These cornmeal pancakes are gluten free and easy to make! They are fluffy inside and crispy outside and pair perfectly with a simple, rum-laced strawberry compote.
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If you're a sucker for cornbread smothered in butter and jam, you'll love these cornmeal pancakes! No flour of any kind needed, just 100% cornmeal and a few rising agents are giving us tender, buttery, fluffy, crispy pancakes that will knock your weekend brunch socks off.
What better topping than the prettiest strawberries, cooked down until they're melting into a sweet, syrupy compote?
We've got a little booze here too, kids. You know how I love any recipe with booze in it. Just a little (optional) dark rum in the compote to make it slightly caramel-y and give it that je ne sais quoi.
Cornmeal pancakes are simple, quick and fun for a gluten free breakfast or brunch!
- Made with 100% cornmeal!
- No need to whisk the egg whites for the pancake batter.
- Gorgeous crispy edges!
- You can make the compote ahead.
- They freeze well so make a double batch!
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Ingredients you'll need
For the cornmeal pancakes
- Finely ground cornmeal: It's crucial to use finely ground cornmeal because these pancakes are flourless. Coarse cornmeal will not rise enough and will not give you a pleasant texture. I used Arrowhead Mills cornmeal.
- Baking powder and baking soda: Our rising agents to lift up the pancakes and make them fluffy!
- Buttermilk: The acid that will activate our rising agents, will make the pancakes tender, and give them a wonderful flavor.
- Melted butter: We'll use some melted butter in the pancake batter, and then I recommend using clarified butter in the pan for cooking them up and making them crispy. See the tips below.
- Eggs
- Sugar: Just a little bit. These are not overly sweet.
- Kosher salt
For the strawberry compote
- Fresh strawberries: This is a great way to use them up before they go bad!
- Dark rum: You know I love a recipe with liquor in it! If you don't want to use it, replace with equal parts water.
- Water
- Sugar
Recommended tools and equipment
- Non-stick skillet or griddle
- Large mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Dutch oven: For the strawberry compote.
How to make cornmeal pancakes
Adapted from Bon Appétit.
Step 1: Make the compote
Hull the strawberries and slice them in half, or into quarters if they are quite large.
Place the strawberries in a Dutch oven or large saucepan, add the sugar, rum if using, and water.
Disclosure: I am a member of the Lodge Blogger Network and this Dutch oven was given to me free of charge. All opinions are my own.
Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the strawberries have broken down and the liquid has thickened, 20-25 minutes. Cover to keep warm and set aside.
In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat and set aside to cool. If making clarified butter to use for frying the pancakes, do that now and set aside. See tips below for how to make it.
Step 2: Whisk the cornmeal and dry ingredients together
Add the cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt to a mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
Step 3: Whisk wet ingredients and add to dry
In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, melted butter and eggs. Set a non-stick skillet, cast iron skillet, or griddle over medium heat.
Gently whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, ensuring they are fully incorporated. You'll have a very wet, liquid-y batter.
Step 4: Cook the pancakes!
Add butter or clarified butter to the hot skillet, then use a measuring cup to scoop a scant ¼ cup of batter into the skillet for each pancake. Cook for about 2 minutes, until bubbles start to push through, then flip and cook for one more minute.
Stir the batter before scooping out the next batch onto the skillet. You can keep the pancakes warm on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a 200 degree oven as you cook the rest of the batter. Makes about 12 small pancakes.
Transfer to serving plates and top with the warm strawberry compote.
Tips for perfect cornmeal pancakes
- Cooking the cornmeal pancakes in clarified butter or ghee is ideal because it has a higher smoke point and won't burn in the pan while you're waiting for the pancakes to cook. This means your pancakes will be prettier, too! You can buy clarified butter at Whole Foods or find it online but it can be expensive. You can make it yourself easily. Simply put about 3 tablespoons of butter in a small sauce pan over low heat, let it come to a boil, then remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly. Skim any foam off the top, then carefully pour the butter into a small bowl, leaving the milk solids behind on the bottom of the pan.
- You'll need to stir the batter gently before scooping each batch of pancakes because the cornmeal has a tendency to settle at the bottom of the bowl.
- Do not mix the wet and dry ingredients until you are ready to cook! As soon as they meet, the buttermilk will activate the baking powder and baking soda and start bubbling away. You don't want to waste those bubbles - get cooking before they're gone!
- You can skim the compote as it cooks if you want, but it's not really necessary.
- Compote can be made up to a week ahead.
FAQ
You can't make the cornmeal batter ahead, but you can hold the cooked pancakes in the oven at 200 degrees for 30-45 minutes before serving. You can also make them, let them cool and store in the fridge overnight. Warm them in a 200 degree oven and then crisp them up in a skillet before serving.
Yes! Cornmeal pancakes freeze really well. They'll keep in the freezer for about 2 months. To reheat, place on a baking sheet in a 250 degree oven until warmed through. Get them crispy again in a skillet with clarified butter if desired.
Freezing and reheating instructions
- To freeze your cornmeal pancakes, first allow to cool completely, then place them in one layer on a baking sheet in the freezer.
- Once frozen, transfer to a ziptop bag or airtight container layered with parchment paper in between.
- To reheat, place on a baking sheet in a 250 degree oven until warmed through. No need to thaw first. Get them crispy again in a skillet with clarified butter if desired.
More recipes with cornmeal
- Flip these to the savory side and make Fresh Corn Cakes.
- Cornmeal Madeleines with Bacon, Sun Dried Tomato and Basil are cute, shell-shaped, and perfect for cocktail nibbles.
More strawberry recipes
- This Strawberry Arugula Salad with Basil and Mint needs no dressing, just those gorgeous strawberry juices and a glug of olive oil.
- Who wouldn't love Strawberry Scones for breakfast, brunch, or afternoon tea?
- If you're opening the sparkling anyway, let's make things a little more interesting and have Strawberry-Basil Prosecco Cocktails.
- Make a Strawberry Galette when you want that flaky crust, but don't have the energy for pie.
Recipe
Cornmeal Pancakes with Strawberry Compote
Equipment
- 12" non-stick skillet or cast iron skillet or griddle
Ingredients
Cornmeal pancakes
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoon cornmeal
- 1 ½ teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 3 tablespoon melted butter
- 2 eggs
Strawberry Compote
- 2 pounds fresh strawberries
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ cup dark rum Optional - see note
- ¼ cup water
Instructions
Strawberry Compote
- Hull the strawberries and slice them in half, or into quarters if they are quite large.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the strawberries have broken down and the liquid has thickened, 20-25 minutes. Cover to keep warm and set aside.
Cornmeal Pancakes
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat and set aside to cool. If making clarified butter to use for frying the pancakes, do that now and set aside. See tips below for how to make it.
- Gently whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, ensuring they are fully incorporated. You'll have a very wet, liquid-y batter.
- Stir the batter before scooping the next batch into the skillet. You can keep the pancakes warm on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a 200 degree oven as you cook the rest of the batter. Makes about 12 small pancakes.
- Transfer to serving plates and top with the warm strawberry compote.
Notes
- If you don't want to use rum in the compote, replace with ¼ cup of water, brining the total amount of water to ½ cup.
- Cooking the cornmeal pancakes in clarified butter or ghee is ideal because it has a higher smoke point and won't burn in the pan while you're waiting for the pancakes to cook. This means your pancakes will be prettier, too! You can buy clarified butter at Whole Foods or find it online but it can be expensive. You can make it yourself easily. Simply put about 3 tablespoons of butter in a small sauce pan over low heat, let it come to a boil, then remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly. Skim any foam off the top, then carefully pour the butter into a small bowl, leaving the milk solids behind on the bottom of the pan.
- It's crucial to use finely ground cornmeal because these pancakes are flourless. Coarse cornmeal will not rise enough and will not give you a pleasant texture. I used Arrowhead Mills cornmeal, Bob's Red Mill is also a good choice but FYI they call theirs cornflour when it's finely ground.
- Do not mix the wet and dry ingredients until you are ready to cook! As soon as they meet, the buttermilk will activate the baking powder and baking soda and start bubbling away. You don't want to waste those bubbles - get cooking before they're gone!
- You can skim the compote as it cooks if you want, but it's not really necessary.
Donna
This is delicious!