Start Your Day the Gluten-Free Way: Blueberry Chia Pancakes
Looking for a delicious and easy way to kickstart your day while sticking to a gluten-free diet? These Gluten-Free Blueberry Chia Pancakes are the answer! They're incredibly fluffy, thick, and bursting with flavor, with the perfect pop of juicy blueberries in every bite. Best of all, they come together in under 25 minutes with just a few simple steps. Plus, we've included a vegan option so everyone can enjoy!
The Be Gluten-Free Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free BAKING Cookbook
Discover the joy of baking again with 200 delicious gluten-free and dairy-free recipes! From everyday bread to celebration cakes that everyone will love.
Get Your Copy TodayPancakes are a breakfast staple, and these gluten-free wonders don't compromise on taste or texture. They're so light and airy that even those accustomed to traditional pancakes won't believe they're gluten-free. This recipe is incredibly versatile, making it easy to adapt with your favorite flavors if you're feeling adventurous beyond blueberries and chia seeds.
These pancakes are not only delicious, but also fit perfectly into a healthy, gluten-free lifestyle. The combination of gluten-free flour, chia seeds, and blueberries provides a good source of fiber and antioxidants to power your morning. Plus, they're easy to customize to suit your dietary needs and preferences.
Why You'll Love These Pancakes:
- Flavorful: The combination of blueberries, chia seeds, and warm spices creates a delightful sweetness and satisfying taste.
- Easy to Make: This recipe is simple and quick, requiring minimal equipment.
- Perfect Texture: These pancakes are incredibly fluffy and moist.
- Gluten-Free and Vegan-Friendly: Perfect for those with gluten sensitivities, and easily adaptable to a vegan diet.
Read on for our tips and tricks to ensure your pancakes turn out perfectly every time, including insights on ingredient substitutions, ensuring your baking powder is fresh, and creative topping ideas! Get ready to enjoy a stack of the best gluten-free pancakes you've ever had!
Gluten-Free Blueberry Chia Pancakes
These gluten-free blueberry chia pancakes are the perfect way to start your day! They're fluffy, thick, soft, and bursting with blueberry flavor. This recipe is quick and easy, ready in under 25 minutes! Plus, we've included a vegan option for those with dietary restrictions.
Why You'll Love These Pancakes:
- Quick and easy: This recipe comes together in just one bowl and a skillet or griddle.
- Flavorful: The blueberries, chia seeds, and warm spices create a delicious and satisfying flavor profile.
- Perfect texture: These pancakes are incredibly fluffy and moist.
- Gluten-free and vegan option: Perfect for those with dietary restrictions, without sacrificing taste or texture.
Ingredients for Gluten-Free Pancakes:
- Blueberries: Fresh or frozen, these add the signature flavor to our pancakes.
- Gluten-free flour: Use a high-quality 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour, such as Bob's Red Mill or King Arthur. These blends contain xanthan gum, which is essential for creating the right texture.
- Baking powder: This is crucial for light and airy pancakes. Ensure your baking powder is fresh!
- Cinnamon and nutmeg: These spices add a warm, comforting flavor that complements the blueberries beautifully.
- Cane sugar: A vegan-friendly sweetener that adds just the right amount of sweetness. Feel free to substitute with maple syrup, agave, date syrup, coconut sugar, or brown sugar. For non-vegans, honey works well too.
- Almond milk: Use store-bought or homemade almond milk. Other dairy-free milk options like oat milk or coconut milk work great too.
- Vanilla extract: Enhances the overall flavor of the pancakes.
- Unsalted butter: For cooking the pancakes to golden-brown perfection.
- Eggs: These bind the ingredients together and add richness.
- Coconut oil: Use melted coconut oil in the batter. You can substitute with melted vegan butter, vegetable oil, or olive oil.
- Chia seeds: A nutritional boost and adds a subtle texture to the pancakes.
Instructions:
- Combine dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, sugar, baking powder, arrowroot starch (optional), chia seeds, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Add wet ingredients: Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Add the almond milk, eggs, vanilla extract, and coconut oil. Gently stir with a spatula until just combined. Be careful not to overmix! If the batter is too thick, add additional milk, one tablespoon at a time, until it reaches a smooth, yet still thick consistency.
- Fold in blueberries: Gently fold in the blueberries until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
- Cook the pancakes: Heat a skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter and let it melt completely.
- Pour the batter: Pour approximately ½ cup of pancake batter onto the hot skillet for each pancake.
- Cook and flip: Cook for about 1-2 minutes, or until bubbles start to appear on the surface of the pancake. Gently flip the pancake and cook for another 1-2 minutes on the other side, until golden brown. Gently press down on the pancake to ensure the center is cooked through.
- Repeat: Repeat steps 5 and 6 until all the batter is used.
- Serve: Stack the pancakes and top with your favorite toppings, such as fresh blueberries, granola, whipped cream, banana slices, and chia seeds. Drizzle with maple syrup, if desired.
Tips and Tricks:
- Storage: Store leftover pancakes in a tightly sealed ziplock bag in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave before serving.
- Freezing: Allow the pancakes to cool completely, then place them in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze for 1-2 hours, or until solid. Transfer the frozen pancakes to a freezer-safe bag or container and store for up to 2 months. Reheat in the oven, microwave, or toaster.
- Vegan option: To make these pancakes vegan, substitute the eggs with flax eggs (1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons of water, let sit for 5 minutes to thicken) and use vegan butter for cooking.
- Sweetener substitutions: If you prefer not to use cane sugar, you can substitute with agave, date syrup, coconut sugar, brown sugar, or maple syrup.
- Oil substitutions: Instead of coconut oil, you can use vegetable oil or melted vegan butter.
- Frozen blueberries: If using frozen blueberries, toss them lightly in 1 tablespoon of gluten-free flour or arrowroot starch before adding them to the batter. This helps to absorb any excess moisture and prevents the blueberries from sinking to the bottom.
Enjoy your delicious and fluffy gluten-free blueberry chia pancakes!
Be Gluten Free: Fluffy Gluten-Free Blueberry Chia Pancakes
Start your day right with these delightful Gluten-Free Blueberry Chia Pancakes! They're incredibly fluffy, delightfully thick, and bursting with the delicious flavors of blueberries and chia seeds. Ready in under 25 minutes, these pancakes are a perfect gluten-free treat for any morning.
Ingredients for these Gluten-Free Pancakes
- 2 cups gluten-free 1-to-1 flour (I love Bob's Red Mill or King Arthur: See Notes!)
- ¼ cup organic cane sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon arrowroot starch
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch of ground nutmeg
- 4 Tbsps coconut oil (See Notes!)
- 2 cups Almond milk (You can use whole milk or your fave plant-based milk)
- 2 tsps vanilla extract
- 2 large organic eggs
- 1-2 cups fresh blueberries (See Notes for frozen option!)
- unsalted butter, for cooking
OPTIONAL TOPPINGS:
- Fresh blueberries
- Granola
- Whipped Cream
- Maple syrup, for drizzle
- Banana slices
- Chia seeds
Gluten-Free Living: Nutritional Benefits and Dietary Adaptations
These Gluten-Free Blueberry Chia Pancakes are not only delicious but also offer several nutritional advantages, especially for those following a gluten-free diet.
- Gluten-Free Flour Blend: Using a high-quality gluten-free 1-to-1 flour, such as Bob's Red Mill or King Arthur, ensures a texture that closely mimics traditional pancakes. These blends often include a mix of rice flour, tapioca starch, and potato starch, offering a balanced source of carbohydrates without gluten.
- Chia Seeds: These tiny seeds are a nutritional powerhouse, adding fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, and a boost of protein to your pancakes. Fiber aids in digestion and promotes a feeling of fullness, while omega-3s are beneficial for heart health.
- Blueberries: Bursting with antioxidants, blueberries contribute to overall health and well-being. Antioxidants help protect your body against free radicals, reducing the risk of chronic diseases.
Dietary Swaps and Substitutions
- Vegan Option: To make these pancakes vegan, substitute the eggs with flax eggs (1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons of water per egg, let sit for 5 minutes to thicken). You can also use a vegan egg replacer. Use vegan butter for cooking.
- Dairy-Free: The recipe is already dairy-free if you use plant-based milk like almond milk.
- Lower Sugar: Reduce the amount of cane sugar or replace it with a sugar-free sweetener like stevia or erythritol. You can also use unsweetened applesauce or mashed banana for natural sweetness.
- Nut-Free: If you have nut allergies, replace almond milk with oat milk, soy milk, or sunflower seed milk. Ensure that your gluten-free flour blend is also nut-free.
- Coconut-Free: Replace coconut oil with melted vegan butter or another neutral-flavored oil like avocado oil or sunflower oil.
Tips and Tricks for Perfect Gluten-Free Pancakes
- Gluten-Free Flour Notes: Gluten-free flours can vary in texture and absorbency. If your batter seems too thick, add more almond milk, one tablespoon at a time, until it reaches a pourable consistency.
- Cooking Oil: Instead of coconut oil, you can use vegetable oil or melted vegan butter, if preferred.
- Fresh or Frozen Blueberries: If using frozen blueberries, be sure to lightly toss them in 1Tbsp of flour or arrowroot starch before adding them to batter. This reduces any excess water from the blueberries and allows cake to bake thoroughly.
- Don't Overmix: Overmixing gluten-free batter can result in tough pancakes. Mix until just combined, leaving some lumps.
- Let the Batter Rest: Allow the batter to rest for 5-10 minutes before cooking. This allows the gluten-free flour to fully absorb the liquid, resulting in a fluffier pancake.
- Low and Slow: Cook pancakes over medium-low heat to ensure they cook through evenly without burning.
- Flip Only Once: Flip the pancakes when bubbles start to form on the surface and the edges look set.
- Keep Warm: Keep cooked pancakes warm in a preheated oven (200°F) until ready to serve.
Storage Instructions
- Refrigerate: Store any leftover pancakes tightly sealed in a ziplock bag and kept in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Re-heat in the oven or microwave when ready to serve.
- Freeze: Place cooled pancakes in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze for 1-2 hours. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat in the toaster, oven, or microwave.
Nutrition Information (per serving)
Calories: 129kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 549mg | Potassium: 42mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 79IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 183mg | Iron: 1mg
Enjoy your delicious and nutritious Gluten-Free Blueberry Chia Pancakes!