Gluten-Free Ayurvedic Pancakes
Fluffy, Gluten-Free Ayurvedic Pancakes 🥞
Tomorrow is Shrove Tuesday—better known as Pancake Day! Traditionally, Shrove Tuesday marks the beginning of Lent, a Christian season of sacrifice and reflection. While I’m not Christian myself, I appreciate traditions and enjoy observing them, especially since my husband is Catholic. In many ways, they’ve become part of my culture too!
This year, Pancake Day coincides with Ramadan, so I’ll be fasting tomorrow. But I’m already looking forward to breaking my fast with a comforting bowl of soup—followed by one of these deliciously nourishing pancakes!
Unlike conventional pancakes, which can sometimes feel heavy or undercooked, these Ayurvedic pancakes are made with wholesome, gut-friendly ingredients like rolled oats, eggs, whole milk (or a dairy-free alternative), dates, ghee, and warming digestive spices. The result? A naturally sweetened, gluten-free, and energising treat that’s easy on digestion and kid-approved!
Best of all, the batter comes together effortlessly in a blender, making this recipe quick, simple, and mess-free.
It doesn’t need to be Pancake Day for you to make these—enjoy these nourishing pancakes (without a scrap of guilt) at any time of the year.
Recipe
Makes: 4 large pancakes
INGREDIENTS
1 ½ cups whole milk, or milk alternative of choice
2 large eggs
2 medjool dates, pitted (substitute with 1 tbsp of maple syrup)
1 tbsp butter ghee
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp cinnamon
¾ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
5 saffron stigmas (if available)
pinch of salt
2 cups rolled oats
How to make sugar-free berry compote 🍓
Put 1 cup of mixed berries (fresh or frozen) in a small saucepan and gently warm over a low heat. The heat will start to soften and break down the berries. Remove from the heat and mash with the back of a fork. Add a little warm water too loosen if needed.
MAKING THE PANCAKES
1. Add all the ingredients to a blender, starting with the milk and eggs to ensure smooth blending, followed by the remaining ingredients, ending with the oats.
2. Blend on high speed for about 1 minute until the batter is smooth and moderately thick. If the batter seems too thick, add more milk, one tablespoon at a time, blending briefly after each addition. If it’s too thin, add more rolled oats, one tablespoon at a time, and blend again until the consistency is just right.
3. Heat a little ghee in a pan over medium heat, using a pan size that matches your desired pancake size. Once the ghee is hot, pour the batter directly from the blender, tilting the pan to spread it evenly until it’s about 1 cm thick. Alternatively, use a ladle to portion the batter.
4. Cook the first side until the bottom is cooked enough to easily flip.
5. Flip the pancake and cook the second side. Each pancake should take about 2 minutes. The end result should be moist, fluffy and not too dark.
6. Place the pancake on a warm plate or in the oven to keep warm and repeat steps 1-5 until all of the batter is used up.
7. Serve immediately, and enjoy with homemade berry compote or your favourite pancake toppings.
OTHER PANCAKE TOPPING IDEAS
Classic: Fresh blueberries + maple syrup.
Indulgent: Melted dark chocolate + flaked almonds.
Satiating: Greek yoghurt + banana.
Ghee-lover: Brown butter ghee + a drizzle of honey.