No matter what pancake recipe comes my way, I find that I keep falling back on my old stand by pancakes. They are so good, so good for you, and so easy
Easy Whole Wheat Pancakes
1 cup whole wheat flour (or whatever grain you want)
1 cup cultured buttermilk or regular milk
1 egg
3 Tablespoons melted butter (or oil)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Whisk together all ingredients. Cook pancakes on a well buttered, hot skillet or griddle, flipping once bubbles begin to form. Serve with real maple syrup, applesauce, jelly, or any of your favorite pancake toppings!
I triple this recipe for our family of six. These pancakes also freeze well. Frozen pancakes reheat great in the toaster!
And – add blueberries or chocolate chips for a yummy variety!
My kids devour these pancakes, and they are hearty enough to keep them full all morning long.
Move over IHOP!!
P.S. These pancakes taste best when made on a cast iron griddle. I have this Lodge 20-Inch Cast Iron Griddle and love it so much! I can make pancakes three times as fast because it covers two burners. Check it out here (affiliate link).
Thanks for the recipe!! I’ve been trying to find info for a whole wheat sourdough starter, with no luck. Would you happen to have a link with directions?
Love the recipe…. BUT… the name is a little misleading, IMHO. I was expecting to use some of my sourdough starter if you’re calling it sourdough pancakes. Not trying to upset you… but maybe call them soaked batter or something like that. Nourishing Traditions has a similar recipe as does the Urban Homemaker…fwiw…
Would I be able to use soured milk instead of buttermilk for this recipe? It looks delicious! Thank you.
If we use store bought buttermilk, can we still leave on out on counter all night or do we need to let it soak in fridge? or Does it even matter?
These look good! I am linking to them in a post tonight, trying to give my readers all the help they can get for a hot breakfast.
Toni
Those look GOOD! I’m wondering the same thing as Cassandra… if you can just use store bought buttermilk.
Yes, you can use store bought cultured buttermilk. You can use sour milk also, as Sarena asked, and you would still get yummy pancakes…and the phytates in the grain would still be broken down as long as you used lemon juice to sour your milk.
Hey,
I’m confused…
I was trying to find some soaked grain recipes but your instructions for these pancakes don’t say anything about soaking. The recipe just says to mix everything together and cook them.
Can you please fill in the missing info .
I apologize – I had originally written in soaking instructions but I never soak anymore so I edited it out a few years ago! If you mix the flour and buttermilk overnight, then add the remaining ingredients in the next morning, that will work for this recipe!
I’m new to the whole foods and was wondering does the flour have to be a certain kind to work? I have whole wheat flour but don’t know if it requires a certain kid to work. Thanks for your help. I’m just loving your blog.
Those sound so good. And how neat that you could make them and freeze them.
Roberta Anne
Yum! I am going to make these for tomorrow! :)
These look yummy! I have some flour and buttermilk soaking on my counter right now! I’ve never tried anything with soaked grains before so I’m a little antsy about it. LOL It seems like it would go bad overnight to me or something. I’m looking forward to trying them tomorrow morning. :)
Ok I’m now a believer. The pancakes are WONDERFUL! All my boys loved them. :)
I second Michelle’s comment! I am a believer now, too!! Even my husband loved them! This is defiantely something I will do again. My first time soaking flour was a success! Thank you!
Yum! WE love sourdough pancakes although I haven’t made any in a while. I’ve been making hot breakfasts all this month, so I’ll have to give this a try.
These look so easy!!!
My flour is soaking! I’ve been meaning to make these since you posted them then at my grocery store today they had some buttermilk that was about to expire and was marked 10 cents! That was all the convincing I needed to try out your recipe! Can’t wait to taste them.
Thanks so much! I make much smaller batches, but I find it is a great way to use some of the sourdough starter I would normally throw away. I use whatever flour or flour mixture I have on hand. Today was spelt – they are GOOD
These were so tasty, but I soaked them in the fridge because I don’t think I can use my buttermilk. I get it from my raw milk dairy, but they make sweet cream (not cultured) butter. Can I still use it for soaking? If not, can I get a starter culture and culture my buttermilk instead of using the culture in whole milk? Or is there something else I can do to break down the phytates? I like buying the buttermilk for cooking because it’s cheaper than raw milk, but I’m trying to switch to soaking methods and don’t know how to make it work. Any advice would be much appreciated.
If the buttermilk is not cultured, you can still use it to soak your pancakes and the recipe will work, but it will not break down the phytates. You can add a little lemon juice instead if you like.
I explain how I make buttermilk here:
https://heavenlyhomemakers.com/making-cultured-buttermilk-kefir-and-sour-cream
I use yougurt sometimes if I don’t have buttermilk, or the time to make buttermilk,, and it works just the same as buttermilk to break down the phytates if the yogurt you use is cultured.
We have a dairy allergy in the family and I was wondering if you can soak with just water and lemon juice or soy milk and lemon juice? How much lemon juice is needed?
Yes, you can use water and lemon juice. Just a 1/2 tablespoon of lemon juice should be fine!
What is the difference between cultured buttermilk and regular buttermilk? Would it work if I used milk and organic yogurt? There is no where to buy raw milk out here, because of strict laws, it’s actually illegal for the farmer to sell milk straight to consumers.
Usually, buttermilk is cultured. I don’t think that dried buttermilk mixed with water is though. Yes, you can use milk and organic yogurt.
We have made these a couple of times now. We like them thinner and with blueberries.
I just made this recipe x6! Half are in the freezer between waxed paper, the rest are in the fridge for breakfasts for this week. My siblings were snacking on them while I was making them. They are yummy:-) Thanks for another delicious and HEALTHY recipe!
Did you soak yours overnight? Were yours doughy? I don’t know if
I did something wrong. I have a whole wheat recipe that I already
make that we love but I wanted to try Laura’s. Cause everything so
far has been fab!!! So that is why I wondered if I did something wrong.
You’re not the only one who has had trouble. So sorry. I’m not sure why mine turn out and others have had issues. Maybe come to my house to eat some of ours? And then we can sit and chat too? ;)_
I would love that! Hee Hee! Maybe yours turn out because you
are Laura! :)
Help! I made these on our pancake morning!!! Kids love pancake day but didn’t like these. The flavor was great but I must have done something wrong??? They didnt cook in the middle. Outside looked beautiful golden brown and when you cut into them they were doughy. So I I tried less heat and longer cooking. Never cooked up. What on earth did I do. They weren’t fluffy. Just heavy and doughy. I was really bumbed……made extra to freeze but ended up dumping them. Did just like the recipe said. Any ideas??? or maybe that is how this pancake is??? I have made lots of your recipes Laura! Love them but I failed on this one!
You aren’t the only one. :( All I can suggest is maybe adding some milk to the batter to thin it out some, then maybe they would cook through and through. Maybe I should work on a tutorial?
Oh, sorry. I didn’t realize you were the one who commented above, so I wanted to be sure “both commenters” got their questions answered. “Both commenters” were you. Duh. I need to go to bed and leave the other questions for a time my brain is working.
Hope that you rested well! Thank you for commenting at all!
You have a lot of people who love and comment and ask questions!
It is very nice of you to take the time to do it! Thanks!
Jami, do you have a grain mill? I tried this recipe before I got my grain mill, and they did not turn out. They were doughy inside and did not taste very good. I tried it again after getting my grain mill (and after trying other recipes that worked wonderfully using regular store-bought ww flour but not fresh ground flour). They turned out AMAZING with my fresh ground flour! Soo yummy! I think the problem might be the flour you are using. My favourite pancake recipe for regular old flour is this one http://thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen/recipes/breakfastbrunch/pancakeswaffles/buttermilk-pancakes-2/. It works great with regular whole wheat flour :)
I did not soak mine over night. But I would suggest if the batter seems doughy then just had more milk until it is a good consistancy. I used part buttermilk and part regular milk.
I just finished making this and had to comment. They are absolutely amazing. I am making the transition into eating more whole grains, eating healthier, etc. Me and my kids are white bread types; but for real, these were amazingly delicious. I never knew whole wheat flour could taste so fluffy and delicious.
Thank youso much for sharing this!
I have made these so many times and always have the issue with them not being cooked in the middle. So what I started doing is making them the day before we want them. Actually I only like to cook in quantity so I make 4 times this recipe. Then we have them for breakfast for several days or you could freeze them When I reheat them by putting them in the toaster there is no issue with the centers not being cooked even though the day before there was. Just a suggestion for those who really want these to work for their families but can’t get the center cooked.
Wow, I just recently discovered your blog and your recipes. These pancakes were amazing! Even though there is no sugar in the batter, the pancakes themselves have a sweet taste to them that is delicious even without maple syrup. I did find that the overnight “soak” was more like a “paste” of flour and buttermilk and I did have to thin mine out quite a bit in the morning before I cooked them.
I have made these numerous times for my family and they love them. My three-year-old calls them ‘soap pancakes’ and regularly asks for them. :) I have always added about 1/2 to 3/4 cup milk in the morning with the rest of the ingredients, because I like mine a bit thinner. Thank you, Laura, for all your healthy recipes!!!!!!! :) Happy Easter!!
If I make my own version of buttermilk–1 c. whole milk with 1 T vinegar (it’s quick and easy) will it still work as cultured buttermilk? Also I usually soak for just 1 hour-how long does it usually take to break down the phytates (?)
Thanks and I’m LOVING your blog. VERY helpful and many thanks from our family for helping us transition to better eating!
Well, it’s the cultures in the buttermilk that break down the phytates, so it seems that the cultured buttermilk is important for this step. It is recommened to soak the flour for 12-24 hours for it to be completely effective, but sometimes I’m short on time with soaking and can only give it three or four. SOMETHING is better than nothing, right!?
Thank you kindly for replying. Guess I’m gonna have to get brave and
weird :) and try the cultured buttermilk out!
Something is better, you’re right. Thanks for the blog. It’s a great help.
Can you use kefir?
Yes, no problem!
We recently learned that our four year old is allergic to yeast and eggs. I’ve started experimenting with our regular baking but wonder if You, Laura, or your readers could recommend some nice ways in which to eliminate eggs from pancakes, muffins, cookies. Thank you!
I’m sorry I have no idea about how to bake without eggs…HOPEFULLY one of my readers will have ideas! Yikes, that’s a tough one. Hope you all can make these adjustments smoothly at your house. :)
I have used one heaping tbs of soy flour and one tbs water, to substitute for one large egg. I’ve used it in cakes and baked oatmeal and works like a charm
I’ve used 1 tablespoon water with 1 tablespoon cornstarch in recipes for one large egg. It does change the taste just a bit, but isn’t bad. Those are tough allergies. Thankfully my son outgrew them. I hope your little one does, too.
Replace 1 egg with 1 tbsp. ground flaxseed and 3 tbsp. water. It’s very simple! My oldest was allergic to eggs. I made so many egg-free dishes, I even ended up writing an egg’free cookbook! You can find boxes of ground flaxseed in the baking section of practically any store, with the flour, even at Walmart.
Kika, my husband is also allergic to yeast & eggs as well as quite a few other foods. I have great baking success when I replace the eggs in a recipe with Ener-G Egg Replacer. I buy it at my local health food store.
Replace 1 egg with 1 tbsp. ground flaxseed and 3 tbsp. water. It’s very simple! My oldest was allergic to eggs. I made so many egg-free dishes, I even ended up writing an egg’free cookbook!
Thank you Pam. Does your husband eat sourdough with his yeast allergies?
Mine didn’t cook up either :( I’m wondering if anyone else who had issues ever made another batch to see if they worked the second time.. I REALLY want these to work for us since we eat a LOT of pancakes
Why does it have to soak in a glass bowl? Curious…
If you put it into a metal or plastic bowl, there are chemicals of each that are released into the dough, making it yucky! The glass is much safer.
On the topic of why the pancakes might be ‘doughy’…. my daughter has been working around my eggwhite allergy for a few years now, and has found that the Betty Crocker recipe, with freshly milled flour and simply skipping the egg, did fine with soured milk (buttermilk substitute made with vinegar), but not regular milk. They were doughy with the regular milk. I’m not sure if this would address what the ladies here ran into at all, but that is when we had ‘doughy’ pancakes here. We are soaking tonight to make these in the morning, so we’ll know more of this specific recipe soon.
Okay, I will admit, I am a total scaredy-cat when it comes to leaving this stuff out!!!! I really come from a processed food diet background, but I have tried a lot of your awesome dishes, and am really wanting to try this too. I have been toying with it for over a month, and am soaking some Whole Wheat Flour now. When did we become such chickens about working with milk products?
What if you don’t have cultured buttermilk? is there an alternative to using it? I really think I should soak things like this. :)
thanks!
-Ra’chel
You can use regular milk with some lemon juice. The lemon juice will break down the phytates in the grain just like cultured buttermilk would!
I made these this morning. They were easy to make
and looked yummy, unfortunately we didn’t like the taste. I think it is
the buttermilk taste that we don’t like, it seems really strong and I don’t normally use it, so maybe that is the problem for us. Can I soak it in regular milk?
Aw, bummer that you didn’t like them. They do have a bit of a sour taste, don’t they? You can soak them in regular milk, but without the cultures from the buttermilk, you won’t have the nutritional benefit.
Sometimes if I don’t have time, I just make this recipe without soaking them…they taste much less sour this way. You might try that?
I made my first batch of sourdough (soaked overnight NT style) pancakes and they came out so thin, and rubbery!!! I wonder why….normally my old fashioned pancakes come out so thick and fluffy and we love them, but I wanted the health benefits of soaking. Any ideas?
Hmm, I don’t know. Mine are usually big and fat. It could be that you needed a tad more flour and not as much buttermilk? Each batch may turn out differently depending on the moisture/humidity in the air that day.
Mine turned out doughy too, after several attepmts to fix the problem. So, if anyone comes up with a soluation please let me know:)
Mine turned out so salty they were inedible. The buttermilk is already very salty and adding that 1/2 teaspoon was just way too much (I use sweet butter, too). The texture was fine – I used whole wheat flour with a little milk added. Seems like the flavor would be fine if you could taste it through the salt.
Hint for those with large families – the butter does not need to be increased when you double, triple, etc this recipe. I makes it too oily. I’ve made this recipe dozens of times now, and it’s been much better since I stopped tripling or doubling the butter. I make a triple recipe usually, quadrupling when one of my older kids comes home. I started using coconut oil instead of butter, and it is *wonderful*! Also, I never buy buttermilk, just add 1 T vinegar to 1 C skim milk.
Hi, Laura!
I am still learning about soaking flours overnight & was
hoping that by using raw milk with 1 TB of vinegar (to make
buttermilk) if I’d get the same nutritional results, as long
as I soak it, overnight? Also, does the concentrated
lemon juice work as well as fresh lemon juice for this benefit
in breaking down the phylic acids & making it more nutritional? Also, when soaking beans overnight, what amount
of water & what acid is best to use…..as well as the acid
amount? This is all sooooo new to me so thanks for getting
back with me when you have the chance as I’m excited to have
found your website!! You’re a blessing!!!
Yes, you can just use raw milk and vinegar or lemon juice for soaking and achieve the same result. For soaking beans, I just cover my beans with water and splash in a couple of Tablespoons of vinegar.
Hello again, Laura! ;o)
Just wanted to say THANKS for being willing to comment on
my questions as I’m getting ready to make my first batch
of pancakes (your way!) I was wondering if the lemon juice
mentioned above can be the concentrated form or does it have
to be the “real thing” from lemons? Hmmmmmm
Also, are the phytates broken down simply by adding the
white vinegar (1 TB) to the raw milk & left overnight? This
makes “real buttermilk” right? I don’t have a culture, so
was hoping this was good enough. I have made keifer before
& wondered if I could just use that instead of the buttermilk?
Thanks for your patience & for your website! So far, I’ve
tried making your white alfredo sauce (was a huge hit here)
as well as your homemade pudding!! Wow, we’ll never go
back to storebought now! I’m hoping to purchase some of
your E-books when we get a little extra money. Thanks
again!!! You’ve been a wealth of info. & a blessing from
our Lord!!!!!! ;o)
Oh, it can be from a bottle or a real lemon or from one of those little squirty thingys. It all works!
As far as breaking down phytates, the buttermilk that will do this job needs to be cultured. I’m not sure that the raw milk/vinegar treatment creates cultured buttermilk…or does it? Hmm, I really don’t know. I think if you don’t have cultured buttermilk (https://heavenlyhomemakers.com/making-cultured-buttermilk-kefir-and-sour-cream) you may want to do the lemon juice method for soaking. You can do this with water and lemon juice, or milk and lemon juice, either one.
Just made these for my 10-month-old son to have for breakfast. I followed your recipe as written except I thinned the batter out with 1/2-3/4 c. whole milk to yield a thinner pancake. I made little pancakes (3-4in in diameter)and my son gobbled a whole one up by himself! I’m planning to freeze the rest for future breakfast/lunches. Thanks for the recipe! I’ll have to make some this weekend for my husband and I to enjoy!
Hi, Laura~~~~~it’s me again! I’ve tried your soaked pancake
recipe for a 3rd time & am STILL having problems with it
being “doughy” in the middle~~~~~~~~~~ahhhhhh
The outsides are a beautiful golden brown, but the insides
are a different story as they’re not getting cooked through!
I’ve tried adding milk/adding flour etc. & have even tried
different stovetop temps (the dials), but to no avail. ;o(
I’m using a cast iron skillet & usually this works great for
pancakes, so I’m really stumpted! What temp do you cook
yours on (on the dials?) Any other suggestions? I’d
greatly appreciate any input as I really want these to “work”
as we eat lots of pancakes~~~~~~~~~~~~thanks a bunch!!
P.S. I’m soaking my whole wheat flour in kefir (one for one)
& that seems to work, great; however, would I still get
the benefits of breaking down the phytates if I only use
1/2 cup. kefir & 1/2 cup of regualr milk? My younger son
doesn’t like the “sour” taste that the kefir alone produces.
Hmmmmmmmm I never knew perfecting pancakes could be so
challenging!!! ;o0
I made these and had the same issue with uncooked middles.
Then I tried again but added 1/2 tsp. of baking soda and it worked
great!
I also used melted coconut oil in the batter and greased the pan
with the coconut oil and they cooked up more fluffy than with
butter in the pan!
Hello, again, Laura! ;o)
I’m still working at “perfecting” the pancakes and
they’re getting better & better!! I’ve been using kefir
(instead of buttermilk) to break down the phytates, but
was wondering if water & lemon juice would do the same?
I was hoping so as to save on our kefir. I’m just wanting
to make sure that those phytates get taken care of, but
am still learning much about all of this. Thanks for
your patience!! BTW, your menu for the week looks
impressive~~~~~~~wanna come make it all at our house? ‘o)
Thanks again for all of your helpfulness & input!
Amy
Me again! I wanted to clarify my question above a bit as
I know you’ve already talked about soaking with lemon juice
as another method in breaking down phytates. I guess my
confusion & question should rather be, since the water &
lemon juice method aren’t “cultured”, how can it still do
“the job” in breaking down phytates as you mentioned earlier
that you weren’t sure if just plain milk & white vinegar
would “do the job” since it’s not cultured? hmmmmmm
I guess I’m wondering if it’s the actual “culturing” that
makes the difference in phytates while soaking, or if it’s
the acids (vinegar, lemon juice, buttermilk, kiefer) etc.
The latter 2 are “cultured”, but would vinegar and lemon
juice work just as well to accomplish the benefits of
soaking? I hope this all makes sense. I’m really not
trying to hound you with questions or take up all of your
time, rather trying to get this all figured out, myself, so that I can do it on regular basis with confidence!!
Thanks again 4 your patience!! ;o)
Sorry – I’m probably not reading your questions thoroughly enough as my brain usually gets a little bit boggled when I’m working through my emails and questions. :)
You’re right…it is just the acid that does the breaking down, which is why lemon juice works. Therefore, maybe vinegar works to for this???
These are so good! I’m glad I made a double batch this morning :). Our favorite thing is to make blueberry pancakes and top with lemon yogurt (add a few drops lemon essential oil to homemade yogurt along with some honey/sweetener). WOW is that ever good! Blueberry lemon has to be one of my favorite combinations now… :) Thanks Laura!
I have been making these pancakes for a few weeks now every couple of days and loving them. The first few days I was extremely gassy but thought it was due to the red beans we had been eating. My children, however, continue off and on to complain of stomach aches, which is rare for them. I’m wondering if there is an adjustment period to the digestive system for some people. Sometimes I soak my flour for 24 hours and I use kefir. Have you heard of any digestive issues? My pancakes are amazing in flavor and texture. I find that I need to cook them slowly for a longer time than normal pancakes to get them done in the middle. Laura
Oh, that’s interesting. Since you’re soaking them, that should not be a problem. Huh. Do your kids normall have trouble with whole grains?
can you mix all ingredients together and leave on the counter over night to accomplish the same results?
Since there is egg in the recipe no you can’t. Bad bacteria would multiple making the batter unsafe.
This recipe really works best with just the flour and buttermilk mixed together overnight.
I quadruple this recipe and substitute 1 cup ground flax seed for 1 cup of flour. I keep a coffee grinder on the counter just for my flax seed.
My kids say I make the best pancakes ever! :o)
Thanks for the recipe, Laura. We’ve been using it for months and love it!
Silly questions.. Do you soak it on the counter at room temp or in the fridge? Also you have mentioned phytates in other recipes, can you explain what that’s means? Or refer me to where it’s explained? Thanks!! Love your site, I’m addicted =)
Many have that question! Soak on the counter. Here’s the post explaining the break down of phytates: https://heavenlyhomemakers.com/soaking-those-grainswhat-is-that-about
I recently discovered your website and it is quickly becoming my favorite! I made these today and my 3 year old who is not big on eating had 3 for breakfast and 3 more for lunch. These are our new favorite pancakes for sure, thank you!
I made these this morning, haven’t even cleaned up the dishes but had to post to say thank you!
These are delicious! I couldn’t believe there was no sugar in the batter and they were so much better than normal wheat pancakes. Thank you for giving me some tools to soaking grains!
These will be a new staple for sure!
I made these this morning and they were great! First success with soaking! Thanks Laura!
Can I make this with coconut or almond milk and gluten free flour? WE are gluten and dairy free. Thanks. You have a great website/blog
I would imagine this would work, but I’ve not tried it myself. :)
I’m going to try these using buckwheat flour which is high protein,
low carb & high fiber!
Yes, you can! Before God healed our family of gluten intolerance I would make them with rice flour. It did require a little extra milk.
Just curious Randi, did you have to do the GAPS diet for that kind of healing?
No, we didn’t do any special diets (except GF, of course). It was a completely healing from God. Two other friends were also healed the same time of diagnosed celiac. You can read more about the amazing healing and what took place on my blog if you’d like. It’s a long story to post here.http://theobsoletehomemaker.wordpress.com/2013/02/18/healed/
I have powered buttermilk.
Would it work like the buttermilk in
the refrigerator section?
Thanks :)
I’ve not tried to use powdered buttermilk in this recipe, but I know that someone else who tried it said her pancakes turned out quite flat. You may want to use a lesser amount of the buttermilk if done this way?
prepare the buttermilk as per directions and allow to stand for 30 minutes before adding to the grain/flour. Should work just as fresh buttermilk.
Can you use store bought buttermilk? I assume so. I would love to have time to make the buttermilk, but I do not. Love your site!
Yes, that would work!
This recipe says baking soda in the the ingredient list and baking powder in the intstructions. Which one should I use?
Aw shucks, use baking soda. I’ll have to go edit that!! Thanks for pointing out my mistake!
It still says baking powder. Is that the correct one? Thanks!!
Go ahead and use the baking powder. :)
Katie – I made these today for Father’s Day brunch. Absolutely amazing!! I used King Arthur white whole wheat flour & did the overnight soak. My hubby was thrilled & now considers these our “go to” pancakes. Thanks so much!!
Such a dork … I meant LAURA not Katie!!!!!!
Laura,
I am so new to all this. I thought I fed my family healthy before, but the more I learn about so many things, the more I realize I just haven’t! Two questions. Does it need to be buttermilk that you use. Are there substitutes? Secondly, does this work with fresh ground flour? I’ve read that the good oils in fresh ground flour start going rancid after 3 hours.
Thanks in advance!
Karen
Yes, I always use freshly ground flour to make these. If you’re soaking them, I believe the flour stays “fresh” since technically it’s already in use. I might be wrong on this.
You can use other buttermilk, as long as it’s cultured.
Can these be made Dairy Free? Could I use Coconut or Rice Milk for soaking? My youngest has a Dairy Intolerance. Thoughts?
I think coconut milk or rice milk would work fine in this recipe, although soaking them in one of those wouldn’t achieve the same result as soaking in buttermilk. If you wanted to soak them, mix in the coconut or rice milk along with two teaspoons for lemon juice. OR, you could skip the soaking part and just mix all the ingredients together and cook them up right away!
Another way to do this dairy-free would be to use coconut milk or rice milk kefir, which has the acidity needed and is probiotic.
I added lemon extract and lemon zest with blueberries….. sooooooooooooooo good!!!! I also tripled recipe, perfect snacks for later!
These are great with some home made strawberry yogurt on top as well!
Could these be soaked in kefir with the same result?
Yes, definitely!
I soaked my white whole wheat flour in blueberry kefir from the store, last night. I cooked them up this morning and was so pleasantly surprised. My husband is going to love them (I had to test them first). He gets them tomorrow morning soaked in buttermilk. YUM! Thank you! Oh, and after eating about three 1/4 size pancakes I don’t have that heavy need-a-nap feeling that I usually do with pancakes.
What do your kids usually like on top of their pancakes? Looking for healthy alternatives to maple syrup.
We spread PB & all-fruit jam on ours. Every once in awhile, they still use maple syrup, but only 100% maple, not that Log Cabin stuff.
HTH :)
I usually use applesauce on our pancakes. We’ve also used a blueberry sauce (blueberry cooked with water and cornstarch/arrowroot powder) and a little sweetener (honey). This morning, we made crepes with cooked, sliced apples with cinnamon and honey. I imagine this would be delicious on pancakes too! :) Hope this helps. We rarely use maple syrup on pancakes because of the expense. Applesauce is SOOO much cheaper than maple syrup.
We almost always use real maple syrup, but sometimes we do applesauce or jelly.
I made these this morning (soaked last night) and they were really good! Hearty & delicious, and so easy to make.
We make this by soaking it overnight with Kefir instead of buttermilk. We love it! I will try this with buttermilk as well though. I bet the flavor is great. :)
I’ve been using half raw milk, half whey in place of cultured buttermilk since I still have not gotten around to ordering my buttermilk starter. Does the whey still have the same ability to break down the phytates that buttermilk does?
Yes, whey is great for that!
I made these this morning and my kids and husband said they were the best ever! They are so light and delicious especially when compared to unsoaked whole grain recipes. My oldest said they are beter than I-Hop which is the only time they get to eat white pancakes(which is very rarely, mostly on vacations). These pancakes will be on the menu again soon.
Thanks!
P.S. This was my first soaked grain recipe. With the success I had I will be doing it again with other recipes.
Can you soak them in plain raw milk instead of buttermilk and still have the benefits of soaking, or does it need to be cultured buttermilk?
From my understanding the ingredient you use to soak the grains must be cultured. if you are looking for alternatives to cultured buttermilk a few are milk, coconut or
water kefir. Cultured yogurt would also work.
Just made them with nut flour, tahini milk (tahini paste + water), and a drop of honey. Delicious!
Could I add Sweet Potato to these, and if so, do I just add, or do I have to substitute it for something?
I think substitute the sweet potatoes for the milk, then gradually add milk until your batter is the desired consistency. :)
Cream your sweet potatos and stir thewm in when th pancake batter is fully prepared. I have done thins with Pumpkin, yellow squash ans sweet potaotes. Great way to get the healthy yellow/orange veggies into your kids favorite foood without them knowing it. any batter (pancake/waffle, cookies, cake, cupcake, muffin batter, bread batter) is a great place to hide the nutrient packed goods :)
I love hifing veggies in kids friendly food. Pancakes, waffles, meatballs and spagheti sauce and macaroni amd cheese are also perfect hiding spots. THouroughly blended buttercup squash can be stirred in the cheese sauce for Mac and Cheese or au gratin potatos! and spinace blended in my vitamix with onion and seasonings and cracker crunbs hidden in my meatballs work like a charm. I am beginnig to make it my life challenge to feel kids SUPER healthy while they are oblivious to it. I love asking how dinner was and to hear them answer “Amazing!” Drives me to my next camoflauge. FUN TIMES!
Do pardon the typos. I live for spell check and without it you mmust learn my dede-eze to stay with me :)
We LOVE this pancake recipe and make it at least once a week. However, I have noticed that when I refrigerate any leftovers the pancakes turn gray inside. Has this ever happened to you? I have started freezing the leftovers and it doesn’t happen, but I am curious as to what might be causing the color change. Thanks!
I am not sure what causes this…I have noticed mine have done that too. Neither Laura or I think it is harmful though.
I tried these this morning, and they didn’t quite work out. When I cooked them, no matter how done they got on the outside, they were still gooey on the inside. This was even true when I thinned them out. I followed the recipe as written (I think). Any ideas what could have gone wrong?
I have this problem somettimes too and usually just add a little milk to thin the mixture so they’ll cook better.
I used 1/2 cup kefir and 1/2 cup raw milk and whole wheat pastry flour. I use coconut ghee for the fat and to cook them in. They were nice and cooked up really quickly. My daughter is trying them right now, I think they will be a hit!
Thanks for this simple recipe!
Debbie
Laura, PLEASE HELP!!! I’ve made these several times with great sucess when I use “junky” ol’ King Arthur whole-wheat flour BUT as soon as I tried them with fresh-ground hard white wheat … they were a sad bust. No matter how long I cooked them or how much I thin’d them – they were still gooey on the inside and the cooked edges tasted more like a grilled cheese sandwich than pancakes. The last 3x I made theses, I made King Arthur pancakes along side just as a “back-up”. They turn out great every. single. time. … the fresh-gorund flour – never had a good batch. Any ideas what is going awry? I’d sure love these w/ a healthier flour. Thanks!
This has happened to Laura before but she has solved it with thinning
them out a little with milk. It sounds like you tried that. I am
wondering if they would be less gooey if you added more flour and
decreased some of the wet ingredients…I hope that helps! :)
Can I just use the buttermilk left from when I make raw butter? I am trying to find various uses for this type of buttermilk!
That should work out fine.
I made these with kefir exactely following the recipe and they turned very sour and would hold its shape when turned over. I am sorry to say but all my experiments with wholemeal flour- pancakes and sour bread have been a disaster.:(
Bummer that these didn’t turn out well for you. I will admit to not loving all the soaked items either and have kind of gotten away from soaking whole grains because we don’t always prefer the flavor/texture.
If you don’t soak these, do you still use the buttermilk and just mix up everything and cook? It is so interesting to see your baked goods such a light color compared to mine using regular whole wheat. I am saving up for my wheat grinder. I think it will help my teenagers accept the whole grains.
I usually use soured milk instead of buttermilk in cooking – I am assuming this would be an ok substitute.
Also because of my lack of knowledge, would you please explain why you can leave buttermilk on the counter overnight? And can this also be done with soured milk?
Laura wrote a post about soaking grains. Here’s the link: https://heavenlyhomemakers.com/soaking-those-grainswhat-is-that-about
I have made these twice now. First time they were AMAZING! Second time…not so much, but totally my fault! We didn’t have any buttermilk on hand so I subbed milk and whey from some yogurt and the results were less than stellar :/. I definitely recommend sticking with the original recipe like she wrote it! I guess they would have been ok had I never tasted them with the original recipe :)
You say the buttermilk must be cultured. I always just use vinager and milk to make my buttermilk. Is that cultured? What does that mean? I’m new to all of this :) Thanks
Using the vinegar and milk will have the same effect. :)
We are making these and they need to feed twenty people. Do You know approximately how many one recipe makes? Thanks!
One recipe makes about 8 three inch pancakes. :)
I have been making fresh butter, could I use what’s left of the milk after the butter is made for this?
Yes you can! :)
Can I use coconut oil (the kind where it doesn’t taste like coconut oil) instead of butter in this recipe?
Sure can!
What’s your preferred method for reheating frozen pancakes? I always freeze them but the reheat is only so-so. I’ve reheated them both in the microwave and on a griddle. Any tips would be appreciated!
You can thaw them first and then throw them in the oven to heat up or you can just throw them in the oven frozen too. I have found that reheating pancakes is never as good as when they are made fresh, but my kids never complain!
If using the oven or microwave to re-heat, try a wrapping or covering the pancakes in a damp towel or paper towel. I have noticed though, that when using the oven you either need to have the towel more wet or just re-dampen during the re-heating. This has always kept our pancakes, no matter what kind I’ve made, from drying out.
Also, on freezing them, do you thaw them first before reheating?
You also can use a toaster oven like Laura does!
This is now my go-to pancake recipe! If I forget to soak the night before they still work – I just decrease the milk a little. THANKS A MILLION! :)
Oh My Goodness! I made these this morning and I have to admit, I was skeptical. But they are the best pancakes I have ever made!!! Love them and will be making them for now on!
First time soaking my grains. These were the BEST PANCAKES EVER!!!! My family loves frozen pancakes and was trying to find a more healthy alternative. I have found it. I can freeze these for them to eat and not feel bad about it at all. Thank you… thank you!!! These pancakes are FABULOUS!!!!
Hi,
would a mix of milk and yogurt work for soaking these over night? and so what proportions do you think i should use?
Yes, that would work. Simply mix your milk and yogurt in whatever ratio you’d like until it equals the one cup of buttermilk called for in the recipe.
These have turned out amazing for us every.single.time!!! Love your recipes, Laura! I’m a mom with three boys 4.5 & under & as a mom of boys you know the craziness! So glad for good, healthy & quick recipes for filling hungry bellies! God bless you girl. : )
I made these for supper tonight and they turned out great! Thanks for the recipe! (sidenote I do add sugar to my mix and vanilla)
Dec.11,2013
Laura..Just aline to let you know I really love the recipe for Whole Wheat Pancakes. I haven’t had panckes for a long while because I am Diabetic and could never find a recipe I like.
I always trust your recipes because I know you always cook healthy. Also the fact I can freeze these and eat at a later time. Going to try them with flax seed and maybe frozen raspberries or bluberries..
Keep the good recipes coming because I watch you all the time. Thanks
REPLY
Could you tell me what kind of skillet or griddle you personally use? I need to throw out my electric non-stick skillet I use all the time or pancakes for our family of 8. I would like to purchase something I feel safer cooking these on. How do you cook your pancakes for your large family, Laura?
Laura wrote a post about the griddle she uses. Here is the link:https://heavenlyhomemakers.com/?s=cast+iron+griddle
I was reading the comments and I am wondering what everyone is talking about “soaking”. There is no mention of soaking anything, or leaving anything overnight in your instructions. Is this a step I am missing?
When I originally wrote this post in 2007, I had a “soaking the wheat flour” step. I’ve since edited that and skipped it, simply mixing the ingredients and making quick pancakes!
Hands down the best pancakes ever. I don’t even add syrup to mine. Thank you so much!
I tried this recipe with soaked whole wheat flour and buttermilk and the pancakes were flat and doughy inside and my boys rejected them… I tried again with unsoaked, sprouted whole wheat flour and increased the baking powder and baking soda (I added baking soda even though the recipe did not say this) and I got the same results – flat and doughy. Not good! What could I be doing wrong? I was so excited to try these pancakes after reading about how everyone loved them, but I have a stack I’ll be feeding to the birds. I would love to hear what may have gone wrong!
Does anyone else have problems with baking powder/soda clumping in the batter? The soaking prevents you from combining all the dry and wet ingredients separately, so the baking powder ends up getting mixed into a wet base, which, in my case, often results in clumps that taste rather unpleasant in the final product. Other recipes have recommended not overmixing batter with baking powder, so I’ve tried to be sparse in my stirring. Any suggestions?
We made these this morning tripling the recipe; These are perfect! Soaked fresh ground wheat flour overnight in buttermilk & kefir. Served with cultured butter (my first attempt & it was a success ) and our own maple syrup…. so light & fluffy, these will be my go-to breakfast (we have soaked pancakes almost every morning) Thanks for a great recipe!