Almond Flour Keto Pancakes - Light and Fluffy! (2024)

FAQs

What makes pancakes light instead of dense? ›

Too much egg, however, will make the pancake dense and custard-like; not enough will make it drier and more biscuit-like. Baking powder and baking soda are the chemical leaveners typically used in pancakes. They are responsible for the bubbles in the batter, and for making the cakes light and fluffy.

Almond flour naturally has a bit more of a grainy texture than wheat flour, so you can expect these pancakes to have a little bit of graininess to them. (Think sort of like a cornbread texture.)

Pancakes and waffles typically both contain baking soda, which causes them to rise. As soon as the baking soda is combined with the wet ingredients (which contain an acidic ingredient, like often buttermilk), it starts producing carbon dioxide gas bubbles that cause the batter to rise.

The procedure I use is combine dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda), then mix milk and egg yolks in a small bowl. Beat the egg whites until stiff. Then add the milk/egg mixture and lastly add the egg whites. This should result in a fluffier pancake.

The secret to fluffy restaurant style pancakes? Buttermilk! The acid in the buttermilk reacts to the leavening agents in the pancake batter, creating air bubbles that make the pancakes tall and fluffy. It's a simple switch that makes all the difference.

Flat pancakes are nearly always because of expired baking powder, too little baking powder for the recipe size, or too thin of a batter. How to fix flat pancakes: First, test your baking powder by adding a teaspoon of baking powder in a glass and adding a tablespoon of water or two.

Usually, pancake batter has baking soda or baking powder. Those react to water and heat— first reacting when the batter is mixed, then when the batter is cooked. The leavenings react and form carbon dioxide— the bubbles. The bubbles lift the batter, making it thick and fluffy.

When cooked, the chemical leaveners (the baking powder and baking soda) in the pancakes created large air bubbles. The loose gluten network captured the air bubbles and maintained the each pancake's shape while still keeping it fluffy with air.

Don't be tempted to add more than the recipe suggests, as too much baking powder will make pancakes taste soapy. Alternatively, you could use self-raising flour, which will add to the amount of raising agent in the recipe and potentially make your pancakes fluffier.

Why are American pancakes fluffy? ›

Baking powder

The reaction shows the acid and base reacting to form carbon dioixide bubbles, water, and Na+ ions. These bubbles get trapped in the batter and start to increase the volume. This is essential for making the pancakes light and fluffy in texture.

Dense pancakes, this is different than thick and fluffy, happen because the flour was improperly measured and the batter has too much flour. When the pancake batter is too thick without enough baking powder to help it “lift” you will have dense, thick pancakes as the outcome.

Don't overmix the batter.

Over-mixing the batter means that the raising agent won't aerate properly. Pancake batter should be mixed until just combined. Go against your gut instincts and don't worry about a lumpy batter if you want to avoid stodgy pancakes.

Eggs are a crucial ingredient. They provide the cakes with the structure to hold light bubbles. Eggs also give the batter additional, richer flavor from the yolk fat. If you add too many eggs, you'll have “pancakes” that look more like custard or crepes.