The greatest gluten-free vegan pancakes you will ever make. Chocolate zucchini pancakes with blueberries are a weekend essential perfected for weekend breakfast bliss. Your anticipation for weekend mornings now has more than a valid reason!
These pancakes. I should probably stop right here, leave you swooning over that stack, and not reveal my secrets. But then…what kind of food blogger would I be? A mean one, but a mean one with a damn good secret pancake recipe! I’ve debated for months on what to even call these cakes, but with the help of a good, trusted friend, we settled on Chocolate Zucchini Pancakes with Blueberries! (Since I have another “base” version that’s sans blueberries). I could have called these: The Greatest Gluten-Free Pancakes Ever or The Best Pancakes With All My Favorite Things. The last one isn’t really true though since these cakes don’t contain potatoes, apples, or cashews…these have more second tier favorites, but favorites nonetheless!
MY LATEST VIDEOSActually, as I’m writing this, it’s a muggy Saturday morning and I’m currently sipping a cup of coffee after eating these exact pancakes (sans blueberries, but with blueberry syrup…). But when I tell you these are perfected weekend breakfast bliss on a plate, I mean it! I’ve been making these pancakes every weekend for the last 4 to 5 months. That’s, well let’s just ballpark it around 60-70 times. Am I obsessed? Yes. Will I ever get sick of these? No. Do you want the recipe? Well I hope so!
They consist of cocoa powder, banana flour, buckwheat flour grated zucchini, and of course blueberries. This combo makes the best texture for gluten-free vegan pancakes. When you use a fruit puree like applesauce or pumpkin, the pancakes can tend to be a bit too soft, gummy, kinda lacking. But when you use zucchini, you have a little texture and bulk, the banana flour is the perfect absorbent and you get more batter for your buck without using more flour, the buckwheat just tastes amazing and holds it all together, and the cocoa powder is the subtle deep undertone of love and light expansion the pancakes need. But to add a bit of pop and fun, throw in some blueberries and you get your pure perfect bliss on a plate! Soft, thick, fluffy, crisp, everything you want in 2 large pancakes for one!
If I don’t have these pancakes on the weekend I feel like I’ve missed out…big time. They are just beyond words for me. I go to bed Friday night looking forward to this morning ritual (and then again Saturday night). Wake-up, do yoga, go down to the kitchen, turn on the radio to some terrible “Today’s Top Music” countdown, gather my ingredients for the pancakes, make it all in less than 3 minutes, cooking the cakes on the stove while simultaneously cleaning the kitchen a bit, savoring the early morning, plating my cakes when they’re done, drowning them in syrups, heading back to my room and savoring that first bite. O the glory! When you find your absolute favorite breakfast, you know. I know that these cakes are mine.
I do confess, when I finally decided to write down the recipe for these pancakes, it was a bit of a struggle. I know this “combo” by heart and I don’t really measure things. I tried to be as accurate as possible though since I want you to have the same perfect pancakes bliss as I. If you think gluten-free vegan pancakes are terrible or just haven’t found a good recipe, I want you to try these. This is a single-serve recipe as that’s how I roll with all my pancakes, but you could always mix up another batch of batter when the first batch is cooking. Yes, you also need a good non-stick pan and banana flour, but that’s nothing amazon can’t solve! But it’s worth it, I promise. Like I said, a little banana flour goes a long way since you use less flour, but more liquid and thus more batter. And hey, you could also make these pancakes and these muffins with that same flour 😉
Chocolate Zucchini Pancakes with Blueberries
- 1½ TB Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- 2½ TB Banana Flour
- 1½ TB Buckwheat Flour
- ½ Tsp Baking Powder
- ¼ Cup Grated Zucchini
- ¼ Tsp Cinnamon
- ¼ Tsp Banana Extract (or Pure Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract)
- ⅓ Cup + 2 TB Water
- 1 TB Blueberries (plus more for topping)
- Cocoa Stevia Syrup (optional topping)
- Sugar-Free Maple Syrup (optional topping)
- In a small bowl, combine your grated zucchini, flours* (see notes below), cinnamon, and extract. Give it a quick stir.
- Add the water next. Start with ⅓ cup and then slowly add more tablespoons of water until you get a batter that is thick, but pourable and not too watery.
- Grease a non-stick pan with coconut oil and allow to heat up over medium heat on the stove.
- Pour half the batter on the pan, add 1 tablespoon of blueberries to that pancake, and allow to cook for about 2-3 minutes. Flip and cook another 2 minutes. Repeat same process with the rest of the batter and last tablespoon of blueberries.
- Plate your cakes and top with syrups of choice and additional blueberries if desired!
Now, I know it’s Monday, but this gives you the whole week to gather everything you need to make these pancakes. Promise me you will! Top them however you like, but a sweet syrup is best 😉 Before you bite in, snap a picture, then after you come out of your pancake coma of bliss, post that picture on instagram or twitter and tag me @RebeccaGF666! I want to see these cakes!
So tell me:
+ What’s one breakfast you will never get sick of?
+ How do you top you cakes?
*Recipe linking up for the week! Allergy Free Wednesdays, #RecipeOfTheWeek,#StrangeButGood, Real Food Friday, Gluten-Free Fridays, Tasty Tuesdays, Savoring Saturdays, Healthy Vegan Fridays, Tasty Tuesdays, Lena’s Tasty Tuesdays, Meatless Mondays, Waste Not Want Not!*
Stay connected: Facebook: Strength and Sunshine Twitter: @RebeccaGF666 Instagram: rebeccagf666 Pinterest: RebeccaGF666 Bloglovin’: Strength and Sunshine Google+: Rebecca Pytell
I am in love with these vegan zucchini chocolate pancakes. I am saving the recipe. Thanks so much for sharing.
Thank you!
These look really good. I don’t think I would ever get sick of chocolate and blueberries either.
Never!
Thanks for linking up with From The Archives Friday, you post will be one of this weeks Featured Favorites.
Thanks!
Wow! These look (and sound) absolutely delicious – hell they must be if you’ve made them so many times. How are you not sick of them yet? :p I always get worried cooking with zuchinni since I tried to make zuchinni bread and it didn’t turn out so good. These look so yummy and sound so healthy though I might just have to try them.
They are a must make!
Yum! These look so good!
What a gorgeous blog you have! I can’t wait to read more!
Thank you so much dear!
Chocolate + zucchini = definite win. And buckwheat is always a good idea, too… Your pancakes are always genius. 🙂
Haha, thank you Raia!
Just popping back to in to let you know I’m featuring this at this weekend’s party! 🙂
These look great, and not overly sweet – I’d probably add a scant teaspoon of real maple syrup — I love a hint of the flavor without all the sweetness, and this is New England, after all… 😉 Adding to my to-try list!
Thank you!!! I don’t like overly sweet cakes, but the topping….the topping must be SWEET!
Chocolate, yum! Zucchini, yum! Pancakes, yum! Blueberries, yum! Combination… LOVE IT 🙂 Plus the pictures are awesome I want some for breakfast 🙂
Haha, Breakfast 24/7!!!! Thank you Stef!
This absolutely delicious! I love all the different ways we can incorporate zucchini into recipes.
Me too!
WOW these look incredible! I am definitely putting these on the list for Pancake Sunday!
Thank you!
Who can resist these healthy, delicious ingredients. I love the way you cook creatively with gluten free ingredients. I can’t wait to make this recipe at home.
Thanks!
These look gorgeous! I have never tried banana flour but I bet it’s awesome! I love learning about new products!
It is! Totally order some!
That looks like an amazing recipe! I will have to try it.
Thank you!
I so love the combination of chocolate and zucchini! And they you put it in pancakes?! With blueberries?! SOLD! Can’t wait to give this a try!
Thank you Kathryn! (Just had them…of course…this morning) it was magic 😉
Look so tasty and healthy too – I have to try these !!
Thank you!
These pancakes look heavenly! Chocolate & Blueberry sound like perfection! And I love that I can sneak the kids in some vegetables!
And they will never know…promise 😉
Those pancakes look awesome! And what a lovely weekend morning routine!
They totally are!
Yum!! Thank you so much!
I love the tip about how you measure your flour out! I sometimes get a bit overwhelmed when I see specific tbsp measurements and exotic flour mixes, but if I see it as a 1/3 cup it makes me feel like I can actually make these and not mess up! So I think I shall 😉
Yea! Haha! No one has time to measure it out like that anyway 😛 I really do just eye ball it all in a 1/3 measuring cup! Just 3 layers of goodness. The cocoa powder first, then banana flour (which seems to be the “thickest” layer, and then top it off with buckwheat!
These are delicious. Not usre I could wait to eat and take the photographs!
Haha, I took the photos as quick as possible!!
Those sound and look absolutely scrumptious! Thanks for sharing.
Thank you!!!
These look and spund great. I have become a bit of a fan of zucchini in baked goods so can see them working well with everything here too.
Zucchini will never leave you disappointed! xoxo
These look absolutely delicious. we don’t need gluten free, but I’m thinking we should make these. Definitely a weekend treat.
Just because they’re allergy an gluten-free doesn’t mean they aren’t for EVERYONE!
Hi Rebecca,
Wow these pancakes look so good. The blueberries and syrup make them extra special.
Totally! Thank you!
These look amazing! Thanks for sharing!! I love how the flavors you chose are two of my favorites as well- chocolate and blueberries. We use zucchini a lot in our house, and I’m sure it works beautifully here. Happy FF, and have a wonderful weekend!
O yes and you will be moving zucchini up to your favorite as well 😉 xoxo
PERFECTION! Wowza! Yum! I want some! Excellent photo, too!
Haha, time to prepare for the weekend tomorrow 😉
Oooh yum these look lush!
Haha, they are 😉
Thanks for reminding me that I need to start using buckwheat flour more often! Zucchini anything, especially in pancake form, I am all about it! I’m also so intrigued by banana flour…
You obviously need to use banana flour more often than anything else I’m assuming 😉
I just remembered I have some shredded zucchini in the freezer, maybe I could whip these up this weekend.
You should!
I’m always looking for more zucchini recipes, and I have buckwheat that I’ve been wanting to use up, so this recipe will be perfect!
Wonderful! 2 of my favorite things 😉
Love chocolate and blueberries! Great combination
For sure!
This looks amazing! My husband makes our breakfast, I’ll have to pin this! Thank you 🙂 also, I am now a new follower. Gluten-free as well.
Glad to hear that Kelli! Welcome to Strength and Sunshine!
Mmmm…. these sound so good. You always come up with the most delicious recipes!
Thank you so much Eryn!
These sound delicious! Love the unexpected ingredient of zucchini. Can’t wait to try this. Thanks!
Thank you!
I have never heard of banana flour and have never tried banana extract, but I love bananas so I have to try these! They look delicious. Thanks for sharing your secret recipe 🙂
Banana flour and banana extract are my favorite banana goodies 😉 Kinda the only way I ever eat “banana”!
This might be my perfect breakfast!
It is mine 😉
These are gluten-free AND vegan AND healthy AND CHOCOLATE?!?! Mind = blown. You are amazing, girl.
Hahahaha! The perfect success 😉 Hands down these bring meaning to my life! xoxo
I LOVE chocolate in the morning and these pancakes look amazing! Pinning!
I must have some chocolate in the morning!
Great combination.
Thanks!
Interesting combination of flavours with zuchinni and chocolate.
Well zucchini doesn’t really have a taste 😛
“The Greatest Gluten-Free Pancakes Ever or The Best Pancakes With All My Favorite Things.”
Way better title hahaha =D These sounds amazing! You have outdone yourself yet again. I can’t wait to try making these. They sound delicious. Sugar free maple syrup? Doesn’t that take all the fun out of it? ;p
Not that stuff! It’s so good! Hahahaha! It;s my secret since I really am not in to sugar or the really “fake” stuff 😛
ps. thanks so much for sharing this recipe at Healthy Vegan Fridays – I’m pinning this and these gorgeous pancakes are being featured this week =)
These look fabulous! You’ve won me over to try them out! Sharing on FB tomorrow! Have a great week!
Kim
Thank you so much!
Yum yum yum! These look amazing, girl! I love using zucchini in baked goods and sweets!
Keep that love 😉 It’s a good thing!
We’re thinking alike my friend, I just posted a chocolate pancake too! Pancakes are my favorite food for sure and I love trying out different flavors. Banana flour is a new one for me. I’m intrigued. Does it have a banana-y flavor? Your pics look beautiful too!
ZERO flavor!!! It’s just so wonderful though! It’s such a great flour to use in vegan/GF baked goods since it holds everything together and you use less, but more liquid, but it doesn’t make things “sad” and gooey like just a fruit puree like actual banana or applesauce!
I’m glad I’m not the only one who puts zucchini in everything (I seriously go through a ridiculous amount every week!). It really does give such a great texture to baked goods – looks scrumptious!
I know!!! I do 100% eat it every day, no lie and always buy more at the store every week, never without at least 3 or 5 in the fridge!
I just never have a reason NOT to add it in!
How amazing are these! I’ve seen Chocolate zucchini in a lot of things – but this is my first time seeing them in pancakes!
Ha, well, glad that’s changed!
Wow – these look amazing – I’m not a fan of blueberries but this is so inviting! How about I eat some of the chocolate pancakes without the blueberries – they look good! 🙂
That’s what I do most of the time!
Chocolate pancakes that are actually healthy is an answer to a prayer, Rebecca! These look amazing!
Eat them every day!
Ooh I’ve pinned this to my recipe board! I’m not a natural lover of Zucchini, this might just help me to face my fears x
These will convert you! I promise!
These look so incredibly delicious, Rebecca! 🙂 I love baking with zucchini!
It’s a must!
Breakfast I never get sick of: NANA ICE CREAM <3 {and anything fruity, for that matter}.
Love these pancakes — they sound amazing! I just shared a quick pancakes recipe I love too, but these sound like an amazing change, especially with all that banana-y-ness going on in there 🙂
Haha, well the only banana flavor you get is form the extract!
If these chocolate zucchini pancakes are anything like zucchini bread I’m all in! 🙂
Even better than 😉
The hubby and I make pancakes every weekend for the boys. I know they’d get crazy excited if I put chocolate blueberry pancakes in front of them. They’d never need to know the pancakes contained zucchini and are vegan/gluten-free. It’s a win/win!
Yea! You could please anyone with these; there’s nothing not to love!!! Healthy, delicious, perfection 😉
Chocolate and zucchini are a match made in heaven, and then you added blueberries – yum!
Haha, right? 😉 So true!
Oh my golly. There’s so many great ingredients in these I just don’t know where to start. They look awesome:) I love that we’re both on the Bourbon Vanilla train of thought . . . definitely a win!
I think it’s funny that you didn’t know what bourbon vanilla was! Anything else is like…imitation!
Girl, you had me at “banana flour”.
Hahaha 😉 One of the greatest flours!
What a great healthy alternative!! I need to try this! Thanks!
xo Adriana – Daily Dose of Design
Alternative to what?
These would be great for any breakfast or even after school snack. I have some zucchini just waiting to be used!
Now you’re talkin’!
Mmmm, this is one dreamy recipe Rebecca! I adore chocolate pancakes, and this healthy zucchini version sounds so perfect!!!! I definitely need to make them for my breakfast tomorrow! So delicious <3
Tuesday pancakes sounds like a new tradition 😉
i never get tired of eating eggs + salsa combo for breakfast. talking about pancakes, i tried to make gf pumpkin pancakes this weekend, major fail 🙁 maybe i will try this next time.
I am the allergy-friendly pancake queen!
Pancakes, my favorite!! I still have zucchini in the fridge that needs some attention!! Love this simple gluten free recipe!! And it’s vegan, which means you rock b/c I suck at making vegan pancakes 🙂
My specialty 😉
You had me at pancakes! It’s just me and the girls tonight, so it might be a Brinner night!
I think I might follow you lead 😉
So much yum when I saw these this morning! I’d probably never get sick of sweet potatoes for breakfast. With eggs, I guess you knew that part 😉
Thank you!
Haha….well I should really try eating sweet potatoes for breakfast some time 😛 I’m surprised I don’t!
Well these certainly look heavenly! Chocolate + pancakes = A+ in my book!
Is there any other way? 😉
Banana flour… curious! What is cooking with that like?
Like I said, you can use less and get more! It needs more liquid, but works so well!
Sounds amazing. Vegan baking often recommends bananas as a substitute and I often put a fresh one in some baking… but this is a pretty awesome alternative! So nice to see something other than a nut flour in use!
Chocolate, Zucchini and blueberries in one? MIND BLOWN! I am so intrigued by these – pinning now!
You will love them!
Such a unique and delicious flavor combination! Never tried before banana flour or extract.
My two favorite ways to use “banana” 😉
These look unreal Rebecca! Such a unique combination of ingredients, but I bet it just works.
O it does! Thanks!
My mom and sister are mourning the loss of pancakes and waffles. They will be glad to know they’re back on the menu! 🙂
No one should ever be without the best breakfast in the world!
Oh my gosh, these are beautiful! As a kid I barely knew what zucchinis were, and I definitely didn’t use them in baking because I never thought of them as anything more than a veggie that was meant to be savoury. (And no, I had no idea what zucchini bread was!) I love the idea of using them in pancakes and I bet they add a ton of moisture. Can’t wait to try these!
I literally put zucchini in everything! I always have minimum 3 in my fridge!
Yum! I love chocolate and I love blueberries, but I rarely think to combine the two. Lovely idea 🙂
It’s one heavenly mouthful!
They look absolutely yummy!!! Having a foodgasm.
Hahahaha…..I am too…still…always 😉
It sort of sounds weird but I bet it’s really good!
If it wasn’t good, I wouldn’t have raved about them 😛
I 100% need these in my life, YUM!
Yea you do!
They look and sound delicious!! I have not had breakfast yet so I am pretty envious over here!
Hahaha 😉 Well you can still make some sort of pancakes!
I haven’t tried cooking with buckwheat flour yet. I really need to it has a fabulous flavor. I can see these pancakes would be dynamite.
Buckwheat flour is my go-to for everything under the sun!
Any chocolate is used in a healthy recipe like this and I get to eat it for breakfast, I’m a happy girl! 🙂 This looks amazing!
My feelings exactly 😉
Rebecca, when I was gluten free, I made buckwheat pancakes all the time–I wish I had your version then, but I will certainly make them NOW
Don’t delay!! Hahaha! These pancakes are for EVERYONE 😉
With chocolate and zuc,
there’s no need to nuke,
these pancakes are done in three.
With blueberries on top,
and syrup by the giant glop,
these pancakes bring morning glee.
Oh and “A sweet syrup is best”??? Sweet syrup is mandatory!!!!! That’s what makes weekend pancake breakfast so perfect: it’s dessert at 10 for me, 7 for you AM!! <3
I’m framing your pancake poem <3
I KNOW!! Gotta drown the cakes in sweetness! The stevia syrups I use are my vice...I lick the plate clean with no shame 😛 Hahahahahaha!
Maybe thats how i can find my acceptance for stevia: through chocolate syrup 🙂
I think you can 😉
Pancakes, hands down, are my favourite breakfast. I like to top mine with fresh fruit and maple syrup and, occasionally, pb and chocolate syrup. So good!
p.s. buckwheat pancakes are the bomb dot com 😀
You really can’t go wrong with toppings as long as you have good cakes to soak it all up 😉
These look SO good! Just looking at them is making me hungry!
Haha, thank you Marye 😉 I totally agree!
oh wow I could jump right onto that plate. Those look fantastic!
Thank you!
I would’ve never thought of putting zucchini in pancakes, but these look amazing. What a great, new recipe to try.
Well you’ve been majorly missing out!
Oh, these look delicious. Love that they have zucchini!
And anything with chocolate is a good thing in my book!
Zucchini just has to happen in my cakes!
mmmm I love zucchini pancakes! I love that you used banana flour, I still have so much left, gotta use it up!
What! I go through that flour by the ton! Hahaha! You will once you start making these!
Oooh I forgot how good of a combo chocolate and blueberries are, and with the nutritional punch of zucchini, this is a damn good recipe!
Yes, a DAMN good recipe 😉