Kansas Sorghum Griddle Cakes

For anyone cooking around gluten and dairy, a reliable pancake recipe is gold. These griddle cakes deliver, built on nutty sorghum flour, a naturally gluten-free whole grain, with cornstarch or potato starch worked in to lighten the texture so they don’t bake up dense the way single-flour gluten-free batters often do.

There’s no milk here at all, just water, which keeps them dairy-free and lets you dial the batter to exactly the thickness you want. Add water a little at a time for thinner, more delicate cakes, or keep it thicker for fluffy, diner-style stacks.

A couple of habits help gluten-free batters behave. Let the mixed batter rest a few minutes so the sorghum and starch fully hydrate, which softens any graininess. Then cook on a properly preheated griddle and wait for the edges to set and bubbles to form before flipping, since these are a touch more delicate than wheat pancakes.

Kitchen Tips

• Let the batter rest a few minutes before cooking so the sorghum flour hydrates and the cakes aren’t gritty.
• Add water gradually to reach your ideal consistency; thinner batter makes lighter, thinner cakes.
• Preheat the griddle fully and flip only once, when bubbles form and the edges look set.

Variations

• Add cinnamon, fresh blueberries, or mini chocolate chips to the batter.
• Use a flax egg in place of the egg to make them vegan as well.
• Stir in a mashed banana for natural sweetness and extra moisture.