Meet my new favorite pancakes, buckwheat pancakes. I’ll admit they aren’t the sexiest pancakes around, but they make up for their humble appearance with wonderful flavor and texture. Buckwheat, a gluten-free relative of rhubarb, has a delicate, almost nutty flavor all its own.
Thanks to the buckwheat flour, these pancakes possess a light and airy consistency that quietly surrenders to the pressure of a fork and soaks up maple syrup like a sponge. The pancakes pair well with roasted strawberries, as shown here, or with a healthy swipe of peanut butter or almond butter.
This recipe was adapted from a fun new cookbook called Pancakes, by fellow food blogger Adrianna Adarme of A Cozy Kitchen. I visit Adrianna’s blog any time I need some creative recipe inspiration or a laugh, which is often.
Adrianna’s new (and first!) cookbook is bursting with 72 brilliant pancake recipes, half sweet (honey and oat, ginger pear, cinnamon-sugar popovers) and half savory (jalapeño corn cakes, goat cheese quinoa cakes, sour cream and chive latkes). If sky-high, fluffy pancakes are your jam, she offers a ton of options based on her buttermilk pancakes recipe. This book would be the perfect gift for the pancake/latke lover in your life. Congrats, Adrianna!
Gluten-Free Buckwheat Pancakes
- Author:
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 8 Pancakes 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: By hand
- Cuisine: Gluten free
Buckwheat gives these pancakes incredible flavor. This buckwheat pancake recipe yields deliciously light and thin pancakes. For pancakes that are even lighter in texture and flavor, use half all purpose (Adrianna’s suggestion) or whole wheat pastry flour (my default). Recipe yields 8 pancakes (plenty for 2 people).
Ingredients
Pancakes
- 1 cup buckwheat flour (or ½ buckwheat and ½ flour of choice)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cups buttermilk, shaken*
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Butter, for the skillet
Roasted Strawberries
- 1 pint strawberries, hulled and sliced into bite-sized quarters or halves
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
Instructions
- Roast the strawberries: preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, gently toss berries with the sugar and maple syrup/honey. Arrange the strawberries in a single layer on the baking sheet. Roast for 30 minutes, stirring halfway, or long enough for the berry juices to thicken but not burn (watch the edges in particular).
- Make the pancakes: in a medium mixing bowl, mix together the flour(s), sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a liquid measuring cup, measure out the buttermilk. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract.
- All at once, add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. The batter should have some small to medium lumps.
- Preheat your skillet over medium-low heat and brush with 1 ½ teaspoons of butter. Give the batter a light swirl with a spoon in case the buckwheat is starting to separate from the liquid. Using a ¼-cup measure, scoop the batter onto the warm skillet. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until small bubbles form on the surface of the pancakes (you’ll know it’s ready to flip when about 1 inch of the perimeter is matte instead of glossy), and flip. Cook on the opposite sides for 1 to 2 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Transfer the cooked pancakes to a baking sheet and place in a preheated 200 degree Fahrenheit oven to keep warm. Repeat the process with the remaining batter, adding more butter when needed. Serve immediately.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Pancakes by Adrianna Adarme of A Cozy Kitchen.
*Make your own buttermilk with dairy-free option: combine 1 ¼ cups low fat milk (any variety of low fat milk should do—almond, soy, rice, low fat coconut) with 1 tablespoon + ¾ teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar and let it sit for 5 minutes before using.
If you love these pancakes: you’ll also enjoy my buckwheat crepes recipe and my other pancake recipes!
A note on fluffiness: I tried forcing some extra height into these pancakes by using half whole wheat pastry flour and even folded in whipped egg whites, but neither made a significant difference. Then I took another bite and wondered why I was trying to make these marvelous pancakes something they’re not. They’re perfect just the way they are.
Vegetable enthusiast. Dog lover. I'm probably making a big mess in my Kansas City kitchen right now. 
Lucy
Delicious! I had been searching for a gluten-free Buckwheat Pancake recipe & this is exactly what I have wanted. I followed your directions precisely – I did use 1/2 cup Arrowhead Mills gluten-free Organic Buckwheat flour & 1/2 cup Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free 1 to 1 Baking Flour. The pancakes were light fluffy & tasty. I may have added a little more Vanilla than your recipe called for, b/c I don’t measure it, I just pour it into the batter. Some were left over, & they were just as good the next day, so these pancakes can easily be made in advance. Thank you for this recipe.
★★★★★
Kate
I’m so happy to hear it, Lucy! You’re welcome. Thanks for your review!
Lynn Henley
This was delicious! I used half buckwheat flour and half oat flour plus one scoop protein powder and they were fluffy and tasty.
★★★★★
Kate
Thanks for sharing your variation, Lynn!
Jodi
Thanks I made these and were yummy – I made using homemade almond milk for the buttermilk and as I don’t eat sugar , I put a small dollop of mashed banana in with egg and milk ( maybe 10g worth ) still turned out very well
Tipped with roast nectarine and berries and homemade vegan yoghurt
★★★★★
Natalie Dupuis
Love your recipes! Looking for buckwheat muffin recipes. Any advice on substituting for other flours? Thanks!
Kate
Hey Natalie, thank you! I wish I could offer some good tips, but buckwheat flour is kind of its own animal.
Adele Booysen
I just made these with blueberries. Simply tossed a few blueberries onto the pancakes once they were on the griddle. Best buckwheat cakes ever!
★★★★
Kate
Great to hear, Adele! Thanks so much for your review.
Robin Staniforth
awesome recipe just used mixed berries instead of strawberry’s
★★★★★
Kate
Thanks for the review, Robin!
Jamie
I had been craving buckwheat pancakes and am so glad I found this recipe. These were great! Mine came out fluffy. I used all buckwheat flour. Was it because of the buttermilk?
Highly recommend.
Thanks for the post.
★★★★★
Kate
The buttermilk helps, along with the the combination of some of the other ingredients! I’m glad you loved it.
Allison
Thank you so much. These are fluffy risers in the pan and don’t feel like bricks in the stomach. I never have buttermilk, so I add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to milk to make a replacement, and it works great. I also was unsure of the vanilla changing the buckwheat flavor (which I love) and added just a few drops, but won’t bother adding it again. I need recipes for whole grain foods I like. I was never much of a grains person, but I love oats and corn. But where was I going to find pancakes to satisfy? Yay! I love buckwheat pancakes, and these don’t need any additional unhealthy white flour or expensive alternative flours. Highly recommended for an easy homemade buckwheat pancake.
★★★★★
Kate
They do get so fluffy! I’m glad you loved them. Thanks for sharing and for your review, Allison.
Erin
I always use this recipe when I make these. They’re 100% amazing.
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Erin!
Kyla
These did turn out fluffy! I substituted a flax egg and almond milk/apple cider vinegar, but kept the 1 cup buckwheat flour. Thank you for the recipe!
★★★★★
Kate
Hooray, Kyla! Thanks so much for sharing. I appreciate your review.
Mare
Just made these, and they truly are the best buckwheat pancakes I’ve ever eaten.
I didn’t roast strawberries, as they’re not yet in-season here in Canada. I topped them with farm-fresh butter and homemade marmalade, instead.
Thank you for sharing!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Mare!
Dana
I doubled the recipe using buckwheat, almond, and coconut flour, as well as subbing coconut milk. I had to add extra flour (I didn’t measure but up to half a cup) to get the right batter consistency, including some cornmeal to get them to stick together when flipping. Once I got the right ratio they came out beautiful. You do have to fry them (whereas I can do regular pancakes without any oil on my griddle) and I used coconut oil. A bit complicated to put down more oil when flipping, but I just made them as small as my spatula.
★★★★
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Dana.
Mary
Thanks for excellent recipe. These were nice and moist.
I did modify this recipe because I am very low salt and no sugar diet.
I used a quarter cup of oatmeal flour, only because I thought this might add moisture.
I also cut salt in half and no sugar. But I didn’t see nutrition information until after, so now I will try to cut out all or almost the salt, as I can’t tolerate such high salt.
Kate
You’re welcome!
Jamie
Absolutely amazing. I’ve made a lot of different kinds of pancakes, with various flour and pseudo-grains. I’ve made a lot of my own and they were all good.
This was hands down the best for buckwheat, as I didn’t want to develop my own recipe.
Thanks for sharing the recipe :)
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Jamie!
Kris
This sounds great! Thanks for the post! I was wondering if there is a vegan version of this recipe as I have 3 kids with 3 different allergies, unfortunately! Buckwheat flour is the only flour all three can have!
Thanks!
Rebecca
My vegan subtitutions: Sub a flax egg and vegan milk mixed with vinegar or lemon (to make vegan buttermilk). Fry in oil if your preference (coconut, canola, avocado…)
★★★★★
Kris
I will try this! Thanks, Kate!
Candace Daugherty
I heard that buckwheat is good for lowering cholesterol, so I tried this recipe. I did 1/2 buckwheat & 1/2 millet flour and ended up increasing the buckwheat by 1/4 cup as I thought the batter a bit thin. The cakes were soft & very tasty. Made 14, but please remember I added flour to thicken. This recipe is a keeper
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Candace!
Beth
Hi Kate. I have a very important (at least to me) question to ask you. I read through the first page of comments below and didn’t see a question like mine so I’m going ask…..
You call for 1 cup of buckwheat flour. Since you didn’t provide a weight measurement, can you please tell me how you measure your flour? I’m asking because the spooning and scooping method do yield different amounts of flour……
Do you spoon the flour into your measuring cup (and then swipe off excess with a knife) or do you dip your measuring cup into the bag of flour (and then swipe off excess with a knife)?
Please let me know which method you use and if that same method applies to all your other gluten-free pancake recipes.
Many thanks. Can’t wait to try this recipe.
Kate
Hi Beth! Great question. I spoon the flour in and then remove excess with a knife. I hope this helps!
Sarah
Very good, quite savoury, didn’t add salt as I never do or vanilla, as I didn’t have any. Used skim milk powder in dry ingredients, then same volume of water with 4tsp vinegar to replace buttermilk.
Idylle Patz
Have recipe for buckwheat pancakes with added wheat flour. To keep gluten free, can I substitute rice flour or garbanzo flour in equal proportions?
Kate
Hi! Buckwheat is actually gluten free, unless you have a known allergy to buckwheat :)
ISABELLA
Taste disgusting – like baking soda!! Why is it so hard to find a good pancake recipe online, this really is terrible.
★
Kate
I’m sorry you feel that way!
Karen Chandler
Excellent recipe.
★★★★★
Janet
Hi I haven’t made these yet however before I do can I use honey in the recipe instead of sugar as i feel this is a healthier option. How much honey would.i put in to get the correct balance
Kate
Hi Janet, I’m not quite sure without trying it, sorry!
Laurie
Buckwheat pancakes will never taste like “normal” pancakes. They have a much, what to call it?, “earthier” taste. That said, these pancakes came out well in texture and taste. You’ll get the best chance of fluffiness if you let the batter sit for at least 10 but preferably 20 minutes, to let the buttermilk do its thing. I suggest making a few as-is and then experimenting with adding cinnamon or blueberries or bananas to the batter. And, of course, real maple syrup will make up for any perceived deficiencies in taste until you become accustomed to buckwheat!!
★★★★
Jonna
I think I’ll try these again, I made these today with buckwheat groats that I ground into flour. I didn’t have any type of milk on hand so I mixed plain grass-fed yogurt With water and a squeeze of lemon till I got the right consistency. A splash of maple extract, 1/2tsp cinnamon, and pinch of cardamom bump up the rustic flavor.
As for next time, I think swapping 1/4 c of gluten free flour would help achieve a slightly sturdier pancake.
But, otherwise, I loved the rustic honesty of buckwheat pancakes; they feel like something you’d cook over a campfire in the Wild West and the romantic in me just loves that raw, cabin sorta vibe.
★★★★★
lola
these pancakes are wonderful!! i had to substitute yogurt for the buttermilk and after the first pancake the batter thickened and they came out VERY fluffy. thank you for this recipe.
★★★★★