These gluten-free and paleo cassava flour Pancakes are big, soft, tender, and super fluffy! Plus, they can be made ahead and stored in the freezer for a quick and easy breakfast on the go!

Jump to:

• Frequently asked questions
• Baking with cassava flour
• Ingredients
• 🔪 Easy instructions
• Serving suggestions
• Make ahead
• Storage
• Substitutions
• Troubleshooting
• 💭 Top tips
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

Many paleo pancakes are thin, eggy, and lack something to be desired. But you will fall in love with pancakes all over again after you try these cassava flour pancakes!

They are big, soft, fluffy, and everything you would dream a pancake would be!

And if you're looking for more breakfast recipes, I think you'll love these paleo biscuits, paleo glazed donuts, and big, soft paleo cinnamon rolls!

Or, if you watch your carbs, be sure to check out these keto coconut flour pancakes!

Frequently asked questions

Baking with cassava flour

Many people claim that cassava flour is a 1:1 replacement for white flour, so I did some experimenting, and here are my results...

In all my experiments, I had to add liquid because it was absorbent!

Then I discovered that you can only use cassava flour as a 1:1 substitute if you are talking about weight, and I usually only cook by volume.

This means that when measuring by volume, there can be a significant weight difference.

When measuring with cups, you must reduce the amount by about 25% because cassava is a heavy flour.

Also, one cup of scooped cassava flour is 6 oz, while 1 cup sifted is 5 oz. - that's a pretty big difference!

If you're using it in place of wheat flour, in addition to reducing the amount by 25%, I recommend thoroughly stirring or sifting it before using it to get the correct amount. Then, spoon the flour into the measuring cup instead of scooping it in and level it off with the back of a knife.

This ensures you get the correct amount of flour.

Also, since cassava doesn't have gluten, it doesn't have the same stretch as wheat flour. Therefore, you need to add coconut flour, tapioca flour, or flaxseed to give the recipe some stretch and softness.

So, while it may not be an exact substitute for wheat flour, it's the closest thing I have found! It's easy to work with, tastes similar to regular flour, and doesn't require much experimenting or substitutions!

Ingredients

• Avocado Oil or Coconut Oil - for greasing pan, as needed
• Cassava Flour - Gluten-free flour similar to wheat flour. I only recommend Otto's or Bob's Red Mill brands.
• Coconut Flour - Makes them extra soft and fluffy!
• Baking Powder And Soda - These provide rise.
• Sea Salt - Brings out the flavor.
• Honey - Paleo-friendly sweetener.
• Pure Vanilla - If possible, use pure vanilla, not the imitation variety.
• Eggs - Use large eggs.
• Dairy-Free Milk - Used to thin the batter.
• White or Apple Cider Vinegar - Adds tenderness, but don't worry, you can't taste it!
• Melted Coconut Oil - Makes the pancakes moist, soft, and flavorful.

🔪 Easy instructions

Step #1: Start by whisking together sifted or well-stirred cassava flour, coconut flour, baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt in a large bowl.

💭 Tip: A word of caution: not all coconut flours are the same! Some are much more absorbent than others. Because of this, I recommend using either Bob's Red Mill, Besti, or Arrowhead Mills. These are two brands I know will work well.

If you need to buy another brand, make sure it's soft, fluffy, and not gritty. However, I cannot guarantee the results.

Step #2: In a separate bowl, whisk together some eggs, avocado or coconut oil, non-dairy milk (I used almond milk), honey, apple cider vinegar, and pure vanilla.

Step #3: Stir the wet ingredients into the dry. Allow the batter to set for 5 minutes to absorb the liquid. If the batter is too thick, add more non-dairy milk as needed. I usually end up using right at 1 cup.

The batter should be thick yet pourable.

Step #4: Cook the cassava pancakes.

Heat a skillet or griddle over medium/medium-low heat and add a small amount of oil if needed.

Don't be tempted to turn up the heat higher! Otherwise, the outside will brown before the centers are cooked through. And no one wants an uncooked pancake!

Add about ⅓ cup of batter to the skillet and spread using the back of a spoon.

Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until bubbles are in the center of the gluten-free pancake and the bottom is nicely browned.

Flip and cook until the bottom is nicely browned. Repeat with the remaining pancakes.

Serving suggestions

My favorite way to serve these is with butter (you can use non-dairy butter or ghee), pure maple syrup, berries, and coconut whipped cream!

However, here are some other fun topping recipes you may also like.

• Churro: Add some cinnamon to the batter, then top them with coconut whipped cream and additional cinnamon with coconut palm sugar or any granulated sweetener you prefer.
• Chocolate: Top with coconut whipped cream and drizzle with Keto Chocolate Syrup or paleo-friendly chocolate chips. I love the Enjoy Life brand!
• Caramel: Top with coconut whipped cream and drizzle with Sugar-Free Salted Caramel Sauce (the post has instructions on how to make dairy-free caramel sauce if needed).
• Raspberry: Top with whipped cream and drizzle with Keto Raspberry Sauce.

Make ahead

The paleo pancake batter can be made a day or two ahead of time. Simply prepare the batter, cover it, and refrigerate it for one to two days.

Then, take it out of the fridge for about 10 minutes to come to room temperature before using it. Add additional non-dairy milk if it seems too thick.

Storage

• Store: Leftovers can be stored, covered, in the fridge for up to 5 days or frozen for 1 to 2 months.
• Freeze: Freeze for up to 2 months. To freeze, place in a freezer-safe baggie with parchment paper between each pancake to keep them from sticking together.
• Reheat From Frozen: To reheat frozen pancakes in the microwave, heat for about 20 seconds per pancake or until heated through. If you prefer to bake them, place them in a single layer on a cookie sheet and cover them with foil. Then, bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes or until heated through. They can also be toasted; just watch them so they don't get crispy!

Substitutions

• I only recommend Otto's Cassava Flour or Bob's Red Mill. Other brands may lend different results.
• Coconut flour and cassava flour are very unique and cannot be substituted.
• Substitute pure maple syrup for the honey, if desired.
• I have not tried substituting the eggs. However, I have a strong feeling that an egg substitute may not work.
• You can replace the coconut oil with avocado oil.
• Traditional milk can be substituted for the dairy-free variety. I use dairy-free to keep the pancakes paleo-friendly.

Troubleshooting

If you're having problems with your pancakes, or the batter doesn't seem right, here are a few tips:

• The batter seems too thick: Add more non-dairy milk. The batter should be thick but pourable. For a visual, look at the pictures above 👆
• The batter seems too thin: Wait a few minutes to give the flour time to absorb into the liquid. If it's still too thin, add 1 to 2 Tablespoons of cassava flour.
• The pancakes aren't fluffy: 1) Be sure your baking powder isn't expired. You can check your baking powder by putting about a teaspoon in a shot glass of water. If it immediately fizzes, it's good. If it takes a while, you need new baking powder. 2) The batter was too thin.
• They are undercooked in the middle: Cook them longer or slightly turn up the heat. This could also mean that the batter is too thin.
• They are burned on the outside but undercooked in the middle: The heat is too high.
• The cassava pancakes are gummy. This typically happens if there is too much liquid. This can be fixed by adding more coconut or cassava flour to the batter.

💭 Top tips

• I recommend sifting (or at least thoroughly stirring) when measuring cassava flour before using it. Then, spoon the flour into the measuring cup instead of scooping it in and level it off with the back of a knife. This ensures you get the correct amount of flour and the recipe will not turn out gummy.
• I've noticed cassava flour is very finicky. Some people need more liquid than others to achieve a perfect pancake consistency. Because of this, I only put ¾ cup of non-dairy milk on the recipe card. Then, just add more as needed. I usually use right at 1 cup. The batter should be thick yet pourable.
• Do not turn the heat up too high! If the heat is too high, they will burn on the outside before the center is cooked through.

If you’ve tried this Paleo Cassava Flour Pancake Recipe or any other recipe on the blog, please let me know in the comments below!

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📖 Recipe