Calling all cornbread lovers! These Gluten Free Blueberry Buttermilk Cornmeal Pancakes are the perfect hybrid between fluffy buttermilk pancakes and sweet cornmeal muffins. You’ll love these topped with some plain Greek yogurt and a drizzle of honey or pure maple syrup.
ME BEFORE THE RECIPE…
So who’s been watching the Olympics, huh???!
My kids are loving sitting down and watching an event or two each evening. It’s their bonding time with Ben. After watching a few minutes of ice hockey, Emry was convinced that her dad was in the Olympics since he played hockey in college. It would be wrong of us to shatter that dream, so we just nod and say, “Uh huh.”
And every single time the bobsled or skeleton or luge events come on, Ben has to tell us once again about how he knew a girl in high school (just knew, not friends with) that won the Olympic gold in skeleton during the 2002 Winter Olympics. It’s kinda like how he has to repeatedly point out that if he would have been in high school one more year, his drama teacher would have cast him as Danny Zuko in their school’s production of Grease.
I think Ben likes the thought of fame. Fame and fortune.
I get it though. You can’t help but watch the Olympics and feel like there’s bigger and better things for you out in the world. I’m not saying we’re all destined to be Olympic athletes. I mean c’mon, I’m not that easily fooled. I still know where I stand physically compared with the rest of the population. My running pace may be faster than average, but it ain’t gonna win me no Olympic medal. Heck, I wasn’t even fast enough to run in college. All these quick, stumpy legs are gonna get me is a few extra bites of cookie for dessert…which, come to think of it, may be just as rewarding as an Olympic gold…depending on the cookie.
Although my time for any kind of potential Olympic stardom has disappeared, it’s fun to think about what talents my children have that could someday earn them recognition. Braelyn is all about the dancing lately. In fact, her religion teachers told me that they were considering bringing duct tape to church each week so they could strap her to her chair. My eyes, of course, bulged from my head at this news, thinking immediately that they were implying she was a distraction in class. They quickly informed me that she is a great student but that she constantly dances around. In their words, “she can’t walk anywhere, even if it’s just from one end of the room to the next. She’s ALWAYS dancing.”
There could be worse things in life.
I’ll tell you one thing though. She AIN’T gonna be a singer. She was trying to sing a song last night with some kind of raspy, indie voice and it took all I had not to crack up laughing. What can I say, when it comes to vocals, like mother like daughter.
Emry is my little gymnast. She is constantly climbing anything and everything and she has turned into quite the cartwheel master. That girl is 100% muscle and 110% determination. She wants to do everything herself. Everything.
I couldn’t be more satisfied that my children have chosen various activities to keep them active. Whether or not they earn scholarships or make any kind of career out of their physical talents, the most important thing is that they are active. There is no greater reward than a healthy functional body.
HERE COMES THE RECIPE…
And thus it is ever so important that I fuel my kiddos with the nutrients they need for energy, development, and stamina. This is exactly why we make breakfast a priority in our home. Every week, we decide on a breakfast menu and each kid gets two days to determine what we’re eating those mornings. I may have to get up slightly earlier to make sure a meal is on the table, but it’s worth every minute of lost sleep to assure my children start their day right.
One of the favorite menu items from last week were these Gluten Free Blueberry Buttermilk Cornmeal Pancakes. If you like pancakes and you like cornbread, you will LOVE these cornmeal pancakes.
Before I go any further, I can’t take all the credit for the deliciousness of this breakfast. I adapted this recipe from The Pioneer Woman’s cornmeal pancakes. And you know that if you start with a recipe from The Pioneer Woman, it’s going to be nothing short of tasty.
These pancakes are tender and fluffy like all buttermilk pancakes should be, yet they have this extra texture from the addition of cornmeal. Plus, once you cook them on the griddle, they create this slightly crispy outer crust that is just fabulous. FABULOUS I tell you!
The buttermilk gives them a rich flavor while assuring they don’t dry out during cooking. And here’s a tip for buttermilk. Instead of turning regular milk into buttermilk by adding lemon juice or vinegar, mix half full fat sour cream and milk together. Not only does it give the tang of buttermilk, but it is closer to the consistency of buttermilk instead of leaving you with a more watery copycat like that of the milk/lemon juice combo.
Now you could definitely leave these pancakes as plain old buttermilk cornmeal pancakes, but I’m telling you, adding fresh plump blueberries to the batter just elevates these pancakes. The blueberries cook just long enough in the batter that they begin to pop and release all kinds of yummy blueberry juice throughout your pancake. Delish!
These pancakes are so decadent and slightly sweet on their own that instead of dousing them with syrup, I opted to top my stack of pancakes with a scoop of plain Greek yogurt, a drizzle of honey or pure maple syrup, and some extra fresh fruit. I even sprinkled the top with cinnamon because who doesn’t love cinnamon and pancakes?!
The plain Greek yogurt adds creaminess along with a tart bite to balance the subtle sweetness of the pancakes. A drizzle of honey or pure maple syrup ensures that the tart yogurt doesn’t overwhelm the pancakes. And the fresh fruit…well, it’s fresh fruit! You gotta have some fresh fruit for breakfast. It’s a must.
My girls loved these pancakes so much that Emry asked if I could bring them for her school lunch the next day and Braelyn requested a peanut butter and jelly pancake sandwich. I happily obliged because you know I love getting rid of leftovers! I was going to be volunteering at the school, so I was able to bring Emry in her pancakes piping hot from home along with a fried egg. I think she felt like the coolest kid on campus with her heart shaped pancakes and a runny egg fresh from her mama’s kitchen.
So if you’re in the mood for something homey and comforting to start your day, may I suggest a short stack of Gluten Free Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes? They’ll leave you satisfied and feeling full of energy so you can train for your own personal Olympic gold.
YOU MIGHT ALSO ENJOY…
- Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Banana Pancakes
- Gluten Free Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes
- Gluten Free Perfect Pumpkin Pancakes
- Gluten Free Breakfast Banana Bread Waffles
- Gluten Free Honey Cornbread Muffins
- 1½ cup high quality gluten free flour or my preferred blend of ⅔ cup white rice flour, ⅓ cup brown rice flour, ¼ cup sorghum OR gluten free oat flour, ¼ cup tapioca starch, and 2 tablespoons potato starch*
- ½ teaspoon xanthan gum (if your flour blend does not already contain a gum)
- 1½ cups yellow cornmeal
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2¼ cups buttermilk (or 1 cup full fat sour cream plus 1¼ cup milk, I used 2%)
- 2 large eggs
- 3 teaspoons vanilla
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 cup fresh blueberries, rinsed and patted completely dry
- Toppings: plain Greek yogurt, pure maple syrup, honey, fresh fruit, cinnamon
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together gluten free flour or my preferred blend, xanthan gum (if your blend doesn't already contain a gum), cornmeal, salt, baking powder, and sugar until evenly distributed.
- Add buttermilk (or sour cream/milk mixture), eggs, and vanilla and whisk until smooth. Add melted butter and whisk until smooth.
- Let batter sit for 10 minutes to absorb some moisture. While batter is resting, preheat skillet to medium low heat (about 275 degrees).
- Once batter has sat, gently fold in blueberries. Spray skillet with cooking spray or melt extra butter in skillet. Drop about ¼ cup batter on skillet about 2-3" apart and smooth out tops if needed. Cook for 2-3 minutes until edges are set and bottom is golden brown. Flip and cook an additional 1-2 minutes on other side. Remove from skillet and repeat with remaining batter.
- Serve pancakes with a scoop of plain Greek yogurt, a drizzle of honey or pure maple syrup, fresh fruit, and a dash of cinnamon.
- Store leftover pancakes in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer. Wrap pancakes individually in plastic wrap so they do not stick.
