Simple Soaked Pancakes
ByI’ve really been enjoying experimenting with my new sourdough starter…and the older my starter gets, the better it does! Mmm!
But I keep falling back on my old stand by pancakes. They are SO good and SO good for you and SO easy.
I make them by soaking my flour in buttermilk overnight which breaks down the phytates and makes them more digestible, thus creating sourdough pancakes. Here’s the recipe:
Simple Soaked Pancakes
1 cup whole wheat flour (or whatever grain you want)
1 cup cultured buttermilk
1 egg
3 T. melted butter (or oil)
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. sea salt
Stir the flour and buttermilk together in a glass bowl. Cover with a cloth and leave on the counter overnight. In the morning, stir in the egg, melted butter, baking soda and salt. Whisk together, adding extra milk or buttermilk for the desired batter thickness you prefer.
Cook pancakes on a well buttered, hot skillet or griddle, flipping once bubbles begin to form. Serve with real maple syrup, applesauce, jelly, or any of your favorite pancake toppings!
I triple this recipe for our family of six. These pancakes also freeze well. Frozen pancakes reheat great in the toaster!
And…add blueberries or chocolate chips for a yummy variety!
My kids devour these pancakes…and they are hearty enough to keep them full all morning long.
Move over IHOP!!
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can you mix all ingredients together and leave on the counter over night to accomplish the same results?
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Marleena Reply:
April 4th, 2011 at 3:55 pm
Since there is egg in the recipe no you can’t. Bad bacteria would multiple making the batter unsafe.
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Laura Reply:
April 5th, 2011 at 2:36 pm
This recipe really works best with just the flour and buttermilk mixed together overnight.
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I quadruple this recipe and substitute 1 cup ground flax seed for 1 cup of flour. I keep a coffee grinder on the counter just for my flax seed.
My kids say I make the best pancakes ever! :o)
Thanks for the recipe, Laura. We’ve been using it for months and love it!
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Silly questions.. Do you soak it on the counter at room temp or in the fridge? Also you have mentioned phytates in other recipes, can you explain what that’s means? Or refer me to where it’s explained? Thanks!! Love your site, I’m addicted =)
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Laura Reply:
April 5th, 2011 at 2:37 pm
Many have that question! Soak on the counter. Here’s the post explaining the break down of phytates: http://heavenlyhomemakers.com/soaking-those-grainswhat-is-that-about
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I recently discovered your website and it is quickly becoming my favorite! I made these today and my 3 year old who is not big on eating had 3 for breakfast and 3 more for lunch. These are our new favorite pancakes for sure, thank you!
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I made these this morning, haven’t even cleaned up the dishes but had to post to say thank you!
These are delicious! I couldn’t believe there was no sugar in the batter and they were so much better than normal wheat pancakes. Thank you for giving me some tools to soaking grains!
These will be a new staple for sure!
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I made these this morning and they were great! First success with soaking! Thanks Laura!
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Can I make this with coconut or almond milk and gluten free flour? WE are gluten and dairy free. Thanks. You have a great website/blog
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Laura Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 3:36 pm
I would imagine this would work, but I’ve not tried it myself. :)
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Virginia Brown Reply:
January 16th, 2012 at 7:53 pm
I’m going to try these using buckwheat flour which is high protein,
low carb & high fiber!
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Randi Reply:
March 29th, 2013 at 7:40 am
Yes, you can! Before God healed our family of gluten intolerance I would make them with rice flour. It did require a little extra milk.
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Mary Ann Reply:
March 29th, 2013 at 8:56 am
Just curious Randi, did you have to do the GAPS diet for that kind of healing?
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Randi Reply:
March 29th, 2013 at 1:31 pm
No, we didn’t do any special diets (except GF, of course). It was a completely healing from God. Two other friends were also healed the same time of diagnosed celiac. You can read more about the amazing healing and what took place on my blog if you’d like. It’s a long story to post here.http://theobsoletehomemaker.wordpress.com/2013/02/18/healed/
I have powered buttermilk.
Would it work like the buttermilk in
the refrigerator section?
Thanks :)
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Laura Reply:
June 9th, 2011 at 1:00 pm
I’ve not tried to use powdered buttermilk in this recipe, but I know that someone else who tried it said her pancakes turned out quite flat. You may want to use a lesser amount of the buttermilk if done this way?
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G'MaDee Reply:
November 9th, 2011 at 3:12 am
prepare the buttermilk as per directions and allow to stand for 30 minutes before adding to the grain/flour. Should work just as fresh buttermilk.
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Can you use store bought buttermilk? I assume so. I would love to have time to make the buttermilk, but I do not. Love your site!
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Laura Reply:
June 10th, 2011 at 6:56 am
Yes, that would work!
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This recipe says baking soda in the the ingredient list and baking powder in the intstructions. Which one should I use?
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Laura Reply:
June 10th, 2011 at 9:52 pm
Aw shucks, use baking soda. I’ll have to go edit that!! Thanks for pointing out my mistake!
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Katie – I made these today for Father’s Day brunch. Absolutely amazing!! I used King Arthur white whole wheat flour & did the overnight soak. My hubby was thrilled & now considers these our “go to” pancakes. Thanks so much!!
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Michelle Reply:
June 19th, 2011 at 11:20 am
Such a dork … I meant LAURA not Katie!!!!!!
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Laura,
I am so new to all this. I thought I fed my family healthy before, but the more I learn about so many things, the more I realize I just haven’t! Two questions. Does it need to be buttermilk that you use. Are there substitutes? Secondly, does this work with fresh ground flour? I’ve read that the good oils in fresh ground flour start going rancid after 3 hours.
Thanks in advance!
Karen
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Laura Reply:
July 9th, 2011 at 8:40 pm
Yes, I always use freshly ground flour to make these. If you’re soaking them, I believe the flour stays “fresh” since technically it’s already in use. I might be wrong on this.
You can use other buttermilk, as long as it’s cultured.
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Can these be made Dairy Free? Could I use Coconut or Rice Milk for soaking? My youngest has a Dairy Intolerance. Thoughts?
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Laura Reply:
June 29th, 2011 at 11:34 am
I think coconut milk or rice milk would work fine in this recipe, although soaking them in one of those wouldn’t achieve the same result as soaking in buttermilk. If you wanted to soak them, mix in the coconut or rice milk along with two teaspoons for lemon juice. OR, you could skip the soaking part and just mix all the ingredients together and cook them up right away!
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I added lemon extract and lemon zest with blueberries….. sooooooooooooooo good!!!! I also tripled recipe, perfect snacks for later!
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These are great with some home made strawberry yogurt on top as well!
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Could these be soaked in kefir with the same result?
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Laura Reply:
August 21st, 2011 at 6:54 pm
Yes, definitely!
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What do your kids usually like on top of their pancakes? Looking for healthy alternatives to maple syrup.
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Mamag Reply:
August 31st, 2011 at 9:09 am
We spread PB & all-fruit jam on ours. Every once in awhile, they still use maple syrup, but only 100% maple, not that Log Cabin stuff.
HTH :)
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Heather Reply:
August 31st, 2011 at 9:53 am
I usually use applesauce on our pancakes. We’ve also used a blueberry sauce (blueberry cooked with water and cornstarch/arrowroot powder) and a little sweetener (honey). This morning, we made crepes with cooked, sliced apples with cinnamon and honey. I imagine this would be delicious on pancakes too! :) Hope this helps. We rarely use maple syrup on pancakes because of the expense. Applesauce is SOOO much cheaper than maple syrup.
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Laura Reply:
September 20th, 2011 at 11:21 am
We almost always use real maple syrup, but sometimes we do applesauce or jelly.
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I made these this morning (soaked last night) and they were really good! Hearty & delicious, and so easy to make.
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We make this by soaking it overnight with Kefir instead of buttermilk. We love it! I will try this with buttermilk as well though. I bet the flavor is great. :)
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I’ve been using half raw milk, half whey in place of cultured buttermilk since I still have not gotten around to ordering my buttermilk starter. Does the whey still have the same ability to break down the phytates that buttermilk does?
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Laura Reply:
September 21st, 2011 at 2:21 pm
Yes, whey is great for that!
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I made these this morning and my kids and husband said they were the best ever! They are so light and delicious especially when compared to unsoaked whole grain recipes. My oldest said they are beter than I-Hop which is the only time they get to eat white pancakes(which is very rarely, mostly on vacations). These pancakes will be on the menu again soon.
Thanks!
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Chel Reply:
September 14th, 2011 at 7:31 pm
P.S. This was my first soaked grain recipe. With the success I had I will be doing it again with other recipes.
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Can you soak them in plain raw milk instead of buttermilk and still have the benefits of soaking, or does it need to be cultured buttermilk?
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LindseyforLaura@HHM Reply:
October 7th, 2011 at 11:47 am
From my understanding the ingredient you use to soak the grains must be cultured. if you are looking for alternatives to cultured buttermilk a few are milk, coconut or
water kefir. Cultured yogurt would also work.
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Just made them with nut flour, tahini milk (tahini paste + water), and a drop of honey. Delicious!
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Could I add Sweet Potato to these, and if so, do I just add, or do I have to substitute it for something?
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Laura Reply:
October 25th, 2011 at 6:15 pm
I think substitute the sweet potatoes for the milk, then gradually add milk until your batter is the desired consistency. :)
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G'MaDee Reply:
November 9th, 2011 at 3:24 am
Cream your sweet potatos and stir thewm in when th pancake batter is fully prepared. I have done thins with Pumpkin, yellow squash ans sweet potaotes. Great way to get the healthy yellow/orange veggies into your kids favorite foood without them knowing it. any batter (pancake/waffle, cookies, cake, cupcake, muffin batter, bread batter) is a great place to hide the nutrient packed goods :)
I love hifing veggies in kids friendly food. Pancakes, waffles, meatballs and spagheti sauce and macaroni amd cheese are also perfect hiding spots. THouroughly blended buttercup squash can be stirred in the cheese sauce for Mac and Cheese or au gratin potatos! and spinace blended in my vitamix with onion and seasonings and cracker crunbs hidden in my meatballs work like a charm. I am beginnig to make it my life challenge to feel kids SUPER healthy while they are oblivious to it. I love asking how dinner was and to hear them answer “Amazing!” Drives me to my next camoflauge. FUN TIMES!
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G'MaDee Reply:
November 9th, 2011 at 3:27 am
Do pardon the typos. I live for spell check and without it you mmust learn my dede-eze to stay with me :)
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We LOVE this pancake recipe and make it at least once a week. However, I have noticed that when I refrigerate any leftovers the pancakes turn gray inside. Has this ever happened to you? I have started freezing the leftovers and it doesn’t happen, but I am curious as to what might be causing the color change. Thanks!
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LindseyforLaura@HHM Reply:
November 18th, 2011 at 1:47 pm
I am not sure what causes this…I have noticed mine have done that too. Neither Laura or I think it is harmful though.
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I tried these this morning, and they didn’t quite work out. When I cooked them, no matter how done they got on the outside, they were still gooey on the inside. This was even true when I thinned them out. I followed the recipe as written (I think). Any ideas what could have gone wrong?
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Laura Reply:
November 14th, 2011 at 7:23 am
I have this problem somettimes too and usually just add a little milk to thin the mixture so they’ll cook better.
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I used 1/2 cup kefir and 1/2 cup raw milk and whole wheat pastry flour. I use coconut ghee for the fat and to cook them in. They were nice and cooked up really quickly. My daughter is trying them right now, I think they will be a hit!
Thanks for this simple recipe!
Debbie
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Laura, PLEASE HELP!!! I’ve made these several times with great sucess when I use “junky” ol’ King Arthur whole-wheat flour BUT as soon as I tried them with fresh-ground hard white wheat … they were a sad bust. No matter how long I cooked them or how much I thin’d them – they were still gooey on the inside and the cooked edges tasted more like a grilled cheese sandwich than pancakes. The last 3x I made theses, I made King Arthur pancakes along side just as a “back-up”. They turn out great every. single. time. … the fresh-gorund flour – never had a good batch. Any ideas what is going awry? I’d sure love these w/ a healthier flour. Thanks!
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LindseyforLaura@HHM Reply:
January 14th, 2012 at 1:50 pm
This has happened to Laura before but she has solved it with thinning
them out a little with milk. It sounds like you tried that. I am
wondering if they would be less gooey if you added more flour and
decreased some of the wet ingredients…I hope that helps! :)
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Can I just use the buttermilk left from when I make raw butter? I am trying to find various uses for this type of buttermilk!
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LindseyforLaura@HHM Reply:
January 14th, 2012 at 1:22 pm
That should work out fine.
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I made these with kefir exactely following the recipe and they turned very sour and would hold its shape when turned over. I am sorry to say but all my experiments with wholemeal flour- pancakes and sour bread have been a disaster.:(
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Laura Reply:
February 2nd, 2012 at 11:27 am
Bummer that these didn’t turn out well for you. I will admit to not loving all the soaked items either and have kind of gotten away from soaking whole grains because we don’t always prefer the flavor/texture.
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Kelly Reply:
February 6th, 2012 at 5:49 pm
If you don’t soak these, do you still use the buttermilk and just mix up everything and cook? It is so interesting to see your baked goods such a light color compared to mine using regular whole wheat. I am saving up for my wheat grinder. I think it will help my teenagers accept the whole grains.
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I usually use soured milk instead of buttermilk in cooking – I am assuming this would be an ok substitute.
Also because of my lack of knowledge, would you please explain why you can leave buttermilk on the counter overnight? And can this also be done with soured milk?
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LindseyforLaura@HHM Reply:
March 6th, 2012 at 10:35 am
Laura wrote a post about soaking grains. Here’s the link: http://heavenlyhomemakers.com/soaking-those-grainswhat-is-that-about
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I have made these twice now. First time they were AMAZING! Second time…not so much, but totally my fault! We didn’t have any buttermilk on hand so I subbed milk and whey from some yogurt and the results were less than stellar :/. I definitely recommend sticking with the original recipe like she wrote it! I guess they would have been ok had I never tasted them with the original recipe :)
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You say the buttermilk must be cultured. I always just use vinager and milk to make my buttermilk. Is that cultured? What does that mean? I’m new to all of this :) Thanks
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LindseyforLaura@HHM Reply:
March 20th, 2012 at 11:57 am
Using the vinegar and milk will have the same effect. :)
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We are making these and they need to feed twenty people. Do You know approximately how many one recipe makes? Thanks!
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LindseyforLaura@HHM Reply:
May 11th, 2012 at 6:08 am
One recipe makes about 8 three inch pancakes. :)
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I have been making fresh butter, could I use what’s left of the milk after the butter is made for this?
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LindseyforLaura@HHM Reply:
August 28th, 2012 at 9:54 am
Yes you can! :)
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Can I use coconut oil (the kind where it doesn’t taste like coconut oil) instead of butter in this recipe?
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Laura Reply:
August 31st, 2012 at 11:15 am
Sure can!
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What’s your preferred method for reheating frozen pancakes? I always freeze them but the reheat is only so-so. I’ve reheated them both in the microwave and on a griddle. Any tips would be appreciated!
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LindseyforLaura@HHM Reply:
October 18th, 2012 at 10:21 am
You can thaw them first and then throw them in the oven to heat up or you can just throw them in the oven frozen too. I have found that reheating pancakes is never as good as when they are made fresh, but my kids never complain!
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Also, on freezing them, do you thaw them first before reheating?
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LindseyforLaura@HHM Reply:
October 18th, 2012 at 10:23 am
You also can use a toaster oven like Laura does!
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This is now my go-to pancake recipe! If I forget to soak the night before they still work – I just decrease the milk a little. THANKS A MILLION! :)
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Oh My Goodness! I made these this morning and I have to admit, I was skeptical. But they are the best pancakes I have ever made!!! Love them and will be making them for now on!
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First time soaking my grains. These were the BEST PANCAKES EVER!!!! My family loves frozen pancakes and was trying to find a more healthy alternative. I have found it. I can freeze these for them to eat and not feel bad about it at all. Thank you… thank you!!! These pancakes are FABULOUS!!!!
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Hi,
would a mix of milk and yogurt work for soaking these over night? and so what proportions do you think i should use?
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Laura Reply:
January 17th, 2013 at 11:43 am
Yes, that would work. Simply mix your milk and yogurt in whatever ratio you’d like until it equals the one cup of buttermilk called for in the recipe.
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These have turned out amazing for us every.single.time!!! Love your recipes, Laura! I’m a mom with three boys 4.5 & under & as a mom of boys you know the craziness! So glad for good, healthy & quick recipes for filling hungry bellies! God bless you girl. : )
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