Pistachio Flour Pancakes
These pistachio flour pancakes are a delicious low-carb breakfast. Made with raw pistachios ground into a flour-like consistency, these easy flourless pancakes have a wonderfully nutty flavor with hints of cardamom, cloves, and almond.
These pistachio pancakes have a rich, nutty pistachio flavor, and perfect for breakfast or brunch.
Pistachios are naturally rich and flavorful, so grinding them into a flour-like consistency creates a unique base for these pancakes. And, you don’t need to buy pistachio flour. This recipe shows you how to make your own by simply grinding raw pistachios before mixing them with the rest of the ingredients.
If you’ve been searching for flourless pancakes or pancakes without flour, this is one to add to your breakfast rotation, along with these almond flour pancakes.
A Quick Glance at these Pistachio Flour Pancakes
Here’s why I think these pancakes are worth trying:
- Low carb recipe made without flour: The recipe uses ground pistachios instead of wheat flour to make 5-6 pancakes (depending on size)
- Full of pistachio flavor: these are perfect for the pistachio lover.
- Warmly spiced: Cardamom, cloves, and almond extract complement the pistachios beautifully.
- Easy to make: The batter comes together in one bowl.
- Total time: 20-24 minutes, with a prep time of 5 minutes and a cook time of 4 minutes or so for each of the 6 pancakes.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Raw Pistachios
Use unsalted raw pistachios for this recipe. The pistachios are ground until they have a flour-like consistency and become the main base of the pancake batter. Some pistachios have more brown skin on them and they might result in a pistachio flour that is less green. I usually use these pistachios in most of my recipes. You could roast and skin the pistachios before you grind them for greener pancakes (which would add more time and effort to this recipe), or use these greener pistachios.
Baking Powder
This helps give the pancakes some lift as they cook.
Salt
A small amount balances the flavors and helps enhance the pistachio and spice flavors.
Cloves
Just a bit adds a subtle warm spice note. Since cloves have a strong flavor, a little goes a long way.
Cardamom
Cardamom adds a fragrant, slightly citrusy flavor that works wonderfully with pistachios.
Monk Fruit Sweetener
I used monk fruit sweetener in this, but you can also use granulated sugar. I have made this recipe without any sweetener and it has turned out almost savory. So, if savory pancakes are what you want, leave out the sugar. If not, then add in a tbsp or 2.
Eggs
I used a couple of large eggs to help bind the ground pistachios and other ingredients together.
Almond Milk
I wanted to keep this dairy-free so I used almond milk, but any other nut milk, oat milk or soy will work too.
Almond Extract
This enhances the natural nutty flavor of the pistachios and adds a lovely aroma to the pancakes. If you don’t have any almond extract on hand, vanilla extract can be used, but keep in mind the the flavor and aroma will be slightly different.
Oil
You’ll also need a little oil for cooking the pancakes in your skillet or electric griddle. Or, feel free to use butter.
How to Make Pistachio Flour
One of the easiest parts of this recipe is making your own pistachio flour.
Place the 2 cups of raw pistachios into a food processor or high-speed grinder and pulse until they reach a flour-like consistency.
You don’t want to blend continuously for too long. I have tried this and the result has been pistachio butter! Pistachios contain natural oils, so prolonged processing can turn finely ground pistachios into pistachio butter.
For these pancakes, stop processing when the pistachios look like a fine, slightly textured flour.
Instructions
Step 1: Grind the pistachios
Add the raw pistachios to a food processor. Pulse until the pistachios have a flour-like consistency (usually 4 to 5 quick pulses). Be careful not to over-process them.
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Step 2: Mix the dry ingredients
Transfer the ground pistachios to a large bowl. To the bowl, add in the baking powder, salt, coves, cardamom, and sweetener. Mix everything together until the dry ingredients are evenly distributed.
Step 3: Add the eggs and milk
Add the wet ingredients: the almond milk, eggs, and almond extract, to the dry ingredients. Mix until the ingredients are combined and you have a thick pancake batter.
Step 4: Heat your pan
Place a skillet over low to medium heat—somewhere between the medium and low mark. I use a gas stove and I have found that this is the perfect temperature to cook these pistachio pancakes. Any higher and I have had pancakes that were burnt outside and not cooked on the inside. Keeping the heat on the lower side is important because the ground pistachios contain natural oils and the pancakes can brown quickly.
Add a little oil to the pan.
Step 5: Cook the pancakes
Add about 2–3 spoonfuls of batter to the pan for each pancake.
Cover the pan and cook for a couple of minutes. Around this time, small bubbles form, uncover the pan and carefully flip the pancake. Cover the pan again and cook for another 2 minutes. Continue until all the batter has been used.
Step 6: Serve
Serve the pancakes warm or at room temperature with your favorite toppings.
These are delicious with a drizzle of sugar-free syrup, fresh berries, and chopped pistachios. I like to add a dollop of dairy-free whipped topping to the top of the pancake stack, along with a drizzle of maple syrup.
Tips for Making these Flourless Pistachio Pancakes
Don’t over grind the pistachios
The most important step when making homemade pistachio flour is knowing when to stop grinding. Pulse the pistachios rather than continuously blending them. Once they resemble flour, stop. If you keep processing them, the natural oils in the pistachios can cause them to turn into a paste.
Cook over medium to low heat
These pancakes benefit from gentle cooking. A pan that’s too hot can cause the outside to brown before the inside has finished cooking. Medium-low heat gives the pancakes time to cook through.
Make smaller pancakes
Because this is a flourless pancake batter, smaller pancakes are easier to cook and flip. Using 2–3 table spoonfuls of batter per pancake also makes it easier to get an even cook.
Cover the pan
Covering the pan during cooking helps trap the heat, and the pancakes cook thoroughly.
What to Serve With Pistachio Pancakes
There are many ways to serve these flourless pancakes.
For a simple breakfast, try them with:
- Maple syrup or sugar-free sweetener
- Fresh berries and sliced bananas
- Chopped pistachios
- Dairy-free whipped topping or Greek yogurt
For a more dessert-like breakfast, you could add a little pistachio butter, melted chocolate, and chopped pistachios.
How to Store Leftover Pistachio Pancakes
If you have leftover pancakes, allow them to cool and place them in an airtight container in the fridge. When you’re ready to eat them, reheat them gently until warmed through.
For the best texture, these pancakes are especially enjoyable when served fresh and warm.
Possible Questions You might Have
Can I use pistachio flour instead of whole pistachios?
Yes, if you already have finely ground pistachio flour, you can use it in place of the homemade pistachio flour. The recipe was developed using raw pistachios that are ground before making the batter.
Is pistachio flour gluten-free?
Pistachios themselves are naturally gluten-free. This recipe does not contain traditional wheat flour. If you need to avoid gluten strictly, check the labels of your other ingredients to make sure they meet your dietary requirements.
Why do I need to cook these pancakes on medium to low heat?
Pistachios contain natural oils and can brown fairly quickly. Cooking the pancakes over medium-low heat allows them to cook through more gently.
Why are my flourless pancakes difficult to flip?
Flourless pancakes can be more delicate than pancakes made with all purpose flour or oat flour. Making smaller pancakes and allowing the first side to cook before flipping can make them easier to handle. Cover the pancakes as they cook as this helps trap the heat and let the pancakes cook through.
Also, use a wide spatula and carefully slide it underneath the pancake before flipping.
Can I use pistachio milk instead of almond milk?
Yes! For even more flavor, feel free to use pistachio milk. In fact, you can make your own pistachio milk at home by mixing pistachio butter with water or using this pistachio milk recipe.
Ingredients
- 2 cups raw pistachios
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
- 2 tablespoons monk fruit sweetener
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup almond milk
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- Oil for cooking the pancakes
Instructions
- Add the raw pistachios to a food processor. Pulse until the pistachios have a flour-like consistency (usually 4 to 5 quick pulses). Be careful not to over-process them.
- Transfer the ground pistachios to a large bowl. To the bowl, add in the baking powder, salt, coves, cardamom, and sweetener. Mix everything together until the dry ingredients are evenly distributed.
- Add the wet ingredients: the almond milk, eggs, and almond extract, to the dry ingredients. Mix until the ingredients are combined and you have a thick pancake batter.
- Place a skillet over low to medium heat—somewhere between the medium and low mark. I use a gas stove and I have found that this is the perfect temperature to cook these pistachio pancakes. Any higher and I have had pancakes that were burnt outside and not cooked on the inside.
- Add a little oil to the pan.
- Add about 2–3 spoonfuls of batter to the pan for each pancake.
- Cover the pan and cook for a couple of minutes. Around this time, small bubbles form.
- Uncover the pan and carefully flip the pancake. Cover the pan again and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Continue until all the batter has been used.
- Serve the pancakes warm or at room temperature with your favorite toppings.
Notes
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Nutrition
These pistachio flour pancakes are a fun, low carb spin on classic pancakes and a delicious option when you’re looking for flourless pancakes.
They’re perfect for a weekend breakfast or brunch. I hope you make a batch, pile them high, with your favorite toppings and enjoy lingering over these with a cup of hot coffee or milky tea.
