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Pancake Fridays: Soaked Buckwheat Pancakes

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Thin pancakes are growing on me.

Soaked Buckwheat Pancakes // The Pancake Princess

I am usually alllll about the thick, puffy pancakes, as you can probably tell from my pancakes archive. But these super thin, light and crisp-edged buckwheat pancakes have fit my latest cravings exactly with a dreamy-tall stack full of nothing but seeds, yogurt, milk and eggs, leaving LOTS of room for maple syrup. No fat or sugar!

Have you heard about soaked nuts? Soaking buckwheat is similarly beneficial as it reduces the natural phytic acid in buckwheat, making for easier digestion and more readily available nutrients.* It also helps make a lighter pancake, similar to how soaking the cornmeal in this cornbread reduces the gritty texture and makes fluffier cornbread.

Soaked Buckwheat Pancakes // The Pancake Princess

The soaking takes some time, but it’s just a matter of mixing the buckwheat flour, yogurt and milk together the night before and letting it sit out before mixing in the rest of the ingredients the morning you make them.

Soaked Buckwheat Pancakes // The Pancake Princess

You’ll need to grease your pan a tad more heavily for these pancakes and the first batch still might stick a little. But eventually, you’ll be cooking up puddles of batter into ethereally thin, slightly hole-riddled pancakes that crisp up beautifully around the edges: an entire batch is about 430 calories with about 22 grams of protein and nearly 10 grams of fiber (without chia seeds). I ate these drenched in maple syrup and in sandwich form with almond butter, jam and bananas.

Soaked Buckwheat Pancakes // The Pancake Princess

My favorite way to eat them, however, was due to a total accident. I shot these one rainy afternoon and then packed them up (maple syrup puddle and all) into a Tupperware for later. I reheated them in a frying pan the next day once the maple syrup had fully penetrated the pancakes and Erik and I LOVED them. The sweetness and texture of the maple-soaked pancakes reminded me of these whole wheat pancakes–except healthier! So, in case you can stand to wait, I highly recommend letting the maple syrup settle in before eating. Reheating optional!

Note: when I first made these, I was worried my batter was too runny after stirring in the ingredients in the morning, so I added a tablespoon of chia seeds after making the first few pancakes to thicken up the batter. The second half of the batch turned out thicker and slightly spongier pancakes; I liked the thinner ones better (without the chia seeds). If you do go with the chia route, however, you will need another splash of milk (I suggested ¼ cup, but you can add however much to get the pancake batter to your desired consistency) since the chia seeds will absorb a lot of the moisture in the batter and make it VERY thick.

Also, the consistency of the buckwheat, yogurt and milk mixture will be slightly gooey after a night of soaking. This is normal—just don’t let the mixture sit for too long or it might go bad. One night is fine.

*I was curious as to whether you should be discarding the soaking liquid from the buckwheat flour as you do with nuts (which would be nearly impossible), but it turns out the act of soaking neutralizes the phytic acid, so it’s fine to eat the batter as is.

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Soaked Buckwheat Pancakes

These super-thin buckwheat pancakes are a great stand in for traditional whole wheat pancakes. With just four basic ingredients, they are low-calorie, gluten-free, and contain no added sweetener or fat. Great with maple syrup!
Prep Time 8 hours
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 8 hours 15 minutes
Calories 230kcal

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup buckwheat flour
  • 1/4 cup plain regular or Greek yogurt
  • 3/4 cup almond milk

  • 1 large egg
  • ¼ teaspoon table salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon chia seeds optional + 1/4 cup almond milk
  • coconut oil oil or butter for frying

Instructions

  • The night before you plan to make the pancakes, begin the soaking process. Mix buckwheat flour, yogurt and milk until well combined. Cover and place in a warm place for 8-24 hours.
  • In the morning start preheating your pan over medium-low heat.
  • While the pan heats, whisk all other ingredients into the buckwheat mixture, including chia seeds, if using. Batter should be thick. Stir it down a bit, just to take a little air out of the batter. This will reduce the holes in your pancakes.
  • Add coconut oil or oil to your preheated pan. I used a ¼ cup measure to ladle a scant ¼ cup of batter into the pan for each pancake--batter should be very runny if you didn't add the chia seeds. Cook for 2-4 minutes, or until bubbles rise through the pancakes and you can easily slide your spatula underneath each pancake (the first batch may take the longest). Flip and cook for 2 more minutes on the other side, or until browned.

Notes

Adapted from here.

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  1. Lynne

    Just double checking, you soak the flour? Not the groats? I’ve made buckwheat pancakes and they turned out awful. I want to keep trying to find one I love. Also no dairy or eggs– can I use something in place of the yogurt? And do a flax egg? Thanks!

    Reply

  2. [email protected]

    I am self-proclaimed a buckwheat lover but then I grew up in Russia, so no surprises there. I eat buckwheat groats like there is no tomorrow and got my kids hooked on that goodness as well. So good for us, I just wish people knew it. Love the soaking idea, a must try!

    Reply

    • erika

      Ooh I JUST bought some buckwheat groats yesterday at Whole Foods–my first time! How do you usually cook/eat them?? I was just planning to grind them into flour, but I’d love to learn about other ways to eat them!

      Reply

  4. laurasmess

    What a healthy and delicious pancake idea. It’s a great way for buckwheat-haters to actually eat buckwheat (not that I am one but I know a few!) and for us pancake lovers to feel good afterwards! You amaze me with all of your pancake ideas. So inspired 🙂 x

    Reply

  6. Irina Wang

    Ahhh I love your Pancake Fridays! Your blog is so well structured. Buckwheat pancakes are some of my favourites, I love how well the earthiness and nuttiness works with them.

    Reply

  11. The Wimpy Vegetarian

    This is so cool, erika! I had no idea about soaking buckwheat batter OR cornmeal batter making it fluffier, or making the nutrients more accessible. GREAT information. And I love how packed with protein and fiber these pancakes are. I’m definitely trying!

    Reply

    • erika

      Thanks Susan! Glad the info was helpful to you 🙂 Let me know how you like em! When I made them again, I was a little struck by the plain, earthy taste when you don’t soak them in maple syrup…but I think it makes them a great blank canvas for anything!

      Reply

  16. Nancy @ gottagetbaked

    Erika, not only are you the queen of pancakes but you constantly teach me new and interesting things about healthy ingredients. I want to buy some buckwheat flour just so that I can replicate these pancakes (especially your happy accident of reheating maple syrup-drenched pancakes – yum!). Have a fabulous weekend, girl!

    Reply

  17. Shikha

    I LOVE BUCKWHEAT, esp in cakes and pancakes! I made chocolate graham cracker pancakes last weekend and thought of you, but I won’t be able to post them until I get back from Ecuador. VISIT ME.

    Reply