Gluten Free Pandan Mochi Pancakes

On Instagram, it’s almost like a requirement every food blogger do a pancake drizzled with maple syrup shot. I mean I get it. It’s a very mouth-watering shot with stunning syrup dripping off pancakes. But unfortunately, pancakes were never my thing. I always thought they were just…okay. So I set out to make some pancakes I actually liked. And that’s how I got these pandan mochi pancakes. It combines my love of pandan and sweet rice flour into one recipe. It’s also gluten free!

Ingredients, Substitutions & Adjustments

• Granulated sugar – Adds sweetness to the pancakes. I used sugar in this recipe because it adds the perfect amount of sweetness and liquid content. You can substitute with raw sugar. If you choose to substitute with light or dark brown sugar, just keep in mind it will change the pancake texture since it has more liquid than granulated sugar.
• Butter – Adds a nutty flavor to the pancakes.
• Eggs – Adds a richness to the pancakes and helps make them fluffy.
• Whole milk – This is the main liquid component of these pancakes. Any kind of milk should work for this recipe but I like using whole milk the best because it has a good fat content and has a neutral flavor.
• Vanilla extract – Adds flavor to the pancakes. Good substitutes are 1 vanilla bean or an equal amount of vanilla paste.
• Pandan paste – This adds the pandan flavor to the pancakes. If you do get your hands on fresh pandan, I would toast the pandan leaves for 30 seconds and then steep them in the milk for 30 minutes.
• Salt – Brings out the flavor of the other ingredients. Any kind of salt should work for this recipe.
• Sweet rice flour – This is the main dry ingredient in this dish and adds a chewy texture to the pancakes. You can substitute with all purpose flour, but this will make the pancake texture less chewy. If you use AP flour, I would also make sure to not overmix the batter because it will create for a tougher pancake.
• Baking powder – Helps the pancake rise and gives it that fluffy texture.

What is pandan?

Pandan is a plant that is widely used in Southeast Asia to flavor foods. You can almost think of it like their vanilla. It has notes of rose, almond, and vanilla. But unlike vanilla, it gives food a green color as well as a yummy flavor. It is used in both savory and sweet foods. Some popular uses are pandan jelly, pandan rice cakes, and even pandan chicken. I personally like using pandan in desserts like creme brulee and mochi donuts.

It is a popular ingredient in Southeast Asia, but not that popular in Western countries. Personally, I think the Western world is sleeping on pandan. Since it’s not widely used, it can often be hard to find. You can sometimes find fresh or frozen pandan in Asian grocery stores, but the most common form of pandan you will find is pandan paste. This is a very concentrated form of pandan however, so be careful how much you use.

Why I like using sweet rice flour

Sweet rice flour is one of my favorite ingredients to use, especially in sweets. (I consider pancakes a sweet because of the amount of sugar involved in a pancake dish.) What I love most about it is the texture it gives food. Sweet rice flour gives food a chewy, pillowy texture which it derives from the sticky rice it is made with. The other great thing about sweet rice flour is that it is gluten free! This is a huge win for people with celiac disease because you can get a similar texture to gluten based desserts without the negative side effects.

Making my pandan mochi pancakes

First combine granulated sugar and melted butter in a bowl until a smooth consistency. Next whisk in your eggs. Add whole milk, vanilla extract, pandan paste, and salt and mix until a uniform green mixture forms. Lastly, add the sweet rice flour and baking powder. Mix until a thick batter forms. It’s okay to have a few lumps.

The next step is to cook your pancakes! Melt butter in a small pan. Use a 1/3 cup measuring cup to spoon some batter into the center of the pan. Move the measuring cup in a circular motion to create that perfect circular, pancake shape. Cook the pancake until small bubbles start to form (1-2 minutes). Flip the pancake and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Transfer the pancake to a plate and repeat the process for the rest of the batter. Top with fresh fruit and a drizzle of maple syrup. This recipe should yield about 8 pancakes.

Did you make these pandan mochi pancakes?

If you made this dish, I would love to see!

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