When pancakes come up, especially in July, there is only one thing that comes to mind. Pancake breakfasts. That all-important element of the Calgary Stampede. But what if you’re out of town (raises hand), or want those memories to be evoked another time of year? These ones did it. They were fluffy and comforting and made me think of those Stampede days.
Those days that would start off with an abundance of pancakes, all around the city (in the gluten days, at least). With some friends, I would head down to the midway. We would spend the whole day on those rides. Climbing onto every ride we could possibly stomach, dreaming of the day when we were able (and willing!) to go on the big rides. You know the ones – only two people can go on at a time and they either whirl you up into the air or do the same, but on a bar type thing. Regardless of what they do, we quietly know that it won’t happen – at least not this year. It’s all part of the fun. During those 10 days that define our city in so many ways, everyone comes out and the atmosphere changes. Everyone is excited and donning jeans and cowboy boots, not just for the fun but to be a part of it. Each day starts with a pancake breakfast at home or surrounded by friends and family. If you’re lucky, maybe it’s both :).
Now, these pancakes aren’t measured in cups. I have no idea how much flour you would need in cups, actually. You may have noticed that I’ve started to include the weight of the flour alongside a cup measurement. Why? Ratio by Michael Ruhlman (and for full disclosure, I wasn’t paid to write this. I did get my copy of the book for free, just because I happened to win a giveaway from Ricki). It has honestly changed the way I write and think about recipes. Seeing how certain ratios – in weight – of the same ingredients come together to create all of our favourite foods. This one is based off of his pancake recipe in the book, with my twist to make it gluten-free and evoke the memories I was looking for. It’s filled with whole grains, but not at all in a bad way. I love to make them. Using a scale without worrying about cups is always very therapeutic. Just pour or scoop some flour onto the scale until you have the amount you need, tare it and repeat. Simple, no frills. If you don’t like scales, or don’t want to get one, I have plenty of other pancake recipes (I love pancakes, in case you were wondering 🙂 ).
Fluffy Gluten-Free Pancakes
Ingredients
2 ounces cornmeal
2 ounces millet flour
1 ounce quinoa flour
1.5 ounces sweet rice flour
1.5 ounces tapioca starch/flour
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1 tbsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup milk (plus extra, if needed)
2 eggs
1/2 stick butter, melted and cooled slightly
Steps
Whisk together dry ingredients in a bowl. Whisk together wet ingredients in a separate bowl until very well combined.
Combine wet and dry ingredients and whisk until no lumps remain. If the batter is still quite thick (you have to sculpt the pancakes in the pan), add a tablespoon or two of milk at a time, until it is smoother. Cook over medium heat, on a lightly oiled surface until done.
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Simple, straightforward and satisfying. If your fat to cook them in is butter, you won’t need any extra on top. Just some heavenly pure maple syrup.
How can you say no to maple syrup? I know I can’t. Especially this stuff.
Would you like some?
What have you been eating this summer? Possibly some food that brings up all the emotions of an event in your town? I would love to hear.
xoxo
Lauren
{ 26 comments… read them below or add one }
Ohhh how could you do this to me right at breakfast time? 🙂 These look amazing!!
mm, I made pancakes yesterday morning, and they were my best yet. Sometimes I forget how refreshing a pancake is. Its the simplest things.
And yours look absolutely beautiful!
These pancakes look amazingly light!
Beautiful pancakes and beautiful pictures! I love cooking by weight as well, though for pancakes I tend to the “throw stuff in a bowl with no measuring at all” approach. 😉
We must be on the same wavelength with our pancakes and waffles.
You and Shauna are slowly convincing me to buy a scale…not quite there yet, but I know I’ll end up getting one eventually.
Those look delicious Lauren. I love the photos.
I have a scale, but I don’t use it for flour. I’m too used to my old ways…
These look just like the stampede pancakes I love…I still go to the free breakfasts, I just bring my own pancakes!!! I’m going to have to try these :p…
Wish I could make these – I can’t use cornmeal right now, unfortunately, since my brother seems to be sensitive to corn, though cornstarch seems to be okay. Since seeing it on Homesick Texan, I really want to have a look at that Ratio book! It’s exciting, considering sometimes when I just whip something up without a recipe and I’m just following my intuition.
Lauren – those look delicious! Will have to give that recipe a whirl! My kids love the nights when my hubby is out of town and we have “Brinner” (Breakfast for Dinner)!! Pancakes at night are always fun! ;0)
Beautiful! I’ve never used butter in pancake better, only oil….oh I bet these are rich and delicious!
Woah, those look amazing! I’ve only ever been able to make really thin gluten free pancakes because the thick ones end up lumpy and taste gross. I’ll have to try your recipe! 🙂
Last summer, while I was still working downtown on my internship, all my coworkers would go to pancake breakfasts pretty much everyday during stampede. I would usually tag along in hopes that they would have fruit salad, eggs or bacon and look sadly at the pancakes as everyone else got to eat them. Perhaps I will have to make these – they look delicious!
P.S. There’s nothing like real maple syrup, is there? It’s soooo good.
Lovely post and wonderful photos as usual, Lauren. Love the colors against those golden brown pancakes. I had no idea that pancakes were associated with the Stampede. When we visited Calgary (which has been a long time ago now) we arrived right after the Stampede.
I actually made pancakes yesterday for my personal brunch. 😉 They were Naomi’s latest whole grain pancakes. I made mine using a combination of actual brown and white rice (not flour, but the rice itself), almond flour, eggs, and coconut milk. You blend all together and then make pancakes. Sort of nutty and chewy. I liked them. I had mine with honey. 🙂
Otherwise, we’re eating lots of summer seafood and the usual stuff at home, and some new recipes, like gluten-free beer can chicken (amazingly good! and can be made with a soda like ginger ale, too) when we’re camping. Fun!
Shirley
Hey Lauren, these are beautiful. It’s hard to believe they are gluten free. I don’t have celiac, but I try to do gluten free days. So I’m bookmarking this. Nice!
These look fabulous, Lauren! Like the fluffy pancakes from my childhood! I recently posted a new pancake recipe, then yesterday made pancakes in a completely different style. I love pancakes, in all their forms.
It’s odd, but as comfortable as I am with a scale, when I’m creating new recipes I always go the measuring cup route – seems I can better visualize cups than ounces/grams. Sounds like I should look into getting Ratio!
Btw, I love the idea of a town-wide pancake breakfast tradition.
Lauren those look so light and fluffy! We make pancakes every Saturday and have been making them gluten free now that our little man can’t have it. And yes, it’s impossible to say no to maple syrup! xoxo
Mmmm… I haven’t had pancakes in forever & ever! I’ll have to switch over your measurements to metric, but i’m wondering if the cornmeal is a must? Will it make a difference to leave it out or is there a substitute?
Carla, I’m not entirely sure. It would definitely make a difference to just leave it out, as I based the recipe around it. However, if you cannot do it at all, I would try quinoa, brown rice or millet which has been ground to the consistency of cornmeal. I haven’t tried it though, so I don’t know what the exact result might be. Good luck!
Yumm!! They look great & make me hungry!! I often add a bit of coconut flour to recipes like this – that & sorghum are two of my favorites! Love quinoa as a grain, haven’t used it as a flour yet, but am sure it would be lovely!
I found a little scale at goodwill – haven’t begun using it yet either . . .
YUM! I’ve been looking for a delicious-no-need-to-test gluten free pancake recipe!
Can you tell me what the ingredients measure in cups? Is there a web site that gives these conversions?
Hi Barb! For this recipe (only this one, sorry!), I don’t have any idea about the weight to cups conversion. However, there are a few conversion tools on the net such as this one: http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/cooking-conversions/cooking-conversions-calculator.aspx that may help!
These pancakes were delicious. The best gf ones I’ve ever had. And I’ve tried many recipes. I have corn allergies, so I substituted coconut flour for the corn meal. Also guar gum for xanthan gum. Also, I dont have a scale and I had no clue about how to make this, so I just measured in wet measurement cups the ounces. I guess I did it wrong, but I added extra milk and it all came out great anyway! Thanks for this wonderful recipe!
The best pancakes I’ve ever made – gluten-free OR wheat.
Thanks for another great recipe, Lauren 🙂
I am unfamiliar with recipes in oz rather than cups. So, for clarification, I just weigh my ingredients with a kitchen scale?
I can’t wait to try these for my kids. Thanks.
Christina, Yes. Place your bowl on the scale, and tare/zero it, then add each flour until you have enough. Super simple! If it’s too much, but some back. Then, zero it again and do the next flour.
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