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
- 1/2 cup (60 g) coconut flour
- 1/4 cup (3 tbsp) Swerve Granular
- 1 tsp (0.5 tsp) baking powder
- 1/4 tsp (0.5 tsp) salt
- 6 large (6) eggs
- 1/4 cup (56.75 g) butter, melted
- 1 tsp (0.5 tsp) vanilla extract
- 1/3 to 3/4 cup (177.44 g) 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 1/3 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.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.
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These pancakes turned out great for me and I wouldn’t even call myself a cook. Thank you!
YUM! Thank you, Carolyn for another wonderful recipe! I made these about 4-5” and got 6 servings of 3 small pancakes each. We put blueberry sauce on top (blueberries simmered with lemon juice and Monin o’Free blackberry syrup) and they were excellent! I reduced the eggs to five since mine were extra large, and and used a mixture of whole milk and water for the liquid. I had to add about 1/3 cup more liquid to make the batter pour-able, and then I spread the pancake batter slightly with back of a spoon after ladling it onto the griddle. They took longer to cook than “regular” pancakes, but it was evident when they were ready to turn. I will freeze the leftovers if I can get DH to stop eating them!
I just made these pancakes, and I have to say that I’m actually mad at myself for not making these sooner. I’ve been saving your recipes on Yummly and each one I try is better than the next. Having tried my fair share of LC pancakes over the years, I was very skeptical that these could actually taste like pancakes but….WOW! They looked exactly like pancakes. They tasted exactly like pancakes. The mouth feel and texture were exactly like pancakes. The only slight difference I noticed was the subtle nuttiness of the coconut flour, which was a welcome addition. I wondered if I served these to someone who thought they were made with Bisquick or regular flour would even notice the coconut. I think I’m going to try adding a handful or so of chopped pecans (I LOVE pecan pancakes) to see if the slight coconut flavor melds with the pecans to give it more of a umm pecan-y taste. Thank you so much for this recipe and all the others! You make this lifestyle so much easier, and you’re greatly appreciated.
Thank you, Tracey. And pecan pancakes sound wonderful to me!
Thank you for the nice recipe. I too had to use a bit more coconut flour, used Bob’s Red Mill. These were light and fluffy, and I didn’t think they were eggy at all. It cooked so many pancakes though, I will be eating them for breakfast all week 🙂
I am always thrilled with a new recipe! Keep up the great work.
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!
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.
Yes, it’s amazing how they end up puffing up, especially when you flip them!
Carolyn,
I made these tonight for supper and they were delicious. My only problem was flipping them, any suggestions?
Make them no larger than 4 inches. Gently wiggle your spatula underneath.
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?
I think it should be fine. Avocado oil would work too.
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.
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. =)
Tried these today substituted coconut milk for almond milk they were good but a little more eggie tasting than what i had hoped for
Could I substitute coconut milk for the almond milk?
Sure.
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!?!
So glad, Lena. Thanks for the feedback!
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?
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!
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 :)…….
I haven’t tried to make waffles with it but I do believe some other people have and it has worked.