Gluten Free Breakfast Corn Cakes
Our Gluten Free Breakfast Corn Cakes are so delicious, and they are dairy-free, too! We made them with a combination of gluten-free 1 to 1 flour, stone ground corn flour, and sweet corn kernels, which give them wonderful texture and extra flavor.
When you feel like a hearty breakfast but you want something a little different, these breakfast corn cakes are a great alternative to traditional pancakes. They will give you lasting energy throughout the day! Want to read about the inspiration for this recipe? Visit our Blog Comments & Tips below.
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RECIPE
(Check out our Step by Step Instructions below the recipe card.)
GLUTEN FREE BREAKFAST CORN CAKES
Ingredients
Instructions
- To make non-dairy (vegan) buttermilk, add 1 ¾ cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk and 1 ½ tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice to a large measuring cup (4-cup). Stir to combine, and let rest for 10 minutes or so while you assemble the batter ingredients (for substitutions - see Note #1).
- In a small microwave safe bowl, add 4 tablespoons salted plant-based butter (for substitutions, see Note #2), and melt in the microwave. Cool slightly (before adding it to the batter in Step 4).
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together 1 ½ cups gluten free 1-to-1 baking flour, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, ¾ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ cup granulated sugar, and ½ teaspoon fine salt. Add ¾ cup whole grain stone ground corn flour, whisk again, and set aside.
- Give the vegan buttermilk a quick stir (it should look curdled now). To the buttermilk, add 2 large room temperature eggs, and whisk to combine right in the measuring cup. While whisking continuously, slowly pour the melted butter into the mixture until fully combined. Then add ½ cup sweet corn kernels (fresh, or frozen & thawed - see Note #3), and whisk (or stir) to combine.
- Add the buttermilk mixture to the dry ingredients in the bowl, and whisk (or stir) until just combined (do not overmix or the pancakes will turn out gummy and tough). Let batter rest at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes (it will thicken). While batter is resting, preheat griddle pan (or griddle) on medium heat (or medium-low, depending on griddle).
- Fold up a paper towel, and wet with vegetable oil. Using the oiled paper towel, carefully grease the hot griddle, leaving no visible oil spots. Test the heat of the griddle (see Note #4). Once it’s at the right temperature, drop about ⅓ cup of batter for each corn cake onto the prepared griddle. Cook until the top begins to bubble, a bit dry around the edges, and the bottom is golden brown. Flip, and place 1 pat of plant-based butter (or real butter) on top of each corn cake, and cook until the bottom is golden brown. Transfer to a plate, and serve hot with any of the optional garnishes listed below.
Notes
- If you prefer to use real buttermilk, omit the almond milk and lemon juice, which are used to make vegan buttermilk in Step 1. Simply substitute with 1 ¾ cups of real buttermilk.
- As a non-dairy option for plant-based butter, try substituting with ¼ cup of vegetable oil, plus a pinch of fine salt. If you prefer using real dairy, substitute 4 tablespoons melted and cooled salted dairy butter for plant based butter.
- If using frozen corn kernels, add them to a fine mesh strainer, rinse, drain, and thaw completely before adding to the batter.
- To test the heat of the griddle, drop 1 teaspoon of the batter onto the griddle, and flip when the bottom is golden brown. Turn the heat down slightly if the test corn cake browns too quickly (or turn up slightly if it doesn’t cook properly).
- Leftovers? Cool the corn cakes completely, then place in a Ziploc freezer bag or airtight freezer safe container, and separate each layer with parchment paper or wax paper. Freeze for up to 1 month. To reheat, place frozen corn cake in a toaster on level 3 just until warmed through. The exterior will get a little crispy.
- Makes about 12 pancakes (4 servings - 3 pancakes each).
Nutritional information provided is strictly an estimate and will vary based on ingredient brands and cooking methods.
Step by Step Instructions
PREPARATION
Organize all your tools and ingredients before you begin. Getting all your ingredients in one place at the beginning will shorten your prep time.
STEP 1
To make non-dairy (vegan) buttermilk, add 1 ¾ cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk and 1 ½ tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice to a large measuring cup (4-cup). Stir to combine, and let rest for 10 minutes or so while you assemble the batter ingredients.
Note: If you prefer to use real buttermilk, omit the almond milk and lemon juice, which are used to make vegan buttermilk in Step 1. Simply substitute with 1 ¾ cups of real buttermilk.
STEP 2
In a small microwave safe bowl, add 4 tablespoons salted plant-based butter (for substitutions, see Note below), and melt in the microwave. Cool slightly (before adding it to the batter in Step 4).
Note: As a non-dairy option for plant-based butter, try substituting with ¼ cup of vegetable oil, plus a pinch of fine salt. If you prefer using real dairy, substitute 4 tablespoons melted and cooled salted dairy butter for plant based butter.
STEP 3
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together 1 ½ cups gluten free 1-to-1 baking flour, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, ¾ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ cup granulated sugar, and ½ teaspoon fine salt. Add ¾ cup whole grain stone ground corn flour, whisk again, and set aside.
STEP 4
Give the vegan buttermilk a quick stir (it should look curdled now). To the buttermilk, add 2 large room temperature eggs, and whisk to combine right in the measuring cup. While whisking continuously, slowly pour the melted butter into the mixture until fully combined. Then add ½ cup sweet corn kernels (fresh, or frozen & thawed - see Note below), and whisk (or stir) to combine.
Note: If using frozen corn kernels, add them to a fine mesh strainer, rinse, drain, and thaw completely before adding to the batter.
STEP 5
Add the buttermilk mixture to the dry ingredients in the bowl, and whisk (or stir) until just combined (do not overmix or the pancakes will turn out gummy and tough). Let batter rest at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes (it will thicken). While batter is resting, preheat griddle pan (or griddle) on medium heat (or medium-low, depending on griddle).
STEP 6
Fold up a paper towel, and wet with vegetable oil. Using the oiled paper towel, carefully grease the hot griddle, leaving no visible oil spots. Test the heat of the griddle (see Note below). Once it’s at the right temperature, drop about ⅓ cup of batter for each corn cake onto the prepared griddle. Cook until the top begins to bubble, a bit dry around the edges, and the bottom is golden brown. Flip, and place 1 pat of plant-based butter (or real butter) on top of each corn cake, and cook until the bottom is golden brown. Transfer to a plate.
Note: To test the heat of the griddle, drop 1 teaspoon of the batter onto the griddle, and flip when the bottom is golden brown. Turn the heat down slightly if the test corn cake browns too quickly (or turn up slightly if it doesn’t cook properly).
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Serve hot with any of the optional garnishes listed below.
Butter (sweet or salted, plant-based or dairy)
Fresh berries
Notes:
Leftovers? Cool the corn cakes completely, then place them in a single layer in a Ziploc freezer bag or airtight freezer safe container, and separate each layer with parchment paper or wax paper. Freeze for up to 1 month. To reheat, place frozen corn cake in a toaster on level 3 or 4 for about 3 minutes, or until warmed through. The exterior will get lightly crispy.
Makes about 12 pancakes (4 servings - 3 pancakes each).
VIDEO
How to Make Delicious Gluten Free Breakfast Corn Cakes!
Blog Comments & Tips
A Delicious & Hearty Breakfast Recipe!
Also known as Johnny cakes, our corn cakes are a delicious change from traditional pancakes. Our Gluten Free Breakfast Corn Cakes are not only gluten-free, but dairy-free as well! If you can have dairy, no worries, because it’s easy to make them with real dairy buttermilk and real butter (and they are extra delicious that way!). However, if you are both dairy-free and gluten-free, you will not be sacrificing anything at all if you make the recipe as is!
Earlier this year, my husband and I took a trip to Tuscon, AZ to visit his brother and sister-in-law. We had brunch at LaCo Tuscon, a wonderful courtyard restaurant located in the downtown area, and ordered their corn cakes as “dessert” for the table. After that first delicious bite, I became obsessed with trying to replicate the flavor and texture of those memorable corn cakes over the next few months.
The PMR Test Kitchens began the process of developing the recipe. After numerous attempts, we agreed that it was the one (Fluffy Buttermilk Corn Cakes recipe coming soon)! A few months later, one of my close friends came over for brunch. She is both gluten-free and dairy-free, so I experimented with the recipe to adhere to her dietary restrictions, and was thrilled with the results.
These griddle corn cakes have a light texture, and they have much more flavor than traditional pancakes. With so much more flavor than traditional pancakes, these corn cakes may become addictive!
How do you ensure the best results from our recipe?
Our 5 tips to making great Gluten Free Breakfast Corn Cakes:
For the best flavor and texture, we used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour and Bob’s Red Mill Whole Grain Stone Ground Corn Flour.
We also prefer using unsweetened vanilla almond milk for this recipe, as the vanilla adds a subtle flavor element to the batter.
If you use frozen corn (we did), make sure to rinse and drain the kernels before adding them to the batter.
Let it rest! The vegan buttermilk needs time to rest in order to curdle and thicken it to a buttermilk consistency. The batter also needs time to thicken. 10 minute minimum for each. If needed, the batter can rest up to 30 minutes before pouring onto the griddle.
Have any dietary preferences that won’t quite work with our recipe? It’s time to customize and Pimp Our Recipe.
Pimp Our Recipe:
Not Dairy Free? If dairy free is not a restriction, try adding real buttermilk and real butter to this recipe. It’s delicious! Just omit the lemon juice, and replace the almond milk and plant-based butter with real dairy products. Add the eggs and corn in Step 4 to ¾ cup of buttermilk, then whisk in 4 tablespoons of real salted butter.
Don’t Have Plant-Based Butter? As another vegan option, substitute plant-based butter with ¼ cup vegetable oil.
Garnish Them! Serve our Gluten Free Breakfast Corn Cakes with just a pat of real or plant-based butter and some pure maple syrup for a satisfying breakfast or brunch that gives you lasting energy throughout the day! Or add some fresh berries for an extra punch of flavor and color. Try drizzling honey over the hot corn cakes and enjoy with fresh blueberries!!
Make Ahead - Meal Planning? Make the recipe as instructed, and allow corn cakes to cool completely (in a single layer on a wire cooling rack). Once completely cooled, place the corn cakes in a single layer in a large Ziploc freezer bag or an airtight container, separating each layer with parchment paper or wax paper. Then seal, and freeze for up to 1 month. When ready to eat, just pop a frozen corn cake into a toaster or toaster oven on level 3 or 4 for about 3 minutes, or until warmed through. The exterior will get lightly crispy, and makes a great on-the-go breakfast (without the syrup) when you are in a rush.
Enjoy and let us know what you think by commenting below, rating our recipes, subscribing, following, and liking us on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube! Don’t forget to subscribe to get updates on new recipes and tips & tricks.
Happy Cooking!
Mich
Footnote: Remember to let the vegan buttermilk rest before adding the other ingredients. Once combined, the corn cake batter definitely needs to rest in order to thicken.
Inspired by the corn cakes from LaCo Restaurant in Tuscon, AZ, we selected the perfect ingredients to make these corn cakes just as delicious without missing the gluten or dairy!
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