First-Try Gluten Free Pancakes

(We buy our starches and grind our flours.  I like to imagine it balances out the nutrition: starches=worthless, whole grains=very good).

We choose to grind our grains not b/c of “increased nutritional value” (We’re not that dedicated.  More is required than we do– like soaking and/or using immediately– for those perceived benefits).

We grind our own simply because it is exponentially cheaper to do so.

In the dry bowl I combine:

  • 1 cup brown rice flour
  • 1 cup millet flour
  • 1½ cups tapioca starch
  • 1/4 cup buttermilk powder
  • 2 t baking powder
  • 1½ tsp gaur gum
  • 1½ tsp baking soda
  • ¾ tsp salt

In the “wet” bowl (I use my 4-cup Pyrex) combine:

  • 2½ cups water
  • 3/4 cup apple sauce
  • 1/4 cup corn oil
  • 1 Tb vanilla

Combine wet and dry bowls and proceed as usual to cook pancakes.

ETA: Grease your pan.  Especially if you substitute another oil for the corn oil, the GF batters always stick more than you expect.

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When my millet/rice flours get low I sub in another med-weight flour like buckwheat or sorghum.

The main thing to be aware of in substituting is that different flours taste different, and some very strongly. Gluten-free flours can certainly be an acquired taste, which is why these hit pancakes use milder grains.

Gluten-free baking traditionally uses more components than regular baking.  Over the last several months I’ve gotten used to it.  I use some pre-mixed dry goods (like for muffins) but I still prefer this recipe from scratch-scratch.

10/19/11 ETA: I removed the “best” from the title, because we’ve been making new (and better) versions in our kitchen for a while now.  Generally with more eggs, since we have an abundance of those now.

Between school-teaching and life-management I am not in a state to make any ultimatums or outline any principles for success.

What I will continue to offer is specifically what worked for us, and what I’m discovering.  Maybe I’ll even get to adding pretty pictures.

I’m learning so much so quickly I’m beginning to be afraid to assert anything, but as food continues to turn out well, is something I can offer: our successes.