coconut flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon (optional)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
- 2 TBSP honey (optional)
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!
Notes
- This recipe makes twelve 4-inch pancakes
- Make this recipe without the cinnamon for a great breakfast sandwich bread
Nutrition
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Have you made real food pancakes? I’d love to hear your favorite recipe! Talk to me below!
Is 5G Safe? What You Need to Know
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 🙂
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.
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!
Coconut (ant way) almond butter, brussel sprouts, nectarines, chicken
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!
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.
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
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.
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.
Here’s a link to more info: https://wellnessmama.com/1853/roots-of-heart-disease/
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.
P.S. Doctors are NOT nutritionists!
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).
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.
Bingo. Well said.
It’s cooking now and it smells delicious! One question: do I cook on low, medium, or high? Thank you!
” 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?!
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
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!
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.
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!
Anyone thinking about adding psyllium husk, do not do it!
it stinks and tastes like mushrooms gone bad.
Personal experience.
I can’t wait to try the coconut flour pancakes. Thank you!
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.
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.