These cornmeal pancakes are the perfect alternative to traditional pancakes! They’re made with sour cream and buttermilk for a super moist, light, and fluffy texture!
Looking for an easy and delicious cornmeal pancake recipe? This is it! Read on for my tips on making the BEST pancakes for any occasion.
Gluten-Free Cornmeal Sour Cream Pancakes! Delicious flavor and texture!
If you ask me, life wouldn’t be worth living without pancakes!
I love trying new recipes and am always experimenting. When I feel like switching it up from traditional pancakes, these cornmeal pancakes are my go-to. They have amazing flavor and an unexpected twist on your typical breakfast pancakes!
I have fond memories of my dad making cornmeal sour cream pancakes (but not gluten-free) for just about every holiday growing up. We would even have them on Christmas morning for many years.
Now I love making this gluten-free version of cornbread pancakes for special occasions!
These little gems have such a delicious flavor. The texture of the pancake is perfect thanks to cornmeal and my favorite flour blend (a mixture of almond flour, buckwheat flour, potato starch, and arrowroot powder).
Whether you eat gluten-free or not, the whole family will love these!
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Easy to make
- Light and fluffy texture
- Delicious cornmeal flavor
- Great for special occasions
- Naturally gluten free pancakes
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s what you’ll need to make this cornmeal pancakes recipe.
Dry Ingredients You’ll Need
- Cornmeal: Be sure to use a yellow cornmeal that is labeled gluten-free. I like the fine ground cornmeal from Arrowhead Mills (Gluten-Free). Bob’s Red Mill makes a more coarse cornmeal, but it will also work.
- Gluten-free flour: It’s important to choose a high-quality 1:1 gluten free flour blend that contains xanthan gum for this recipe. This is my favorite brand.
- Sugar: I like to use Domino granulated sugar for these pancakes.
- Baking powder + baking soda: You’ll need baking soda and baking powder to create light and fluffy cornmeal pancakes.
- Salt: Use fine sea salt to balance the sweetness of these pancakes.
Wet Ingredients You’ll Need
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk is a key ingredient for light and fluffy batter! The acid in the buttermilk reacts with the baking soda and baking powder to create air bubbles, for tall and light pancakes. If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make your own buttermilk mixture by adding one tablespoon of vinegar to one cup of milk and letting it sit until it sours.
- Eggs: Two large eggs help bind the batter together. Room temperature is best.
- Butter: I always like to use salted butter in my baking for a greater depth of flavor.
- Sour cream: Full-fat sour cream gives these cornmeal pancakes a richer flavor.
How to Make this Recipe
- In a large bowl, stir together the corn flour, gluten-free flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, sour cream and eggs, breaking up the eggs until totally smooth. Stir in the melted butter.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry and gently stir to combine. Let the batter sit for 10 minutes before cooking.
- Heat a non-stick skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Once you have a hot griddle, add butter to coat the pan. Cook 2-3 tablespoon-size scoops of batter for 2-4 minutes on each side, until golden brown. (NOTE: Make these pancakes smaller than you’d think! They expand and cook better when they’re smaller.)
- Serve immediately with butter, maple syrup or honey butter. Enjoy this cornmeal pancake recipe!
Storage Instructions
Store cooked cornmeal pancakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.
FAQs
Restaurant pancakes are often made with buttermilk, which reacts with the leavening agents in the batter to make extra light and fluffy pancakes. Another way to make pancakes fluffy is by mixing the batter only until combined —overmixing leads to rubbery pancakes.
Cornmeal can be used for lots of different recipes, such as cornmeal pancakes, cornbread, polenta, scones, cake, muffins, cornmeal cakes, and more. Cornmeal is naturally gluten-free, making it a great alternative to all purpose flour in gluten-free baking.
For fluffy, light pancakes, be sure to avoid overmixing the batter. Mix only until the wet and dry ingredients are combined. (It’s okay if there are lumps in the batter). Buttermilk also helps to create tall, fluffy pancakes.
Expert Tips & Tricks
- I love topping these pancakes with fresh blueberries, strawberries or other fresh fruit, but you can also add fruit compote, honey, maple syrup, or powdered sugar.
- If you don’t have buttermilk, you can add one tablespoon of vinegar to one cup of milk and let it sit until it sours.
- Don’t overmix the pancake batter! Overmixing can lead to rubbery pancakes that aren’t as light and fluffy.
- Make these pancakes smaller than you’d think! They expand and cook better when they’re smaller.
I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! If you try these cornmeal pancakes, be sure to leave me a comment/rating below. I’d love to hear from you!
Fluffy Cornmeal Pancakes
Ingredients
DRY INGREDIENTS:
- 1 ½ cups cornmeal 210 grams (be sure it's gluten-free!)
- 1 cup gluten-free 1:1 baking flour 150 grams
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
WET INGREDIENTS:
- 2 cups buttermilk
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 2 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons butter melted
- butter or oil for cooking
Instructions
- In a large bowl, stir together the cornmeal, gluten-free flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large measuring cup or medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, sour cream and eggs, breaking up the eggs until totally smooth. Stir in the melted butter.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry and gently stir to combine. Let the batter sit for 10 minutes before cooking.
- Heat a non-stick skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Once hot, add butter to coat the pan. Cook 2-3 tablespoon-size scoops of batter for 2-4 minutes on each side, until golden. (NOTE: Make these pancakes smaller than you'd think! They expand and cook better when they're smaller.)
- Serve immediately with butter, maple syrup or honey butter. Enjoy!
Notes
- I love topping these pancakes with fresh blueberries, strawberries or other fresh fruit, but you can also add fruit compote, honey, maple syrup, or powdered sugar.
- If you don’t have buttermilk, you can add one tablespoon of vinegar to one cup of milk and let it sit until it sours.
- Don’t overmix the pancake batter! Overmixing can lead to rubbery pancakes that aren’t as light and fluffy.
- Make these pancakes smaller than you’d think! They expand and cook better when they’re smaller.
I’m always looking for GF breakfast recipes that the whole family will enjoy. These cornmeal pancakes were a huge hit with the whole crew…I couldn’t believe how fluffy they were!
We loved these pancakes! They came out so light and fluffy, I just wish I made more!
These pancakes are so addicting! My kids went crazy for them! Thanks for sharing this recipe with us!
These have fantastic flavor! I zest a lemon into the batter and add fresh blueberries and it’s just divine.
I’m so glad they turned out for you! Lemon zest sounds delicious!
Super yummy pancakes! A little sweeter than my typical preferred pancake. Next time I’ll try just a 1/2T of sugar. Is the nutrition information based on 3 servings, or 4?
I’m glad they turned out for you! 🙂
These have such a pleasant texture! I make these for my family a lot.
I have never had fluffier pancakes than these! I substituted Greek yogurt for the sour cream, olive oil for the butter, and used almond milk. I also omitted the sugar and added blueberries! I am so over the moon in love with this recipe that it will now be my go-to. Thank you!!!
I’m so glad you liked them! Thanks for commenting!
These look lovely!
What a great breakfast option! Great photos!