Almond & Flax Pancakes (Gluten-Free & Without Sugar)

This almond and flax pancakes recipe is gluten and dairy free made with almond flour and almond milk.

This recipe is also sugar free, with the option to add low sugar toppings if you like, such bananas, maple syrup or almond butter or any almond butter alternatives, which are low in sugar.

Why make this recipe?

• Light & easy to digest pancakes
• Nutritious & full of fibre – made with almond flour and almond milk
• More filling than usual pancakes
• Naturally gluten free
• Made with no added sugar
• low carb & suitable for Keto diet

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Any specialist equipment needed?

You are welcome to use any frying pan, griddle or designated pancake frying pan (which is what I use)

Notes on Ingredients & Possible Substitutions

Almond flour

Almond flour is fairly pricey, and it’s not widely available, so I won’t be offended if you use finely ground almonds.

Almond flour is naturally gluten free, low in sugar and also very nutritious (as it’s made from almonds).

Flax

I use ground flaxseed, but you can also use ground chia seeds or other ground seeds.

I’m using flax seed in this recipe to add extra fibre and protein, so any type of seeds or flax will be fine.

If you can, use the ground variety of the seeds as they help to soak up the batter and support the gluten-free almond flour. If you use whole flax or chia seeds, they won’t soak up as much liquid and your pancakes might be just a bit more fragile (and might be slightly trickier to turn/flip over).

Almond Milk

I’ve used almond milk as I often keep frozen almond milk in the freezer ready and because it compliments the almond flour really well.

If you don’t have almond milk you can use any other plant based milk or normal milk. I probably wouldn’t use coconut milk as it tends to overpower the other flavours but it principle, it would work too.

Spice

Since this recipe doesn’t have any sugar in (the only sweetness comes from the almond flour and almond milk), you kind of need some other flavour to make the whole pancakes to taste of something.

I find that nutmeg, mixed spice or in the autumn gingerbread or pumpkin pie spice works brilliantly with this almond pancake recipe, but even a large pinch of cinnamon will do.

Salt

Don’t skip the salt (unless for a health reason) as it helps with the flavour. You might find pancakes without salt a bit bland.

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How to make Almond & Flax pancakes

Measure out all the dry ingredients – almond flour, flax seed, cinnamon, baking powder, pinch of salt – and mix together.

Add all the wet ingredients – almond milk, egg – and mix together

Cook your pancakes in small batches on a low heat, few minutes on each side.

Pro Tip

If you have the time, leave the pancake batter to sit for 5-10 minutes after you’ve mixed it. This will give the flax seed chance to soak up any liquid and the pancake batter will become slightly firmer (and easier to handle when you are trying to turn the pancakes).

Variations on this recipe

Whilst I’ve made this recipe naturally gluten and dairy free, this recipe is not vegan as I’ve included egg. This was mainly because almond flour is quite coarse and doesn’t hold well together, which is why egg and the ground flax seed holds everything together.

Saying that, you can swap the egg for 1/2 banana or 1/4 cup of unsweetened apple sauce if you want to make this recipe vegan. Be prepared that the pancake mixture might be slightly more difficult to handle.

What can you serve with Almond & Flax pancakes?

If you want to keep these pancakes as sugar free as possible then use some extra almonds or fruit and skip the honey or maple syrup drizzle. Otherwise anything goes!

• Raspberries
• Maple or Date Syrup or Honey
• Chocolate Spread
• Peanut Butter
• Homemade Pumpkin Butter >>
• Soft Cheese
• Any kind of jam or marmalade
• Homemade Apple Curd >>

Can I scale up or down this recipe?

Yes, of course, you can. This almond pancakes recipe gives you about 8 small pancakes, which is perfectly good portion for 2 adults or as a snack portion for 4 people.

You can easily double the recipe if you are cooking for a family or want to make some almond pancakes and freeze them later.

Can almond pancakes be made in advance?

These almond and flax pancakes are great served hot straight from the frying pan, but you can easily make them in advance and then reheat them in the microwave or oven later. They are also perfect eaten cold.

You can make them in advance and freeze them for later.

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How to store almond pancakes if you have any leftovers

These almond pancakes will keep for a minimum of 3 days in the fridge and you can also freeze them for up to 3 months.

To keep your pancakes in the fridge, wrap them in a plastic bag or place in a suitable container with a lid.

To freeze your pancakes, I find it’s best to freeze them first on a flat tray (as they are without any cover) and once they are frozen, stack them up (with greaseproof paper in between) in a freezer suitable container or even sturdy zip lock bag.

Keep flat in the freezer and eat within 1-3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge or take out and defrost and warm up in the microwave.

How to re-heat almond and flax pancakes

Simply warm up your almond and flaxseed pancakes in the microwave for few seconds at a time. You can also warm them up in the oven, if you’ve just been baking or had the oven on. Medium to lower temperature of about 180 Celsius (about 350 Fahrenheit) should be fine.

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This blog post was originally written on 5 February 2021 and last updated on 24 March 2023