Sunday was one of those mornings when you roll out of bed and are sure you never want to leave the house; just hunker down, stay warm and be an observer to the blustery, wet and windy day that is continuing out the windows.

It was freeeezing here in usually Sunny So Cal,  and the wet winds were making the rain sound even heavier and harder and made staying inside even nicer.  Hot coffee, warm stacks of pancakes and sizzling Applewood smoked bacon were most definitely the answer to the , “I’m stuck in on a Sunday during SPRING BREAK!,” blues.

My crazy bedhead donning family barely shuffled to the table, eyes half open and I had pancakes on the griddle, bacon on the warming shelf, and stacks of dirty dishes to prove that I had been working hard while they had been slumbering. I wish I had taken their pictures. That would have made for a more entertaining post today.

At least the dog had been up with me at the crack of dawn, taking stock of our options, and was looking rather confused by the sheets of water and puddles which obstructed her beeline to the grassy yard as I opened the door to let her out. She voted for the pineapple pancakes, and I voted for the Cinnamon Chocolate Chip GF pancakes. It was a tie and me, being the fair minded person that I am, made both. Why the heck not?! I had nothing better to do. I am not someone who enjoys sitting around in an eerily quiet house twiddling my thumbs or organizing shelves. I need to be up to my elbows in flour or out at the grocery store to be content.

The cinnamon chocolate chip (GF) pancakes are a little spicy, fragrant and soft and tender with no hint of that awful, “It mus be gluten free,” vibe. My pineapple pancakes are famous around these parts (or at least in my own family)  and are tangy, sweet and oh so very fluffy. So, not a single reader should be disappointed here today. GF, not GF, your options are equally compelling. Just don’t ask me to make vegan pancakes.  I haven’t conquered those yet, but there’s always another rainy day…that would be a good project the next time.

For the Pineapple Pancakes recipe, please click the link.

Gluten Free  Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Pancakes 

Adapted from Gluten-Free Baking Classics written by Annalise G. Roberts. See book review below the recipe!
Makes about 6-7  three inch in diameter pancakes (no more…trust me…if you want more, double the recipe)
1 c. GF pastry flour blend (see my GF tab at the top for the recipe I use)
1/2 t. baking soda
1 1/2 t. baking powder
2 T. granulated sugar
1/2 t. ground cinnamon
1/2 t. salt
1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons. almond milk (I like to use vanilla unsweetened)
1 egg
1/2 t. natural GF vanilla extract
1 T.  Canola oil
1/2 c. GF chocolate chips

To make the pancakes: When working with a gluten free flour blend, ALWAYS shake up the container with the flour first. Really, it makes a difference and helps to aerate the blend. Then, gently spoon flour into measuring cup (over the container so excess just goes right back in) and with a butter knife, level off the flour. GLUTEN FREE FLOUR SHOULD NEVER BE SCOOPED WITH THE MEASURING CUP and PACKED in! Sorry for yelling, but this is essential information for light and fluffy anything when making GF baked goods or such.

Now that we got that nonsense out of the way, you can dump the flour and next five ingredients from baking soda through milk powder into a large mixing bowl. WHISK! Again, any air you can incorporate into the batter will help it to stay fluffy.

Now heat up the griddle before going any further. I usually put a cap full of Canola oil and a pat of butter (about 1 T.) towards each end of my large griddle. Turn on the griddle to medium or medium high depending on how hot your stove gets. As the butter melts, grease the pan with a paper towel to amply coat the pan (don’t let the paper towel catch on fire…I refuse to be responsible for that!).

In a large liquid measuring cup or small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk through the vanilla. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry and whisk just 5-10 times ONLY, leaving lumps. If it’s not mixed enough, then stir with a rubber scraper instead of more whisking. Sometimes, I need to add a tablespoon or so more of water to make the batter a little less pudding-like. GF batters always seem gelatinous to me…and this one is no exception. It will still be gelatinous and should be. This batter doesn’t really resemble non-GF or normal pancake batter to me, but it comes out great anyway. Add the chocolate chips and stir them in.

To test if the pan is hot enough, just drip a smidgen of batter onto the edge of the pan. If it sizzles, but does NOT burn, it’s good and ready. If it burns right away, then turn down your griddle and wait a minute unti it cools down a little. Ladel batter onto your HOT pan. Cook for about a minute (take a peek and if golden, then flip) and then flip and cook about another 30 seconds – 1 minute.  Serve with warm syrup and a few extra chocolate chips for good measure. Enjoy!

Gluten Free Baking Classics is a thorough GF cookbook that helps make GF baking easy and delicious. Annalise Roberts gives us detailed explanations of how to properly measure GF flours and mix them for the best possible results. We have  tried her waffles, pancakes and chocolate chip cookies and have been amazed that they are so soft, the textures are excellent and the taste is yummy. Please buy the book if you or someone you know or love needs to eat GF. You will be very happy you did.