Healthy Baked Pancakes

My family loves pancakes – lets face it, the batter is easy to whip-up. But it’s a real pain to stand over the stove flipping them so that they are cooked just right, especially when you are making them for a big group. Because I love a shortcut, I’ve been working on a batter that bakes well and these Healthy Baked Pancakes are what I’ve come up with! Just in time for Mother’s Day.

Why are they healthy?

I’ve chosen to make the main batter gluten, grain, dairy and refined sugar-free (see ‘variations’ below for alternatives to suit your specific dietary requirements). So the almond meal and buckwheat flour base combined with the eggs, means they are a high protein pancake with a nice dose of essential fats from the almonds. The cinnamon helps to stabilise your blood sugars and more fibre and goodness from the apple.

If you’re looking to save money across pantry items such as nuts, seeds, flours and more, I personally shop at The Wholefood Collective – great whole foods at heavily discounted prices (all home delivered), click HERE to check them out.

Healthy Baked Pancakes

Prep 10 minutes

Cook 20 minutes

Total 30 minutes

Serves: 4

 

5 from 1 vote

I love pancakes but I don't like standing over a stove and flipping them. So for the lazy cooks amongst us, this Healthy Baked Pancakes not only tastes amazing, but it is much quicker and easier to make. 

Ingredients

• 1-2 Granny Smith apples , peeled, cored and sliced very thinly
• 2-4 tablespoons butter (ghee or coconut oil). Depending upon the size of your pan, you need a good covering of fat.
• 3 free-range or organic eggs
• 270 ml coconut milk (you could also use full-fat milk)
• 3 tablespoons coconut sugar or rapadura
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla powder, extract or essence
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground (plus extra over the apple base)
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 180 gram (1½ cups) almond meal/buckwheat flour. You can use straight almond meal, but I prefer it mixed roughly ⅔ (120g) almond meal and ⅓ (60g) buckwheat flour.

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 180℃.
2. In an oven-proof pan (I used cast iron approx. 30cm) or non-stick baking dish, melt the butter so that it coats the base of the pan or dish well.
3. Arrange the apples to cover the base of the pan in a single layer. Sprinkle a little cinnamon over the apples and 1 tablespoon of the coconut sugar.

4. In a blender or food processor, combine the eggs, milk, remaining sugar, vinegar, vanilla, cinnamon, sea salt, bicarbonate of soda and mix until well combined. 

5. Add the flour and mix until well combined and all of the flour is incorporated. 

6. Pour over the apple and bake in your preheated oven for 20 minutes or until the pancake is set in the middle.
7. Turn out onto a plate, slice into pieces and enjoy with your favourite topping.

Thermomix Method

1. Start by grinding your almonds/buckwheat if you need to. I ground in total 60g of buckwheat and 120g of almond meal for 12 seconds, speed 8. Set aside.
2. In an oven-proof pan or non-stick (I used cast iron) baking dish, melt the butter so that it coats the base of the pan or dish well.
3. Arrange the apples to cover the base of the pan in a single layer. Sprinkle a little cinnamon over the apples and 1 tablespoon of the coconut sugar.
4. In your TMX bowl, combine the eggs, milk, remaining sugar, vinegar, vanilla, cinnamon, sea salt, bicarbonate of soda and mix 30 seconds, speed 4.
5. Add the flour and mix 10 seconds, speed 4.
6. Pour over the apple and bake in your preheated oven for 20 minutes or until the pancake is set in the middle.
7. Turn out onto a plate, slice into pieces and enjoy with your favourite topping.

Serve...

1. With natural or coconut yoghurt, cream or sour cream and your favourite syrup.

Variations

Fructose-friendly

Replace the coconut sugar or rapadura with rice malt syrup and chose a low-fructose fruit (like blueberries).

Dairy-free

Choose either ghee or coconut-oil to coat your pan and coconut milk for the batter.

Nut-free (spelt flour version)

You can directly replace the grain-free flour for spelt flour or whole-wheat flour if you'd prefer.

Coconut-free

Replace the coconut sugar with rapadura and the coconut milk with the milk of your choice.

Another fruit?

Entirely possible - replace the apple with sliced Beurre Bosc Pears and add a sprinkle of ginger powder over the fruit. Berries, banana, rhubarb, stone fruit or even pineapple is delicious.

 

I love the simplicity of baking one big pancake, how about you? Share your comments below or rate this recipe.

Course: Breakfast, Dessert