These cassava flour pancakes are simple to make and fluffy in texture. They make a perfect no-fuss breakfast, plus they're paleo and gluten free!
This is my first go at cassava pancakes and I must say - I'm sold. I've seen cassava flour tortillas at Walmart and a coffee shop down the street has delicious cassava flour crepes. So when I was perusing the gluten free flour section I thought it's time I tried it out.
Not to toot my own horn (but I'm gonna) my kids ate these cassava flour pancakes without maple syrup on top! We ran out. Cassava flour is officially a staple in my pantry now and you can be on the lookout for more cassava flour recipes from here on out.
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What is cassava flour?
Cassava flour comes from the cassava root also known as the yucca root. It's a starchy root vegetable with mild flavor similar to a potato.
It's dried, peeled, and then ground into a flour with a mild but slightly nutty flavor. It tastes very similar to all-purpose flour but it's grain-free, which is why it's so popular!
Although tapioca and cassava flour are both from the yucca root they are processed differently. Tapioca which is commonly used to as a thickener (think corn starch) is the starch extracted from the yucca plant.
Ingredients:
Cassava pancakes require simple ingredients & pantry staples! If you're paleo, feel free to use a paleo-friendly oil or melted ghee.
Cassava flour - You can find cassava flour with the alternative flours. It's a bit pricey, but worth the expense if it's within your budget. I used Otto's Naturals cassava flour, but any brand should work.
Baking powder - Two teaspoons may seem like a lot, but trust me on this one! Baking powder gives you the rise and ultimately lighter textured pancakes.
Kosher salt - A small amount of salt enhances sweetness. If you only have table salt, cut the amount in half.
Unsweetened almond milk - Cassava flour is a thirsty flour, which means it needs more liquid to hydrate it than regular flour. I used almond milk, but any plant-based milk works or regular milk.
Eggs - For structure and richness.
Oil - I used canola oil, but melted coconut oil or melted butter taste delicious too! If you're paleo, choose a paleo-friendly oil like coconut or avocado oil.
Maple syrup - For a little bit of sweetness! Honey, light agave, sugar, or coconut sugar all work great!
How to make cassava pancakes
These paleo pancakes are super simple to make. First, heat a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. You want the pan to have plenty of time to heat up. It should be hot when you add the pancakes.
Combine dry ingredients - In a large bowl, combine the cassava flour, baking powder, and kosher salt.
Combine wet ingredients - In a liquid measuring cup or medium bowl, combine the almond milk, eggs, maple syrup, and oil. Whisk until combined.
Mix together - Add the liquid ingredients to the flour mixture. Whisk until a smooth batter forms.
There's no need to overmix. Just stir until the flour is incorporated.
Cook pancakes - Use a portion scoop to scoop three pancakes into the pan. I use my scoop to gently spread the batter a bit since they don't spread much.
Flip pancakes - Let the pancakes cook until you see a few bubbles appear - about 3 minutes. Flip and cook for 3 more minutes.
Enjoy with maple syrup or your toppings of choice!
Pancake cooking tips
- Let the pan heat up first. Don't jump the gun and put them in before it's hot. They won't be fluffy if you put them in a slightly warm pan.
- Keep the heat on medium low. You want the pan up to temperature, but on a medium low heat setting. If the pan is too hot, the pancakes will brown too quickly. If you flip them too soon, the insides won't be done.
- Turn down the heat if your pancakes are browning too quickly.
- My pancakes took approximately two to three minutes per side.
Storage & Freezing
Store leftover pancakes in a ziplock bag in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave in 15-second increments until warm.
Cassava flour pancakes are freezer friendly! Wait for them to cool to room temperature, then put them in a ziplock bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Pop one in the microwave and heat in 30-second increments until warm.
FAQs
Yes, cassava flour is great for baking! You can use it in pancakes, muffins, cookies, and more, but it's important to find recipes that call specifically for cassava flour. It isn't a 1:1 substitution with regular all-purpose flour. It has a higher starch content, which means it absorbs more liquid than all-purpose flour.
Paleo pancakes are made of paleo-friendly ingredients, which means they don't contain all-purpose flour or milk. These paleo pancakes contain cassava flour, baking powder, kosher salt, unsweetened almond milk, eggs, coconut oil, and maple syrup.
More delicious pancake recipes:
- Buttermilk Pancakes (These taste amazing gluten free!)
- Almond Flour Pancakes (Paleo version and gluten free)
- Gluten Free Chocolate Oat Pancakes (Rich and dark chocolatey)
- Gluten Free Pumpkin Pancakes
- Paleo Sweet Potato Pancakes
- Fluffy Gluten Free Pancakes
Cassava Flour Pancakes [Paleo & Gluten Free]
Equipment
- 10-inch Nonstick Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 cup Cassava flour
- 2 t. Baking powder
- ½ t. Kosher salt
- 1 cup + 2 Tbsp Unsweetened Almond Milk or milk of choice
- 2 large Eggs
- 3 tbsp Oil For paleo use melted coconut oil, otherwise canola or vegetable work great.
- 2 tbsp Maple Syrup
Instructions
- Heat a 10-inch nonstick skillet on medium low heat with a teaspoon of coconut or canola oil.
- Meanwhile in a medium bowl add the cassava flour, baking powder, and kosher salt then stir with a fork or whisk.
- In a liquid measuring cup, measure the almond milk and then add the eggs, maple syrup and oil. Whisk together then add the liquid ingredients to the bowl.
- Whisk until a smooth batter forms. Once the pan is up to temperature use a portion scoop to scoop the batter into the pan spreading each pancake out a little with the scoop. Repeat until there's three pancakes in the pan.
- Let the pancake cook until the bottom is golden brown and a few small bubbles form on the top - about 2 to 3 minutes, then flip the pancakes and cook 3 more minutes. Serve and enjoy immediately with maple syrup.
Olivia
Hi Carolyn, my kids love the flavor of these pancakes. Even my non-gluten-child. Anything I can do to get them fluffier? Mine were rather flat.
Carolyn
I'm so glad! Flat as in not thick? If the batter is too thin, add a little bit more cassava flour.
Olivia
Ok, this time kids requested banana pancakes. So I pulverized a banana then added the liquid to it. I used a little less of the milk. I followed all the same directions. It was a success. The kids enjoyed fluffy banana pancakes. Jack asked me to make sure he had some left over for after school. This truly is one of the best gluten-free pancake recipes I’ve made so thank you very much.