Hemp Flour Pancakes: Gluten-Free and Fluffy

Hemp flour pancakes come out dark green, nutty in flavor, and noticeably more filling than wheat ones. The reason can be measured. Hemp cake flour has 31.62% protein and 43.76% fiber in dry mass, while wheat has 12.45% and 1.51%, respectively, as established by Capcanari and colleagues in the journal Foods. However, this flour does not contain gluten, so the batter behaves differently than wheat: it does not stretch, browns faster, and easily breaks when flipping. The recipe below combines 40 g of hemp flour with 80 g of rice flour, as in this proportion the pancakes are still distinctly green but no longer crumbly. I show the ingredients, the order of steps, and three moments when the hemp pancake most often falls apart.

KEY INFORMATION
• Hemp cake flour has 31.62% protein and 43.76% fiber in dry mass compared to 12.45% and 1.51% in wheat flour (Capcanari et al., Foods 2023).
• Hemp flour does not produce wet gluten at all, while wheat flour produces 24.80% (the same study).
• The higher the proportion of hemp flour in the mixture, the harder and less elastic the baked product, as measured in bread with a proportion from 5 to 40%.
• Hemp oil is 75% polyunsaturated fatty acids (Siano et al., Molecules 2018), so it belongs in the batter and on the finished dish, not on a hot pan.

What does hemp flour change in pancake batter?

It changes two things at once: nutritional composition up and batter consistency down. Hemp flour is made from cake, which is what remains from the seeds after oil extraction, so protein and fiber are concentrated in it. The Capcanari team directly compared it with wheat flour, and the differences turned out to be significant.

The data comes from the work of Capcanari et al., Foods 2023, in which both flours were tested using the same method. The last row explains the rest of the recipe: wet gluten is a protein network that in wheat batter traps steam and allows the pancake to stretch. There is none of this in hemp flour, so the consistency of the batter relies on eggs and swollen rice starch. Two independent measurements gave a similar result for protein: Siano et al., Molecules 2018 measured 30.7% protein in hemp flour of the Fedora variety compared to 24.8% in the whole seeds from which this flour is made. I have separately outlined the proportions for various baked goods in the text about hemp flour in baking.

How much fiber do these pancakes really provide?

Forty grams of hemp flour corresponds to about 16 g of fiber according to Capcanari’s measurement. The entire batch yields eight to ten pancakes, or two to three servings, so each person gets from 5 to 8 g. The same amount of wheat flour would provide less than one gram, as it has 1.51% fiber compared to 43.76%.

What this difference changes beyond the feeling of fullness has been investigated in large groups. Threapleton et al. in BMJ (2013) gathered 22 cohort publications and calculated the dose-response relationship: each additional 7 g of fiber per day was associated with a 9% lower risk of cardiovascular disease (confidence interval 95%: from 6% to 12%). The authors note moderate heterogeneity of results between studies and that these are observational studies, not experiments. An inverse relationship has been shown for insoluble fractions, which dominate in hemp: in whole seeds, out of 33.8 g of total fiber, 30.9 g is insoluble fraction, as measured by Mattila et al. (Plant Foods for Human Nutrition, 2018). One meal does not determine anything here, but the direction is known.

What do you need for eight pancakes?

The following proportions yield a batter slightly thicker than classic pancake batter and are enough for eight to ten pieces, or two to three servings. All ingredients are gluten-free.

• 80 g gluten-free rice flour
• 40 g hemp flour
• 1 teaspoon gluten-free certified baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 2 large eggs
• 250 ml plant-based milk: almond, coconut, or gluten-free oat
• 1 tablespoon hemp or coconut oil for the batter
• 1 teaspoon coconut oil or ghee for frying
• for serving: seasonal fruits, coconut yogurt, honey, or shelled hemp seeds

Do not pour hemp oil onto the pan. Siano and colleagues broke down the fatty acids of cold-pressed oil: 56.1% is linoleic acid, 14.9% is alpha-linolenic acid, and 3.0% is gamma-linolenic acid, which together make up 75% of the polyunsaturated fraction. Such fat oxidizes at high temperatures much faster than coconut oil or ghee, so for frying, use one of those two. Leave hemp oil for the batter or for drizzling on finished pancakes, where its nutty note actually holds up better.

How to fry hemp flour pancakes step by step?

Preparing the batter takes five minutes, frying about fifteen. Preheat the pan beforehand, as the first pancake always turns out worse than the rest, regardless of the flour.

1. In a large bowl, mix rice flour, hemp flour, baking powder, and salt. Rub the lumps of hemp flour with your fingers, as it tends to clump together.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs with plant-based milk and a tablespoon of oil. Slowly pour the mixture into the dry ingredients while continuously mixing with a whisk. A few small lumps are fine.
3. Cover the bowl with a cloth and let it rest for 5 minutes. During this time, the rice starch will swell, and the hemp flour will bind the liquid, slightly thickening the batter. Without this resting period, the pancakes will turn out crumbly.
4. Heat a 24 to 26 cm diameter pan for 2 to 3 minutes over medium heat. Spread a thin layer of coconut oil over it with a paper towel. A drop of batter should sizzle immediately.
5. Pour about 3 tablespoons of batter and spread it with a wrist motion. Fry for 2.5 to 3 minutes until the edges are visibly browned and the center stops shining. Flip with a wide spatula and fry for another 1.5 minutes.
6. Remove the pancakes to a warm plate. Serve with fruits, a spoonful of coconut yogurt, and honey or maple syrup, and sprinkle shelled hemp seeds on top.

Why do hemp pancakes break on the pan?

Almost always for one of three reasons, each of which can be eliminated. The first is too high a proportion of hemp flour. The Capcanari team substituted 5 to 40% of wheat flour with hemp in bread, and the further they went, the harder, less elastic, and poorer in porosity the baked product became. The same dependency applies to pancakes: with a half-and-half ratio, the batter falls apart on the spatula, while with 40 g to 120 g of mixture, it holds together well.

The second reason is too hot a pan. Hemp flour has almost eight times more fat than wheat and burns faster before the center can set. If the pancake browns in less than two minutes, lower the heat. The third reason is the omitted resting period of the batter, described in step three.

The simplest way to improve the elasticity of the batter is to add half a mashed banana, which additionally binds it with starch and naturally sweetens it; I have outlined the proportions for this variant in the recipe for banana pancakes with hemp flour. For an egg-free version, use two tablespoons of ground flaxseed soaked in six tablespoons of water, adding 2 to 3 tablespoons more milk. If you prefer a baked good that does not require flipping, check out chocolate muffins with hemp flour.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are hemp flour pancakes gluten-free?

Hemp cake flour does not produce wet gluten at all, while wheat flour produces 24.80% (Capcanari et al., Foods 2023). The recipe is gluten-free provided that the rice flour and baking powder are certified. If you have celiac disease, check the packaging, as cross-contamination can occur in mills.

Why are hemp flour pancakes green?

Green pigments remain in the cake after oil extraction and transfer to the flour. Along with them, mineral components remain: hemp flour has over twelve times more than wheat flour, 6.21% compared to 0.49% dry mass (Capcanari et al., Foods 2023). After frying, the green color fades but does not disappear.

How much protein does hemp flour contribute to these pancakes?

Hemp flour contains 31.62% protein in dry mass compared to 12.45% in wheat (Capcanari et al., Foods 2023), which is over two and a half times more. Forty grams used in this recipe provides about 12 g of protein, plus two eggs and plant-based milk.

What can replace rice flour in this recipe?

You can replace rice flour with buckwheat or gluten-free oat flour, maintaining the ratio of 80 g of base to 40 g of hemp flour. Do not increase the proportion of the latter: the more hemp flour in the mixture, the harder and less elastic the baked product, as measured in bread (Capcanari et al., Foods 2023).

Can the pancake batter be prepared a day in advance?

Yes, the batter lasts in the fridge for up to 12 hours covered. Hemp flour settles at the bottom of the container, so it needs to be stirred vigorously before frying. The finished pancakes can be stored for two days in the fridge layered with baking paper or a month in the freezer.

This article is for informational and educational purposes and does not replace consultation with a doctor. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medications, or have chronic conditions, consult the use of supplements or herbs with a specialist.

Author: Michał Waluk · Published: 2026-06-08 · Updated: 2026-08-15