Way back when I first whipped up a batch of pancakes using coconut flour, they seemed pretty fluffy to me. I was grateful for something close to what I wanted. That was then. Now I present to you truly fluffy pancakes using almond and coconut flour.
The trick to getting thick and fluffy pancakes is to add something acidic, like yogurt, to react with the baking soda. The reaction of the baking soda and yogurt creates carbon dioxide gas bubbles which helps the pancakes rise. The acidity from the yogurt also helps caramelize the sweetener, making the pancakes a darker color.
You can use this trick with my almond flour and coconut flour pancake recipes, and it works with my almond and coconut flour waffle recipes as well.
If you don't do dairy, you can easily substitute the yogurt with dairy-free yogurt, or dairy-free milk and some lemon juice. You can also replace the yogurt with an equal amount of cashew cream cheese or cashew ricotta. See the head notes for measurements.
The ratio of each flour is about the same as in my other recipes that combine almond and coconut flours. The advantage of mixing these flours is that you get the benefits of each: the fiber from the coconut flour and the nutrients from the almond flour. And if you're concerned about eating too much almond flour, mixing flours reduces the amount of almond flour needed for pancakes.
Fluffy Pancakes {almond & coconut flour}
Ingredients
- ¼ cup coconut flour
- 1 cup almond flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 3 eggs
- ¼ cup yogurt
- ½ cup water
- 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon oil plus more for the skillet
- pinch salt about ⅛ teaspoon
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a food processor or blender and pulse for 10 seconds or so to combine. Alternatively, combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl, then add the wet ingredients and mix well.
- Let the mixture sit for a minute or so for the coconut flour to absorb the liquid.
- Preheat your skillet over low-medium heat.
- Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of cooking oil to the skillet.
- Spoon each pancake onto the skillet. About 1 to 2 tablespoons of batter form one small pancake.
- Cook the pancake well on the first side, about a few minutes. Bubbles may start to appear on the top of each pancake.
- Once a pancake is starting to brown around the edges and bottom, flip it to the other side and cook for another minute or so.
- Place the pancakes on a plate and continue until you've used all the batter.
- Store leftover pancakes in the refrigerator for a few days, or freeze for a few months.
Jean says
Best recipe I've tried so far. The only problem was they easily break up when cold. Do you think it would help to replace one egg with a flax egg? Thankyou.
Hi Jean! I haven't had that issue but maybe sealing it well before storing and warming them up a bit would help?
Valerie says
Best coconut almond pancakes I have made and I’ve tried a lot of different recipes!!! I used coconut yogurt and it was quite thin but this was perfect as my family likes a more crepe style pancake (just had to roll the pan to distribute batter). I also used almond milk instead of water.
Thank you for this recipe!
Thanks, Valerie! Always great to hear 🙂
Gitika says
I loved the paleo pancake mix from purely Elizabeth, but they discontinued the product. These were the ingredients: Almond flour, arrowroot flour, organic coconut milk powder (organic coconut milk, organic tapioca maltodextrin, organic gum acacia), organic coconut flour, organic tigernut flour, organic chia seeds, organic flax seeds, leavening (baking soda, monocalcium phosphate monohydrate), sea salt, cinnamon. I feel like your recipe might be a great starting point to creating my own. Can you please advise on the flour measurements? Thanks!
Erica says
Hi Gitika. I'm not familiar with the mix and I can't advise on the measurements. If you'd like to swap out eggs for chia seeds or flaxseed, that may work.
Laz says
How many people should this serve? We got 10 small pancakes out of 1 cup almond, 1/4 cup coconut metrics.
Although We ran out of almond flour and had to increase the coconut flour which meant more water to get the consistency.
We were so full after 2 pancakes we realised maybe it's enough for 4 .
Would love to know if anyone has added protein powder to make it more protein.
Topped them with sugar free maple, blueberries, hemp seeds and protein greek yoghurt
Erica says
Hi Laz. The recipe typically yields about 12 pancakes and they are small. I wouldn't recommend changing the ratio. You can sub with another nut flour or a seed flour if needed. Protein powder wouldn't be a good sub for almond flour but can be used as a sub for coconut flour in some recipes.
Leanne B says
Made these this morning. Flavor was very good. Did not see any mention of keeping temps low and these were a trainwreck until I used my mini dash. They are perfect waffles but not mattter how high or low my griddle temp was they burned easily and were not fluffy pancakes but great as waffles. Will make again for sure
Erica says
Hi Leanne, I haven't used a griddle but it may get too hot too fast. Yes, like most pancakes, start slow, on the lower side of the heat and wait until you see bubbles. Slow and steady wins here.
Abby says
These pancakes did not stay together at all. They crumbled into a million pieces. Maybe it's because i substituted the eggs for flax eggs, but I've done this many times in the past and had no issues with consistency. Not sure what i did wrong.
Hi Abby. I haven't tested this recipe with flax eggs but coconut flour is not very forgiving if it doesn't have enough binder (egg proteins). I recommend trying a pancake recipe that doesn't require as many eggs. I tend to swap eggs for flax eggs only when the recipe requires one or maybe two eggs and doesn't have coconut flour in the recipe.
Missy says
Made these today. Delicious. Will definitely make again.
Erica says
Yay! great to hear, Missy!
Kee says
I love pancakes and these were great!
If you don’t have baking soda can you use baking powder, if so, how much?
Erica says
Hi Kee. Yes! you can absolutely sub with baking powder.
Erica says
Sorry, forgot to answer your other question. You can use the same amount!
Joy Sato says
This recipe is awesome, I used almond milk instead of water and also I used butter instead of oil. Instead off putting the butter on skillet I mixed it with the batter and used non stick pan. Struggle on flipping it at first but glad with a lot of practice I've got the texture that I wanted to get. Covering it for about 3 to 4 minutes at very low heat on each side (to make sure will not burn it used timer haha). Making 2x the recipe saves time and worries what lunch pack to bring at work and also . Bunch of thanks for thir recipe Erica.
Erica says
Thanks, Joy! Yes, to doubling the recipe, and that probably goes for a lot of my recipes. Batch cooking and baking saves a lot of time (and energy). Yes to low heat for pancakes with almond and coconut flour, they burn easily before rising on the inside.
Stephanie says
They turned out very good but what exactly is a serving? Is 1 pancake a serving? My math comes to about 2 net carbs per pancake. Just looking for clarification. Thank you!
Erica says
Hi Stephanie, yes, the serving is one pancake.
Cathy Winkel says
I made these pancakes this morning. I added some nutmeg and cinnamon to the mixture. Really good!!!!
Erica says
Thanks, Cathy! Always good to hear ❤️
Graydon says
only 1/2 cup water?
Erica says
Yes!
Christeen says
These were delicious and fluffy! I kept the temperature low as suggested and they turned out great.
Erica says
Thanks, Christeen! Great to hear 🙂
Nora says
hi, would it be possible to bake instead fry them as pancakes?
Erica says
yes! I would try them on a non-stick baking mat at about 325 degrees F for about 5 minutes or so on each side.
Geneva Bradshaw says
Yes, does great as cake batter, not real sweet but Sweetleaf Sweetdrops has different flavors. You can mix yogurt with maple syrup, fruit of choice and walnuts for a cake topping . Love it.
Erica says
Thanks, Geneva. Good to know! I hadn't thought to use this to make a cake.
Maurine MELLINGER DEROY says
What about those of us who eat no sweets. Will Stevia work?
Erica says
Hi Maurine, yes, Stevia should work! Remember to use the equivalent called for by the brand of Stevia you use, and make up the additional liquid with water or milk.
Ann samm-Regis says
Hi there, I made these today and my family loved them. I did not have yogurt so I did as you suggested and used almond milk instead. I also used almond milk instead of the water. I did not have lime or lemon juice so used apple cider vinegar. I also had some difficulty flipping the pancakes but did as someone else suggested and covered the pan to help them cook faster. Will definitely make these again. Had them with agave syrup and blueberries and strawberries.
Erica says
Hi Ann, glad you found a trick, I hadn't heard of covering the pan.
Andrea says
These pancakes are fluffy and delicious! They have the consistency of traditional wheat flour pancakes. I’ve been following SCD for 7 years, and these pancakes are the best I’ve tried. The coconut flout makes them lighter. I’ll definitely be making them again.
Erica says
Thanks, Andrea! So great to hear
Leigha says
Is it normal for the better to be really textured and thick thick thick? Like have to beat my whisk on the bowl edge for the better to come out of it kind of thick..
Erica says
That sounds a little thick for this batter/recipe. You can add a bit of water to loosen it up.
Julz says
Hi Erica! First want to tell you how much I LOVE your recipes! I follow the IBD-AID diet that was derived from SCD, and your recipes are superbly compliant or easy to adjust an ingredient here and there, so a big THANK YOU for all you do! I have had and used a 2013 version of Cooking for the Specific Carbohydrate Diet since I was diagnosed and treating with diet.
I can’t believe I haven’t made these pancakes yet! 2 questions. I generally use cashew flour in place of almond for most recipes. Do you think this will be as fluffy and work as well using cashew flour? I also only have kefir on hand. Will that work for the yogurt?
Thanks again!
Julz
Erica says
Thank you so much, Julz! Yes, cashew flour will work, it's easy to sub almond flour with cashew flour in most recipes. I haven't tried it yet, but I think Kefir will work but it might not be as thick if the kefir is thinner (more watery) than yogurt or cashew cream.
Julz says
So… I finally made these with cashew flour and kefir. Worked beautifully and they are the most delicious, fluffy pancakes!!!
Erica says
Oh, yum! Love them with cashew flour and kefir is a great option 🙂
Ed Williams says
Do you have a waffle recipe that is similar to this recipie. Love this pancake. Works great on wood cook stove.
Erica says
Great idea, I don't have one yet 🙂 I haven't tried this in a waffle iron but if you do, let know!
Erica says
Update: I tested a version of this recipe as waffles and will post it soon!
Katie says
Can you use rice flour in place of coconut flour?
Erica says
It's possible, I haven't tested it though.
Carla says
Excellent! I make these often. I add a few blueberries to each as it cookies. They freeze nicely too . Thanks!
Erica says
Thank you! Love the cookie idea. Yum!
Sally says
Hello Erica....I'm planning to try your pancake recipe...I've just started a low carb diet and am having some success...but I miss real pancakes. I tried a recipe made with just Almond flour, and it was okay...reminded me of corn bread texture. I was hoping mixing almond flour with coconut flour would lighten the pancakes up a bit.
I read your directions but I have a question about the nutrition info. Is it for individual pancakes? 104kcal and 5 net carbs? I'm assuming so....thanks for your response....and I will let you know how I do!
Erica says
Hi Sally! Yes, coconut flour lightens it up, and my almond flour pancake recipe is also a lighter pancake, so you can't go wrong with either recipe. The nutrition info is for one serving. Best wishes!
Wendy says
First time trying and it was a success. I added a little more water and vanilla and a dash of cinnamon. My son loved it!
Erica says
Yay! Great to hear 🙂
Stephanie says
I found the recipe was far too wet and would fall apart and I had to throw them out. I added whole wheat flour and had success. I also had issues with them cooking too slowly on low heat and getting two dark on high heat. It took an hour to make this from start to finish because I had to cook on a lower medium heat.
Erica says
I'm sorry you had trouble. I would check the measurements. This is a well-tested recipe. Happy to review the products you used if you'd like to share. They do need to cook on a slightly lower heat for a bit longer, but not that long. Best wishes, Erica
Victoria Muscolino says
Great recipe. I found it did not cook enough to flip so I just added a lid to the pan to help it speed up the cooking process or the top side enough for me to flip by the time the bottom side was cooked without it breaking apart. Worked great!
Bets says
Used this recipe from your cookbook and these are the best gluten free pancakes I have tried, and I have tried a bunch. The combination of almond flour and coconut flour is perfect and gives them a nice, fluffy texture and smoother taste. Almond flour can cause issues if I use it too often, but these are worth a splurge and then doing without in other areas..
Erica says
So great to hear! I agree 🙂 Also, you can replace the almond flour with another finely ground nut or seed flour, such as cashew or pecan flour.
Carole says
Hi Erica
Do you any bread recipe that will come out like a white bread texture? Or something like a soft bread. I tried to avoid to much almond flour because I bleed. Thank you
Rachel says
Is it possible to make the pancake batter ahead of time (two days)?
Erica says
I think so, just seal it tightly before storing it in the refrigerator.
Liz says
I’ve tried a ton of SCD pancake recipes since starting the diet a year ago. This is definitely the best one I’ve tried from a texture standpoint! It doesn’t have that flat, “gritty” taste! Will be my go-to pancake recipe! Thank you!
Erica says
Thank you! I love this recipe as well 🙂
Kellie says
If your out of scd yogurt can it be replaced with something else? Apple cider vinegar perhaps?
Erica says
Lemon juice & milk is a good sub. Vinegar would not taste ideal in pancakes 🙂
Erica says
You may be trying to cook them on a high flame or very hot griddle. Lower the heat and give them time to cook slowly on one side before you flip. These are pretty heavily tested.
Theresa says
We can’t have eggs. Do you know how these woul turn out with flax eggs as a substitute?
Erica says
I haven't tried it and generally don't go beyond 2 flax eggs, but it might work since it's a quick cook. You can cut the recipe in half and see if that helps.
Pam Sier says
I've been on SCD since June and feeling MUCH better. I have both of your cookbooks...LOVE them and use them frequently. I'm allergic to ALL grains, ALL dairy and must be careful with acidic foods. I cannot make the SCD yogurt recipe. What can I substitute for that...coconut milk seems to be okay for me to use so far.
Many thanks and hugs, Pam
Erica says
wonderful news! thanks so much for the kind words, and for buying my books 🙂
Dee Macd says
Do you have the nutritional information for this recipe please. Looks really yummy.
Erica says
Updated: I now have nutritional info with my new recipe layout!
I don't, but you can find it by using a site such as myfitnesspal.com or nutritiondataself.com.