These gluten free cornmeal pancakes easy to make! Buttermilk makes them fluffy on the inside, and they get crispy on the outside, too! They pair perfectly with any of your favorite pancake toppings.
If you're a sucker for cornbread smothered in butter, 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.
Craving more pancake recipes? Try Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Buttermilk or Gluten-Free Buckwheat Crepes.
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Ingredients you'll need
These gluten-free cornmeal pancakes are made without flour. They have a wonderful fluffy texture and can be served with your favorite pancake topping.
- 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: We need 2 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: We're using eggs, but no whisking egg whites required!
- Sugar: Just a little bit. These are not overly sweet.
- Kosher salt
*Ingredients with measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
How to make gluten-free cornmeal pancakes
Adapted from Bon Appétit.
Step 1: 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 2: 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.
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Step 3: Cook the pancakes!
Add butter or clarified butter to the hot skillet, then use a measuring cup to scoop a scant ยผ 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°F oven as you cook the rest of the batter.
Transfer to serving plates and top with the warm strawberry compote. Makes about 12 small pancakes.
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: 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!
FAQ
You can't make the cornmeal batter ahead, but you can hold the cooked pancakes in the oven at 200°F 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°F 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°F 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°F oven until warmed through. No need to thaw first. Get them crispy again in a skillet with clarified butter if desired.
Serving suggestions
- Top with compote: Change the fruit with the seasons! Try strawberry compote, apple compote, or blueberry compote!
- Keep it traditional: Butter and maple syrup never hurt anyone!
- Get decadent: Drizzle with dark chocolate ganache and crème fraîche or whipped cream.
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.
Debra's Details: Cornmeal pancakes are simple, quick and fun for a gluten-free breakfast or brunch!
- Made with 100% cornmeal, no flour, so they are gluten free!
- No need to whisk the egg whites for the pancake batter.
- Gorgeous crispy edges!
- They freeze well so make a double batch!
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Recipe
Gluten-Free Cornmeal Pancakes with Buttermilk
Equipment
- 12" non-stick skillet or cast iron skillet or griddle
Ingredients
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoon cornmeal (finely ground, not coarse)
- 1 ½ teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 3 tablespoon melted butter (plus more for the pan)
- 2 large eggs
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter for the pancake batter over low heat and set aside to cool. If also making clarified butter to use for frying the pancakes, do that now in a separate pan and set aside. See tips below for how to make it.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, melted butter and eggs.
- 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°F oven as you cook the rest of the batter. Makes about 12 small pancakes.
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I will email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
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Notes
- Cooking the cornmeal pancakes in clarified butter or ghee is ideal: 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.
- To make your own clarified butter, 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!
- Freeze some extra! These freeze really well layered with parchment in a ziptop bag. Cook straight from frozen on a sheet pan in a 250°F oven.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated as an estimate. Calorie accuracy is not guaranteed.
Jeeth says
So easy! I make these often thank you. ๐๐
Debra says
Hi Jeeth,
So excited to hear you've made these part of your regular recipe rotation. So nice to have a variation on a traditional pancake and one that's gluten free!
Thanks for reading and trying my recipes,
Debra
Donna says
This is delicious!