My continuing gluten-free story…over the past few months I’ve been trying out more GF recipes and using different mixes to see how they bake up. I’ve found that – for me, at least – GF pancakes come out less dense and more cakey (rather than kind of damp in the middle…) than wheat pancakes. This is a good thing.
The inspiration for these chocolate pancakes comes from the Chocolate Granola with Red Berries recipe from Compassionate Cuisine. This granola was begging to have some pancake wrapped around it. And it’s a well-known fact that everything, even breakfast, tastes better with chocolate sauce on top.
Note: the sugar- and oil-free in the title refer to the pancakes and the chocolate sauce. There is coconut oil and maple syrup (yes, it’s sugar) in the granola.

Whole Grain Gluten-Free Chocolate Pancakes
- Yield: 14 1x
Description
Make weekend breakfast a touch more decadent with rich chocolate pancakes studded with sweet granola and drizzled with chocolate-coconut sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup nut milk
- ~1 cup water
- 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tbsp. flaxseed meal + 6 tbsp. water (whisk together then let sit for a few minutes)
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups whole grain gluten-free mix (I use King Arthur Flour’s Whole Grain Mix)
- 1/2 tsp. powdered stevia
- 3/4 tsp. xanthan gum
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 3/4 tsp. baking soda
- pinch salt
Instructions
- While you mix up the batter, heat a skillet or griddle.
- In a large bowl, combine the GF mix, powdered stevia, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a small bowl, whisk together the nut milk, apple cider vinegar, water, flaxseed meal mixture, and vanilla extract. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir well to combine. If the batter seems too thick, add more water. Let the batter sit for a few minutes.
- Spoon batter onto the skillet or griddle and drop a tablespoon or so of chocolate granola over each pancake. Cook until the top dries and small bubbles pop up on the surface of the pancake and then carefully flip and cook for a few more minutes – these are thick pancakes. Serve piping hot with additional granola, if desired, and chocolate sauce.

Chocolate Granola with Dried Cherries & Ginger
- Total Time: 60
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1/4 cup double dutch or regular cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 cup brown rice puff cereal
- 2 cups regular oats
- 1/2 cup slivered almonds
- 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
- 1/3 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 cup dried tart cherries
- 1/4 cup crystallized ginger, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 275-degrees F.
- In a large bowl, stir together the cereal, oats, almonds, pecans, coconut, and cinnamon. In a small saucepan, warm up the coconut oil, cocoa powder, and maple syrup and whisk until combined.
- Pour the cocoa mixture over the dry ingredients and stir until everything is evenly coated with the sauce. Place in the oven and bake for about 10 minutes. Remove pan from the oven, stir, and return to the oven for another 10 minutes. Keep checking and stirring at 10 minute intervals until the granola is a deep, rich brown. During the last 10 minutes, stir in the cherries and ginger.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool, stirring once in a while to keep the granola from clumping too much. Cool completely before storing.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 273
- Sugar: 9
- Sodium: 4
- Fat: 14
- Saturated Fat: 6
- Unsaturated Fat: 7
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 33
- Protein: 7
- Cholesterol: 0

Date-Coconut Chocolate Sauce
- Total Time: 10
- Yield: 5 1x
Ingredients
- 1 cup dates, soaked
- 1 Tbsp. double dutch cocoa powder or cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup water
- 3/4 cup coconut milk
- 1/4 tsp. coconut extract, optional
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a blender and process until very smooth. Gently heat on the stove top or in a microwave.
Notes
- P.S. this sauce works deliciously as an add-in to hot chocolate…

Pingback: Gluten-Free Chocolate Granola Pancakes w/ Chocolate Coconut Sauce. Sugar- and Oil-free. | Vegan Today
I just made gluten-free chocolate pancakes this morning too for breakfast!! My version is completely different than yours though. I looove chocolate granola. I eat a chocolate cinnamon one all the time. These look scrumptious!
I haven’t always been pleased with my GF baking/cooking – but pancakes seem to work out pretty well for me. Which is great cuz I love them!
Waw, What a Georgous gf creation: tasty, tasty & fabulously looking too, Annie!
MMMMMMMMMMM!
:-p
Chocolate granola pancakes with chocolate sauce…I sense a theme here. I must say, these look intensely chocolatey and delicious. I’m imagining you running a very busy and popular little place called Annie’s Pancake Stall, with a long line of hungry patrons waiting to get their gnashers on your creations. I think that after consuming one plateful I would be rejoining the end of the line holding out my plate for another round.
I could totally imagine running a food truck serving just pancakes and waffles (gotta have waffles)!
Now that’s what I call starting your day off right. I could gobble down a whole bowl of that granola with the tart cherry thing going on but then you went and fancied it all up inside those cocoa laden pancakes and good gosh 😉
The granola is scrumptious just with a little nut milk on it – and I also used it as a topping on my morning oatmeal – kind of a double whammy of oats!
I am a chocolate- lover and right now I’m really wishing I didn’t have to go to work so I could make these instead! I am loving the recipe fir the granola. Great touch adding ginger!
It’s a really fantastic recipe. I’m so glad for the inspiration from Marcia (Compassionate Cuisine)!
Yumm! These pancakes look so good!
And the chocolate sauce… I never thought I could use dates to make it! It looks so good over the pancakes, and I loved the idea of adding it to hot chocolate 🙂
It works out very well (to use dates) – it has a nice silkiness and of course, sweetness. Thank you for the granola inspiration!!
That sauce looks wonderful; I love that it is free of oil and sugar. Is the coconut milk for the chocolate sauce the canned (full-fat? light?) variety or the stuff in the box? Thanks!
Hi Ali – I used the kind in the box, but you could certainly use the canned variety. The full fat will make a much thicker sauce but oh, it would be extra yummy!
Geez. I’m on chocolate overload over here. Loving every second of it! I swear I can taste it all! xx
Yeah, a little over the top for breakfast…MAYbe…
Is there any such thing? I think not 😉
Not in my household!
🙂 🙂 🙂
Don’t get me wrong, I love me some mushy pancakes…but I also love regular cake. Combine the two AND add that chocolate sauce..ohh taste bud party. These look amazing.
When I was writing this I was thinking about you and your mushy pancakes post. Would Brittany approve?? Phew – glad to get your thumbs up!
Yum yum yum yum yum yum 🙂
Sums it up perfectly!
🙂
Mmmm, can’t go wrong with chocolate in food! That chocolate granola sounds splendid.
Definitely worth just making that!
OK, I have yet to find a GF pancake recipe that I am crazy about. Maybe it’s because I don’t love, love pancakes to begin with but when I eat them, I want them to be amazing! The chocolate in this might just win me over.. going to try these this weekend!
I hear ya – I’ve made some that tasted way too beany. But I LOVE pancakes so I’ve persisted in my quest ;-). Yep, pretty much chocolate sauce cures most ills!
Well hello Gluten-Free Chocolate Granola Pancakes w/ Chocolate Coconut Sauce. How you doin’? 😉 Very nice Annie! Looks delish!
Thanks, lady!
Loving the sauce!!
oh my…. decadent.
🙂 Sunday morning breakfast calls for a little decadence.
I am a firm believer that it is okay, even recommended, that one starts their day with chocolate and in several forms if possible. I’m not sure this recipe could fill that requirement much more than it already has. Another fabulous creation!
I love all of these recipes! I especially love the granola and may make just that to have with some almond milk for breakfast. I adore pancakes but never take the time to make them, these however, definitely need to be made ASAP!
The granola is wonderful with almond milk ;-)!
Wow, that is one epic breakfast my dear! I am salivating!!
man these look insane!!
on another note. someone needs your assistance on the whoopie pies http://www.veganricha.com/2013/04/annies-chocolate-and-blueberry-creme.html
I love this idea! I bet the granola gives the pancakes a nice crunch. I’ll have to give it a try! 🙂
Your GF chocolate granola pancakes look divine! I love how you use all coconut-based sweet sauce on some of your desserts, I should try that for my future desserts. Thanks!
Pingback: Recipe: Chocolate-Mint Mousse and Berry Mousse Parfaits | One Green Planet