These homemade einkorn pancakes are the BEST and easiest to make. Pancakes or waffles are my go-to on Saturday mornings. Gone are the days of Bisquick boxes and pre-made mixes. Today, our waffles are made with simple, wholesome ingredients that not only taste great but also nourish the body.
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By making and doubling the recipe for pancakes and waffles on Saturday morning, I’m able to set aside the extra for breakfast later in the week (who doesn’t love a pancake breakfast on Wednesday morning) or use the extra in the kids’ lunchbox (served as actual pancakes with fruit and maple syrup or served as a sandwich with nut butter and jam or cream cheese and sliced berries or bananas). <–Learn more about simplifying the lunchbox and packing.
Most weeks, I turn to my almond-oat pancake recipe. It’s a reader favorite, too. Being a believer in variety, and also the fact that my kids go to a nut-free school and can’t have nut-based pancakes in their lunchbox, I’ve been in need of a new recipe to circulate.
Today’s recipe has quickly become part of my regular rotation on Saturday mornings. This recipe is a keeper for a few reasons…
What You’ll Love About This Einkorn Pancake Recipe
1. It’s made with einkorn flour.
Einkorn is known as the oldest variety of wheat making it an “ancient” grain. The ancient grain is believed to have originated in the Tigris-Euphrates region and is possibly the main grain referenced in the earliest accounts of the Bible. Einkorn is said to be the wheat men were eating in the earliest days before modern day wheat varieties. While modern wheat has undergone hybridization, einkorn still holds true to its original properties. Einkorn is slowly gaining popularity, but is still grown in only a few regions in Europe.
Einkorn is my favorite flour to work with when making traditional, flour-based baked goods. The sweet, ancient grain has a lighter texture and taste than modern day wheat, and contains a more favorable gluten ratio. You can find einkorn at some Whole Foods and health food stores, Earth Fare, Vitacost, and Amazon.
Also, while we’re on this subject, we’re going to talk more about the specifics of einkorn in a future podcast episode with guest Carla from Jovial Foods. It’s so good and will give you a deeper respect, so to speak, for this ancient grain.
2. The leftovers are safe for a nut-free lunchbox.
Whether you go the sandwich route or serve up traditional pancakes, this recipe is perfect for kiddos who attend a nut-free school or can’t have nuts.
3. Einkorn pancakes remind me of the Bisquick version.
Growing up, my dad made Bisquick pancakes, from a box mix, every Saturday morning. This recipe reminds of the pancakes he made. If you go with all-purpose einkorn flour, which is actually easier to digest, the pancakes will feel and taste light and fluffy–more like my favorite pancakes from childhood. If you go with whole wheat einkorn, the pancakes will have more of a rustic taste and feel.
Make-Ahead Storage Tips
When it comes to storing and reheating pancakes, I like to store extra pancakes (once fully cool) in a storage container or bag in the fridge or freezer. For breakfast, pancakes can be reheated in the microwave, oven (350F until warm), or toaster. For a school lunch, serve the pancakes cold. By lunchtime, the pancakes should be at room temperature. If the pancakes are frozen, take them straight from the freezer to the lunchbox–they’ll defrost by lunchtime.
Homemade Einkorn Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups whole milk or nut milk of choice (280g)
- 1 TB lemon juice about 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose einkorn flour or whole wheat einkorn flour (220g)*
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 TB baking powder
- 1/4-1/2 tsp salt depending on taste preference
- 2 eggs
- 3 TB unsalted butter melted + extra for greasing the griddle or skillet
- 1 TB pure maple syrup or honey
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Special Equipment:
- small bowl
- large bowl
- griddle or large skillet
Instructions
- Combine the milk and lemon juice in a small bowl. Let the mixture rest for 5 minutes. I love adding lemon juice to my pancakes. I find this helps to soften the batter. If you don’t have lemon juice, you can skip this step and still make good pancakes.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the milk to the flour mixture, along with the eggs, melted butter, maple syrup or honey, and vanilla extract. Allow the batter to rest for 5-10 minutes to thicken. Whisk or stir again before use. If you feel the batter is too thick (particularly when using whole wheat einkorn), add more milk until you reach the desired consistency.
- Meanwhile, heat a griddle (or large skillet) over medium heat. <–You may need to lower the heat while cooking the pancakes if your griddle gets too hot and begins to burn the pancakes, cooking them too fast. Use your best judgement with this. This will vary depending on your stove-top and griddle.
- Add extra butter to the griddle to keep the pancake batter from sticking, then ladle the pancake batter in small batches on the griddle (I use a small soup ladle to do this, or a measuring cup). Cook each pancake for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.
- Serve warm with with butter and maple syrup (the pancakes aren’t very sweet on their own). Or, serve with fruit, nut butter, or topping of choice. If making the pancakes in advance, allow the pancakes to fully cool before storing in a bag or container in the fridge or freezer. (Read about my favorite storage containers here.)
These pancakes are excellent!! Thank you!
These were delicious! I used vinegar instead of lemon juice cause that’s what I had and it worked perfectly! I usually go for a thick and fluffy pancake recipe, but these reminded me how much I love a stack of thin pancakes! Love the nuttiness from the einkorn flour and the cinnamon was a great, subtle taste!
This recipe says makes 12 servings, but doesn’t specify how much a serving actually is. Can you tell us roughly how many pancakes this makes so I know if I need to double the recipe or not?
The recipe yields about 12 medium-sized pancakes (around 4-5 inches in diameter, using a small ladle or 1/4 to 1/3 cup batter per pancake). This assumes standard breakfast portions of 2-3 pancakes per person, so 12 servings works for 4-6 people depending on appetite (with sides like fruit or eggs).
Many readers find it makes enough for a family breakfast with a few leftovers, and the post encourages doubling the batch for extras to freeze or use later in the week (like in lunchboxes).
If you’re cooking for more than 4-6 people or want bigger stacks/leftovers, doubling is a great idea. The batter rests nicely, and extras freeze/reheat beautifully in the toaster or oven.
Thanks so much for checking before making it! If you try the recipe (or double it), I’d love to hear how many pancakes you end up with and how they turn out. Happy cooking!
Tried
This recipe but left out the lemon and the cinnamon. But they did not come out well at all, they tasted very strongly of baking soda. I bribe the 1TB might be too much, or perhaps that is needed to get the lift with the einkorn flower and the cinnamon and lemon helped mask the flavor. Not sure will try again and see.
Hi Scott,
Thank you so much for trying the einkorn pancake recipe and for sharing your feedback! I’m sorry to hear they came out with a strong baking soda taste this time.
Just to clarify, the recipe actually calls for 1 tablespoon of baking powder (not baking soda) as the leavener, along with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. Baking soda can sometimes leave a bitter or metallic aftertaste if it’s used without enough acid to fully neutralize it, whereas baking powder is double-acting and doesn’t usually cause that issue.
It’s possible there was a mix-up with baking soda instead of powder, or perhaps the lemon juice (which provides acidity and helps balance flavors) and cinnamon (which adds warmth to mask any subtle notes) played a big role in rounding out the taste when included.
I’d love for you to give it another shot following the recipe exactly as written. Many readers find these pancakes light and delicious that way, especially with a generous topping of butter and real maple syrup (they’re not very sweet on their own).
If you do try again, let me know how they turn out. I’d be happy to troubleshoot further!
P.S. Einkorn has a lovely nutty flavor that shines with those additions. Fingers crossed for a better batch next time!