Fluffy Cornmeal Pancakes (7 Ingredients!)

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Spreading cranberry compote onto gluten-free vegan cornmeal pancakes

How was your Thanksgiving? Ours was lovely. We’re visiting friends and family back in Kansas this week, eating all the delicious food and hatching our solo Christmas plans. Think sleeping in, PJs, and french toast and mimosas in bed. Mmm, dreamy.

In the meantime, let’s dig into this seasonal stack of goodness. Fluffy cornmeal pancakes with cranberry orange compote. Let’s get into the kitchen.

Stirring batter for our gluten-free vegan Cornmeal Pancakes recipe

These pancakes require just 7 ingredients and the compote comes together while the batter rests, making this a 30-minute recipe as well.

Making 3-Ingredient Cranberry Compote in a pan

To keep these gluten free, I used a mixture of gluten free oat flour and cornmeal. Melted vegan butter adds decadence and a subtle buttery flavor. You can’t go wrong.

The compote is insanely simple. Just cranberries, orange juice and maple syrup bubbled into a compote and then blended.

Think tart-sweet in taste, and saucy + jammy in texture. Although the compote is optional, I highly recommend trying it out.

Wood cutting board with freshly made gluten-free cornmeal pancakes and a bowl of Cranberry Compote
Drizzling syrup onto a stack of gluten-free vegan cornmeal pancakes topped with cranberry compote

I hope you all LOVE these pancakes! They’re:

Simple
Fluffy
Tender
Cornbread-like in flavor + texture
Perfectly sweet
Colorful
& Delicious

This would make the perfect lazy weekend breakfast paired with coffee and a good book (my favorite). If you try this recipe, let us know by leaving a comment, rating it, and tagging a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends! Have a lovely weekend.

Partially eaten stack of Cornmeal Pancakes with Cranberry Compote for a tasty gluten-free breakfast

Fluffy Cornmeal Pancakes (7 Ingredients!)

Savory-sweet cornbread pancakes made with just 7 ingredients! Fluffy, tender, and topped with a simple cranberry-orange compote! The perfect fall/winter breakfast.
Author Minimalist Baker
Print
Drizzling syrup onto a stack of Cornmeal Pancakes topped with Cranberry Compote
4.33 from 113 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 6 (pancakes)
Course Breakfast
Cuisine Gluten-Free, Vegan
Freezer Friendly 1 month
Does it keep? 3-4 Days

Ingredients

PANCAKES

  • 2/3 cup fine yellow cornmeal
  • 1/3 cup oat flour (or whole-wheat pastry flour if not GF)
  • 1 Tbsp organic cane sugar (sub stevia or maple syrup* to taste)
  • 1 Tbsp baking powder
  • 1 pinch sea salt
  • 1 scant cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 2 Tbsp melted vegan butter (or sub avocado or grapeseed oil)

COMPOTE optional

  • 8 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries
  • 1/4 cup orange juice (or 1/4 cup water + 1 Tbsp orange zest // amount as original recipe is written)
  • 3 Tbsp maple syrup (plus more for serving)

Instructions

  • Add cornmeal, oat flour, cane sugar, baking powder and sea salt to a medium to large mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
  • Measure out almond milk in a large liquid measuring cup, then add melted butter (or substitute oil) and whisk to combine.
  • Add wet ingredients a little at a time to the dry ingredients and gently, slowly stir until just combined. You may not use all of the liquid – you’re looking for a semi-thick batter (see photo). Small lumps are fine – try not to overmix. Let set for 10 minutes.
  • In the meantime, make compote. Add cranberries, orange juice and maple syrup to small to medium skillet or saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Then lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, or until cranberries are soft.
  • Transfer to a food processor and blend until smooth. Add a little water or more orange juice to thin into a spreadable sauce. Taste and adjust sweetness as needed, adding more maple syrup or stevia extract to taste. Return back to skillet/saucepan and keep warm over low heat until serving.
  • Preheat your griddle or cast iron skillet over medium/medium-low heat. You want it warm but not screaming hot. Oil should not smoke when added to the pan.
  • Once hot, drizzle the surface with oil or vegan butter and use a paper towel to wipe away excess – you don’t want any pools of oil/butter. Then scoop scant 1/4 cup measurements onto the griddle or pan. Cook until bubbles appear and the sides are beginning to dry – about 3-4 minutes. Cook for another 2-4 more minutes on the other side.
  • Place pancakes on a large plate and keep warm in a 200 degree F (93 C) oven until ready for serving – you should have 6 pancakes total (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size).
  • Top with cranberry-orange compote (optional) a drizzle of warm maple syrup. Store leftovers in an airtight container or bag in the fridge to keep fresh, or the freezer for longer term storage. Best when fresh.

Notes

*If subbing maple syrup, stir in with the wet ingredients. And you may need to reduce amount of almond milk added so the batter isn’t too thin. If subbing stevia start with a pinch and go from there.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without toppings.

Nutrition (1 of 6 servings)

Serving: 1 pancakes Calories: 118 Carbohydrates: 17.1 g Protein: 2 g Fat: 5 g Saturated Fat: 2.6 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 88 mg Fiber: 1.7 g Sugar: 2.1 g

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  1. Joanna says

    I make these all the time with the maple syrup, I substitute coconut oil for the butter and sometimes buckwheat flour instead of oat. I love to add blueberries and raspberries too!

  2. Kelly says

    Love your recipes but sorry to say this was not a winner :( tasted like Fritos with strong aftertaste of baking soda

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Oh no! We’re so sorry this one wasn’t a winner for you, Kelly. It’s on our list to give this recipe another look! Confirming you used baking powder, not baking soda? Baking soda would be too strong!

  3. Nicole says

    In reply to yours (I can’t reply by email and the thread doesn’t show as posted here yet for me): I used homemade oat flour (well ground/ fine) and I refill my baking powder jar at Bulk Barn, which is only in Canada I believe but the ingredient list doesn’t contain sodium aluminum phosphate or otherwise contain aluminum.

  4. Nicole says

    I was a bit nervous to try these because of the mixed reviews but I usually find the recipes here super dependable so I went for it (pancakes only). Unfortunately I had all the usual problems that feature in the reviews – they were super crumbly, didn’t hold together and were really difficult to flip, and they had an edge of a nasty taste from so much baking powder that butter and maple syrup on top couldn’t quite cover up. My cornmeal is very fine and I definitely cooked the pancakes for long enough in a hot enough pan. I have a vague memory of trying this recipe in the past and the pancakes turning out ok so I’m either misremembering or this is a mystery!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so sorry you had a negative experience with the recipe, Nicole! Would you mind sharing whether you were using oat flour or whole wheat pastry flour? And was your baking powder aluminum-free? We’d like to do some more troubleshooting and see if we can figure out what’s causing the mixed results.

      • Nicole says

        For sure, I used homemade oat flour (well ground/ fine) and I refill my baking powder jar at Bulk Barn, which is only in Canada I believe but the ingredient list doesn’t contain sodium aluminum phosphate or otherwise contain aluminum.

  5. Amie says

    This turned out well! Subbed Oat fiber ( 1/4 cup) and Almond Flour (1/4 cup) for the Oat flour. Added half a teaspoon of vanilla as others suggested. Not super fluffy, but it didn’t fall apart. Will try adding more baking powder on the next batch-Will try the topping the next time!

  6. Kate says

    This recipe is the sole reason I purchase extra cranberries in season and freeze them. This recipe produces the lightest and fluffiest pancakes. The cranberry-orange compote takes them over the top! I use whole wheat flour and double the recipe. These are the perfect accompaniment to my cold, Ohio winter Sunday—complete with a cup of coffee and a book. Thank you for such an easy, delicious recipe.

  7. Brad says

    brilliant.
    the mrs is gluten and lactose intolerant, and what with the cost of living these days gluten free flour is an extortionate price. oat flour is still expensive, but the 2/3 cornflour is dirt cheap.

    tried these as an alternative, and she loves them!

    i left the batter on the side a minute or two too long and it thickened as the cornmeal did its thing, so i added a splash more milk and hit it with the whisk and they came out lovely.

    crispy bacon and good maple syrup, and she has eaten that much she is currently taking a bit of a nap before we carry on with the day, which is a rarity.

    overall, a hit.

    might try the corn/oatflour blend in a few other recipes. i think it will do well as a general purpose flour replacement in our place.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      The sugar helps with the flavor and texture, but other readers have had success leaving it out. If you use buttermilk, you might need a bit more because it’s thicker than almond milk. Hope this helps. xo

  8. Cynthia says

    These are very tasty and for some reason, mine were crumbly. What can I do to prevent them falling apart before I get them to the plate? Maybe I used the wrong type of cornmeal.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Cynthia, these work best with fine cornmeal (which can be hard to find). You could possibly try adding some flaxseed meal next time for more structure, or an egg if you’re not vegan. Thanks for the review!

  9. Jennifer Heinmiller says

    I cut down the recipe so it was one serving and used sorghum flour since I did not have oat flour. The pancakes were fantastic! Miyoko’s butter worked wonderfully and I used soy milk. Will definitely make again!

  10. Melissa says

    These turned out delicious. I added an egg and a teaspoon of vinegar based on other’s suggestion. I also added a splash of vanilla extract and used regular butter. I didn’t have fine cornmeal or oat flour so I made them in a blender with medium cornmeal and rolled oats. I had no issues with crumbling. Thank you for this recipe, it’s a winner (even though I tweaked it slightly)!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Woohoo! Thanks for the great review and for sharing your modifications, Melissa. So glad the recipe was a success!

  11. Lang says

    I used blue cornmeal instead of yellow. Buckwheat flour instead of oat flour. And maple syrup instead of sugar and they came out delicious! My new favorite gluten free pancake recipe – I will be making again! Thank you!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Katie, thank you for sharing your experience and sorry to hear they didn’t hold together well. Another reader mentioned adding a flax egg to help with this issue.

  12. Irene says

    These taste just like cornbread, but unfortunately it ended up being more like corn crumbs rather than pancakes – they didn’t hold up at all even though I cooked them on a low heat :/ Otherwise the taste is great

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Irene! So sorry to hear this. Other readers have had similar issues and we are working on improving the recipe!

      • Gloria says

        I added an egg and used a whole cup of oat milk and the pancakes turned out great! Super easy recipe and will definitely be making this again!

        • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

          Hi Chinelle, we retested and did have the issues mentioned when using medium grind cornmeal. Using finely ground is important here!

    • Rebecca says

      So good! What I did was use cassava flour instead of oat flour, used 1 tablespoon of coconut sugar and 1 tablespoon of maple syrup! Also added 1/2 of whole corn and 1/2 tsp ground rosemary!

  13. Jacki says

    I landed on this recipe when my kids asked for pancakes for breakfast and I had just run out of regular flour. I did, however, have cornmeal and oat flour so decided to give them a try. I didn’t start reading the reviews and the challenges people had had until I had already mixed the batter (because everything I have made from this site has knocked it out of the park!). I quickly added an egg and a tsp of vinegar. This worked. I think a flax egg would have worked too, but I was trying for a quick remedy. I used coconut oil spray and a non-stick pan and this worked fine for keeping them together. I also pressed in fresh blueberries as they were cooking. I’m not into super sweet things, but I might add a touch more maple syrup to the batter next time.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks so much for sharing your experience, Jacki! This is soo helpful for us and other readers. We are so glad the pancakes were a success for you!

    • Mo says

      I wanted to love these but I didn’t. Most of the issues other people mentioned were true for me also. I had a little liquid left so I added it to the batter along with more oat flour. The texture is more like a pancake now n less like cornbread. Use the fine cornmeal cuz anything else would make it grainy. I only had medium grind on hand so that doesn’t work.

  14. Gina Holbrook says

    It fell apart every time I flipped it. I did the recipe for 12, and it said to put 6tsp of baking powder in but we can taste the baking powder in the pancakes and it burns the throat. I’m guessing we really didn’t need that much.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Oh no! So sorry this happened to you, Gina. We are currently working on fixing this recipe, as other readers have expressed issues as well. Thanks for sharing your experience!

  15. Siobhán says

    The flavor is absolutely delicious, but they crumbled when I flipped them (I even cooked them on medium low for a long while to help them firm up slowly) and they crumble a lot on the plate. I will try again with a flax egg. We tried them with wild blueberries and bananas, great flavor profile, but don’t attempt these if you have hungry kids because they took so long on the lower heat setting to try to prevent crumbling!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Oh no! So sorry to hear this happened to you, Siobhán. We have had other readers report issues with these as well and are working on retesting the recipe to help prevent problems! Thanks for sharing your experience!

  16. Chris says

    On the advice of other commenters I added a flax egg and 1 tsp vinegar. It was so good! No issues with texture whatever, crispy crunchy deliciousness 😊

  17. Laura says

    I love this recipe! I cook up a big batch, freeze them and then heat them up in the toaster oven on the toast setting for a quick breakfast. I don’t have much of a sweet tooth so I haven’t made the compote yet, but the pancakes are tasty all on their own. Thanks for your great recipes!

        • ves the best says

          I’ve never experienced anything stick to my cast iron skillet until this recipe. I use it multiple times per day and I didn’t even know that this was possible. I had to scrape them off vigorously in order to even make the pan usable again. I’m very sad because they were very tasty, if scrambled. Can anyone help me debug and make them not stick?

          • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

            Hi there, sorry to hear this didn’t work for you! Typically we recommend making sure the pancakes cook for a long time on the first side (4-5 minutes) until fully set before flipping. It could also help to make sure your heat is high enough. Hope this helps!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      So sorry this happened! Others have reported difficulty with this recipe as well and we are working on retesting it to make it work! Thanks so much for sharing your experience. xo

  18. Sally Ohle says

    1 T of baking powder does not weigh 3 grams. It’s more like 14 grams. This recipe worked great for me the first time I made it but then has failed every time I have made them after that. They are coming out flat and crumbly.

  19. Vivi says

    Didn’t like them. I made them twice. First time I put less liquid, so they ended up very thick and tasted like pan-fried grits. The second time, I used the full amount of liquid and they were a bit better, but still had very strong baking powder taste as another review stated. Besides, it didn’t make them fluffy, pancakes were still tough. Personally, if pancakes need a topping to improve their taste greatly, those aren’t pancakes I want to remake. I’ll stick with traditional wheat flour pancakes.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      Vivi, thanks for your feedback. We’ve retested these before and will do so again. But may I ask what kind of cornmeal you used – fine or medium grind? I’m finding that’s where readers seem to have the most issue.

  20. Nicole says

    These were so easy and so yummy!
    I only have medium ground corn meal and it worked just fine. I imagine they would be fluffier with a fine meal and I can’t wait to try it that way.

  21. Tanja says

    When I saw the picture of these pancakes I knew I had to try them and today I found out just how delicious they are! Lovely texture, pleasant corn taste. I had mine with maple syrup and oh are they more-ish.
    Easy to make too. I found that the batter definitely works best when it’s kept thick, when I made the batter a bit thinner the pancakes needed to cook a bit longer to hold together. These will definitely become a staple. Thanks Dana!

  22. Mary says

    Hi, I tried this recipe because the picture looked so delicious. I wondered how they were going to hold together without a binder. And, indeed they did not. I didn’t use as much milk as called for, and maybe that was the mistake, but after putting half of it in, it was so runny that i knew it would never be at the thickness in the picture. I made a couple and they just turned to crumbles when I tried to turn them, so I ended up putting an egg in the batter.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Mary! Sorry you had issues here. We’ll definitely give these a retest to see what the problem may be!

  23. Judy says

    This is one of my go-to recipes, and fool-proof. SO delicious, fluffy, and EASY–you can’t beat the texture and taste of these pancakes. The sauce is not necessary, but really wonderful.
    As I am now an oil-free vegan, I skip the plant butter. You can sub applesauce, or just skip it. You can also skip the blender; fork stirred still works well. If you are feeling REALLY lazy, you can sub old-fashioned rolled oats for the oat flour. The texture and taste seem fool-proof.
    You can make them sweeter for breakfast pancakes, or less sweet, and serve with black beans made especially delicious with a mirepoix. That’s how I first had cornmeal pancakes 20 years ago, at Red River Café in Austin, Texas. Fabulous.
    Dana, your recipes continue to rock. You test them enough, I guess. ALWAYS delicious.
    By the way, as a no-fat vegan–I heat a non-stick pan until water droplets dance, then spray with cooking spray, and wipe dry with a paper towel–then proceed. It works well with these.

  24. Julie Babb says

    MB is my go to for vegan meals & you never disappoint. So five stars always for MB. These are without a doubt, unbelievably delicious. No matter what pan I use, well seasoned cast iron or non-stick, these stick! We can eventually get them flipped, but it is a struggle. Any advice on this? I love them so so much, I am willing to invest in the perfect pan if needed.
    Thanks for all of your help & fabulous recipes,
    Julie

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      Interesting. Try cooking lower heat for slightly longer and don’t touch them until they’re ready to flip (4-5 minutes!).

  25. Sara says

    It held together with the combination of oats/corn flour. The texture was a bit crumbly/tender. I omitted the sugar & oil, added 2 dates for sweetness and cooked in a non-stick fry pan. No issues.
    Do watch the pancakes! They brown quickly.

      • Noemi says

        Just made this recipe and the pancakes taste great, but they did not hold together at all sadly. They are extremely crumbly and difficult to even pick up with a fork. Next time I’ll use whole wheat flour instead of oat flour to hopefully fox that. Such a shame, they’re delicious!

        • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

          Sorry to hear you had issues here, Noemi! We have it on our list to retest these as some readers say they’re perfect, while others seem to have trouble.

  26. Terry says

    No compote and I doubled the pancake recipe which meant 2 TABLESPOONS baking powder, and so all I could taste in the finished product was the bitter aftertaste of the baking powder. Sorry, but this is not a keeper for me.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Terry, so sorry to hear that was your experience! We haven’t tried doubling this one, but we can see how that might be an issue. If you give them another try, we’d say start with a smaller batch and reduce the baking powder.

  27. Claire says

    These were the perfect Sunday breakfast for me and my partner! I just made the pancakes (no compote), used regular whole wheat flour instead of the oat flour, and used soy milk instead of almond. I also skipped greasing the pan and it worked completely fine, no issues with the pancakes sticking (but it was a fairly high quality nonstick skillet). Thanks, will definitely make again!

      • Marianne says

        Always love your recipes!! I had an abundance of corn meal and made these. I used spelt flour coconut sugar and had a olive mct blend oil. Cooked the pancakes in butter and topped with maple syrup. These pancakes were Super!!! Thank you.

  28. Hannah K says

    I made the pancake only (no compote) and thought the recipe was great! I used vanilla oat milk and an all purpose gf flour. Added some coconut flakes as well!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Sasha, sorry to hear that was your experience! Is it possible you flipped them too soon? That can cause them to fall apart. Another idea would be to try adding a flax egg and more vegan butter or oil.

  29. Elaine says

    I love this pancake recipe. I’ve made them exactly as written, as well as with many combinations of milk or milk alternative, whole wheat flour, ap flour, and coconut oil. I’ve made them vegan and not-at-all vegan. They are wonderful! A solid recipe that can handle lots of tinkering, if you’re like me and wish to tinker and play.
    This morning I threw in a handful of blueberries from my yard, and topped with blueberry freezer jam. Deeeeelicious!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you enjoy this recipe, Elaine! And we love your modifications! Thanks so much for sharing!

  30. Crissy says

    amendments: I made the milk buttermilk by adding a tsp ac vinegar, and threw a little vanilla extract in, too. If you are looking for a Great vegan johnny cake look no further! I’ve made dozens of cornmeal pancakes (anyone watch the Sopranos?) and this recipe is the most solid, delish, and reliable. I bet they’d be great with some fresh corn and blueberries too. Way to go, MB!!

  31. Nelly says

    These pancakes were so tasty and will become an addition to my morning recipes!
    I read in the comments people had issues with them falling apart so I added 1 flax egg to the mix and did a half oil half applesauce substitution (instead of 2tbs of oil). They came out perfect. Definitely make sure your pan is well oiled and let them completely cook before flipping them or else they WILL crumble. Topped mine with some vegan greek unsweetened yogurt, apples, and a bit of granola for crunch.

  32. Kate Lord says

    I left out the oil and added a banana and an egg, so they weren’t really the same pancakes, but they were lovely.

  33. Kelly says

    I tired to add Psyillium Husk and a bit more liquid. Cakes flushed up to 1″…awesome BUT then sank to 1/2″ (normal pancake size). By adding PH the cakes held together well but would have liked them a bit less gritty. Next time I’ll let them sit a bit longer to soak up the liquid.

    What would be good portions to add PH for real to this recipe?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Kelly, we haven’t experimented with that so we’re not sure! Let us know if you figure it out!

  34. Sherry says

    This recipe wins!!! I am truly grateful for making this “smart” whereby the ingredients adjusts depending on my serving size! :) Thank you for making my life easy!
    ps… cornmeal pancakes were a huge success too!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks so much for the lovely review, Sherry. We are so glad you enjoyed it and that you find that tool helpful! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo

  35. Peter Rockwell says

    We‘ve tried this recipe a couple of times and were disappointed. Because the cornmeal isn’t cooked, other than what little it’s cooked on the griddle, the pancakes are gritty,P and because there’s no real binder, such as gluten or eggs (I realize that gluten or eggs would negate the GF and vegan attributes of the recipe), the pancakes tend to fall apart very easily.
    They were easy to make and tasted good, but the grittiness is a deal-killer. We didn’t try the compote, so can’t speak to that.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Peter, sorry to hear that was your experience! What grind of cornmeal did you use? We recommend using a finely ground cornmeal in this recipe so that it isn’t gritty.

  36. Mimi says

    Great recipe. I used cow’s milk though, so not vegan. However, they still turned out awesome!

  37. Judy says

    THE BEST GLUTEN FREE, FAT FREE VEGAN if you sub applesauce for oil. PERFECT pancakes. It might be a texture thing. Fluffy and tender, with a very faint sweetness, these are the most satisfying I have found after years of trying GF, FF vegan pancake recipes.
    The cranberry sauce is amazing, and can be made with canned cranberries with a little orange juice and water. But these pancakes are really versatile, and are equally delicious with a savory bean dish, and, if you do oil, are also wonderful with a little feta or vegan cheese.
    Again, a winner Dana.

  38. Betsy says

    I used masa harina (corn flour) and avocado oil. So easy. Made the perfect accompaniment to some leftover soyrizo and salsa! I’ll definitely make again. May experiment w less baking powder next time to make it flatter/more like a tortilla. Maybe.

  39. Rob says

    I did find the recipe to be a little bit crumbly, but I expected that since we’re not using an egg or gluten to hold it together. with a little experimentation, lower heat cooked longer made a better product. If you try to flip it too early it will fall apart.

    I had much better success with this as a waffle because it hardens the outside and helps it hold together better. I also backed off the amount of leavener to 1 teaspoon instead of a full tablespoon, it was just too much and I can taste it.

    • Amanda Villa says

      We made this recipe pretty much as is! We used coconut milk and melted coconut oil; my family loves them! They’re great with honey on top or just as good with an egg.

  40. Terry says

    The batter was so thin that I knew it would fall apart so I mashed 1 ripe banana and added an egg. They cooked up nicely but had no flavor. Next time i will grate lemon peel or add cinnamon and nutmeg.

  41. Ime says

    Made these this morning turned out perfect, I only had coarse polenta and just used normal flour with vegetable oil, I was so hungry forgot to blend the whole thing hahaha!
    I was worried that my stainless steel pan would make them stick…but wa..la they did not stick to the pan (phew!) love them and would them again, off to the shops to buy more ingredients.

    Thanks heaps ?

  42. Mirela says

    Great, easy and good looking (important for todlers) recipe. Just followed the instructions and came out perfect.
    Thank you!

  43. Alesia says

    I loved that corn taste and wow, the pancakes are so filling + healthy! What an amazing breakfast idea! It become my special weekend’s dish! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!

  44. Renata says

    These are sooo good and so easy to make! Can’t believe they are gluten and dairy-free! Made them twice. I used olive oil and coconut milk the first time because that’s what I had at hand and they worked just great! Thanks for sharing!

    • Faith Vieira says

      I was eager to try this recipe because I no longer use white flour at home, but I still love pancakes!

      I made these with two changes:

      1. Based off other commenters, I added only 1 tsp of baking powder, and they still rose nicely.
      2. Since I’m not vegan, I added one egg to bind the batter together. This way, the batter wasn’t crumbly.

      I added the whole one cup of almond milk, so I had to add a little bit more cornmeal and oatflour. I might try adding some vanilla next time, but they turned out great!

      The recipe as I altered it made 10 pancakes!

  45. Julie De La Rosa says

    These literally fall apart every single time I try to make them. Haven’t tried in a year or so and went back just now and it’s a nightmare to try and make. :(

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Oh no! Sorry to hear that, Julie! Did you make any modifications? It seems a few other commenters have had that issue, but others didn’t, so we aren’t sure what is causing that. You could try adding a flax egg or chicken egg if not vegan. We’ll take another look at this recipe to see if we can troubleshoot.

      • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

        Hi Ameena, we’re so sorry to hear that happened! We are a bit baffled as we haven’t had this experience. Would you mind sharing whether you used oat flour or whole wheat pastry flour?

  46. Christina says

    Hi! Could you use gluten free blend flour? Like king authors measure for measure? Or would you suggest the gluten free all purpose blend to sub? Would it be the same amount? Thanks!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Christina, we haven’t tried that and aren’t sure how it would turn out. Let us know if you give it a try!

  47. Ray Martin (oldmanskinandbones) says

    Just wonderful!! I used tahini in place of the vegan butter since that is all I had. THANK YOU !!!

  48. Franz Pajunen says

    I’ve made these a few times now and they’re becoming a staple breakfast in my kitchen. ? I usually do the grapeseed oil option and gluten flour, modifying nothing except using whatever nondairy milk I have on hand. Today I used molasses instead of sugar bc I’m out of sugar and yum! Will be making again.

  49. Liz says

    Great basic recipe, I’ve made it nearly as written (subbed coconut milk for almond because that’s what I had) and it worked great.

    My go to now, since I’m not vegan, is to make them with an egg, and reduce the milk by the volume of the egg. The pancake behaves the same, but I feel full longer with the added protein.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      So glad you enjoy them, Liz! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications! xo

  50. Beth McCrea says

    Made these & adored them! They weren’t too sweet (nor too savory), but perfectly balanced in flavor & had a little bit of a crumb reminiscent of corn bread. Yum!

    Not sure why a couple of others had trouble. I had none. I followed the recipe exactly as stated using the non-GF option of whole wheat pastry flour & the full amount of baking powder. (I only had stone ground corn meal so pulsed that through my food processor to turn it into the fine corn meal you noted in the ingredients.) Thanks for another winning plantbased recipe!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks so much for the lovely review, Beth. We are so glad you enjoyed these! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo

  51. Liz Schneider says

    Just made these wonderful fluffy pancakes. I follow the McDougall Diet, so I substituted 2 tbsp of unsweetened applesauce for the oil and 1/2 the almond milk with water. They turned out great! My husband loved them. I am adding this recipe to my favorites. ❤️ Thank you.

  52. caren says

    Hi, so I am going camping and wanted to make batter the day ahead and put it in a mason jar to pour on the cast iron the next day. Can I make these ahead, keep the batter refridgerated/cold and use a day or two later?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      That should work! Although it will likely thicken, so make it a bit more thin on the front end to compensate. Or add more liquid just before cooking and stir. Have fun!

  53. Amelia West says

    These are great! My husband and I both enjoyed them. The only comment is that it didn’t quite make enough for 2 people. Most pancake/waffle recipes make enough for 1.5 people and I just don’t know why they do that.

  54. Heidi says

    Just made the pancake batter, sub the sugar for a banana, tossed in s but of ground flax and made them in the waffle iron. They turned out delicious, a bit crunchy and soft at the same time. Definitely have a corn meal texture. I found they fell apart a bit with lots of toppings ( yogurt, ground nuts and warmed blueberries).
    I recommend giving these a try for something a little different for the ordinary!

  55. Anna says

    These have become a staple in our house! I make them for dinner and serve with a big bowl of vegan chili. My kids (ages 3 and 5) love them. Yum!

  56. Carla says

    Thank you for this recipe!!! For years I have been trying to duplicate my grandmother’s corn pancake recipe and I would fail everytime. I changed my diet to vegan and gave up trying to taste my grandmother’s recipes forever. That was until today! Oh my goodness!! It taste just like her recipe. Nice and fluffy. Kinda melts in your mouth. I followed the recipe but added a little more shakes of corn meal, flour and sugar. Awesomeness, thank you for allowing me to relive a great memory.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Aww we are so glad to hear this brought positive memories for you! Thanks for the lovely review! xo