Blueberry Pancakes (vegan, gluten-free)

January 28th is National Blueberry Day! Yes they’re so good they get their own holiday, not lumped in with all the other pancakes. While it may just be a food holiday it is one we are more than happy to celebrate. When Driscoll’s reached out and asked if we would like to join them in celebrating National Blueberry Pancake Day of course I said of yes!

There’s nothing like waking up to pancakes in the morning, and even better if they’re blueberry pancakes! There is just something that brings me back to my childhood about a big fluffy stack of blueberry pancakes. On weekends my mom would make the good pancakes were she broke out the orange Betty Crocker Cookbook, not always only when we were helping because she had the recipe memorized (to this day I still have the page number memorized), and would make pancakes from scratch. Separating the eggs, folding in the whites, and making fluffy delicious pancakes. Luckily my family has the same love for them as I do, and I have the same problem my mom had keeping the hands out of the blueberries so there were enough to put into the pancakes. When we pick blueberries in the summer it is one of our must makes. The blueberries have been looking amazing lately in stores and we have been stocking up and enjoying them as much as possible. Which means stacks of blueberry pancakes for breakfast on the weekends. While I make pancakes during the week I save these for the weekend so we can all enjoy them, really enjoy them! Waking up, having the girls help me make them in the kitchen, sipping on lattes and steamers and just relaxing it doesn’t get much better.

This blueberry pancake recipe is one I originally posted back in July of 2013 and still my favorite blueberry pancakes, as well as many variations of these pancakes so they have evolved. As in previous pancakes recipes since those I now make them in my Vitamix. They are light and fluffy, spongy for lack of a better term and not dry or cakey. They are like the ones I use to remember from diners as a kid when I thought it was exciting that I could get pancakes any time of day even for dinner, and they are also gluten free and vegan! This is great for those with allergies or when your kids have someone over with an allergy. I can remember the first time I had to have gluten-free pancakes, over 10 years ago back before products were main stream and there were options, and they tasted like cardboard. Luckily things have come a long way since then. When I use to enjoy those pancakes at the diner I also liked to put apricot syrup on a section, than the blueberry, the other berry, and maple. So I also make a quick fresh blueberry syrup to pour over top but if you are a maple syrup fan they are also delicious that way.

With National Blueberry Day falling on a Thursday this year, and it being one of our busy mornings we will be enjoying ours for brinner (breakfast for dinner). We use to make pancakes and waffles for dinner a lot for awhile but we haven’t been so it will be a nice change and a delicious treat. How could we not celebrated National Blueberry Pancake Day?

Do you remember having blueberry pancakes as a kid? Do you still like them the same or more than you did as a kid?

Blueberry Pancakes
Makes 4 servings, 16 4-5″ pancakes
2c all-purpose, gluten-free flour (used Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free Baking Flour, previous posts used Cup4Cup wanted to test another one out )*
1/4c coconut oil, chilled as you want it about the texture of cold butter
2 TBSP coconut palm sugar
1 TBSP baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp pure vanilla or vanilla bean paste
2 1/2c coconut milk (used So Delicious Unsweetened Vanilla Coconut Milk)
1/2 package (6 ounces) Driscoll’s Blueberries

Blueberry Maple Syrup
1 package (6 ounces) Driscoll’s Blueberries
2 TBSP pure maple syrup
2 TBSP water, or as needed to desired consistency

*I have had the best results with Cup 4 Cup Gluten Free Flour (blue bag) and now Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free Baking Flour. These are the two flours I would personally recommend and I use for the best pancakes. Again no affiliation just sharing my experience and recommendations. In the past I did not get desired results with the Bob’s All Purpose Gluten Free Flour or with whole wheat/whole wheat white flour. All purpose white or a baking blend will work for non gluten free.

Measure out coconut oil and place in the refrigerator for at least 10 minutes. If I know I’m going to make them the next morning I measure it out the night before. In a bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Heat griddle over medium heat. A well seasoned cast iron griddle or pan works best. If you need to use oil, lightly spray or wipe pan with coconut oil. In a Vitamix or high speed blender blend sugar, coconut milk, and vanilla just a few seconds. Add in chilled coconut oil and blend until just combine. Blend in half of the flour mixture, add remaining and blend until smooth. The batter should be smooth and pourable. Spoon batter onto your griddle and sprinkle with blueberries. Cook until the edges are starting to look dry and set and bubbles are starting to hold in the center of the pancakes, flip and continue cooking until golden brown. Using a metal spatula works best and pancakes should release when they are ready. Adjust heat as needed. To make the Blueberry Maple Syrup, just before serving is best as it will thicken as it sits, blend blueberries and maple syrup together in a Vitamix, or high-speed mixer. Add water as needed to reach desired consistency, this is meant to be a thicker blueberry syrup. This is a quick raw syrup meant to be used the same day and not stored for later as it is not cooked like traditional syrup. Stack pancakes, drizzle blueberry syrup over top, and/or any additional toppings of choice. Enjoy!

This is an updated post of my previously posted Blueberry Pancakes (as well as other variations since) and was sponsored by Driscoll’s to celebration of National Blueberry Pancake Day. Visit Driscoll’s for more delicious berry recipes.