Gluten-Free Sourdough Pancakes with Cardamom & Orange Zest

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BySarah | Grains & Greens Kitchen Posted on

Fluffy, gluten-free sourdough pancakes spiced with cardamom and orange zest. Plush, bright and cozy — like perfect little breakfast pillows.

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A thick and tall stack of gluten-free sourdough discard pancakes on a pale blue plate. Maple syrup is poured from above, flowing off the sides and pooling at the bottom. Fresh oranges are piled on the side.
A thick and tall stack of gluten-free sourdough discard pancakes on a pale blue plate. Maple syrup is poured from above, flowing off the sides and pooling at the bottom.

These pancakes feel like a milestone to me.

I’ve been quietly experimenting with gluten-free sourdough recipes all summer, ever since we had a celiac diagnosis in our little family. I spent months of experimenting with gluten-free flours, and I’m only now zeroing in on a combination we actually all enjoy as a family.

In the meantime, I was left with a lot of gluten-free discard.
That’s how these pancakes came to be.

It’s not hard to find a gluten-free sourdough pancake recipe on the internet. But it is surprisingly difficult to find one that doesn’t use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour (or a homemade blend with an ingredients list the length of the Chinese wall). So I made up my own.

I’ve always been into all things baking and grains, including gluten-free flours. And I always loved the combination of oat and sweet rice flour. While most gluten-free flours taste grassy, these two flours both have a natural sweetness. They also create the best texture. This is going to sound so generic, but you really can’t tell that these pancakes are gluten-free.

It’s one of those lucky incidences, where the gluten-free version turns out better than the original. They have all the texture of an all-purpose pancake, but with so much more flavor.

Need proof? This is the first gluten-free breakfast the little lady gobbled up with a great big smile. (Apart from the gluten-free fruit loops dupe. But we’re not seriously counting that.)

Why You’ll Love This Gluten-Free Sourdough Pancake Recipe

  • Quick & Easy — Grating orange zest is the hardest part — you’ve got that, even before your first cup of coffee.
  • Only Real Ingredients — No gums, no fillers, no weird stuff. Just ingredients you recognize and trust.
  • Just Two Friendly Flours — Two easy-to-find flours come together for a soft texture and naturally sweet flavor.
  • Use Your Discard — Fermented grains are great for your gut – but that tangy flavor is the only reason you’ll ever need to use your discard.
  • Fluffy, Not Fragile — No dry crumbles or chalky disappointment. These are plush, pillowy, proper pancakes.
  • Adaptable & Allergy-Friendly — Dairy-free? Store-bought 1:1 blend instead? Totally works.
  • Fancy Yet Kid-Approved — Cardamom and orange zest sound fancy (they are), but the flavor is soft, warm, and deeply comforting.
Overhead view of a stack of gluten-free sourdough pancakes with a bite cut out and speared on a fork, showing the fluffy, plush texture inside.
Overhead view of a stack of gluten-free sourdough pancakes with a bite cut out and speared on a fork, showing the fluffy, plush texture inside.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Gluten-Free Sourdough Starter You can use either active starter or sourdough discard. I find that gluten-free discard turns bitter over time, so I wouldn’t use discard that’s been sitting in the fridge for a very long time.
If you don’t have a gluten-free starter yet, you can use my guide and checklist for Growing Your Own Sourdough Starter — it’s what I used to grow my own first GF starter! I feed my gluten-free stater with brown rice flour.

Oat Flour I love the sweet taste and smell of oat flour. It has the most familiar grain flavor of all the gluten-free flours. Use certified gluten-free oat flour and make sure that everyone you serve these to can tolerate oats (not every gluten-free eater can).

Sweet Glutinous Rice Flour Don’t worry — even though the word gluten is technically in the name, sweet rice flour is 100% gluten-free. It’s a sweet flour with a special starch, that’s very sticky and gives baked goods a very familiar chew and stretch. It almost feels like eating regular wheat flour.
Sweet white rice flour can be found in Asian supermarkets and some wholefoods stores.

Orange Zest The zest of one organic orange is enough to perfume the entire batch of pancakes. Rubbing it into the sugar with your fingertips releases the essential oils so the aroma can evenly spread throughout the batter.

Cardamom Cardamom is such a nostalgic flavor for me. It’s warm, floral and slightly spicy at the same time. It always feels luxurious to open the spice jar, no matter how many times you do it.

How to Make the Best Gluten-Free Sourdough Pancakes (Step-by-Step)

Make the Batter

01

In a small bowl, combine sugar and orange zest, and rub them together with your fingers until fragrant.
In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter, milk, egg and sourdough discard. Add the orange sugar and whisk to combine.

02

In a small bowl, combine oat flour, sweet rice flour, salt, baking powder and cardamom. Stir to combine.

Ingredients for gluten-free sourdough pancakes laid out on a striped tea towel, including bowls of sugar and orange zest, dry ingredients, and mixed wet ingredients. A zested orange and gold measuring spoons sit beside them.
Ingredients for gluten-free sourdough pancakes laid out in different bowls on a striped tea towel. Some of the bowls are already empty. A zested orange and gold measuring spoons sit beside them.

03

Add the dry ingredients into the wet. Stir only until there are no streaks of flour remaining but the batter is still thick and a little lumpy.

04

Rest the batter for 5 minutes while you preheat your pan or griddle.

Ingredients for gluten-free sourdough pancakes laid out on a striped tea towel, including two empty bowls for dry ingredients, and one bowl filled with the mixedpancake batter. A zested orange and gold measuring spoons sit beside them.
Thick, lumpy gluten-free pancake batter in a bowl with a quarter-cup measure dunked into it, showing the thick, bubbly texture.
Cook the Pancakes

01

Heat a large nonstick frying pan or griddle over medium-low heat and lightly grease with butter or coconut oil.
Use a ¼-cup measure to scoop the thickened batter into the hot, greased skillet. Don’t scrape it out, or you’ll deflate the bubbles and risk flat pancakes.

02

Cook until small bubbles break through the surface and the edges start to set, around 2 minutes. Carefully flip with a spatula and cook the other side for another minute or until browned and cooked through.

03

Stack the finished pancakes on a small plate as they finish cooking, until you’ve used up all the batter.

04

Serve with maple syrup.

Closeup of a stack of gluten-free sourdough pancakes, with maple syrup drizzled on from above.
Closeup of a stack of gluten-free sourdough pancakes, with maple syrup drizzled on from above and about to drip off the sides.

Tips

FOr the Best Gluten-Free Pancakes of Your Life

  • Everything at Room Temperature: Milk, discard and egg should be at room temperature before you add them to the melted butter. Otherwise the wet ingredients won’t combine and the butter might firm up again. If you failed to set the ingredients out in time, you can also gently heat butter and milk until the butter is just warm enough to dissolve (I do this in a microwave). Then add the cold discard and egg.
  • Don’t Skip the Rest: Resting the batter gives the gluten-free flours a chance to fully hydrate. It really makes a difference in the final texture, so don’t skip it — it’s only 5 minutes!
  • Cook Low & Slow: Pancakes don’t need a long time to cook, so there’s no need to try and rush things. Once the pan is preheated, turn the heat down to low, or your pancakes might burn quickly.
  • Protect Your Bubbles: Don’t scoop the batter out of the ½-cup measure, gently shake it out instead. Popping the bubbles may leads to flatter pancakes.

Variations

  • Make it Dairy-Free: Swap vegan block butter or refined coconut oil for regular butter. Replace whole milk with a gluten free oat milk or your favorite gluten free plant milk.
  • Use a 1:1 Flour Blend Instead: If you don’t have oat or sweet rice flour at home, you can also use 1 cup of a good quality 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour instead (though the texture might be a tad more dense).
  • Switch Spices: These pancakes play nicely with a lot of different flavors. Instead of cardamom, try adding 1-2 teaspoons of: vanilla extract, cinnamon, cocoa powder, poppy seeds or switch orange for lemon zest.
  • Add-Ins: For special occasions (or just extra fancy Saturdays), you can add a few chocolate chips, blueberries or chopped nuts to the wet surface of the cooking pancakes, after the first flip.
Overhead view of a stack of gluten-free sourdough pancakes with a maple syrup flowing off the sides, pooling at the bottom of the plate. a handful of whole cardamom pots is scattered across the striped tea towel beneath the plate.
Overhead view of a stack of gluten-free sourdough pancakes with a maple syrup flowing off the sides, pooling at the bottom of the plate.

How to Serve Gluten-Free Sourdough Pancakes

Stacked or fanned, drizzled or topped, everyone has their favorite way to serve pancakes.
I find these classic, fluffy pancakes work best with lighter toppings:

  • Maple Syrup Can’t go wrong with a classic. Please use real maple syrup (not artificial, sugary pancake syrup).
  • Fresh Berries or Fruit Compotes
    Try my Oven-Baked Fruit Compote, the syrup alone is great for drizzling over a warm stack.
    For a German-inspired morning, Cherry Cardamom Compote is a wonderful pancake topping!
  • Whipped Cream I usually advocate for Greek yogurt on pancakes, but lightly whipped cream is a dream on these super fluffy pancakes.
  • Bacon The sweet orange notes and mild spiciness of the cardamom pair so well with crispy, smokey (veggie) bacon. Drizzle with a little extra maple syrup. Yum!

How to Store and Freeze Pancakes

To Store:
Leftovers keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. They’ll firm up in the cold, but once reheated (in a toaster or microwave), they’ll return to their soft and fluffy selves.

To Freeze:
I don’t usually meal-prep pancakes, but I do batch-prep on occasion.

If you have more leftovers than you can manage, let the pancakes cool completely, then freeze them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer bag. Reheat straight from frozen.

Need more detailed tips? The Pioneer Woman has a full guide on freezing and reviving pancakes like a pro.

More from the Grains & Greens Kitchen

See All Breakfast Recipes
If you make these Gluten-Free SOurdough Pancakes with Cardamom & Orange Zest…

I’d love to hear how they turned out!
Don’t you just love the fluffy texture?

P.S. September 26th is National Pancake Day in the US!
Looking for more inspiration? Try one of my other cozy pancake recipes, full of goodness (but not gluten-free):

enjoy!

Gluten-Free Sourdough Pancakes with Cardamom & Orange Zest

These gluten-free sourdough pancakes are soft, fluffy and warmly spiced with cardamom and orange zest. Made with an easy 2-flour blend and tangy discard — the coziest way to start your fall morning.
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A thick and tall stack of gluten-free sourdough discard pancakes on a pale blue plate. Maple syrup is poured from above, flowing off the sides and pooling at the bottom.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time:5 minutes
Cook Time:10 minutes
Resting Time:5 minutes
Total Time:20 minutes
Servings:4
Calories:539kcal
Equipment
  • wire whisk - I love a silicone balloon whisk that doesn't scratch my bowls
  • frying pan or griddle - nonstick or cast iron
  • ¼-cup measure - for scooping batter into the pan
  • spatula - for flipping pancakes neatly
Ingredients

Wet Ingredients

  • 80 g sugar - (5 tbsp) I use raw cane sugar
  • zest of 1 organic orange
  • 30 g butter - (2 tbsp) melted and cooled
  • 240 ml whole milk - (1 cup)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 280 g gluten-free sourdough starter - (1 cup) either active starter or discard

Dry Ingredients

  • 130 g sweet glutinous rice flour - (¾ cup) cup also know as sweet white rice flour or sweet rice flour
  • 90 g gluten-free oat flour - (¾ cup)
  • 3 tsp gluten-free baking powder
  • 1 tsp ground cardamom
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Other Ingredients

  • butter - for greasing the pan
Instructions

Mix Wet Ingredients

  • In a small bowl, combine sugar and orange zest, and rub them together with your fingers until fragrant.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter, milk, egg and sourdough discard. Add the orange sugar and whisk to combine.

Mix Dry Ingredients

  • In a small bowl, combine oat flour, sweet rice flour, salt, baking powder and cardamom. Stir to combine.

Mix The Batter

  • Add the dry ingredients into the wet. Stir only until there are no streaks of flour remaining. The batter should be thick and a little lumpy.
  • Rest the batter for 5 minutes while you preheat your pan or griddle.

Cook the Pancakes

  • Heat a large nonstick frying pan or griddle over medium-low heat and lightly grease with butter or coconut oil.
  • Use a ¼-cup measure to scoop the thickened batter into the hot, greased skillet. Don’t scrape it out, or you’ll deflate the bubbles and risk flat pancakes.
  • Cook until small bubbles break through the surface and the edges start to set, around 2 minutes. Carefully flip with a spatula and cook the other side for another minute or until browned and cooked through.
  • Stack the finished pancakes on a small plate as they finish cooking, until you’ve used up all the batter.

Serve and Store

  • Serve with maple syrup. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Notes
  1. Sweet glutinous rice flour can be found in most Asian supermarkets or in some health food stores.
  2. Milk, discard and egg should be at room temperature, or the butter might firm up again. If you didn’t set the ingredients out in time, gently heat butter and milk until just warm enough to dissolve the butter, then add the cold discard and egg.
  3. Resting the batter really makes a difference in the final texture, so don’t skip it — it’s only 5 minutes!
  4. Once the pan is preheated, turn the heat down to low, or your pancakes might burn quickly.
  5. Gently shake the batter out of the ½-cup measure, don’t scrape it out. Popping the bubbles may leads to flatter pancakes.
  6. For dairy-free pancakes, use vegan block butter or refined coconut oil instead of butter. Replace whole milk with a gluten free oat milk or your favorite gluten free plant milk.
  7. You can use 1 cup of a good quality 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour if you don’t have oat or sweet rice flour at home.
  8. Serve with maple syrup, bacon, fresh berries, compote or whipped cream.
Author: Sarah | Grains & Greens Kitchen
Calories: 539kcal
Tried this recipe?Let me know how it turned out!

Recipe FAQs

You can’t replace the sweet glutinous rice flour in this recipe, since we need it for its binding properties. Without it, the pancakes will be more brittle and crumbly. But you can replace the oat flour with buckwheat, teff, millet or sorghum flour. The flavor will be different though. Always replace gluten-free flours by weight for best results.

Sadly, no. Sweet white rice flour is made from a rice variety with a unique, sticky starch. Regular brown rice flour will not yield the same chewy texture and it will not bind the ingredients the same way. If you can’t get your hands on sweet white rice flour, a 1:1 gluten-free blend is your best choice.

I haven’t tried. Eggs are especially important as a binder in gluten-free baking. My best guess would be a store-bought vegan egg replacer. Or you can try one of these egg substitutes (I’d try aquafaba first).

I find that my gluten-free discard grows bitter the longer it sits in the fridge. Use fresh discard that’s just a few days old, active starter, or fix your bitter discard with my Discard Reset Method.

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5 from 1 vote

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One Comment

  1. 5 stars
    These sound delicious, I’ve been actually on a cardamom and orange zest kick lately. What a perfect fit. And how cool that you found the perfect flour combo for gluten-free. Saving this!

    Reply