Fermented pancakes! Get on board!
Have you ever made pancakes using yeast? Spoiler alert: it’s madness!
 
My favorite scent on the planet is Pancakes Cooking on the Griddle.
I know…shocker.
After announcing on Monday that I’m writing a gluten-free pancakes e-cookbook, you can imagine if there were a Pancakes Cooking on the Griddle air freshener I’d be all over it.
I bet you’re wondering what my second favorite smell is. Well, I’ll just tell you: it’s that of Yeasty Dough Rising. Combine Pancakes Cooking on the Griddle and Yeast Dough Rising, and we’re talking nirvana.
Making these pancakes brought back fond memories from childhood. Â My family was big on weekend pancake breakfasts, plus my mom used to bake homemade bread regularly. For me, these overnight yeast pancakes are a hybrid of the two. They smell (and taste) just like homemade bread, but with a super moist and spongy texture. I think this may just be the most comforting breakfast I have ever made.
In spite of my long history with the breakfast food, you’re looking at my first go at yeasted pancakes. And you guys, this was the best first fermented pancake experience a girl could ask for!
Asyouknow, I love the process of fermentation, so these pancakes were a pleasure to make. You can smell the yeast come alive as it activates in water, and while it’s flourishing in the batter. Just be sure to use a large mixing bowl when whipping up this recipe, because the batter just.keeps.growing!
 
I used a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend for these pancakes, and the yeast still worked like a dream! Those of us who eat a gluten-free diet can still use yeast in our pizza dough, breads, and pancake batter. As long as the yeast has something to feed off of (sugar/starch, water), it will happily do its job.
If you’re intimidated by cooking with yeast, don’t be! All you have to do is allow the yeast to sit in lukewarm (105 to 110 degrees F) water for a few minutes prior to adding your other ingredients, and you’re good to go.
 
I used Red Star Active Dry Yeast for the pancake batter. I prepared the batter at night, allowed it to sit covered on the counter until morning, and was amazed to wake up and see my batter was full of little air bubbles and it had tripled in volume. Eureka! She works! Once the batter is ready, you crack a couple of eggs into it, heat the griddle, and get your pancake on.
While there are options galore for serving these bad boys, I went the strawberry topping route. Please don’t skip the strawberry topping! You heat fresh chopped strawberries with pure maple syrup in a saucepan and allowed them to stew and soften for 10ish minutes. Sinking your teeth into the buttery pancakes with strawberry topping is a real mind meld of a perfect bite. It pretty much tastes like cloud nine melting all over your tastebuds.
 
Put yeast in your pancakes and feast!
Overnight Yeast Pancakes with Strawberry Topping (gluten free)
Ingredients
Overnight Yeast Pancakes:
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 1 package Red Star Active Dry Yeast
- 2 cups almond milk
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted and cooled
- 2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons coconut sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
For the Strawberry Topping
- 16 ounces strawberries
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- pinch sea salt
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the warm water and yeast. Stir together and allow mixture to sit 5 to 10 minutes. Add the melted butter and almond milk and stir to combine.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and sea salt. Pour the flour mixture into the bowl with the yeast/almond milk mixture and mix until all clumps are out. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and allow it to sit at room temperature overnight (or at least 4 hours)
- Add the eggs and baking soda to the pancake batter and mix until combined.
- Heat a non-stick skillet to medium and add enough oil or butter to coat the surface. Measure out a scant ¼ cup of pancake batter and pour onto the skillet. Allow batter to cook until many air bubble rise to the surface, and the sides firm up, about 1 to 2 minutes. Carefully flip pancake and allow the other side to cook an additional 1 to 2 minutes. Repeat for remaining batter
Prepare the Strawberry Topping:
- Add all ingredients for the strawberry topping to a medium-sized saucepan. Cover and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and continue cooking, covered, until strawberries have softened, but are still al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Serve pancakes with butter, strawberry topping and/or pure maple syrup.
Nutrition
This post is sponsored by Red Star Yeast, and all thoughts, feelings, and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brand that make this site possible.
Oh YUM! I can’t believe I’ve never made yeasted pancaked. Gotta get on it. Also, I missed the e-cookbook announcing but YEAH! So fun. Happy Friday, friend!
Happy Friday to you too! Yup, if you’re a pancake lover, you’ve gotta try them with yeast – SERIOUS game changer!!
Those happen to be 2 of my top 5 favorite smells, too. There’s just something so rewardingly fantastic about biting into a big pile of carbs, and those smells let me know that carby goodness is in my future. Specifically, THIS carby goodness is in my future. I’ve been craving pancakes since your announcement, and I can’t really turn these down.
Yeeeeah, so happy I’m in good company! Lately, my house has been smelling like a pancake factory, and I’ve just been loving it.
I think you’ll adore these flapjacks, m’dear! The yeast seriously takes the whole thing up a few notches! Have a great weekend!
Now you’ve got me dreaming of the scent of yeasty pancakes! Ugh, they sound so good. And anything with the word overnight in it is a win in my book.
I have to tell ya, I really wish I lived closer so that I could help you taste-test this pancake e-book. Feed me all the pancakes!! But more importantly because I want to hang out and drink wine with you. Oooohhh, how about a wine and pancake date? Would that be weird?
Oh girl, I wish I could mail you batches upon batches of pancakes. I have this fear that my friends will get sick of me giving them pancakes, haha! So far, they’ve been happy recipients, but good golly, let’s see how many more they can take.
A wine and pancakes date is not weird at all. Not by any stretch of the imagination. Let’s do it!
These pancakes sound very interesting. I do not eat gluten free, so I’m curious if regular flour (whole wheat) would work. If so, I’d definitely try them.
Yup, regular all-purpose flour or whole wheat will work! Yaaay, I’m glad you’re interested in trying them!
These pancakes look amazingly delicious! I love the fact they can be made overnight – so good. That strawberry topping is amazing too! Thanks for sharing, Julia!
Whoooooooa! I have literally never heard of yeasted pancakes before but OMG they sound fantastic!
Anything with a strawberry topping, I am so for it. This looks amazing
TOTALLY on board with the pancake scented air freshener. Hook me up friend! =) with BOTH these pancakes AND the freshener of course!
Holy mother of pancakes. These look amazing. Yeast is the best scent. Someone should make a yeast-scented candle. Love this recipe.
I can only imagine how good THESE smell cooking on the griddle. Mmm, and with all those strawberries and butter. What an awesome and unique recipe. I think these will be calling my name this Sunday morning!! 🙂
Admittedly I have never had a yeasted pancake but laaawwwwd, these look too good to go another day without ’em! Pinned!
They look amazing Julia! Love breakfasts that can be made in advance.
Pinned!
ENjoy your day.
I can’t believe I’ve never heard about yeasted pancaked before!! They look awesome my friend. Can’t wait for your ebook 😉 .
Have a wonderful weekend, friend 😉
Amen sista! I thought I was the only one who luuuuurved the smell of rising yeast dough. And excuse me no I can enjoy it in pancake form? Done and done. I’ve made yeast waffles and pancakes but I never let mine sit 4 hours to overnight and I’m resenting that fact now because it’s obviously going to more amazing overnight. All that means is that I have to make your insanely delicious looking recipe tomorrow morning 😉
Cheers to yeasted breakfast! I found the batter doesn’t need a uuuuuge amount of sitting time – like it doesn’t actually have to sit overnight. The overnight thing is just great for make-ahead purposes. But a few hours is choice. Cheers to all the fluffy yeasty pancakes!
I ADORE the taste of yeast. Gimme alllll the pancakes with tons of strawbs and buttah!
Just.Yes. Let’s have a pancake brunch, just you, me, and the champagne. 😉
I’ve heard of yeast in waffles, but yeast in PANCAKES?! That is sheer craziness. I love it.
what would you think of using this batter in a waffle iron? i love a nice fluffy waffle and am curious if it would come out that way with this type of batter
Hi Stephanie,
So funny you mention the waffle idea! I’m actually posting a very similar waffle recipe in a few weeks. The answer is yes – you can definitely make waffles out of this batter! Hope you enjoy. xo