Perfect Rice Flour Pancakes: Easy Dairy Free Recipe
For the best, no fail pancakes, look no further than these rice flour pancakes. They’re fluffy, easy to make and make the best leftovers!
Hungry for more gluten-free pancakes? Check out these buckwheat pancakes, these teff pancakes, some tasty oat flour pancakes and these coconut flour banana pancakes.
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Rice Flour Pancake Recipe: At a Glance
If you’ve got pancake fans in your house, then I’ve got just the recipe for you… these delicious rice flour pancakes are the perfect everyday, fluffy pancakes. What do I mean by ‘everyday pancake’?
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Well, they’re the kind you could make on a Tuesday or on a Saturday morning. And breakfast for dinner… don’t even get me started, that’s one of the most popular dinner requests at my house! But it has to include these pancakes!
These light, fluffy, golden brown pancakes. They’re super versatile too – serve them with some fresh fruit or make chocolate chip pancakes, even banana pancakes – all very easy to do with this rice flour pancake recipe. Plus with one type of gluten free flour, they're great for food allergies AND there’s no dragging out multiple flours and starches.
Ingredients & Substitutions in Fluffy Rice Flour Pancakes
The great thing about this recipe is the ingredients list is short and easy. Not as short as these bisquick biscuits, but still manageable.
Dry Ingredients:
- Brown Rice Flour - this is the brand of brown rice flour used in these pancakes. White rice flour would also work as a substitute. Glutinous rice flour does not behave the same way and is not a substitute.
- Honey - honey is a great sweetener in these delicious pancakes. Pure maple syrup could also be used in place of the honey.
- Baking Powder - there is no substitute for the baking powder.
- Salt - the salt may be reduced or omitted.
- Cinnamon - there is no substitute for the cinnamon but it may be reduced or omitted.
Wet Ingredients:
- Almond Milk - coconut milk or soy milk or another dairy free milk will work also.
- Egg - this recipe uses a whole egg, so both the egg whites and egg yolk. Find possible egg substitutes here.
- Coconut Oil - vegetable oil can be used as a substitute.
- Vanilla Extract - make sure to use pure vanilla extract.
Measurements for each ingredient in these gluten-free pancakes are in the recipe card below.
How to Make Rice Flour Pancakes
Step one: In a large bowl, stir together the dry ingredients.
Step two: To the dry ingredients, add the milk, egg, coconut oil and vanilla extract.
Step three: Mix pancake batter until smooth and lump free.
Step four: Pour ¼ cup of batter onto a non-stick pan. Cook until air bubbles pop. Flip and cook the other side until golden brown. Serve immediately or follow the storing tips below.
Storing, Freezing and Rewarming
One of the many reasons to love pancakes is how easy they are to keep warm until you’re ready to serve them.
If you’ve ever been making breakfast, you know how many things going at once can feel and if you throw pancakes or even this hashbrown casserole into the mix, you have a really full stovetop! But pancakes are easy to make ahead and keep warm, just use this tip…
Layer the cooked pancakes slightly overlapping each other on a cookie sheet. Preheat your oven to 250 F. Cover the pan with foil and place it in the oven until ready to serve. This way everyone will have warm pancakes. Serve them within 20 minutes.
For longer storage, pancakes freeze extremely well. Just layer in between wax paper and freeze in an airtight container. Reheat in the microwave for 30 seconds-1 minute each. Serve with maple syrup.
Topping and Serving Ideas
These soft pancakes can be made into several different type of pancakes...
- Chocolate chip pancakes: Add mini chocolate chips to the pancake once you've poured it into the skillet.
- Banana pancakes: Add slices of ripe banana to the pancake as it's cooking in the skillet.
- Blueberry pancakes have their own recipe... check out these delicious gluten free blueberry pancakes!
- Serve these pancakes with fresh berries or sliced fruit for a delicious pancake combination.
Pro Tips for Making Easy Rice Flour Pancakes
1. Room Temperature Ingredients
Make sure your ingredients, both wet and dry are at room temperature. Warmer ingredients mix better than cold.
2. Preheat the Nonstick Pan
The best temperature for these pancakes is slightly warmer than medium heat. So if you have an electric burner, it would be a slight bit past medium. This way they’ll cook quickly without burning. Use a large skillet like this or even a cast iron skillet for the best results.
3. Flip When Air Bubbles Form
You’ll know it’s time to flip the pancakes over when little bubbles form on the top of the pancake and the sides are beginning to form up. Take your flat spatula and carefully slide it underneath the pancake and give it a flip.
Note: Spray the skillet in between cooking each pancake.
4. Tool and Equipment
Fortunately, pancakes are pretty forgiving in how they’re stirred and mixed together. But these tools do make pancake prep a whole lot easier.
Brown Rice Flour Pancakes FAQs
What's the best way to store pancakes?
If you end up with leftovers, they can be stored for a day or two in a plastic bag on the counter. Any longer than that and you’ll want to place pieces of wax paper in between each pancake and freeze. They’ll last several months in the freezer, then just microwave as needed.
Can I double the recipe?
Yes! This recipe makes 6-7, medium sized pancakes, but if you’re cooking for a crowd or want more leftovers, you can absolutely double the recipe.
How do I make fluffy pancakes?
With a recipe like these rice flour pancakes, they will turn out fluffy and tender, just like a pancake mix. But typically, following the correct ratio of flours to starches will ensure the pancake recipe turns out perfect.
Is there xanthan gum in this recipe?
No, xanthan gum is not needed in these pancakes. They have a fluffy texture even without a binder. Find out more about binding and thickening agents here.
What is the best way to fix thin pancakes?
If your pancakes are too thin for your liking, typically you can add a teaspoon more of brown rice flour or flour called for in the recipe.
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Recipe
Perfect Rice Flour Pancakes: Easy and Dairy Free
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- In large bowl, mix together rice flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
- Make a well in the center and add the egg, honey, oil, vanilla, and almond milk.
- Mix batter using a whisk until well blended and smooth.
- Heat a large, flat bottom skillet to just slightly warmer than medium.
- Spray generously with cooking spray.
- Potion ¼ cup batter onto the skillet and cook on one side until bubbles begin to form on the top.
- Using a flat spatula, flip the pancake and cook until browned on the other side. Move pancake to a cookie sheet to keep warm.
- Repeat until all batter is used, spraying skillet before cooking each pancake.
- If using any add-ins, sprinkle on top right after pouring batter onto the skillet.
- Serve pancakes with maple syrup and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Use a large bowl to mix the batter.
- Spray the skillet with cooking spray in between cooking each pancake.
- Keep pancakes warm by overlapping each one on a large cookie sheet. Cover with foil and place in the oven at 250 F until ready to serve.
- Store pancakes in a well sealed plastic bag on the countertop for up to two days or freeze for longer storage.
Originally published 2/28/2015. Updated 3/10/2020 with new pictures and better directions and again on 8/16/2023 with more pictures.
Sink your teeth into more blueberry recipes:
- Gluten Free Lemon Blueberry Scones
- Gluten Free Blueberry Muffin Bread
- Gluten Free Dairy Free Blueberry Muffins
- Healthy Gluten Free Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins
- Gluten Free Baked Blueberry Donuts
And check out these other gluten free recipes too:
I can't handle brown rice flour and plan to use 110g whitce flour and 25g sorghum flour and substituting the egg with 1 tbsp psyllium husks. I hope it works! What do you think?
Hi Natalia,
Sorry for the late reply - please let me know!
Christine
Made this today and I really enjoyed it. Brown rice flour seems to be a hit and miss, but it definitely worked for this recipe. The only thing I made differently is that I used normal milk instead of plant-based.
Great recipe, one that I will keep in my recipe book. Thanks so much for posting.
Hi Cat,
Thank you for the feedback - I really appreciate it. And so glad you enjoyed the recipe. 🙂
Christine
Amazing! I only had hemp milk so used that and they’re delicious.
Thank you Heather, glad you enjoy them!
~Christine
Hi, are the nutritional facts for each pancake? How many grams per serving for each? Thank you so much! Can’t wait to make them. xx, AB
Hi Ashley,
Yes! Per pancake! Hope you enjoy them - let me know if you think of anything else.
Christine
Can I substitute eggs with chia or flaxseed?
Hi Deanna,
I haven't tested it in this recipe, but judging from how chia normally preforms, I'd say yes, that should work fine.
~Christine
Loved these!!! And how flexible the recipe is too, because I ended up using coconut milk and added blueberries in at the end. It was fantastic - I really appreciate it!
Thank you Jessica!
Blueberries sound fantastic 🙂
~Christine
LOVED these! New to Gluten Free, and guess what? I liked these better than wheat pancakes. I added lemon zest and raspberries. Total keeper of a recipe. Thank you for making this transition so easy!
Thanks Lori!
Glad you enjoyed them!
Made these today for breakfast... but I added a 1/2 banana minced to the recipe. Was very good 🙂
Eric,
So glad you liked them! :0)