Keto Pancakes Made Easy (0.8 g Net Carbs, 4 Ingredients)

Learn how to make quick and easy flourless keto pancakes that are just as fluffy and delicious as the traditional version.

People switching to a ketogenic diet always ask me for an easy recipe for keto pancakes. No one likes to give up their favorite breakfast.

This recipe satisfies your cravings while staying on the right track to a healthy diet. Whether you’re on a ketogenic diet or want to reduce your carb intake, these pancakes are the perfect choice.

Table of Contents:

• What Are Keto Pancakes?
• Are Pancakes Keto-Friendly?
• How Many Carbs Are in Keto Pancakes?
• How to Make Keto Pancakes
• Storing and Freezing
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What Are Keto Pancakes?

Keto pancakes are a flourless, low-carb alternative to traditional pancakes.

Instead of wheat flour, they contain almond meal. These ground almonds are usually easier to get and much cheaper than blanched and de-oiled almond flour.

Since the low-carb pancakes do not contain regular flour that contains lectins, gluten, and saponins, they are more digestible and healthier for your gut (Ferroli et al. 2012¹; Sturgeon et al. 2016²; Johnson et a. 1986³).

This recipe has helped many people lose weight successfully on keto without giving up an all-time breakfast favorite.

Making keto pancakes at home may sound intimidating, but not with this quick recipe!

It has only four ingredients and comes without complicated preparation.

You just have to mix the ingredients in a bowl and pour the batter into a heated pan.

The texture of these pancakes is super tender and fluffy because of the cream cheese. If you like these pancakes, you’ll love my keto bread too!

Ketogenic pancakes are just the thing if you’re short on time but want to brunch like a queen. Plus, you can use the pancakes, sweet or savory, depending on the toppings.

Toppings

Here are delicious sweet pancake toppings that are allowed on keto:

• Whipped cream is the high-fat, low-carb classic that has to be on my pancakes.
• Melted dark chocolate (90%) mixed with coconut oil and drizzled over the pancakes.
• Berries are amazingly low in carbs. The best for keto are strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries.

For what other fruits are allowed on keto, check out my top 10 low-carb fruits.

The following savory ideas will add variety to your low-carb pancakes:

• Almond butter for a high-fat, high-protein topping.
• Cottage cheese adds a tangy contrast and extra protein.
• Smashed avocados with a pinch of salt are a great alternative to traditional sweet pancakes.
• Fried bacon makes for a crunchy, salty keto breakfast.

Ingredients

Here are all the ingredients you need for sweet and fluffy pancakes. Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the page to see the exact amounts for each ingredient.

You only need four ingredients to make this low-carb breakfast recipe:

• Ground Almonds: You don’t have to buy expensive almond flour from the health food store to make these keto pancakes. The recipe calls for plain ground almonds, which you can make at home or get at any grocery store.
• Cream cheese: I prefer full-fat cream cheese without binding agents.
• Free-range eggs: eggs provide not only healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, and bioavailable protein but also better flavor.
• Baking Powder: The pancakes will not be fluffy without this leavening agent.

Optional Ingredients:

• Butter: Grass-fed butter adds even more healthy fats, such as conjugated linoleic acid, to the recipe. It is only needed to grease the pan. With a good non-stick pan, you will not need much butter at all.
• Sweeteners: I don’t use any sweeteners. However, if you want the pancakes to be really sweet, add a sweetener, such as erythritol.

Are Pancakes Keto-Friendly?

Regular pancakes are not allowed on a keto diet. Even if they are gluten-free, the batter contains too many carbohydrates.

Banana pancakes are also not allowed on keto. Bananas contain too much sugar.

That’s why I created this simple keto pancake recipe that drastically reduces carbs without sacrificing the texture and flavor you’re used to.

Do not buy ready-made keto pancake mixes if you’re serious about your health.

Products labeled as keto on the outside do not have to be low-carb or healthy on the inside. Highly processed industrial substitutes contain sweeteners, hidden sugars, emulsifiers, stabilizers, acidity regulators, artificial flavors, colors, fillers, soy products, and pro-inflammatory refined seed oils.

These additives may contribute to metabolic and intestinal diseases (Hrncirova et al. 2019⁴; Partridge et al. 2019⁵).

How Many Carbs Are in Keto Pancakes?

One pancake contains 0.8 g, and one serving (4 pieces) contains 3.24 g of net carbohydrates.

Ground almond flour⁶, cream cheese⁷, and baking powder⁸ contribute to the carbs in keto pancakes.

Unlike other keto pancake recipes, it doesn’t use coconut flour, which has many more net carbs than most people think.

You can learn more about net carbs calculation and daily limit in my article on carbs on a keto diet.

How to Make Keto Pancakes

The instructions below will show you step-by-step how to make flourless keto pancakes. This way, you learn how easy it can be to make such low-carb alternatives at home.

See the recipe box below for an overview, including ingredients, amounts, and temperatures.

Instructions

• Mix ingredients: Add the almond meal, baking powder, ground flaxseed, and Himalayan salt to a bowl and mix the ingredients.
• Let the batter rest for 10 minutes, making the pancakes rise perfectly and become nice and fluffy.
• Heat and grease the pan: Set a large non-stick pan over medium heat and grease it with a teaspoon of butter.
• Bake: Pour 3 tablespoons of batter into the pan once it is hot. Bake the pancakes for 3-4 minutes or until the edges are bubbling. Then carefully flip the pancakes and bake for another 1-2 minutes. Repeat the process until all the batter is baked.
• Serve: Top the keto pancakes with the toppings of your choice and serve immediately.

Tips for the Best Keto Pancakes

Use the following tricks to make the perfect keto pancakes:

• Room temperature eggs: They don’t mix well with other ingredients when cold. Take the eggs out of the fridge 30 minutes before making them. This way, the pancakes become much softer, smoother, and fluffier.
• Use a ladle: If you want to make lovely, round pancakes like you would find in a restaurant, use a ladle to pour them slowly and evenly into the pan.
• Keep them warm: No one likes cold pancakes. If you’re making several pancakes, keeping them warm immediately is essential. The best way to do this is to turn your oven on to 150 °F (65 °C) and put the individual pancakes in as soon as they are ready.

Storing and Freezing

Storing: You can store leftovers in an airtight bag or container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I prefer to reheat them in a toaster on high temperature.

Freezing: In an airtight container or bag, you can keep the pancakes for 3 months in the freezer. You can make large portions at a time to freeze and always have a quick breakfast on hand. Reheating them in a toaster will take 2 minutes longer to warm through.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

References

¹Ferroli, P., Caldiroli, D., Acerbi, F., Scholtze, M., Piro, A., Schiariti, M., Orena, E. F., Castiglione, M., Broggi, M., Perin, A., & DiMeco, F. (2012). Application of an aviation model of incident reporting and investigation to the neurosurgical scenario: method and preliminary data. Neurosurgical focus, 33(5), E7. https://doi.org/10.3171/2012.9.FOCUS12252

²Sturgeon, C., & Fasano, A. (2016). Zonulin, a regulator of epithelial and endothelial barrier functions, and its involvement in chronic inflammatory diseases. Tissue Barriers, 4(4). https://doi.org/10.1080/21688370.2016.1251384

³Johnson, I. T., Gee, J. M., Price, K., Curl, C., & Fenwick, G. R. (1986). Influence of saponins on gut permeability and active nutrient transport in vitro. The Journal of nutrition, 116(11), 2270–2277. https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/116.11.2270

⁴Hrncirova, L., Hudcovic, T., Sukova, E., Machova, V., Trckova, E., Krejsek, J., & Hrncir, T. (2019). Human gut microbes are susceptible to antimicrobial food additives in vitro. Folia microbiologica, 64(4), 497–508. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12223-018-00674-z

⁵Partridge, D., Lloyd, K. A., Rhodes, J. M., Walker, A. W., Johnstone, A. M., & Campbell, B. J. (2019). Food additives: Assessing the impact of exposure to permitted emulsifiers on bowel and metabolic health – introducing the FADiets study. Nutrition Bulletin, 44(4), 329-349. https://doi.org/10.1111/nbu.12408

^{6, 7, 8}U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. 2022. USDA Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies 2019-2020. Food Surveys Research Group Home Page, http://www.ars.usda.gov/nea/bhnrc/fsrg