These Coconut Flour Pancakes are delightfully fluffy and incredibly easy to make. And with less than 3g net carbs per serving, they make an ideal keto breakfast!
I often joke that working with coconut flour is like entering an alternate universe. If you’re used to wheat flour, you will find that this common keto ingredient defies all expectations.
But once you get the hang of it, you realize that it can be incredibly useful. It works well in both sweet and savory recipes, everything from Keto Bagels to my famous sugar free Chantilly Cake.
For the uninitiated, these Keto Coconut Flour Pancakes are a very good place to start. It’s an easy recipe that provides you with a good sense of the ingredients. And it doesn’t hurt that you get some tasty keto breakfast out of the deal!
If you prefer other flours, I have some great keto pancakes with almond flour too.
Why you need this recipe
This was one of the first keto pancake recipes I ever created and it’s been a fan favorite ever since. But over the years, I’ve tinkered with it and perfected it to make them truly light and fluffy.
One of the best tricks I discovered was the addition of sparkling water rather than still water. The carbonation adds air to the batter, which in turn makes the pancakes lighter. Since coconut flour can often be dense and heavy, you need all the added lightness you can get.
Coconut flour pancakes require a surprising amount of eggs. But, done correctly, they don’t end up eggy or rubbery at all. And with some added vanilla, you don’t taste don’t get an overpowering coconut flavor.
One reader says: “This was my first time using coconut flour, and my pancakes turned out delicious! They are very buttery, which is just the way I like them.”
It’s also a fabulous make-ahead recipe. The pancakes can be refrigerated for up to a week or frozen for several months. So you can make a big batch and enjoy a healthy breakfast for days.
Ingredients you need
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- Coconut flour: Coconut flour varies a great deal brand to brand and some are more absorbent than others. I recommend using Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur Baking for consistency, but if you use a different brand, you may need to adjust. If the batter is very thin, add another tablespoon or two of flour. Read my tutorial on baking with coconut flour for more information.
- Swerve Sweetener: I recommend using erythritol-based sweeteners, such as Swerve, for this recipe. Using another sweetener may change the texture and consistency. Allulose is not a good choice, as it tends to make things brown more on the outside, which will leave your pancakes looking and tasting burnt. Learn more about keto sweeteners here.
- Eggs: Make sure to bring the eggs to room temperature before adding them, otherwise they will cause the butter to clump up.
- Butter: You can use salted or unsalted, as you prefer.
- Sparkling water: The carbonation gives the pancakes a lighter, fluffier texture. But you can just use regular water instead, if you don’t have any sparkling.
- Oil/butter for the pan
- Pantry staples: baking powder, salt, vanilla extract.
Step by Step Directions
1. Whisk the dry ingredients: Whisk together the coconut flour, sweetener, baking powder, and salt. Break up any clumps in the coconut flour.
2. Add the wet ingredients: Add the eggs, butter, and vanilla and stir to combine. Add the sparkling water and whisk until smooth, then let the batter rest a few minutes to thicken.
3. Add the batter: Heat the skillet and lightly grease with oil or butter. Scoop two or three tablespoons of batter onto the hot skillet and spread into a 3 to 4 inch circle. Keep them small so that they are easier to flip.
4. Cook until golden: Cook the pancakes until the bottoms are golden brown and the edges are set and dry. Flip carefully and continue to cook until second side is golden brown, then remove to a plate. Repeat with remaining pancake batter.
Expert Tips and FAQ
If you’re new to coconut flour, you may find it a bit tricky to work with. Here are some added tips for success:
- Keep them on the small side for easier flipping. 3 to 4 inches in diameter is about perfect.
- Just like regular pancakes, you want to see some little bubbles appear in the top before you try to flip them. Then carefully wiggle your flipper under the bottom side and flip over in one quick motion.
- Different brands of coconut flour vary in absorbency so it can be tricky to know if your batter is right. Try one mini pancake before you go and do them all. The batter shouldn’t be so thin that you can pour it. You should have to scoop it onto the skillet and then spread it into a circle.
- If your batter is too thin, simply add another tablespoon of coconut flour. If it’s too thick, add another tablespoon or two of water.
Frequently Asked Questions
Coconut flour makes excellent pancakes but it’s not as simple as replacing regular wheat flour cup-for-cup. It is extremely absorbent and requires a lot of eggs, fat, and liquids to make good pancakes. You also use significantly less coconut flour than regular flour. I recommend following this coconut flour pancake recipe as written.
Coconut flour requires a lot of eggs to hold together properly. Most coconut flour recipes take at least 6 eggs per half cup of flour. Resist the urge to skimp on the eggs or to thin the batter with another liquid, as you will end up with a goopy mess that won’t cook through properly.
These coconut flour pancakes are a deliciously healthy option for keto breakfast. They have 5.9g of carbs and 3.3g of fiber, so they come out to 2.6g net carbs per serving. They also have more protein than regular pancakes, so they will keep you feeling satisfied for much longer.
What to serve with coconut flour pancakes
So now that you’ve made a big stack of these delicious pancakes, how do you serve them? You’ve got many great options!
- I love them with a smear of peanut butter or my Keto Nutella as a quick on-the-go breakfast.
- For a decadent brunch, try topping the pancakes with Pecan Praline Syrup or Wild Blueberry Syrup.
- All-U-Lose maple-flavored syrup is my top choice for store-bought pancake toppings.
- ChocZero has a wonderful collection of flavored syrups, everything from caramel to peach!
Coconut Flour Pancakes Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup coconut flour
- ¼ cup Swerve Granular
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 6 large eggs
- ¼ cup butter melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ to ¾ cup sparkling water (or regular water)
- Additional butter or oil for the pan
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the coconut flour, sweetener, baking powder, and salt. Break up any clumps in the coconut flour.
- Add the eggs, butter, and vanilla and stir to combine. Add ⅓ cup of the sparkling water and whisk until smooth. Add more water, a little at a time, as needed. Let the batter rest a few minutes so the coconut flour absorbs the moisture.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat and brush lightly with oil or butter. Using about 3 tablespoons of batter at a time, scoop onto the skillet and spread into a 3 inch circle.
- Cook until the bottoms are golden brown, the top is set around the edges, and a few bubbles appear in the top. Flip carefully and continue to cook until the second side is golden brown.
- Remove from pan and keep warm on plate or baking sheet in oven, while repeating with remaining batter.
Helena Angelina says
Hi Caroline,
I’ve been admiring your beautiful blog for some time now, and this morning I made your fluffy coconut pancakes: a revelation indeed! I’ve tried many a low-carb pancake recipe, and I’ve always been quietly miffed at the results. These, on the other hand, were spectacular! They looked, acted, smelled and tasted just like regular pancakes. Thank you so much!
I’m from Australia, and we don’t always have access to the ingredients you have in the states, but I will be going to town with your other recipes after such a success!
Helena
Carolyn says
Thanks so much, Helena. Glad they worked out!
Mindy says
Tried these today. Followed the recipe exactly and, it’s not the the results were bad, but these weren’t pancakes. They were omelets. Taste and texture were exactly like a giant omelet. I use a high quality organic coconut flour (Anthony’s coconuts). I had better luck using a low-carb pancake recipe with peanut butter and sour cream. Flavor was much more like a pancake. Like some others here, I let the batter sit for just a bit and it started to thicken. Otherwise it ran to every corner of my medium-high pan. I’m glad others enjoyed this recipe, but wanted to pass along my experience. If I want omelets, I’ll make them without the added carbs.
Carolyn says
Hi Mindy. I’ have never used Anthony’s coconuts but they should not turn out at all like omelettes. I suspect it’s the coconut flour that’s the issue here. Most readers love these and find them to be exactly like real pancakes!
G says
I didn’t have almond milk so I added tablespoon of heavy cream to @ cup of water and it worked out fine. They were good, good, good! Thank you for the recipe!
Carolyn says
That’s what I often suggest in place of almond milk. Glad it worked out!
Mary says
I want to try this, but I have a question. Do you use sweetened or unsweetened almond milk?
If you use sweetened, and I want to use unsweetened, I presume I will need to up the sweetener a bit.
Thanks.
Carolyn says
I always, always use unsweetened. Don’t need the extra carbs in the sweetened variety! 🙂
Mary says
Thank you. These are a must try after I get the coconut flour.
Lindsay says
Thank you, a million times over. This recipe just saved “breakfast-for-dinner” night. I have gestational diabetes that has gotten ridiculously hard to control in this last trimester. Basically if I look at a carbohydrate, my blood sugar spikes way out of range (and that’s with insulin). I had a pity party all day today knowing tonight was breakfast night and that I wasn’t going to get to eat pancakes with my family. I found this recipe, whipped it up, and had 6 little pancakes, some eggs, and a small greek yogurt (and a relatively small amount of insulin). 2 hours later, I just tested my blood sugar and it is exactly on target. You have no idea how happy I am….and the bonus is that my super picky, texture averse daughter preferred these over the “regular” pancakes! Double win! I did make a small change: instead of the sweetener you suggested, I did 1 TBSP Splenda and 2 TBSP vanilla whey powder. They were super easy and very yummy! Thank you for saving dinner (and probably breakfast tomorrow)!
Carolyn says
Hi Lindsay, I am sorry to hear you have GD. I had it too and that’s how I ended up here as a pre-diabetic and writing a low carb food blog. But so glad my pancakes could save “Brinner”!
Kathryn says
I was SO excited to find this recipe! My daughter LOVES to make waffles and pancakes, and I just can’t have wheat flour in the house. I’m going to try these with her and see what happens. I really like the Swerve sweetener. I like that it looks, feels, and measures cup for cup just like sugar. It even has a confectioner’s sugar version. I have been using it for a couple weeks, and it’s great. No after taste like most artificial sugars, and no digestive problems. It cooks really well. It will even caramelize if you want to make an apple dip 🙂 So glad to find this blog. I can’t wait to try more recipes!
claudia says
I have done this yesterday with wafflepan , It turned out very nice !
Thank you : )
Shannon says
I’m just starting my low carb journey and decided to try these out. I have coconut flour on hand but have no idea how to use it. I only had 2 eggs so I used 4 egg replacer eggs in addition. So, those changes in mind, they were horrible. I am going to make them again with all the eggs as I’m sure that’s what made them inedible. But the texture was… strange. Mealy and bizarre. Flavor, not so bad, but would have been much better had I used butter instead of oil in the pan. This recipe doesn’t lend itself to an oil flavor. I also thought that the erythritol did nothing for me in the sweetness category. I think I’ll have to try stevia or something else next time. All that being said, I am going to try it again exactly as its supposed to be and I will have better feedback about the exact recipe. What I learned is that you really can’t mess with the original much, if at all. :/
Carolyn says
Yes, they would be horrible with an egg replacer. Coconut flour needs eggs.
Staci says
Things you probably should have mentioned: ROOM TEMP EGGS, otherwise butter congeals and you get get lumps, and letting the coconut flour batter rest before you try to cook it, otherwise it’s thin.
Sylvia says
Oh! Good point! Thanks!
Emily says
Hi! I was wondering what you serve on top of your pancakes since syrup is full of sugar?
Carolyn says
There are several good sugar-free syrups made with xylitol. Nature’s Hollow makes a tasty one: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002AJ0SZ6/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B002AJ0SZ6&linkCode=as2&tag=aldaidrabfo05-20&linkId=2OHWUIUJGKQLS7DJ
But often I just spread mine with butter and eat them that way.
Debbie says
I mostly use stevia would that work instead of Swerve ? and would the amounts be the same?
Carolyn says
No, the amounts would definitely not be the same and I am not sure how much. what kind of stevia do you use? Powdered or liquid?
Lee Ann says
This recipe may have saved me from Atkins diet disaster….SO good. We used about 1.5tsps Stevia and spread almond butter on top. Yum. Wish I could find the whole nutritional value but I am sooooo full and happy this morning!! Pathans you!!
Joy Thorne says
I made these this morning, they made the kitchen smell beautiful, tasted great and leave me with a happy glow that my boys have had a nourishing breakfast ( while they thought they were having a treat) . thank you.
S M says
I made these pancakes yesterday to the approval of my family, who are, unfortunately, harsh critics now that I’ve started making LC foods due to a Pre-D diagnosis. They’re still used to sweetness, so I cut the erythritol in half and substituted some Splenda for the other half. It was a bit too sweet for me, so I’ll cut down on the Splenda next time. I also substituted skim milk for almond milk since I had that on hand. The pancakes did smell eggy, as previously mentioned in other comments, but didn’t taste like eggs. Overall, these turned out very well! The only problem I had was when I attempted to flip the pancakes; it was difficult to gauge how “done” the pancake was and fell apart when I flipped too early or was a little too brown when I flipped a little too late. Still, not bad for the first time using coconut flour.
Carolyn says
Glad they were liked well enough! If you keep them on the smaller side (no larger than 3 or 4 inches), they are easier to flip.
Lin says
Just about to try these as my first ever attempt with coconut flour. Just wondering if anyone knows how long the batter will last in the fridge for? With wheat flour pancakes I will make a large batch of batter and use over a couple of days. I’m thinking maybe this coconut flour would need the addition of a bit more liquid the next day? I am sure someone knows!
Carolyn says
I think it will thicken a lot and you will need to thin it out. I don’t know how long it will last but as long as it’s refrigerated, it should be okay for a day or two.
Elisa says
I tried you recipe today and didn’t like how the pancakes came out … Don’t know if I did anything wrong. It tasted very eggy … almost looked like a coconut tasting omelette. Is it supposed to be that way ? It wasn’t as fluffy as yours either, it was even very flat. I did everything like you said, just used a different granulated sweetener … Any advice, idea on what went wrong ?
Carolyn says
Possibly the brand of coconut flour?
Elisa says
I was wondering if that could be the coconut flour brand too … Unfortunately I only managed to find this one. It’s not very easy to find coconut flour here in Belgium. What brand would you recommend ? Maybe I can find it on Amazon ? Thanks for you answer anyway !
Carolyn says
I always use Bob’s Red Mill.
Christa says
I wasn’t a fan of these pancakes. They seemed too runny, and flat. The flavor wasn’t great to me either. I tried them a second time with a little more coconut flour, and blueberries… Still didn’t enjoy the taste/texture. I really wish I would have liked them
Nancy says
Carolyn, thank you so much for this recipe! I’ve switched to the low carb lifestyle 3 weeks ago and haven’t looked back. I’m amazed at all the delicious low carb recipes available. I’m eating more delicious foods than I’ve ever eaten and feeling myself becoming leaner and healthier in the process. Sadly, I was about to give up on low carb pancakes because I had tried a couple recipes that promised yummy results only to be very disappointed. Your recipe, however, proved to me I don’t have to give up pancakes to eat low carb. These turned out better than any pancakes I’ve ever made, including the high carb ones!!! I made sugar free syrup and added in some cream cheese just to thicken it up a bit and these were like eating an evil dessert!!! All I can say is…OMG!!!! You are a GENIUS!!!!
Carolyn says
So glad you liked them!
Kari says
Carolyn, your blog is a fantastic playground of temptations! I want to make these soon and would like to make a sauce or syrup to complement them; I didn’t comb the whole thread, and a quick site search doesn’t seem to turn up any syrup recipes; have you tried making a syrup such as the one in the following link with Swerve instead of sugar? Do you think it will work??
http://minimalistbaker.com/4-ingredient-bourbon-caramel-sauce/
Carolyn says
With just Swerve, it will harden up again as it cools. You could probably sub in some xylitol to keep it more liquid, but as long as you serve it warm, it would be good.
Deborah says
I saw an earlier thread where someone used Stevia and found it gritty. Is there another sweetner that you recommend besides Swerve? I’ve never heard of it/used it. Can I use Splenda or even regular sugar?
Carolyn says
Yes, in this recipe, you could use Splenda or sugar to replace the Swerve.