Gluten-Free Pancakes for the WIN!!!

I was challenged by a friend to go gluten-free for the month of February. Given my love of beer, I went gluten-light, and I have no regrets. I have an allergy to wheat (it makes me sneeze) and a gluten intolerance…and I have never felt as good as I did when I cut back.

I’ve made substitutions for a lot of things…rice and corn pasta for wheat pasta, baked potato under my eggs rather than toast…I’ve even tried (and enjoyed!) some gluten-free beer. I am, however, someone who loves to bake. Cutting out the gluten means learning how to bake without wheat flour. My first attempt at a recipe substituting gluten-free four for wheat flour was a complete success.

My flour mix, suggested by Gluten Free Girl and the Chef:

• 6 parts white rice flour
• 2 parts potato starch
• 1 part tapioca flour

My recipe, altered from one I got from my friend Bill:

• 1.75 cups flour
• 3.5 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 heaping tablespoon white sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 0.25 cups of Bailey’s Irish Cream
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Talk about a win! The pancakes weren’t as puffy as the wheat variation, but taste, color, and texture were right on. I wouldn’t have known they were gluten-free if I hadn’t made them myself.

For those of you familiar with gluten-free cooking, you may wonder about the missing thickening agent. I decided to skip adding the xanthan gum because I didn’t think I’d need it for something the size of a pancake. I was right. It’s totally not necessary, though if I had used it I suspect my pancakes would have been puffier. If I had opted for it, I would have used about 1 teaspoon (1/2 teaspoon for each cup of flour, rounded up seems to be the common conversion).

You can also skip the Bailey’s and use milk instead; I just happen to like Bailey’s in my pancakes (and it IS St. Patrick’s Day, after all!).

Next on my list of recipes to attempt de-glutening: gingerbread!