3 Alternative Flours for Fantastic, Healthy Pancakes

BY GABRIELLA VIGOREAUX

The pancake revolution has been a long time coming. Now that it’s here, it’s time to make stacks that taste good whether you pour syrup over them or not.

Maple syrup. Whipped cream. Sliced strawberries. I don’t have a problem with any of these things, but for so long—too long—toppings such as these have been pancakes’ big crutch. So one recent morning while tinkering in the Epicurious Test Kitchen, I said enough—it’s time to put the flavor back into the pancake, not just on top of it.

For that, I turned to alternative flours. I know what you’re imagining: Leaden, earthy, “healthy” pancakes—the thing you’d expect to be served on some sort of hippie commune in Oregon. These are not those pancakes. Here, the nutritional boost of alternative flours is nothing but a happy afterthought. The main purpose in using them is to create a new style of pancake—something light and creamy in texture, and bold enough in flavor that when you top it, you do so lightly. Because these pancakes give the toppings flavor, not the other way around.

1. BUCKWHEAT FLOUR

Buckwheat pancakes are nothing new, but they’ve long needed an upgrade. Two dishes inspired me to create this savory buckwheat stack: Classic Breton galette, the French crepe-like pancakes made with buckwheat flour and typically filed with ham, eggs, and cheese, and Chinese scallion pancakes. The result is a pork and scallion-packed pancake that begs you to “put an egg on it.”

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2. SPELT FLOUR

Spelt flour can usually be substituted 1:1 for regular flour in pancakes, waffles, muffins, quick breads, or any baking that involves some kind of chemical leavener (like baking powder). And it has a particularly affinity for citrus, which is why I use it in this riff on lemon-poppyseed muffins (I use oranges instead of lemons, but, you know, you do you). Sunflower seeds add even more crunch to these otherwise light and fluffy pancakes, and a rosemary-infused syrup (just a little drizzle!) makes it fancy.

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3. ALMOND FLOUR AND BROWN RICE FLOUR

And now, a pancake for my gluten-free peeps. I dreamt these almond- and rice-flour pancakes up one day when I ate banoffee pie for dessert and woke up wanting to eat it all over again. Mashed bananas add just the right touch of sweetness to the batter, but the real star here is the date “caramel,” made almost entirely of dates (and therefore free of refined sugars). The whole thing gets sprinkled with some sliced, toasted almonds for crunch and to bring out the almond flavors from the flour. If you really want to get the full banoffee effect, serve these with coconut milk whipped cream.

RECIPE: GLUTEN-FREE BANANA-ALMOND PANCAKES WITH DATE CARAMEL

INGREDIENTS

For the date caramel:

• 1 cup chopped pitted dates

• 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• Pinch of salt

For the pancakes:

• 2 ripe bananas, peeled

• 1 cup whole milk, warmed

• 2 large eggs

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 1/2 cups almond meal (ground almonds)

• 3/4 cup brown rice flour

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• Melted unsalted butter, for pan

• Sliced toasted almonds, for serving

PREPARATION

For the date caramel: Soak chopped dates in 1 cup hot water for 15 minutes. Transfer dates and their soaking liquid to a blender or food processor; add vanilla extract and salt. Blend until date mixture reaches a caramel-like consistency, adding a bit more hot water if needed. Transfer date caramel to a small serving bowl or creamer.

For the pancakes: In a large bowl, mash the bananas and whisk in the milk, eggs, and vanilla. In another large bowl, combine the almond meal, brown rice flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients and stir well to incorporate.

Heat a large skillet or griddle to medium and brush it with a bit of butter. Drop batter by the tablespoon into the skillet to form pancakes. Cook until bubbles start to form on the surface, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until light brown, about 30 seconds more. Repeat with remaining batter, brushing pan with butter as needed.

Drizzle pancakes with date caramel, sprinkle with almonds, and serve.

See the rest of these recipes on Epicurious.com 

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PHOTOS: CHELSEA KYLE, PROP & FOOD STYLING BY DIANA YEN