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.
Christie says
We tried these today with a few modifications. I used 4 eggs, 1/2 C pumpkin purée, and 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice. They held together very well, and fluffed up. Hubby likes the flavor but still thought they were a little dry. Next time I will add some cottage cheese and put all the wet ingredients thru the blender and see if that helps the moisture. Thanks for a great recipe!
Michael says
So crazy this works! I followed the directions to the letter and kept shaking my head at all the eggs. I saw the batter when it was all mixed together and thought, “Well, there’s a lot of wasted time and ingredients,” because i was sure it would never work. “Clearly she accidentally left a cup of some dry ingredient or another off the recipe. Then I spooned the first round into the pan and even then though I was making scrambled egg cakes rather than pan cakes. Then, as if by magic, they cooked into decently fluffy pancakes. Ingenious. Need to be careful on the cooking because I found they went from golden brown to black in about a nanosecond. A medium low heat worked better for me. Delicious, nutritious, amazing. Five stars.
Carolyn says
Yes, it’s amazing how they end up puffing up, especially when you flip them!
Pamela says
Carolyn,
I made these tonight for supper and they were delicious. My only problem was flipping them, any suggestions?
Carolyn says
Make them no larger than 4 inches. Gently wiggle your spatula underneath.
Heather says
If I can’t have gluten or dairy, would you say that coconut oil is ok to use in place of the melted butter? Do you think it would make a big difference in the texture?
Carolyn says
I think it should be fine. Avocado oil would work too.
Jasmin says
Tried these this morning, indeed very fluffy however taste more like French toast and a bit eggy. Still delicious with sugarfree maple and whipped cream.
Tracy says
Thank you, Carolyn! These were the BEST low-carb pancakes. My kids had no idea anything was different. I feel like my life has been changed. =)
jolena says
Tried these today substituted coconut milk for almond milk they were good but a little more eggie tasting than what i had hoped for
Debbie says
Could I substitute coconut milk for the almond milk?
Carolyn says
Sure.
Lena says
No false advertisement there! These are the best! I’ve tried a lot of keto friendly pancake recipe and they never delivered, but this one sure did! Thanks a lot! Smooth, filling yet not too heavy! Did I say I love them!?!
Carolyn says
So glad, Lena. Thanks for the feedback!
Joy says
I made a half batch this morning for me and the hubby. I’ve found that when I’m trying a new grain-free recipe to keep in mind that it will not taste like the regular version. This recipe has a bit different texture but the taste is so very close. Adding 100% pure maple syrup made it even closer. This recipe is definitely a keeper. Does anyone have a recipe for sugar-free syrup made with natural sweetener?
Head in the Clouds says
Loved these! Soooo fluffy and yummy, and we topped them with crunchy peanut butter, Lily’s stevia-sweetened chocolate chips, and sugar free whipped cream. Pics on my instagram <3 Thank you for posting!
cathy says
Hi there, I was wondering if this recipe could be used as is to make waffles or is there something that would have to be increased/decreased to make that work. Don’t want to waste all those eggs on a test run :). Hoping it has been attempted already :)…….
Carolyn says
I haven’t tried to make waffles with it but I do believe some other people have and it has worked.
Lyne says
Interesting texture but good for sure. Will introduce these to my grand kids
irene says
I have a question , can I use buttermilk or whole cows milk instead of almond milk in the pancakes ?
Carolyn says
Sure, but it will up the carb count.
Ian says
Hey, so yeah….
This recipe does NOT work. I’m sitting here making crepes now and what I REALLY wanted was “LIGHT FLUFFY PANCAKES”! This is a disaster and my whole family is starving here as I flail around mushy, thin, piles of batter in a pan. This was a mistake, and your recipe is terrible.
Carolyn says
Hi Ian. Have you read the comments? Most people had a great deal of success with this recipe so I suspect you must have altered something or possibly made an error.
Penney says
I have made these a dozen times or more. I think these are better than any low carb pancake recipe by a mile. Bubbles as they were cooking and all. I followed the recipe to the letter. You must have made a mistake somewhere. Sorry 🙁
Allysa Gilbreath says
Could I use regular whole milk or coconut milk instead of almond milk? And honey instead of granulated erythritol?
Carolyn says
Yes, that would be fine.
Dragana@ About Healthy Food says
This recipe is absolutely fantastic. I love it so much. Thank you 🙂
Anna says
Made these for dinner tonight. Thumbs up from the kids! They couldn’t stop eating them; when I asked, “You’re not full yet? These are supposed to be very filling,” one of my kids replied, “No! These are light and fluffy! I need more!” So I laughed because he had no idea the recipe is called just that! But I have one question. In order to get these cooked enough to flip over, they get very dark, much darker than I would like and way darker than in the picture above. What am I doing wrong? I tried cooking on lower heat, cooking with more butter/less butter, but can’t figure it out. BTW, I’m making them silver dollar size, so quite small already. It gives the pancakes an almost burnt taste I’d like to avoid. TIA for any ideas.
Carolyn says
Hmmm, not sure why they’d be so dark. Try using coconut oil instead of butter, that might help. It may also be your pan.
Pamela says
What kind of pan are you using for this recipe, Carolyn?
Carolyn says
A large skillet (nonstick) works but I also have a griddle that I put across two burners. Also nonstick.
Kris R says
I made these this morning. I had everything except sweetener so I just left it out. The pancakes not only stayed together (yay!) they are so delicious!
Best low carb recipe! Thank you
Carolyn says
You’re welcome!
Heidi says
Just made these and they look great, but I’m wondering , how can I counteract that sponge feel? If you squeeze them you can even see water seeping from the pancakes? (cut them in half then squeeze and you’ll see what I mean)
Do you think using real milk instead of almond milk would help, or is it just the nature of the beast with all those eggs?
Thanks for any input and your hard work creating everything!
Carolyn says
Not sure, I’ve never tried to squeeze mine, I just eat them! Could be your brand of coconut flour. But feel free to try real milk instead of almond milk.