Today I’m sharing my new gluten-free Mug Pancake recipe with you. This recipe was totally a spur-of-the-moment creation.
Yesterday morning I had a craving for something “oaty.” I can tolerate oat flour (certified gluten-free oat flour that’s made from purity protocol oats; check this list for the oat products labeled gluten free that are actually safe) far better than I can tolerate oats themselves (although I love them in recipes like this one), so I indulge in something “oaty” from time to time. Update (10/17/23): I have successfully made this recipe substituting blanched finely ground almond flour for the oat flour.
UPDATE: On April 4, 2023, Gluten-Free Watchdog issued a new statement, Gluten-Free Watchdog Cannot Recommend Any Brand of Gluten-Free Oats. Read the full statement here. This statement was followed by details on recent testing results of gluten-free products that contain oats., which showed 30% of the labeled gluten-free oat products tested contained quantifiable gluten.
This statement was followed by details on recent testing results of gluten-free products that contain oats, which showed 30% of the labeled gluten-free oat products tested contained quantifiable gluten. I’m not eating any oats and I urge all of my readers who eat gluten free for medical reasons to also abstain.
I thought of making one of my 3-Minute Microwave Chocolate Cakes just subbing in oat flour for the flour required. But because I had just made Ali’s (Nourishing Meals) fantastic flourless Chocolate Walnut Brownies, which are sweetened with maple syrup, heavenly maple syrup was still on my brain.
Well, it didn’t take much for me to go from maple syrup and oat flour to creating this Gluten-Free Mug Pancake.
My very first attempt with two tablespoons of butter created a great texture and pancake taste, but I was aiming for a slightly lighter pancake.
My second attempt made with another tablespoon of butter added and a wee bit more baking soda was a winner as far as a lighter, slightly spongier pancake, but interestingly enough, it didn’t rise as high as the first version. I guess that was because of the additional weight of the butter. However, both versions are winners!
Just smelling your mug pancake while it’s cooking will make you happy. But eating it will bring you pure joy! (If you’re a pancake lover, of course.)
You could probably even share your mug pancake with a loved one—using the method where each of you has a spoon in hand—but, honestly, you probably won’t want to!
Some of you will ask about egg substitutes. I have only tried this recipe using applesauce as an egg replacer and while the results made for a delicious oatmeal-type treat, it was not a pancake.
I believe a flax gel egg, chia gel egg, or commercial egg replacer would be your best bet if you need an egg-free version.
Please know that I also have not made this recipe using other sweeteners yet. However, I believe that honey or agave nectar would make a great substitute for the maple syrup.
I did try making this recipe with only gluten-free all-purpose flour, omitting the oat flour. The result was a “cakey” type treat, but not a pancake. I suspect this recipe will work just fine if you substitute a heartier ingredient like quinoa flakes for the oat flour.
Overall my sense is that this recipe will be a forgiving one that you’ll be able to tweak to your own needs fairly easily, but I just haven’t had time to try all the iterations.
Please report back on what works and what doesn’t, so all your gluten-free buddies will benefit from your recipe experimentation!
UPDATE: For those who don’t use a microwave oven, gfe reader Kelly shared that she’s “been doing some muffin-in-a-mug recipes in my toaster oven at 350F for 15 min in one of those glass custard cups.” I’m sure individual mug pancakes would work in a conventional oven, too, either using glass custard cups or ramekins (although when baked in the latter, the cooking time would most likely increase a bit due to the thickness of the ramekins).
More Gluten-Free Breakfast Ideas
~ All the gluten-free muffin recipes from this March Muffin Madness event
![Twenty amazing gluten-free muffin recipes from March Muffin Madness. You're sure to find not only one recipe that you'll love but several! Paleo, vegetarian, low carb, and keto recipes, too. [featured on GlutenFreeEeasily.com]](https://glutenfreeeasily.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Gluten-Free-Muffin-Recipes-March-Muffin-Madness-2018-Collage-Photo.jpg "Twenty amazing gluten-free muffin recipes from March Muffin Madness. You're sure to find not only one recipe that you'll love but several! Paleo, vegetarian, low carb, and keto recipes, too. [featured on GlutenFreeEeasily.com]")
~ Volcano Pancake (Oven Recipe)
Gluten-Free Mug Pancake Recipe
Gluten-Free Mug “Pancake”
Most of us don't make and enjoy pancakes on the spur of the moment, but with this mug pancake, you absolutely can. In less than 5 minutes, you can be enjoying your own personal and delicious gluten-free mug pancake!
Ingredients
- 2-3 tbsp butter (dairy or non-dairy)
- 2 tbsp certified gluten-free oat flour (made from oats that are both certified gluten free and purity protocol oats) OR blanched finely ground almond flour (such as Wellbee's or Honeyville)
- 2 tbsp gluten-free all-purpose flour mix (I use my Best Two-Ingredient Gluten-Free Flour Mix)
- heaping ¼ tsp baking soda
- 3 tbsp maple syrup, plus additional for topping
- 1 large (or extra large) egg
- 3 tbsp milk (dairy or non-dairy)
Instructions
- Add butter to large mug. Microwave on HIGH for 20 to 30 seconds until melted.
- Remove mug and let butter cool slightly.
- Add oat flour (or blanched almond flour), gluten-free all-purpose flour, and baking soda. Stir well.
- Add maple syrup, egg, and milk. Stir well.
- Cook on HIGH for 3 minutes.
- Let sit in microwave for another minute or two.
- Drizzle some additional maple syrup over your mug pancake before eating. Enjoy!
Notes
If you wish to use oat flour in this recipe and have certified gluten-free purity protocol oats, you can process them into oat flour using your food processor or spice grinder.
Your Mug Pancake will rise very high while baking, with some of the batter possibly running over the side of the mug, but then the batter will settle back down.
For those who don't use a microwave oven, gfe reader Kelly shared that she's "been doing some muffin in a mug recipes in my toaster oven at 350F for 15 min in one of those glass custard cups." I'm sure individual mug pancakes would work in a conventional oven, too, either using glass custard cups or ramekins (although when baked in the latter, the cooking time would most likely increase a bit due to the thickness of the ramekins).
Originally published June 7, 2013; updated October 17, 2023.
Donna Strickler says
Yum Shirley – I can’t wait to try! I love pancakes, but usually don’t have time during the week to make them – this will be quick & easy :-)!
Shirley says
Hi Donna–Thanks, dear! Hope this recipe meets your approval! 🙂 I have to admit that while pancakes usually don’t take much time once you start making them, the thought is often daunting. This mug pancake is a great alternative. 😉
Shirley
Deanna says
Yum. The kiddo would look at my like I’d lost all my marbles if that was all the pancakes he got for breakfast, though. I’ll have to save this one for when he’s not around. 🙂
Shirley says
Deanna–Haha … true! I don’t think “mug anything” fits a growing boy’s portion requirements. 😉
Shirley
InTolerant Chef says
Cute idea indeed!
Shirley says
InTolerant Chef–Thanks! I love it when tasty and cute go together! 😉
Shirley
Faith says
Perfect timing Shirley. I haven’t made my cauliflower bread yet for breakfast, I think I’ll try this tomorrow. Thank you!!
Shirley says
Hi Faith–Great to see you here again! So happy this recipe is on time for you. Hope you enjoy it! And now I must look at your blog for that cauliflower bread recipe. Intrigued! 😉
Shirley
Faith says
The cauliflower bread recipe is not mine, it’s this one (almond flour’s been giving me issues)= http://www.theluckypennyblog.com/2013/02/the-best-cauliflower-crust-pizza.html?m=1. I’ve made it twice now and I changed the seasonings. This last time I used almond cheese and chopped up a slice of deli ham – it came out really good. This next time, I want to shape it into small circles for bread. The 1st time I added a little bit of red pepper flakes and I didn’t like how it tasted, so I left it off. After cooking and wringing out 3 cups of cauliflower, it really isn’t much. What I’d like to do is to try and make a sweet bread out of it by adding sugar and maybe cinnamon – I looked and no one has a recipe like that. This is one recipe I’d like to try – looks really yummy. BTW, I never left Shirley, just been a silent viewer.
Faith says
In my excitement to share the cauliflower bread recipe, I forgot to mention that I did try your mug pancake. I used quinoa flour since I had some processed and a flax egg. I mixed everything last night and left if in the frig – I used a standard mug. In the morning, I mic’d it for 3 minutes and most of it spilled over. I eventually had to put a paper towel under it. I ended up cooking it for another minute and a half and it really wasn’t all the way cooked. The bottom was almost over done. I ate it tho, cuz I needed something to eat. I will try again with a real egg and I will process some gf oats. Maybe I shouldn’t have left it in the frig overnight. I don’t know, but I will try again. It wasn’t your recipe, it was me.
Shirley says
Faith–I think the issue is that you mixed it up ahead of time. It’s better to have the baking reaction with the baking soda, egg, etc. happen right then. It’s true that different microwaves cook differently, but mine was cooked all the way through at 3 minutes, every time. Flax eggs are often great substitutes, but in this case they might not be. Like I said, folks would have to experiment with egg subs. 🙁 In any regard, you might make sure to use a larger mug to ensure there is no overflow. 😉 Fingers crossed, you’ll have good luck next time!
Shirley
Faith says
I made it again last night – I used oat flour, almond flour and a real egg. I made it in a wider mug and there was no spillage. I heated it up this morning and it was really good, very satisfying – I couldn’t eat it all. I think leaving it sit in the frig plus using a flax egg were the culprits. Thanks Shirley!!!
Shirley says
Whew, that’s a relief, Faith! Thanks so much for reporting back, Faith! I will update the recipe to show that you made it successfully with almond flour vs gf ap flour. 🙂 Thanks again, dear!
Shirley
Shirley says
Oh, I see, Faith. It’s a cauliflower pizza crust recipe that you’ve turned into bread. Your experimenting sounds like fun! And happy to have you as a mostly silent viewer. 😉
Shirley
Faith says
It is pizza crust, but using it as bread satisfies me. Sorry if I gave you the wrong impression and made you think it was my recipe. 🙂
Shirley says
Oh, no, that’s not an issue at all, Faith. I know how we adopt others’ recipes after they become our favorites and call them “my” or “our” … 😉
Shirley
Maggie says
Shirley this is such a good idea, I am sharing this one! We don’t have a microwave, but I know so many people who would love this! Great idea. So fun for kids too.
Shirley says
Hi Maggie–Thanks so much for sharing, dear! One gfe reader, Kelly, shared how she gets around the microwave requirement: “I’ve been doing some muffin in a mug recipes in my toaster oven at 350F for 15 min in one of those glass custard cups.” One could use the oven, too, of course, but the toaster oven would keep the heat out of the kitchen a bit more.
Shirley
Sarah || Celiac in the City says
Okay, how fun is THIS idea? Leave it to you, Shirley to come up with this clever, kiddo friendly fun — and perfect timing, my nephew is here visiting and we have pancakes on the menu this week!
Shirley says
Hey Sarah–Awww, thanks, dear! Hope you both enjoy this recipe! 🙂
Shirley
Sarena (The Non-Dairy Queen) says
Oh, this is so happening here! The boys are going to be so excited in the morning! Sounds amazing Shirley! Can’t wait to try it out!
Shirley says
Hey Sarena–Hope it will be a big hit in your house! Fingers crossed! 🙂
Shirley
Lauren says
How cute! I love mug cakes and can’t wait to give this a shot! 😀
Shirley says
Hi Lauren–Good to see you! 🙂 I hope you love this recipe. 😉
Shirley
Stacy @Stacy Makes Cents says
This looks GREAT! Thanks! I also bake my “mug cakes” at 350 for about 20 minutes.
I think I’ll try this with almond flour!
Visiting from The Gluten Free Homemaker.
Shirley says
Hi Stacy–Welcome to gfe! 🙂 Thanks for sharing your experience as well with making mug cakes in the oven. I made this recipe using half almond flour and half oat flour today, and I subbed honey for the maple syrup. It was very good! I still prefer the original recipe, but will try all almond flour next as I do prefer grain free, too. 😉 Thanks for taking the time to comment and I hope you have great success with your version of this mug cake!
Shirley
Alisa says
I’ve been kicking around “mug baking” ideas lately Shirley, and this one is genius!
Shirley says
Thank you, Alisa! Whenever you call one of my recipes “brilliant” or “genius,” I always feel like I’ve won the lottery! 🙂 I can’t wait to see the mug recipes you create. 😉
Shirley
Dawn says
I just tried the “Brown Sugar Chocolate Chip Cookies” recipe….ended up with a thin layer of dark yuck on the baking pan. Took a look at the ingredients list “yep, all those ingredients are here on the counter”, then looked at the instructions…”AHA, all ingredients called for EXCEPT cornstartch & xanthan gum.” OH MAN, what a waste!! Of course I know these two ingredients are needed to “hold” the cookie, however, for the first time using the recipe I just followed through the instructions, without double checking. You may want to re-write the instructions to show when/where these two ingredients should be put in to the mix. I will not try this recipe again until I know for sure.
Thank You!
Shirley says
Hey Dawn–Welcome! 🙂 I’m not sure why you are commenting on this pancake post, but I’m so very sorry about your experience. I assume that you made this recipe (vs the dairy-free version) and have updated that recipe to clarify the instructions. I really appreciate the heads up and again am sorry that you had yucky results because of the confusion. I usually mix that particular flour mix ahead of time vs adding the rice flour and cornstarch separately, but wrote the recipe so that folks would be able to do that if they wanted. All that said, as I noted in the recipe, these cookies can still be a bit finicky. I’ve had folks make them and rave over them and others say that they spread too much. Fingers crossed that you will have success next time! 😉
Shirley
Angela says
Well Shirley, I did it! I was able to make this, and it was so very delicious! It was so good in fact that I had to do a blog entry about it! 🙂 It was easy to make, and so satisfying! If you like to read and see the pictures, here you go:
http://angelasommers.wordpress.com/2013/06/22/down-home-comfort-food/
Lisa Johnson says
Thank you for this recipe Shirley! I have some oat bran hot cereal that I used once and didn’t like. You’ve given me some new ways to think about it as an ingredient. I will be working on a version of this very soon!
Shirley says
You’re welcome, dear! You might find that you want to grind that cereal into a flour to use it. You can do that easily in a mini chopper. You don’t even have to use a food processor. Good luck and I look forward to your report via your recipe! 😉
Shirley
sk says
My mug pancake came out gummy.I think I may have over cooked it. When I checked at 1.30 secs there were a few wet crumbs sticking to the toothpick and top was done but wet. But I wasn’t sure whether to use the toothpick test for a pancake or not so I microwaved it for the full time mentioned.
i think it became overdone because i didn’t know how to test for done-ness, in a pancake on the stove you check if it’s browned and for a mug-cake with a toothpick, but how do you check this?
Also what wattage is the microwave you’re using? I can use an online calculator to convert it to 1350W.
Thanks
Shirley says
sk–Hi! Sorry yours came out gummy the first time around. Did you change any ingredients? Did you let the mug sit a minute or two in the microwave after the cooking time ended before checking it? Foods/recipes do continue to cook a while after the cooking time is over. I do test with a toothpick, but only after waiting the extra minute or two. My microwave is only 800W. I hope that info helps. Once you are successful, you can note that cooking time and have a successful mug pancake any time you’d like! 🙂
Shirley
Karla says
i dont have oat flour or oats right now what can i use in its place
Shirley says
Hi Karla–It looks like you’re new here, welcome to gfe! 🙂 I’ve never tried this recipe with other ingredients, but one reader mentioned using a combination of oat flour and almond flour successfully. So all almond flour might work well. Please let us know if you give it a try!
Shirley
Marianne says
Would all oat flour work successfully ?
Shirley Braden says
Hi Marianne–It looks like you’re new here at gfe–welcome! All gluten-free oat flour will probably create a good pancake but I do think it will be a bit heavier than the one with half oat flour and half GF flour mix. I like a heartier pancake myself though. 🙂 Please report back if you have a moment!
Shirley