Cinnamon Pancakes with Sticky Toffee Sauce.jpeg

GLUTEN FREE · VEGAN · PALEO OPTION

Pancakes are not my forte, never have been! Which, given how much I enjoy them, is really quite infuriating. I have serious pancake-flipping phobia and while the batter may taste delicious, I majorly mess it up when it hits the pan and end up with a pile of tasty mush. In my defence, I have never attempted to make (and therefore, flip) ‘regular’ pancakes, so I am inclined to blame my choice of gluten free and/or vegan ingredient combinations for making it that bit more challenging. Nevertheless, I have persisted over the years, and finally came up with a recipe that is both delicious, and flip-friendly! I genuinely did not wreck a single one of these pancakes, even on my first attempt at them - this is a major achievement, trust me!

The Sticky Toffee Sauce is optional, but is a great addition if you’re bored of more traditional toppings (such as maple syrup). It’s rich and sticky - a little goes a long way - and is totally evocative of traditional Sticky Toffee Pudding, which is a bonus. Of course, you could instead drizzle some honey over the pancakes, or add a dollop of coconut yogurt, or even some Vegan Nutella for the ultimate chocolate indulgence.

Not just for breakfast (or Pancake day), pancakes are beloved all across the planet for good reason, and this healthier version can be enjoyed even by those of us who choose to avoid the typical pancake ingredients. So, get flipping!

INGREDIENTS

Gluten-free Paleo flour

You can use any all-purpose gluten-free flour here, but I usually prefer Paleo flour mixes as they tend to have less ingredients overall and don’t include multiple grains (which I find bothersome to the gut) - I used this brand, which I wholeheartedly recommend for all Paleo baking.

Gluten-free oat flour

While oats are gluten-free by nature, there can often be cross-contamination with wheat, as they are often grown in the same fields or handled in the same factories. For this reason, it’s important that you ensure your oats have a ‘gluten-free’ certification.

You can find ready-made oat flour, or alternatively, you can just pop oats in the blender and grind them down into a flour.

To make the pancakes Paleo, simply sub this with more of the Paleo flour blend.

Applesauce

Applesauce has the magical ability to act as a substitute for egg in vegan baking, as it has similar binding properties. It also just happens to work very nicely with the cinnamon flavour in this recipe too.

Unsweetened applesauce is preferable. You can buy this ready-made in a jar, or of course you could always make your own by simply puréeing cooked apples.

Non-dairy milk

Choose your favourite non-dairy milk for this, keeping in mind that you may be able to taste it in the final pancake flavour. I used rice milk here, as it is the mildest in taste, so that it would not compete with the other flavours, but have also tried it with almond milk, which worked well too.

Paleo milk options: almond, cashew, coconut, hazelnut, hemp.

AIP milk options: coconut, tigernut (chufa).

Other: oat, rice, soy.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon is a wonder spice, great for helping to regulate blood sugar (very important for keeping inflammation in check), as well as being a digestive aid.

Baking powder (gluten-free)

Baking soda (gluten-free)

Lemon juice

Fresh lemon juice please - as in from an actual lemon, not a bottle!

Maple syrup

A good natural sugar alternative, very versatile, and with a lovely and unique taste.

Vanilla extract

Collagen peptides powder (optional)

Collagen is a type of structural protein in the body, and as the tissue of the digestive tract is made up of the amino acids in collagen, it can be deduced that collagen is helpful when it comes to supporting the gut. Indeed, collagen has been found to help heal the lining of an inflamed gut, thus improving intestinal permeability (leaky gut), which in turn helps reduce autoimmune reactions.

On a non-gut-related note, collagen is also good for skin, hair, nails, bones and joints!

Leave this out for vegan pancakes.

Coconut oil

Simply for greasing the pan.

Sticky Toffee Sauce:

Medjool dates

Dates are a great natural sweetener, and are at the heart of traditional sticky toffee sauce. You can use other dates if you can’t find Medjools, but they really are the best if you can get your hands on them, as they are larger and ‘juicier’.

Dates provide the sweetness you want, but with lots of healthy fibre, vitamins and minerals.

Vanilla extract

Sea salt

Water

CHANGES & SUBSTITUTIONS

Make it Paleo

You can easily make these pancakes Paleo by subbing the oat flour with more of the Paleo flour blend, or even just plain almond flour, and choosing a Paleo-friendly milk.

Alternative to applesauce?

You could replace the applesauce with the same quantity of mashed banana if you like, keeping in mind that the banana flavour will come through in the final pancake taste.

TIPS

Dip some scrunched-up kitchen paper into melted coconut oil and keep to one side while making the pancakes, using it to to ‘wipe’ the pan in between each pancake. This ensures there is just enough oil in the pan to stop them from sticking, without making them greasy and unpleasant.

SERVING SUGGESTION

Serve with banana slices and berries.
Drizzle with maple syrup or honey (if not using the sticky toffee sauce).
Add a dollop of coconut yogurt.
Add a spoonful of Vegan Nutella.