I was really missing our sourdough pancakes (I haven’t been making them because we are in between starters right now), so I thought I would try my hand at making a dairy free soaked pancake recipe.
These pancakes are really delicious. Soaking them for 12-24 hours makes them more digestible and light in texture. I thought about adding this or that to them , but really, when it came down to it, I just wanted a basic pancake with a wonderful flavor and a good texture. And that’s what I got! I used coconut milk with vinegar to soak the flour, which makes these dairy free pancakes taste similar to buttermilk pancakes. Buttermilk can, of course, be substituted for you dairy people. Nut milk might be another diary free option instead of the coconut milk.
I actually made this recipe several times already this week (Elena and I eat leftovers for snacks, cold from the fridge. We think they are yummy that way). Elena has been getting a funny rash around her mouth that seems to be related to food intolerances (any of you other parents dealt with this before?), and it seems that eggs may be one of the culprits. So we have found that this recipe works great without eggs or an egg replacement. It does change the texture a bit, but they were still good. Another option for those with allergies.
Enjoy your pancakes with lot of butter (or coconut oil!), and real maple syrup or a berry sauce. We usually enjoy these for breakfast, but they also make a frugal dinner when combined with eggs and/or sausage on the side!
Basic Whole Grain Pancakes
You can easily half this recipe, if desired.
3 cups of whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup of coconut milk tonic (I used the one with just water added)
1 cup of water (or another cup of coconut milk tonic for a richer result)
1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar
Gently combine the above ingredients and cover. Leave out on the counter top overnight, up to 24 hours.
When ready to make, add to the batter:
4 eggs, lightly beaten
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda (you may want to sift the baking soda and baking powder if lumpy)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup of coconut oil, gently melted in the pan you plan to use to make your pancakes in.
Stir until well combined, adding water to thin down the batter, if needed.
Over med-high heat, melt some coconut oil in a large saucepan. When a few sprinkles of water in the pan sputter, your pan is ready. Using a small ladle, or a measuring cup, pour about 1/4 cup of batter into the pan. If your pan is large enough, do three separate pancakes at the same time. Cook until the bottom is lightly browned and the top is full of bubbles, and turn over. Cook the other side until browned, and the pancake is cooked all the way through. You may need to adjust the heat as you continue to make your pancakes. Remove your pancakes and keep in the oven at 200 degrees on a cookie sheet while you make the rest of the pancakes.
Enjoy!
This post is part of the Un-Processed Food Carnival.
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WOW….Thank you so much for recipe…I look forward to making them…I was going to look in your recipes to see if you had a sprouted pancake coconut recipe….b/c we really needed one….we made pancakes last night with the coconut milk tonic but they were not sprouted & a little runny…. :(…so I am excited to have your sprouted recipe to try….
Thanks again for this recipe…
Jessica O.
Yum! I have a homemade whole wheat “mix” that I use for pancakes a bunch with the baking soda and all that stuff already mixed in, I just add the milk in the evening before and then the egg and butter the next day and we’re good to go! Yours look fantastic for those with dairy intolerances.
The rash that you mentioned (especially having it right around the mouth) is one that we have encountered frequently in my family – but it is normally due to eating too much things with acid in them (specifically, citrus or tomatoes). I can eat one citrus fruit a day or so, but if I eat more than one, or have citrus plus pineapple, or a LOT of fresh tomatoes (say in a fresh tomato spaghetti sauce – this is especially prevalent with roma’s rather than sweeter varieties like grape) for example, I get a sore mouth and often a little rash or at least “itchy” skin. Especially on delicate areas like the inside of your wrist or elbow. Just another food to consider since this time of year we tend to eat more citrus . . . it might be due to that!
Thanks again for the recipe!
Best,
Sarah
Hi Sarah,
Thanks for the heads up. I think that Elena’s is due to nuts and eggs because it seems to appear after she has eaten those foods. We actually haven’t been eating any oranges yet, but that’s makes sense (acid food causing rashes).
Thanks for the comment! We will sometimes have tomatoes, so i will watch that, and see if it makes any difference. 🙂
Hi Kimi!
My daughter gets the same rash, she also gets eczema in the creases in her neck. We also thought it was an egg allergy but we’ve now come to the conclusion that she’s allergic to the coconut oil we were using to cook the eggs in. You mentioned the nut allergies. It turns out that people who have nut allergies are often allergic to coconut. Just something to look into further.
Regarding the recipe, since we can’t use the coconut milk, would we just substitute whole milk in it’s place equally? If using whole milk do we leave it out with the apple cider vinegar?
Thanks!
Charlotte
The rash you mentioned is one we have seen come and go on our five year old. I’ve found a link to eggs as well. Also, when I notice the rash, I increase her probiotic intake and that takes care of it.
I’d be interested to hear if you notice anything if you remove the eggs.
Tara
Could she be fighting a cold or virus?
Kimi, I am learning about soaking my grains and nuts. I’m not sure about how to soak nuts. Do you have any resources or links that could be helpful. Or could you share how you soak nuts if you do that yourself.
Thanks so much.
Hi Kimi,
DH is currently on a really restrictive diet for the next 3 months or so and can’t have anything with added sugars or fermented.
Do you think it would adversely affect the recipe to use lemon rather than Apple Cider Vinegar as my acid in the soaker?
Kind Regards
Belinda
Oh. My. Word. These are excellent pancakes!! Being all whole wheat I thought they might be pretty heavy, but surprisingly, they were very light. Lighter than when I use white flour even. My kids loved them and they were really filling!!
As for the rash. I actually have a daughter who has some food sensitivities. If she has the problem right after she’s eaten something then you are right, it probably is that food. To test the theory you could give her just scrambled eggs and watch. My dd face gets red and splotchy around the mouth while she’s eating and then gets the rash. If it is the case take eggs out completely. My dd was off eggs completely for a year and grew out of the intolerance. Now she can eat them just fine. The sooner you take the offending food out and keep it out for a year or so the more likely she will grow out of the sensitivity. My dd was allergic to eggs, milk, beef, nuts, and sesame. After only 18 months she only has the nut and sesame allergy. AND we have been going to a allergist. I didn’t want to do that but it was necessary in our case. So, in a nut shell, I’d take out the foods and see if her skin clears up, if so keep her off for awhile and give it to her again in a year to see how it is.
Thanks again for the recipes. I’m going to make the pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving. Just a question, do you have a soaked pie crust recipe?
these are really good. i tried them plain and wasn’t as fond of them. but i think im used to sweeter pancakes. with butter and syrup these are awesome! thx for sharing.
Tara,
I should start giving her probiotics again and see if that helps. Thanks for the tip! That is very helpful to know.
Hi Anita,
I wish it was just a cold, but it’s been something that has bothered her for a while now!
This post talks about soaking nuts.
http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/2008/07/soaking-nuts.html
Belinda,
Yes, I am sure lemon juice would work great!
Sarah,
Yeah! I am so glad that you liked them. I really do find that soaking batters can make things so LIGHT! Very nice when you are working with whole wheat.
Thanks for sharing about your experience with your children. I hope that it is the same with mine (that she just grows out of it). How did you know that she had grown out of it, by the way?
As far as a soaked pie crust recipe, I have done different things. Sprouted, and ground flour probably is the easiest to use. But I have wondered if one of the cracker recipes on this site would work for a pie crust?
These last few times I’ve truthfully just used white flour! (Which is a rare day in this kitchen!)
Hi Momma Bear,
It is true that they aren’t very sweet by themselves. I should have mentioned that you can add a few tablespoons to a1/4 cup of sweetener to the pancake batter to fix that. 🙂 But I’m glad you liked them in the end!
The easiest way to test to see if she’s out grown the allergy is to take it out for awhile (6mo-12mo.) The give it to her again and see if she develops the rash. For example, with an egg allergy, I take the egg out of her diet now. If the rash continues then there is something else bothering her. If it goes away then that’s probably it. Wait 6mo-12mo. Then give her either a scrambled egg, that would be the most direct way or give her say pancakes that you know she can eat without the egg but use eggs instead. When we started reintroducing eggs it seemed easier to digest and lessen the likelihood of reaction if it was in something like pancakes. If that works continue that way for a little bit and try a little scrambled eggs at some point and see what happens. I hope that helps. Feel free to email me if you want.
Sarah,
Thanks, that’s helpful. 🙂 That’s along the lines of what I was thinking of doing. It does seem like allergies when they are little, can be grown out of.
But after you posted, I thought maybe you were having them tested to see if they were over it. So I am glad to know that the simple, test it yourself method worked for you!
I just made these for breakfast this morning and they were fantastic. I topped them with some cream cheese and some blackberry syrup we made from foraged berries we picked this summer. YUM YUM!
I made these yesterday for dinner and my husband and I absolutely loved them! Very very good and easy. I just set the flour to soak before going to work and finished them up when I got home. I did substitute yogurt for the coconut milk (what I had on hand) and added a little vanilla to the batter and a little drizzle of raw honey. Delicious!!!
If anyone is looking for a substitute for sugar-laden pancake syrups, try this!
mix 1 Tbsp of melted butter, 2-3 Tbsp of all-fruit spread (i.e., Simply Fruit), and 1-2 tsp of raw honey. yum 🙂
Thanks for sharing this recipe. Do you think it would work with using regular milk? If so, I assume I would just allow it to soak in the fridge?
Trish,
Use buttermilk to replace the coconut milk and vinegar, and then let it soak on the counter. 🙂
Thanks Kimi! I am looking forward to trying this recipe.
Works good in a waffle maker too!
If I don’t have buttermilk, can I use regular milk and still leave on the counter? I know I have “faked” buttermilk before in cooking by adding a little vinegar to the milk for a few minutes, with the vinegar already in there will it make it like buttermilk?
I tried the soaking with Trader Joe’s Gluten Free Pancake mix. I used coconut milk and AC Vinegar to soak overnight. Then I added two eggs (that’s what the bag of mix calls for), a teaspoon of baking powder and baking soda (the mix already has baking powder). The pancakes were delicious. No aftertaste due to the rice flour. They were a little on the soggy side, delicious regardless. How do I make it less soggy? More eggs?
Alana
Thanks for this recipe! I’ve tried a half dozen of your recipes thus far and they’ve all turned out great. When trying to convince my husband of the benefits of soaking/sprouting our grains, it’s much easier being able to use recipes that taste delicious too.
I tried these last weekend and the flavor was great, but they were super thin. The batter was so runny they wouldn’t hold their shape, just ran all over the skillet. Any idea what could have gone wrong?
I just made these yummy pancakes. I followed the recipe to a tee (soaked overnight 12 hours), except added 2 tsp of vanilla and 1 cup of blueberries. They were fluffy and perfect. Thanks!
I’d love to hear if anyone tried these with buttermilk and if the exchange is the same. 🙂
I recently found your site and have thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I tried these pancakes this morning after soaking them last night. They are hands down the BEST pancakes I have ever had. Very fluffy and tasty! We ate them with maple syrup and pluots and nectarines. My kids loved them too and said this is the kind they want from now on!
These are our family’s FAVorite pancakes! 🙂
Thank you so much for joining the October Fest Carnival of Super Foods! This week is the last week, and the theme is Healthy Fats. See you then!
Katie
Just a heads up, my youngest daughter would sometimes get a funny red ring around her mouth, almost like an infection streak, and we finally discovered she was “sensitive” to cinnamon. She did outgrow it, which is a really good thing as we eat a lot of cinnamon!
Merry Christmas to you!
I know this is an old post, but I am wondering Kimi, if you would tell me how you make your easy berry sauce? I just mixed these up and would love to serve them with a berry sauce tomorrow if you have time to comment. We are also going to try out the pan fried apples, YUM!
These are amazing! They make not only great pancakes, but great waffles, too! The first time I made them 1/2 wheat and 1/2 all purpose unbleached (because hubby likes it that way). Tonight, however, I made waffles, and they were 1/2 whole wheat and 1/2 buckwheat flour! I didn’t tell, and they didn’t know! They were a big hit again! This is now my “go to” recipe for pancakes/waffles! Thanks again! You’re amazing! 🙂
For future reference (since based on the posts baby is now 3ish), typically if people are allergic to eggs, it is the egg white. When starting babies out on eggs, it’s best to start with egg yolks. They are high in essential fatty-acids. However if egg is the culprit you can always substitute applesauce or mashed banana (1 eggs = 1/3 cup fruit puree) or more oil/liquid/milk (about 2 tablespoons) in baked goods to compensate. Sometimes a little more leavening (e.g. baking powder or yeast mixed with water to form 1/4 cup) is needed. :0)
I have now made these twice this week! They are super 🙂 My husband even loves them and he is really picky about pancakes and he is not always fond of the healthier food I put in front of him. I did use a mix of grains instead of all whole wheat and I used whatever acidic base I had on hand that day – one day it was fresh buttermilk, one day it was 1/2 kefir, 1/2 raw goats milk. Thank you for a great recipe.
FYI at the top of your blog you refer to “diary free” soaked pancakes. I’m sure you mean “dairy free”.
Can’t wait to try them.
Doug
My daughter used to get rashes around her mouth (and often times all over her body). The pediatrician refused to test her because she was too “young” and told us to just eliminate foods. This was frustrating because as much as I eliminated she kept getting rashes. Then I was worried she wasn’t getting enough nutrients. Then she started daycare and it was hard to get them to alter her foods without a doctors note. We saw a new pediatrician who agreed to refer her to allergy testing and….she is allergic to eggs, soy, and cow’s milk. No wonder we couldn’t figure it out! Pretty much every thing she ate contained at least one of those things. I encourage allergy testing because it is quick and important to know the results. It was overwhelming at first, but I now consider it a blessing. I have discovered coconut oil (as an alternative to butter at first, but now love it for everything!) and flax instead of eggs…we are eating more healthy now as a family and no more prepackaged or fast foods. Good luck. Food allergies are tricky…but a rash is definitely a positive sign (in my experience).
These are the best pancakes! I have made them a couple of times now and they always turn out great! Texture, taste. Everything. I add a little maple syrup to the batter but only like a tablespoon. I’ve also used regular whole wheat flour that I sifted out some of the bran when I was out of the pastry flour and it worked just as well. I use water and whey to soak instead of the coconut tonic. Thanks for the great recipe! I make a full batch and there’s always enough left to freeze for quick breakfasts!
I have to be on a low-sulphur diet, which means no eggs. What kind of egg substitute should I try with this recipe? Ground flax seeds? An “egg replacer” (like Ener-G brand)? Has anyone had success making these egg-free?
I can’t eat eggs – what do you think would make the best substitute? An egg replacer (like Ener-G egg replacer), ground flax seeds + water, or something else? I’m new to egg-free baking, so any tips would be great!
Just wanted to let you know I currently keep this in a weekly rotation for dinner! We freeze leftovers and have them for breakfast. I use water and whey to soak and melted butter instead of coconut oil. It’s so good! And I’m so glad there’s no added sweetener. It really doesn’t need it even without the coconut. Oh I also use regular whole wheat flour that I sift out some of the bran! Thanks for all you do here!
I am saddened to see people not eating eggs. I wish I could add a link here. I guess i can! In the website field!
I am following Bee Wilder’s “Candida” healing program. Before meeting her, i, too, thought people had allergies to this or that food. Since meeting her, tho, I have learned that people are not allergic to good foods (like eggs, or chicken, for instance). The reactions people are getting from eating such foods are actually HEALING symptoms.
Read below what Bee has to say:
“Hives are a healing reaction too, that are caused by the immune system releasing histamines and other chemicals into the bloodstream in order to get rid of, neutralize or confine toxins. One of the best ways is through the skin which helps protect vital inner organs. In fact all abnormal eruptions inside and outside the body are toxins being released, including hives, acne, pimples, rashes, itching, swelling, eczema, psoriasis, moles, skin tags, warts, aging spots, freckles, canker sores, fever blisters, abscesses, polyps, cysts, tumours, nail fungus, rosacea, etc.
“Therefore, do not be alarmed if you get healing and detoxifying reactions from healthy foods like eggs, unrefined coconut oil, butter, and many other good healing foods. Eggs are a good example since they are high in sulphur, which is one of the 7 macrominerals the body requires, and it is most important for detoxification processes in the body. The same is true for garlic and other foods high in sulfur. ”
This does not mean that Kim will ignore the reaction her daughter is getting from eggs but she will not withhold them from her daughter’s diet, either, realizing the sulfur in eggs is one of the seven macrominerals the body requires.
Bee suggests:
“If you get healing or detoxifying reactions from healthy foods that are alarming or intolerable, cut back on the amount you consume at one time and gradually increase it. For example start with 1 teaspoon (or less) of egg yolk 3 times a day with complete meals, and gradually increase the amount every 3-5 days, depending upon the severity of your healing reactions. ”
“Healing and detoxifying reactions include an upset stomach, gas, bloating, diarrhea, a cold or flu, inflammation, muscle and joint aches, pains and stiffness, headache, skin eruptions of all kinds, and abnormal eruptions inside the body such as cysts, polyps, tumours, abscesses, etc. ”
Note, Bee says if you get a healing reaction from a HEALTHY FOOD…. In other words, if it’s not a whole food (eggs, chicken, etc.) but a processed food (which probably contains MSG, for instance), then DO be concerned and DO eliminate that “food” from the diet.
To your health! :-))
Okay, I just made these and they were delicious!! I couldn’t believe how normal they tasted! I was a little wary, as the dough smelled pretty pungent after it had soaked, but they didn’t taste sour at all and I actually think I could’ve fooled people into thinking they were made with white flour! Mine turned out nice and fluffy – the dough wasn’t runny at all, it was just really stretchy from the soaking. Anyway, thanks so much for this! Hubby is very happy! 🙂
Karen L,
Thank you so much for that post about the “healing symptoms”…very interesting! I have been learning a lot from The Biology of Behavior at http://www.dianecraft.com and a lot of what you said goes along with things I have learned from her. What you eat really does matter!
Ok. I have a secret to tell you!! If you want to make the pancakes fluffier, all you do is put your egg whites in a separate bowl and wisk or beat them with electric hand mixer on high until it forms a foam like substance or like whipped cream. Then you fold them into the pancake batter very last, right before puting them on the griddle and they are so fluffy and wonderful!!
These are so good! My son has allergies to dairy, eggs, coconut, etc, so I made mine with rice milk. For the eggs, I substituted 1T. flaxseeds + 1/4c. water per egg blended into a goop in my food processor. Also, I didn’t have apple cider vinegar so I used white. I cooked them on my griddle greased with olive oil. Even with all these substitutions:
These were amazing! They had a nice chewy pancake-house texture to them and weren’t heavy like regular whole wheat. What a great recipe! It’s now my easy go-to pancake recipe… Thanks!
Hi Kimi,
Is there a nutritional or flavoring reason to add vinegar (or lemon juice) to the overnight soak, or can I soak the flour in just the milk and water? I use raw goat’s milk from a small local farm, and so I would not be using buttermilk either. I wanted to make sure that I am not missing a nutritional or flavor benefit from not adding the vinegar or lemon juice or not using buttermilk. Thank you for your help!
We love pancakes, too. I am going to try these soon! I make our version dairy, gluten, egg free. For the eggs, I use applesauce. 1 egg = 2 oz applesauce. They are super yummy that way! Or we do chia eggs 1 T ground chia + 3 T water = 1 egg.