Several years ago Rosa Park’s papers made it to the Library of Congress. Among them was her recipe for “Featherlite Peanut Butter Pancakes.” I had two thoughts when I saw this: peanut butter and “featherlite” don’t seem to go together and how could I make them into gluten-free peanut butter pancakes?
Well the conversion to make these pancakes gluten-free was a breeze and yes, they are featherlite thanks to 2 TABLEspoons of baking powder. I know that sounds like way too much baking powder for a recipe with just one cup of flour. But it works and you don’t taste the baking powder at all.
These pancakes are easily made dairy-free with the use of a milk substitute. Parks’ recipe calls for 2 Tbsps. sugar but I used natural unsweetened peanut butter so I added an extra 2 tsps. sugar.
I’m sure that almond butter would be a great substitute for the peanut butter or even sun butter if you avoid all nuts. Top these gluten-free pancakes with your favorite jam and you have the perfect PBJ combo.
More Gluten-Free Breakfast Recipes
Be sure to check out my traditional Gluten-Free, Dairy Free Pancakes, Gluten-Free Waffles, Crispy French Toast and my easy Gluten-Free Crepes.
Gluten-Free Flour Blends
I have used several different gluten-free flour blends for these gluten-free peanut butter pancakes and they all worked well. My custom blend of sorghum, millet and brown rice flours with some starches is my favorite. See the notes in the recipe for a super simple DIY gluten-free flour blend or my blog post on gluten-free flours.
If you prefer a store bought blend, I recommend either King Arthur Flour All Purpose Gluten-Free Flour or King Arthur Measure for Measure Flour. Whichever flour mix you use, if yours contains xanthan gum, guar gum or inulin (binders) omit the xanthan gum in the recipe.
The First Pancake
The first pancake on the pan almost always is a throw away. Why? Usually because the pan is not the right temperature. To avoid a bad first pancake, it is best to first heat the pan it over medium heat. Then, lightly grease the cooking surface with oil or butter, wiping away the excess with a paper towel. If you leave too much butter or oil the pancakes won’t have that nice even golden brown on top. Try making a test pancake with a small spoonful of batter to see if the pan is the right temperature.
Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Pancakes
This gluten-free peanut butter pancake recipe was inspired by Rosa Park's Featherlite Pancake recipe, discovered when her papers were sent to the Library of Congress.
Ingredients
- 1/3 c peanut butter
- 1 cup gluten-free flour blend*
- 2 Tbsps. baking powder
- 2 Tbsps. sugar (add 2 tsps. if using sweetened peanut butter)
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp xanthan gum
- 1¼ c milk or milk substitute
- 1 egg
Instructions
- Heat the peanut butter in the microwave for 20 seconds. This will make it easier to mix into the batter.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and xanthan gum.
- Beat the egg and milk together-I do it right in the measuring cup to save washing another bowl.
- Add the egg and milk to the dry ingredients and stir until smooth. Add the peanut butter and stir well.
- Heat a large non-stick skillet or griddle until a flick of water sizzles and evaporates right away.
- Rub with a tiny bit of butter, wiping away any excess. Ladle a few tablespoons batter for each pancake and cook until they look set around the edges. Flip. Cook 60-90 seconds and remove.
Notes
If using a gluten-free flour blend that contains xanthan gum, omit it from the recipe.
For an easy DIY gluten-free flour blend, combine:
2 c brown rice flour
2/3 c potato starch
1/3 cup tapioca starch
King Arthur Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour is an excellent store-bought flour blend.
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Nutrition Information
Yield 4 Serving Size 2 4" pancakesAmount Per Serving Calories 323Total Fat 13gSaturated Fat 3gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 8gCholesterol 53mgSodium 1181mgCarbohydrates 41gFiber 2gSugar 8gProtein 12g
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated using information from the Nutritionix database. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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