The Best Healthy Whole Wheat Pancakes
No, I haven’t fallen off the Elimination Diet wagon already.
Although I already have a sneaking suspicion that I’m going to find I tolerate wheat just fine, I am still doing the no-wheat thing for at least the next three weeks.
I came up with this recipe right before I left for New Zealand though and I couldn’t wait any longer to share it with you.
Despite the fact that I can’t enjoy them right now, I’m pleased to tell you…
These are — by far — the best healthy whole wheat pancakes I’ve ever had.
I’ve been on the hunt for years now for the perfect whole wheat pancake recipe, and it’s been much harder to find than you would expect.
Sure, I’ve developed great Strawberry Banana Pancakes and awesome 3-Ingredient Pancakes, but never a traditional whole wheat pancake.
I wanted something that would be universally delicious to all foodies, yet actually healthy.
Most recipes replace white flour with whole wheat flour and immediately deem the dish “healthy,” but it’s not that easy. Pancakes have other not so healthy ingredients to account for, including lots of sugar and unsavory fats.
I also wanted something simple, that I could easily memorize and quickly whip up on the weekend.
Despite repeated failed attempts at making my own recipe or modifying others, I have kept at it. Weekend after weekend the fiancé has pretended to enjoy less than stellar pancakes on my endless quest for the the perfect stack.
A few weeks ago, I had a breakthrough.
I can’t remember the exact adjustment or modification that landed this batch in the breakfast hall of fame, but I knew when I tasted them that I’d finally found my perfect flapjack.
They were exactly what I was searching for — light and fluffy, sweet and hearty, and oh so chewy.
When I served them to my friends — who I know would usually prefer the buttermilk variety — they said they loved them, proving it by going back for seconds.
Flap-jack-pot.
- 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsweetened soy or pea milk
- 2 flax eggs (2 tablespoons flaxseed meal + 6 tablespoons water)
- ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce or 1 mashed banana
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted (a little extra for cooking)
- ½ tablespoon vanilla or maple extract
- Mix dry ingredients in one bowl, wet in the other.
- Mix the two bowls together.
- Coat a skillet in cooking spray or coconut oil and cook pancakes for about 2-3 per side over a medium-high flame.
- Enjoy!
I suppose the irony is that after all my efforts, I won’t be able to enjoy my success for a month.
I hope you’ll enjoy them for me though.
These pancakes taste great with coconut oil drizzled on top and a teaspoon or two of honey (another off-limits food for now, unfortunately).
I plan on trying the recipe out this weekend with brown rice flour, although I’m guessing this will lead me down a similar rabbit hole as before.
I’ll report back with the results either way!
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Weigh-in: Do you have one dish that you just can never seem to get right? Do you have any great gluten-free or whole wheat pancake recipes to recommend?
Ashley @ A Lady Goes West says:
Hi Whitney! How’s the diet going so far? I have never actually made pancakes from scratch, but I’d imagine the apple sauce in this recipe gives them a good moist texture. Thanks for sharing with us! :)
Whitney English says:
Hi Ashley! It’s going OK so far. Easy to stick to but no improvements yet unfortunately. Thanks for asking :)
Deborah @ Confessions of a Mother Runner says:
hmm I don’t have any GF pancakes unless you go with sweet potato zucchini latkes I made and then ate for breakfast. These look good and I hope you get to eat them soon
Whitney English says:
Thanks Deb xo
Krissy @ Pretty Wee Things says:
These look and sound soooooo good Whitney! I wonder if they will work if I replace the whole wheat flour with gf pastry flour? I might have to give it a go and see how they turn out.
Breakfast this Sunday is sorted!
Whitney English says:
I hadn’t tried that yet but I would love to hear how they turn out for you. Let me know!
Bethann says:
Harlowe would love these! They need to secure a spot in our b-fast rotation!
Whitney English says:
Let me know what she thinks!!
Caroline Kaufman Nutrition says:
If you can get your hands on Nitty Gritty Grains’s Cornbread, Pancake and Muffin mix (http://nittygrittygrain.com/products/cornbread-pancake-and-muffin-mix), they make insanely good corn pancakes. I tried the brand when I lived in Vermont briefly, and have had the cornmeal shipped out to me in Boston and San Francisco! They’re certified organic and grown and packaged in Shelburne, Vermont. I do not work for them or anything, just a big fan :)
Whitney English says:
Yum! I’ve never had corn pancakes but they sound great. Thanks for the rec!
Mary says:
I made this recipe and used it in the waffle maker for waffles and they were amazing! Orlando loved his Valentine’s Day breakfast thanks to your recipe! Xox
Evelyn Gates says:
thanks s much for sharing your recipes! I pinned your blog which is excellent! I just served your sweet potato peanut butter recipe to my husband and he thanked me over and over. It’s a great feeling to be serving nutritious and delicious meals
Whitney English says:
Thank you for the pin! So happy your hubby liked the pancakes! It’s always nice to be thanked for your hard work in the kitchen, right?! :) xoxo
RAYG says:
Where is the sugar? What are you substituting for sugar?
ray g