Fluffy Coconut Flour Pancakes
Edited to Add: You must check out the latest update on this recipe including tips and tricks.
When it comes to an easy breakfast I love pancakes. As you can probably tell from my soaked buckwheat pancakes and soaked, flour-free oatmeal pancakes. They are just so simple to cook – mix, ladle, flip, eat. No wonder our pioneer foremothers served them frequently on their trek out west.
But for those of us who don’t eat grains or are restricting our carbohydrates the smell of pancakes can feel a bit isolating. I’ve tried probably a half dozen coconut flour pancake recipes over the past year and have the same complaint with all of them – they are thin and eggy.
So I tweaked, tested, and tweaked again and finally came up with a pancake that is fluffy, not overly eggy, and pretty darn tasty.
My husband said these taste like donuts as he slathered them in coconut oil and honey. That’s coming from someone who does eat grains, is skeptical of coconut flour, and knows his way around a pancake. So when he said that I knew my recipe testing was over.
Finally, a coconut flour pancake worth eating.
Fluffly Coconut Flour Pancakes
Recipe Notes: Both cow and coconut milk work well in this recipe. You can also add cinnamon or fruit as desired. Just keep the pancakes small and watch them so they don’t burn.
Ingredients
- 4 eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup milk (raw cow’s or coconut both work)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon honey or a pinch of stevia
- 1/2 cup coconut flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- coconut oil or butter for frying
Directions
- Preheat griddle over medium-low heat. In a small bowl beat eggs until frothy, about two minutes. Mix in milk, vanilla, and honey or stevia.
- In a medium-sized bowl combine coconut flour, baking soda, and sea salt and whisk together. Stir wet mixture into dry until coconut flour is incorporated.
- Grease pan with butter or coconut oil. Ladle a few tablespoons of batter into pan for each pancake. Spread out slightly with the back of a spoon. The pancakes should be 2-3 inches in diameter and fairly thick. Cook for a few minutes on each side, until the tops dry out slightly and the bottoms start to brown. Flip and cook an additional 2-3 minutes.
- Serve hot with butter, coconut oil, honey, syrup, or fruit.
You can get coconut flour and coconut oil here:
For bulk orders of coconut oil we highly recommend:
I followed the recipe exactly, but these just really weren’t tasty. I have another Paleo pancake recipe that I like that also uses coconut flour, but significantly less. I think these just use way too much flour. They weren’t fluffy, but dense, and just didn’t taste that great.
First time success, texture is a bit odd. Used maple syrup as the sweetener. Wonder if egg substitute would work? For autoimmune Paleo diet.
LOVED! LOVED! LOVED! The texture and flavor were both terrific! My GF son raved and our two daughters thought they were delicious also! For the sugar we used: coconut sugar to stay within the limits of a sugar detox. Thank you!
Such drama from people. These were great. Fine. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
I think the key to this recipe is to cook over low heat, use plenty of oil in a non-stick pan, and keep them small. Also, use as much coconut flour as necessary to get the batter thicker if it seems really runny. My first batch I followed the recipe exactly and let the batter sit for 5-10 mins and it was still very runny. Tried to make a crepe but that ended poorly! So I added more coconut flour (probably ended up with twice what the recipe calls for) and let sit, and it was a much better consistency. (HOWEVER, I make my own coconut flour and can never grind it quite as fine as store-bought, so it’s possible I wasn’t actually using a full 1/2 cup.)
I also found it goes faster to put a lid over your skillet as they cook. I would probably cut back on the salt too next time. Overall, a good recipe! Great way to eat more eggs without having to have the same old scrambled or over-easy. I used whole conventional milk, but will use coconut milk next time for even more health benefits!
I had high hopes for these but they were pretty terrible. They deflated and were not fluffy, tasted very eggy, and were quite salty. I tried adding some oat flour and more baking soda to salvage these but I will definitely not be making these again. Very sad that I pretty much just wasted ingredients
Just made a batch; I should have followed the advise and stayed away. These pancakes ARE eggy! I make pancakes from scratch three times per week and I have never tasted eggs in a pancake until this batch. I am a good cook and I bake twice a week. These pancakes are hard to flip & I took my time flipping since using coconut flour. This is not a good recipe in my honest opinion. Although, my kids, ages 3 and 4, really likes them; however, I won’t be using this recipe again.
I made them today, and the batter turned out too thick. Didn’t like the coconut taste…
Don’t understand all the fails in the comments. These worked perfectly for me. A little eggy maybe, but I like eggs…
I found these pancakes to be very eggy for me. It tasted like scrambled eggs, A little bit disappointed
I gave these a go. They were ok. Wouldn’t rave about them. Mine stayed together and i added baking powder 1tspn and cooked them on a medium heat.
They do burn so you have to watch them.
I wouldn’t use this recipe again and it is clear coconut flour does not work like plain wheat flour or a gluten free plain flour mix works.
My dogs loved them, cause i didnt really like them enough to finish. A tad dry for me.
So good! I have tried other coconut flour recipes and been disappointed. This hit the spot. My kids loved them too. They said they were better than the last time I made them, which were wheat 🙂
Made these pancakes for breakfast and we loved them. They were much fluffier than almond flour cakes, and we liked the light coconut flavor. I didn’t have almond milk so we used light coconut milk, but added even more than a cup since the dough looked kind of thick. I’ve made all kind of gluten free pancakes over the years and these were my favorites.
Tried these for supper, last minute decision. Have been craving pancakes, and haven’t found a recipe close to regular ones. These, were great!!! I did find that I had to cook on low a little longer, so that I could flip successfully. Definitely will make again.
So I was excited to make these since I have coconut flour that I had yet to try. I followed the recipe exactly which is quite easy but I was disappointed with the results. They were a bit hard to flip because the batter wouldnt really dry up but it wasn’t that big of a deal. They cooked nicely and looked really good but the taste was not great. First they were super eggy. They tasted more like egg patties. The texture was kind of grainy and also they were kind of dry. I also used coconut oil to cook them. My little girl said they tasted like too much egg and my husband I think ate them to be nice but later said they were just okay.
Awesome! First time making coconut flour pancakes. They were wonderful! Even my 12-year-old loved them. The batter was the perfect consistency and they could up wonderfully in the pan. Thank you!
These were very tasty, but I have a slight recommendation. Adding the milk at the end would be best so you can adjust the thickness for the batter. When I first made these, they were thin because the batter was too runny so I had to add more flour. Other than that, thanks for the great recipe! 🙂
I made these this morning, and they turned out great. I’d suggest 4 eggs is probably a few too many – 3 would suffice. I also added blueberries to the batter, which melted while cooking and were absolutely delicious. I didn’t use all that salt, either.
The first two were a bit of a mess, as didn’t ‘turn over’ very well. By the last few, I found cooking them on a low heat for longer than usual, with a lid on the pan worked a treat. They were pretty solid by the time I flipped them over and turned out great.
Served with greek yoghurt – YUM!
Thank you Lisa for your comment. I am making these for breakfast and needed a recipe. I thought 4 eggs sounded like a like for just 1/2 C flour. I will try 3 eggs and a few blueberries.
Way to much salt, and I agree with Liza, one too many eggs
These rocked! I’ve been paleo for about 6 weeks now and I feel great but I am definitely missing a few things such a sweet and buttery pancakes. These totally cured my craving. I used coconut milk and added 1 tsp cinnamon & grated nutmeg. I served them with homemade berry syrup & they were devoured my the paleos and non-paleos at the dinner table. (Yes- breakfast for dinner is the best!) Thank you!!
I don’t see how these could be trouble to make. They were very easy. The only change I’ll make next time is half the salt. Thanks!
I made these and they turned out flat and floury!? What did I do wrong? Everything was measured precisely…..
Thank you for this recipe. It is great for both pancakes and waffles. The key is to cook on a low heat. My waffles were a hit! I made a few small adjustments:
1) Added dried coconut to the recipe, it gave it a nice texture.
2) 3 eggs instead of 4
4) Added a bit of extra milk
These were excellent! For some of those who had trouble with texture, I beat the eggs with an electric mixer for 5mins until very frothy and increasing slightly in volume.
Also, the baking soda needs an acidic element to actually “work”, so I added some yogurt. Others may want to try a tbsp of vinegar or else the baking soda will serve no purpose other than a salty soda taste.
I was disappointed in the way these turned out. Mine were not nearly as thick as yours, and I followed the recipe to the letter. Maybe I should have used 3 eggs, as my eggs were large. The batter was pretty thin. I certainly didn’t need to pat out the pancakes with the back of my spoon.
I just wanted to thank you for your recipe. It turned out just as you said and was enjoyed by everyone in my family. I made no changes to your recipe and it was dee licious! Thanks again!
I substituted the coconut milk for unsweetened almond milk because it’s what I had on hand. And I have to say these are delicious. I love coconut anything so I definitely enjoyed the coconut taste in these. 🙂 Just a word of caution when flipping because they are a little flimsy. A short stack of these with some agave, anyday! Delicious!
These are the best gluten free &sugar free pancakes I have made thus far! I used egg substitute and stevia otherwise I followed the recipe. I have found that all gluten free pancakes take longer to cook, so even when I think they are ready to turn, I wait another minute. These cooked great and looked pretty when they were done!
These were fantastic!! My husband and I live at high altitude in Denver and we had to add more liquid to make it a pancake batter consistency but we absolutely loved them!
We used 3 eggs instead and then folded 2 extra whipped egg whites into the batter right before the griddle – they were so fluffy. We also almost tripled the coconut milk since it was too thick. Play with the consistency till it suits your taste and cook on a very low griddle!
Thank you sooooo much for this recipe!!
Texture is slightly gritty but not bad. Wayyyyyyy too much salt, and I’m a salt lover. Reduce the salt to about 1/8-1/4. The flavor is salty, eggy coconut grit. It needs some tweaking but the pancake at least cooks and holds up. So despite my critical review I am appreciative of the base recipe! Thank you.
Thank you for this recipe!!! I tweaked it a lot, but it was a great starting point. I am on a serious candida diet and wasn’t hopeful for this recipe seeing as everything else I’ve made has totally sucked… I added 1/2 tsp cream of tartar, a tablespoon of cinnamon, a teaspoon of nutmeg, a pinch of cardamom, and an extra tablespoon of vanilla. I fried them in ghee and they tasted SO much better than just using the plain nonstick pan. I also think next time I will use three eggs instead of four. Anways, thank you! 🙂
I tried your recipe but used only 1 egg and did half coconut flour and half oatmeal flour so almost your recipe.. Something I foiund that helps with recipes that come out too thin is to use one of those little fry pans made foe eggs. You can make them as thick as you want that way, doesn’t spread out. Perfectly round and thick pancake every time
Hi! How much does this serve and what’s the nutrition? Thank you!!
I made these yesterday for myself and my husband as a surprise for him. But then I ate them all. So I just let him sleep and washed/put away all the evidence of cooking.
I had to add a quarter cup more coconut flour to get them thick enough to work. I also cooked them on low with a lid for a longer time…anyway so here is the nutrition info for the recipe the way I made it (extra flour and I used whole milk), this does not include the oil needed for cooking them and I got 13 good size panakes from the recipe.
Per pancake:
Calories 95.8
Total fat 4g
Sat fat 2.7g
Poly .3g
Mono .6g
Cholesterol 58.8mg
Sodium 154.2mg
Carbs 10g
Fiber 4.8g
Sugars 3.1g
Protein 4.8g
How do you make them more moist? Good consistency, but I got so thirsty after eating these. Thank you for the recipe.
I made this recipe on Saturday for my parents and I, and they turned out just like yours! 🙂 My parents liked them for not being regular pancakes (made with flour). I have a lot of food allergies and they really hit the spot for me. Yes they are different, but they were great. To change things up next time, I may try one less egg and add some blueberries. I bake and cook a lot, and I’d say for those having problems with them not being fluffy, it is because: (1) the eggs were not at room temperature (2) you used a glass bowl – metal works best (3) your baking soda was expired/old (4) your coconut flour was expired/old (or a combination of a few of these). Thanks for sharing! Great base recipe for all kinds of pancakes. Yum Yum!
Just made a batch and I Loved them. Texture was great and taste was delish. Thanks for the recipe!
She says: I tried to salvage my own concoction and this recipe was helpful. I added 2 more eggs, which thinned it out. The taste is great. The texture is more like corn muffins. So if you’re looking for a traditional texture to your wheat free pancakes – you’ll probably be disappointed.
I found what others wrote to be true – must cook on a lower temperature for a bit longer and then they will cook fine. They also don’t have any “give” to them so we made sure the entire pancake fits on the spatula so we can turn over w/out breaking.
What to do with the leftover batter? I will add one more egg and try the remainder of the batter as muffins.
Oh, also, we did try to add blueberries and that didn’t work too well. If you’re adding blueberries, try this: don’t add them to the batter before cooking. Drop the batter on your hot pan. Let the batter cook a bit – firm on the bottom – then drop a few blueberries into the pancake. Flip when it bubbles, just like regular pancakes.