These gluten-free pancakes use five ingredients and make a great breakfast or post-workout meal. One serving provides 425 kcal and 30 grams of protein, keeping you full for several hours. The recipe comes from Peep Reinart’s kitchen, and I’ve made it several times myself.
Why choose gluten-free pancakes
A typical pancake means wheat flour, butter and plenty of carbohydrates. After a workout, though, you want something that provides protein without leaving you feeling sluggish. This recipe delivers on both counts.
Coconut flour holds the batter together without gluten. Sweet potato and banana provide natural sweetness, so there’s no need to add sugar. Egg whites and protein powder boost the protein content to a level you wouldn’t normally expect from a simple breakfast pancake.
Honestly, if gluten intolerance isn’t a concern for you, you wouldn’t even know from the taste that these are gluten-free. They’re soft, the banana aroma comes through clearly, and children enjoy them too.
Ingredients for one serving
- Coconut flour 15g
- Boiled or baked sweet potato 150g
- Banana 100g
- Protein powder (vanilla) 15g
- Egg whites 120g
- Coconut oil for frying 5g
It’s worth baking the sweet potato in advance. I make a larger batch and keep it in the fridge. That way, your morning serving is ready in five minutes.
How to make gluten-free pancakes
- Mash the sweet potato and banana with a fork or blend in a blender until smooth.
- Add the coconut flour, protein powder and egg whites to the purée. Mix thoroughly until the batter is smooth.
- Let the batter rest for a couple of minutes — coconut flour needs a little time to absorb the liquid.
- Heat a frying pan over medium heat and coat it with a thin layer of coconut oil.
- Drop small spoonfuls of batter into the pan, making each pancake roughly the size of your palm.
- Cook until golden on both sides — the first side takes about two minutes, the second a little less.
One important detail: don’t let the pan get too hot. Coconut flour burns quickly, and the banana’s sweetness also speeds up browning. Medium heat and patience — that’s all there is to it.
Nutritional information
- 425 kcal
- Fat 8 grams
- Protein 30 grams
- Carbohydrates 55 grams
- Dietary fiber 10 grams
This nutritional profile is unusual for a pancake — most recipes provide just 5–10 grams of protein per serving. Here, you get three to six times as much, and the dietary fiber content helps keep your blood sugar steady.
Practical tips for making gluten-free pancakes
If the batter seems too runny, add another teaspoon of coconut flour and wait a minute. Coconut flour absorbs moisture and swells as it does so — the batter always seems thinner at first than it will end up.
Choose a riper banana — yellow bananas with brown spots on the skin give the best flavor. A greenish banana will taste a little starchy, and you’ll need to find another way to add sweetness.
You can replace the coconut oil with butter if gluten is your only dietary restriction and milk protein doesn’t cause you any problems. The flavor will be a little milder, but the nutritional value stays the same.
To serve, spread a thin layer of Greek yogurt over a cooked pancake and scatter a couple of berries on top. This makes a balanced breakfast that keeps you going until lunch.
Frequently asked questions about gluten-free pancakes
Can I replace the coconut flour with another flour?
Almond flour works best — use about three times as much, because it doesn’t absorb liquid as well as coconut flour. Rice flour and buckwheat flour also work, but make the texture drier. Avoid regular wheat flour, as that defeats the whole purpose of the recipe.
Is protein powder essential in this recipe?
No. You can make the pancakes without it, but the protein content will be about 18 grams per serving. If you leave out the protein powder, replace it with one extra egg white or a tablespoon of coconut flour to help the batter hold together.
Can I freeze them?
Yes. Let the pancakes cool completely, then layer them between sheets of baking paper and put them in the freezer. They keep for two months. To defrost, transfer them to the fridge for a couple of hours, then reheat in a toaster or frying pan — microwaving makes them rubbery.
Author: Peep Reinart
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