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Coconut Flour Banana Pancakes: Gluten-free Recipe

FINALLY! I'm so thrilled to share this recipe with you because it is absolute fluffy delicious perfection and it's gluten free too!This is a big deal becaus
Nov 15, 2012 | Joy McCarthy

FINALLY! I'm so thrilled to share this recipe with you because it is absolute fluffy delicious perfection and it's gluten free too!

This is a big deal because I've been a pancake monster for as long as I can remember but I've had such love/hate relationship with coconut flour.

I remember the first time I ever created something with coconut flour. It was a disaster. I made muffins and they turned out harder than my kitchen counter top -- haha! And I absolutely REFUSE to buy the crappy pre-made mixes at the health food store.

These pancakes are light and fluffy. They will rock your gluten-free world!

You will notice there is no sugar added either. It's really not necessary once you add the toppings: bananas and raw coconut butter. You can also add chocolate chips if you like!

The joyous part of this recipe is what's actually in these pancakes. The coconut flour is full of good fats and a whopping 60% fibre. In fact, coconut flour contains the highest amount of fibre, more than even wheat flour which is 27% fibre. The eggs are a wonderful source of protein so your blood sugar will not jump on a rollercoaster with Aunt Jemima.

In fact, you will be as balanced as the Dalai Lama and your belly will stay full for hours as these p-cakes are VERY fulfilling.

Please note, if this is your first time making pancakes from scratch, this is not an entry-level recipe to gluten-free cooking. These take a little patience, but I promise you, they are SO worth it! (see my joyous tips below)

Breakfast & Brunch
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Ingredients
  • 4 organic medium size eggs (room temperature is recommended)
  • 1-1/4 cups of almond or hemp milk unsweetened
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup coconut flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder (gluten-free and aluminum-free)
  • Organic coconut oil - as needed.
  • If needed: Add an extra 1/4 cup almond milk, unsweetened
  • 2 bananas sliced
  • Optional: 5-10 drops liquid organic stevia (I didn't use this but if you like a sweeter taste, go for it)
Instructions
  1. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the dry ingredients (coconut flour, baking powder).
  2. Sift the dry mixture (this helps remove coco flour clumps) into the wet mixture. It may look clumpy but after lightly mixing let it sit for a few minutes. The batter will be pretty thick, sort of like brownie batter. Add 1/4 of the almond milk if needed.
  3. TIP: If batter seems eggy and lumpy, let it sit for at 3 minutes. Be patient :) The flour needs to absorb the liquid and it's HIGHLY absorbent.
  4. Heat a large pan on low-medium and melt organic coconut oil -- just enough to cover the pan. Pour about 1/4 cup of batter onto the pan for one pancake, you made need to spread it slightly if your batter is thick.
  5. Place 2-3 banana slices on top of the pancake (SKIP THIS STEP IF YOU'RE NEW TO THIS RECIPE SEE BELOW). Let it cook a few minutes and flip it when the sides are starting to get golden and the top is forming bubbles. Cook an additional 2-3 minutes on the other side.
  6. Top with more sliced bananas and serve with some raw coconut butter* schlopped on top and some real Canadian maple syrup.

 Joyous Tips To Pancake Perfection

  • Use a wire whisk to mix wet and dry ingredients together
  • Let batter sit for a few minutes for the flour to absorb all the moisture
  • It is normal for the pancake batter to look lumpy at first
  • Batter should be thick like brownie batter
  • If you're a newbie to this recipe skip the sliced banana and just garnish pancakes when finished cooking. They are harder to flip with banana
  • Your pan should be hot before adding batter. If you flick water on the pan it should sizzle
  • Patience is a virtue. :) These do not cook like Aunt Jemima pancake mix because coco flour is dense and nourishing

 I incorporate many gluten-free recipes into my life because I feel my best when I'm not being weighed down by wheat. This was a great way to start the day, anti-bloat and now I have extras I can pop in the toaster for tomorrow!

*For all you coconut product virgins :) There is a significant difference between the "coconut butter" and the oil. The butter is the coco flesh plus the oil. The actual butter is incredibly sweet and melts in your mouth. It contains vitamins, minerals and protein -- it's truly unadulterated. You must add the butter to your kitchen pantry! I have included the link of the brand I like and schlop on top of pancakes. However, use the coconut oil for a non-stick surface when cooking anything as it's very heat stable. It's LOADED with health benefits! 

EnJOY!

Do let me know if your tried them in the comment section below!

Nov 15, 2012 BY Joy McCarthy
58 Comments
Vibeke   •   November 15, 2012

Thank you so much for this great recipe! I hate the mixes you can buy that are chock full of preservatives and starch.

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Amanda   •   May 5, 2013

Susan Sadler   •   November 15, 2012

Just made them - they are fantastic! I've had lots of problems using coconut flour successfully. Thanks for sharing!

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Joy McCarthy   •   November 18, 2012

Veronica   •   November 15, 2012

Can't wait to try these Joy!!! They look amazing.

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Jennifer   •   November 15, 2012

Definitely want to make these.

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Kim Murphy   •   November 15, 2012

"I remember the first time I ever created something with coconut flour. It was a disaster. I made muffins and they turned out harder than my kitchen counter top — haha! And I absolutely REFUSE to buy the crappy pre-made mixes at the health food store." Yup... pretty much haha. This looks great, looking forward to trying the vegan version =)

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Sylvie   •   November 15, 2012

My 3 yr old said, "it only makes 6 pancakes? That's not enough for us. Bizarre!"

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Joy McCarthy   •   November 16, 2012

Hair Extensions   •   November 16, 2012

Usually I make pancakes but this is new recipe. I haven’t tried it with banana. I think this might be delicious.

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  •   November 16, 2012

[...] Make Joy’s fluffy coconut flour pancakes [...]

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Danielle   •   November 16, 2012

This recipe looks so good! I love coconut flour so I can't wait to try this! What type of almond milk do you use? I have trouble finding a good brand that has the least amount of additives, but usually just settle on almond breeze due to the low cost. I would make it myself but I don't own a blender. Do you have a favourite brand?

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Joy McCarthy   •   November 18, 2012

Catherine   •   November 18, 2012

Just made these - while I was excited to try these, they were a bust!! I followed the recipe to a T, but they were not good at all....not sure what the problem was. They crumbled and tasted very eggy (I made the version with 4 eggs). Couldn't even mask the taste with maple syrup...sorry!

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Joy McCarthy   •   November 18, 2012

Heather   •   November 18, 2012

Joy! I made this for my boyfriend today and he loved it. The best part is I told him it was healthy after he ate 3 pancakes and he was shocked. I love all your recipes!!

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Bianca   •   November 18, 2012

Amazing recipe again! This recipe was perfect for my mom's birthday brunch. She loved it, especially since she can't eat gluten. I also made your butternut squash quinoa dish too :)

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Jenny   •   November 19, 2012

Really looking forward to trying this recipe, as I'm also noticing an difference when I cut out the gluten in my diet. One question, I'm trying to find a store location that sells most of the products you mention. Do you have a recommendation of a health store that carries most of these products. I'm in Toronto, in the north part of the city if that makes a difference? Thanks for your help. Love the site!

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Carmen   •   November 24, 2012

Jenny in Toronto -- you should try out the Big Carrot on Danforth near Broadview. You can take the DVP down and get off at Danforth. They really set the standard for health stores. I find best time is to go Sunday before 1pm -- then parking is free and fairly easy to find.

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Carmen   •   November 24, 2012

p.s. They also sell Coconut Flour in their Bulk section!

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Jenny   •   November 28, 2012

Liz (formerly VeggieGirl)   •   December 7, 2012

EXCELLENT pancake recipe!

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Jane   •   December 7, 2012

I just tweeted this out for all the SierraSil users in Canada and the U.s. We love your blog at SierraSil and love what you write. We will continue to follow and enjoy your blog!

Reply

Paleo Gluten-Free Coconut Flour Banana Pancakes » Gracie Carroll   •   December 14, 2012

[...] (recipe from JoyousHealth.ca) [...]

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Kristina   •   December 22, 2012

These pancakes look amazing Joy! My parents and I are making them for breakfast on Christmas day,I can't wait:) happy holidays Joy! <3

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monika   •   January 13, 2013

If I may ask - what is your take on the paleo diet?

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Joy McCarthy   •   January 18, 2013

Awesome! So glad you gave them another try!

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Anne   •   January 28, 2013

Really enjoyed these ! Thanks! I loved how they were filling but not in that bloated way that pancakes usually feel!

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s   •   February 12, 2013

lovely - but would you consider giving caloric information w each of your recipes? x s

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Joy McCarthy   •   February 12, 2013

What I Learned Cooking Pancakes « Fearless Nutrition   •   February 12, 2013

[...] the websites I spent a lot of time on when I was learning to cook was Joyous Health. Joy created a Coconut Flour Pancake Recipe that I decided to try (I still had plenty of coconut flour left from my adventures in [...]

Reply

Lily   •   February 16, 2013

Just made these and they are really yummy! I've tried other coconut flour pancakes before that didn't turn out so great, but I really liked these. I served them with a drizzle of raw almond coconut cream, fresh blueberries, a sprinkle of nutmeg, and a pinch of coconut sugar! The only thing is that since I don't use teflon/nonstick, flipping them was definitely tricky. What pan do you use or recommend to cook these pancakes in?

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Colleen   •   March 16, 2013

Any chance these will stay together with chia seeds as an egg substitute? I have a terrible time trying to make pancakes without eggs.

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Joy McCarthy   •   March 19, 2013

Julie   •   December 31, 2013

Unfortunately, mine were not that good. I found the batter runny with half cup coconut flour. I added a bit more to thicken. I used "Let's Do Organic" gluten free USDA organic flour. The pancakes fell apart easily when I flipped them. Will have to try them again.

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Coconut Flour Pancakes - Be Your Best Nutrition   •   January 18, 2014

[…] milk however I decided to try this gluten-free, grain free and dairy free version I that found on Joyous Health. They turned out really well and even went down a treat with the fussy eater in the house. They are […]

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Emily   •   March 9, 2014

Made these this morning for my boyfriend from your cook book, which i love, and they did not turn out very well :( They tasted more like eggs than pancakes. I had a hard time flipping them without them falling apart. I dont enjoy almond milk so I used regular milk instead. Can you give any suggestions for the next time I make them? I cooked them on med low heat and followed the directions exactly, besides the milk :) love love love your book!

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Sandra   •   March 15, 2014

I just made these for the first time - they are delicious! I've read through the comments here after making the p-cakes. I agree that the cakes are a bit delicate/hard to flip without falling apart. I adjusted by turning down the heat and patiently waiting for them to cook on side #1 before flipping. I made sure to get my spatula fully under each p-cake as I could and flipped gently - voila - perfect! Also, don't make the p-cakes too big - keep them smaller so that they are easier to flip - mine were just under 4 inches diameter & 1/4 high. Another benefit of smaller - you make more p-cakes - so I ate three! My batter was perfect - I only needed 1 cup and a bit of the flour to make it the right consistency.

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Joy McCarthy   •   March 15, 2014

Sandra   •   March 15, 2014

Sorry - I meant "I only needed one cup and a bit of the almond milk" - NOT "one cup and a bit of the flour!"

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Minette   •   March 20, 2014

I've experimented with a bunch of grain free pancake recipes and these by far are the BEST! Great recipe...will make again and again. I've got your book on my wish list now :) Keep up the great work!

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Juda   •   November 3, 2014

Please help! My pancakes turned out nothing like your photo...still tasty...but looked more like semolina pudding than a pancake. I did follow the recipe and the handy hints. cheers Juda

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Kate McDonald Walker   •   November 5, 2014

Charmaine   •   June 7, 2015

I've been searching for a good coconut pancake mix and this takes the cake!!!! It's so perfect! Love that you add the slices of banana instead of blending it in the mix too, it makes it so much fluffier and the bananas carmelize. Yum!

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Benjamin   •   March 23, 2016

Hello Joyous! Usually I make pancakes in free time, but this is new recipe. I have not tried it with banana. I think this might be delicious. I will try this recipe very soon. I hope it will be make well.

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Veronica   •   February 21, 2017

"You must add the butter to you kitchen pantry! I have included the link of the brand I like and schlop on top of pancakes." The link didn't take me anywhere :( But it did say to blame it on Walker. LOL Can you please let me know what brand you enjoy? Finger's crossed I can find in SoCal

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Rachel Molenda   •   February 22, 2017

Veronica   •   March 5, 2017

So I just made these today. At first my 16yr old was loving them. We added bananas, almonds I toasted myself and maple syrup. But by the end she said the texture was weird. It started to put her off. Then she realized it was the eggy texture. So I'll try these again with one less egg 😊

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Rachel Molenda   •   March 6, 2017

Janet   •   March 20, 2017

Thanks to your recipe, the bag of coconut flour I have only half used may not be the last one I purchase. Nothing I've made thus far is as good as these pancakes. Thank you!

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Rachel Molenda   •   March 21, 2017

Bianca P.   •   March 13, 2018

I just had a great breakfast making this recipe.

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Ritika   •   May 9, 2019

Hi! Wanted to know if I should use extra virgin coconut oil or refined coconut oil for cooking/heating purposes?

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Joy McCarthy   •   May 9, 2019

Jessica Sinclair   •   October 5, 2019

These look yummy and the comments here make me try them every couple months, but they are always a disaster for me! I follow the recipe exactly, and have tried at multiple temperatures with different pans, but they always completely fall to pieces, gummy, and taste very eggy. Any advice? I’ve tried probably a half dozen times adjusting temp slightly and changing pans!

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Joy McCarthy   •   October 5, 2019

Aluna   •   December 31, 2023

I can't use almond flour (or wheat) is there a gf alternative to add with the coconut flour?

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Joy McCarthy   •   January 3, 2024

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