Gluten Free Food Reviews

I just love pancakes for breakfast in the morning with my girls. They prefer chocolate chips as their topping of choice, while I like banana, walnuts and a drizzle of real maple syrup. And, because I like pancakes so much, I am very picky when it comes to the gluten free variations. I still miss “real’ gluten pancakes. But you know what? With this buttermilk pancake mix, I don’t miss them anymore. These pancakes are fantastic!

I purchased this 12 ounce mix for $4.99 at a natural foods store on my last trip home to Minnesota. This gluten free pancake mix makes makes two large batches of pancakes that will feed 2-3 hungry people per batch.

Mixing the pancake batter was a breeze- just add oil, and egg and buttermilk. Since I didn’t have any buttermilk, I followed the enclosed directions for a great buttermilk substitution that combines milk with lemon juice that worked perfectly in the mix. I whisked the batter easily with no lumps to be found. Unfortunately the batter was so thin that my first attempt at a pancake turned out more like a crepe, and that was not was I wanted. However, adding 2-3 more tablespoons of the mix did the trick, and even though the pancakes still appeared to be on the thin side, they tasted perfect. I found that adding any more mix, or reducing the milk by more than a few tablespoons resulted in thick pancakes with a sticky, gooey texture.

These gluten free pancakes are only slightly sweet,and have a smooth, slightly fluffy gluten-like texture that is ideal for any topping your taste-buds are craving. There is no hint of a mushy rice texture or flavor that I have often experienced with other gluten free pancake mixes. The flavor of the pancakes is subtle, but pleasant. The edges of the pancake are slightly crisp and the pancake itself cooks evenly- perfect if you like tall stacks of tasty pancakes. On the Sylvan Border Farm website, they have a dairy free substitute that may work as well. Overall, I really liked the Sylvan Border Farm Pancake & waffle mix, and will definitely buy it again.

PROS: excellent texture and flavor, easy prep, makes thin pancake perfect for stacking and toppings.

CONS: thin batter, resist the urge to add too much extra pancake mix to thicken

Rating: 5 stars

Want to try this mix out ?Buy it from:

GooddayGlutenFree.com-(product packaging photo at this link)

Sylvan Border Farm website

Ingredients: Potato Starch, White Rice Flour, Brown Rice Flour*, Amaranth Flour, Quinoa Flour*, White Cornmeal*, Garbanzo Bean Flour*, Sugar, Soy Flour*, Aluminum-Free Baking Powder, Baking Soda, Salt. ( * organically grown)

While visiting the Twin Cities area in my home state of Minnesota, I loaded up on goodies from a local shop called the Bittersweet Gluten Free Bakery. I was eager to try their Bittersweet Pancake/ Waffle mix, since I am a huge fan of pancakes, but have yet to find a gluten free pancake that I truly adore. My attempts at homemade gluten free pancakes were just awful thus far, so I don’t even bother trying anymore. I got sick of the mushy rice taste and texture.

This mix arrived in a simplistic white glossy bag with marigold letters and is priced at $5.75. The mix makes about dozen smallish/ medium pancakes. And I’ll be honest, I was not impressed at first. To prepare the mix, add eggs, oil, water, brown sugar, and vanilla. I made the pancake mix exactly as stated on the package and the mixture was so thick and hard to work with- it was driving me crazy! Even after adding a few spoonfuls of water, I had to spread the mixture in the pan with the back of a spoon. I cooked the pancakes in a bit of butter on medium heat to crisp the edges.

The pancakes cooked unevenly and appeared bumpy with mounds of pancake rising into little peaks and valleys. Surprisingly, the pancakes had a pleasant and unique texture; they were dense, but not pasty or grainy like other gluten free mixes. In fact, I would say this mix is the closest thing to a “regular” pancake texture that I have found thus far. The flavor is surprisingly sweet and pairs really well with fresh fruit and whipped cream. I imagine if the mix was thinned out enough, it would make some pretty tasty crepes. I will be in Minnesota again for my sisters wedding in December and plan to try it out!

PROS:excellent flavor and texture- yummy!

CONS: difficult to spread in the pan- verrryyy thick! Appearance isn’t so great, you have to add quite a few ingredients yourself.

Rating: 4 stars

This mix may be purchased at various locations around the Twin Cities; however, you’ll get the best prices at their main location on Cliff Road in Eagan. Please check their website for more information.

 They do not ship at this time, but maybe, just maybe, if you call them and beg they may make an exception.

Ingredients: white rice flour, potato starch flour, tapioca flour, baking powder, sea salt, psyllium powder, xanthan gum

OOO, do I ever love this mix! This is a great pancake and baking mix, hands down. This product can be purchase anywhere from $6.29- $7.19 in my area, and even cheaper online via Amazon. The blend of brown, sweet rice & white rice flour and almond meal give this mix an unparalleled leg up on the others.

First and foremost, it makes the yummiest pancakes ever: These pancakes are light and flavorful, with no sticking to the roof of your mouth like some of the rice-flour based competitors. The mix blends easily with a whisk and pours easily onto a hot griddle. If you add a bit more oil, the edges turn out a bit crispier than usual, if you wish. I would highly suggest eating these pancakes immediately. I found out that is you keep them warmed on a plate they tend to get a bit soggy and squishy. They are so good, why wait, anyway?

The package features yummy recipes for pancakes, waffles, cookies and muffins, with more recipes on the Pamela’s website. The chocolate chip cookie recipe is one of my favorites- my gluten-consuming friends just LOVE them. I also use this mix to make pumpkin and other sweet breads with fantastic results. This really is a wonderful all purpose mix.

Pros: Great basic mix for most of your baking needs

Cons: A bit pricey unless purchased in bulk.

Rating: 5 stars

Where Can I Buy This Mix? Click the link below:

INGREDIENTS: Brown Rice Flour, White Rice Flour, Cultured Buttermilk, Natural Almond Meal, Tapioca Starch, Sweet Rice Flour, Potato Starch, Grainless & Aluminum-free Baking Powder (sodium bicarbonate, sodium acid pyrophosphate, potato starch); Baking Soda, Sea Salt, Xanthan Gum

 

 Ok, I’ll be honest, this mix had a tough time competing from the get-go. I am a HUGE Pamela’s Products fan, and this mix had some big shoes to fill.

The modest 16 ounce boxed mix consists of a rice flour, tapioca flour and potato starch concoction. The mix itself was easy to blend, all you need to do is add milk, and egg and some oil.  The pancakes cook beautifully and come out a nice medium brown color with slightly crispy edges that prevented the pancakes from becoming too soggy or floppy. They look really good. The batter itself was pretty thick and I had to help spread it around a bit.

As for taste, it definately has a “rice flour” consistency and texture- dense with just a touch of graininess. They felt thick and heavy to eat, with a nice flavor to them. They didn’t turn into a soggy mess with the addition of some natural maple syrup. However, they just didn’t compare to my favorite, good  ol’ Pamela.

Pros: looks good, easy prep, a touch of crispness

Cons: A bit thick/dense, sticky texture

Rating: 3 1/2 stars

Where Can I Buy This Pancake Mix?

Conrad Rice Mill

LousianaCupboard.com

Ingredients: Rice flour, potato starch flour, tapioca flour, evaporated cane juice, baking powder, sea salt, xanthan gum