Delicious crêpe-style Cherry Pancakes made with gluten free flour and topped with homemade fresh Cherry Sauce. Perfect for celebrating cherry season. Optional dairy free.
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First published 24th June 2014… Updated 11th May 2023
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Cherry Pancakes to celebrate cherry season
Cherry season is one of my favourite food seasons and gluten free Cherry Pancakes are the perfect way to celebrate it… These light, crepe-style pancakes are laced with a hint of (optional) Kirsch (cherry liqueur)… And are drizzled with deliciously easy homemade Cherry Sauce laden with juicy bites of (yep… you guessed it…) cherry!
What’s not to love?
Cherry Pancakes two ways…
There are two ways to make Cherry Pancakes…
You can add some quartered (or chopped) pieces of cherry to the pancake batter before it hits the pan for an ‘actual’ cherry pancake. This gives little pops of lightly sautéed cherries dotted through the pancake itself. Then top it with gorgeous red Cherry Syrup.
Or… You can make the pancakes ‘straight’ (without cherries in the batter) and just douse them with cherry syrup on the plate.
I’ve tried them both ways. They’re both good.
Ingredients needed to make gluten free Cherry Pancakes…
Like most pancakes, my Cherry Pancakes have a base batter of flour, eggs and milk. But because they are gluten free, they are also specifically created to be safe for people with Coeliac Disease (Celiac Disease).
The gluten free flour blend is a combination of plain gluten free flour mix and a little buckwheat flour for a wholesome depth of flavour. I use my Gluten Free white flour Blend A (found at the bottom of my Gluten Free Flours page) alongside the buckwheat flour. However other alternative well-balanced gluten free flour blends will work well too.
The pancake batter has a light sprinkle of (golden) caster sugar to give them a hint of sweetness. Add a tablespoon of Kirsch (cherry liqueur) for a touch of flavoursome decadence. The Kirsch is optional and can easily be replaced with an additional tablespoon of milk or cherry juice.
As mentioned in the last section, the pancakes themselves can (if you want) include extra cherries mixed into the batter.
For the Cherry Syrup Sauce…
Cherry Pancakes wouldn’t be cherry pancakes without the cherry sauce. To make it, you’ll need plenty of cherries (whole and halved) and a little sugar (caster or granulated). Then pop on a gentle heat and get the whole thing simmering until it’s reduced. It’s that simple!
Can Cherry Pancakes be made dairy free as well as gluten free?
Yes. Just use dairy free milk in the batter to make Cherry Pancakes that are dairy free as well as gluten free. I always fry my pancakes in a little butter for richness… For a dairy free version, sub this for dairy free spread/block.
When are cherries in season?
Seeing British cherries in the shops and on the trees always signals the definitive arrival of summer in the UK. Here, our cherry season is typically short, running through June and July in the South, but extending into a later season of around August to early September in Scotland.
Unlike many fruits, cherries tend to be less often imported into the UK. Although you can find them at some other times of year (Christmas imports being more popular), they are never as nice and always excessively expensive. So it’s essential that we make the best of our own cherry season!
If you don’t live in the UK, then your cherry season will be different… In other areas of Europe and the Northern Hemisphere, it may come slightly earlier or slightly later dependent on climate (generally somewhere between May and September). In the Southern Hemisphere, it will usually fall somewhere between October and January. But whenever it falls, Cherry Pancakes need to be on the menu!
Terry’s Cherries…
I’ve included a few photos of my favourite Orchard in this post (Terry’s Cherries) which may need a little explanation…
Terry’s Cherries is situated on a little back lane just outside Faversham in Kent. It is simply marked with a sign saying ‘Cherries – Follow the Track’. But this is no ordinary orchard… It’s Terry’s orchard. An orchard dotted with standard cherry trees, laden with juicy red balls of fruity deliciousness, only reachable by traditional, narrowing cherry-picking ladders.
When you visit Terry’s Cherries, you step back in time. Old metal weighing scales… Hand-rigged bird scarers… Long, long ladders which seem to reach for the sky… And a sign which simply reads ‘Sound Horn For Service’. It’s utterly adorable!
Making the most of cherry season
Because the cherry season is short wherever you are, it’s always good to make the most of it. If you live in an area where cherries grow directly, buy them fresh-picked from the orchard. Buy LOADS of them, because I can guarantee that by the time you get home, you’ll have eaten a fill. Then you have two options (other than just gorging them from the bag)…
Cook and bake with them…
Fresh cherries are amazing in sweet bakes and desserts. But they are also great paired with savoury dishes too. Here are a few sweet ideas we have at Gluten Free Alchemist to give some inspiration…
- THESE Cherry Pancakes
- Cherry Frangipane Tart
- Black Forest Cake (Gateau)
- Homemade Glacé Cherries (Candied Cherries)
- Gluten free Cherry Scones
- Flourless Chocolate Torte with Mascarpone Cream & Cherry Sauce
- Cherry Brownies with Pecan Nuts
- Courgette and Cherry Cupcakes
- Cherry Upside Down Cake with Gluten Free Sponge
- Black Forest Trifle
- Cherry Chocolate Ice Cream with Brownie Pieces (No Churn)
- Vegan Cherry Coconut Milk Ice Cream (Churned)
- Cherry Ice Cream with Dark Chocolate & Mascarpone (Churned)
Freeze them…
When cherries are in season and abundant, I also take the opportunity to freeze them. This way, we have cherries freely available for baking all winter too. Freezing them is REALLY easy…
- Set the freezer to ‘fast freeze’ (or the lowest temperature it offers). Fast-freezing ensures the cherries freeze with smaller ice crystals so they don’t become mushy.
- Wash, de-stalk and pit (de-stone) the cherries. The easiest way to remove the stones quickly is to use a Cherry Pitter.
- Spread the cherries out on a large baking sheet lined with a piece of baking paper.
- Fast freeze open on the trays.
- Once frozen, store the cherries in sealed freezer-safe bags or containers and take them out as you need them.
Can I use frozen cherries to make Cherry Pancakes?
Yes. Absolutely! Frozen cherries are just as good for cooking. However, if adding any to the batter itself, make sure they have been defrosted. Then drain them thoroughly using a sieve placed over a bowl (to save the juice) before adding to the batter.
Add a drop of the juice to the pancake batter in place of Kirsch if you want to. And use the rest in the Cherry Syrup.
Ready to make Gluten Free Cherry Pancakes?
The recipe for my yummy gluten free Cherry Pancakes is below (scroll another inch or two). Enjoy!
Let me know what you think with a comment or social media message (Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest). You can even rate the recipe (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️).
For all our other recipes, check out the on-line Gluten Free Recipe Index. It’s the perfect place to start your gluten free kitchen journey.
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Cherry Pancakes with Cherry Sauce
Key equipment
- sharp vegetable knife
- Small saucepan
- hob
- frying or pancake pan
Ingredients
Pancake Batter
- 50 g plain gluten free flour blend I use GFA Blend A (see NOTES), but an alternative flour blend should work fine.
- 25 g buckwheat flour
- 2 large eggs UK large size (Canadian ‘Extra Large’; Australian ‘Jumbo’; and US ‘Extra or Very Large’
- pinch fine sea salt
- 20 g caster sugar (golden)
- 250 ml/g cold milk dairy free as required
- 1 tbsp kirsch optional – or replace with an additional tbsp of milk or cherry juice
- optional additional 70 to 100g pitted chopped/quartered cherries (if adding cherry directly to the batter)
To fry
- 15 g unsalted butter or dairy free alternative
Cherry Sauce
- 400 g fresh cherries washed, de-stalked and pitted (frozen cherries are fine)
- 2 to 3 tbsp sugar (caster or granulated)
Instructions
Make the Pancake Batter
- Beat together the flours, eggs, salt and sugar in a large bowl with an electric whisk.
- Gradually add the milk and Kirsch (if using… or an additional tablespoon milk/cherry juice), continuing to whisk until well blended, light and very airy.
- For best results (although optional), cover and set the batter aside to stand for about two hours in the fridge.
Prepare the Cherry Sauce while the batter is 'standing'
- Wash, de-stalk and pit the cherries. Cut some of them in half.
- Put the cherries (and any residual juice, if the cherries were defrosted) into a small saucepan. Add the sugar and gently bring to a simmer.
- Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes (depending on the amount of juice) until reduced slightly into a light syrup. Set aside.
Fry the pancakes
- When ready to make the pancakes, re-whisk the batter briefly.
- If adding any cherries to the batter directly (optional), chop and add them now, stirring through.
- Heat a non-stick frying pan or pancake pan on the hob and melt a small nob of butter, brushing or swirling across the entire base. Make sure the pan is nice and hot.
- Add a couple of large spoonfuls/a ladle of batter into the pan and swirl around the base until evenly spread and round.
- Cook until the pancake is golden brown on the underside.
- Loosen the pancake (if stuck) and flip it over to cook the other side for a further minute or so.
- To keep them warm while making a full batch of pancakes, place on a heat-proof plate as they are cooked, cover with a clean cloth (or another upturned plate) and pop in very low oven until ready to serve.
- Serve on a plate with a good spoonful of Cherry Sauce.
Notes
Nutrition
© 2019-2023 Kate Dowse All Rights Reserved – Do not copy or re-publish this recipe or any part of this recipe on any other blog, on social media or in a publication without the express permission of Gluten Free Alchemist
Gluten Free Cherry Pancakes shared with
- Fiesta Friday #484 with Angie
- Full Plate Thursday #641 with Miz Helen’s Country Cottage
- What’s for Dinner #418 with The Lazy Gastronome
Looks so delicious.Thank you so much for sharing this great recipe for Cherry Pancake.Your presentation is good and I will try this recipe.
That orchard look like the cutest place ever! I love it. Cherries are a big favourite of mine too and this looks like a delicious way to serve them 🙂
Isn't it? It is the most beautiful and very traditional orchard. You see very few like this one! And the cherries are absolutely delicious too……..
oh my goodness this is divine.. I love picking cherries in the UK and we have a secret road where there are 5 cherry trees that no one else knows about but they don't ripen until July, I drove past them this weekend and they're not ready yet so you are very lucky… and what a stunning picture and a very lucky random recipes pick… thank you so much for the entry x
Thanks Dom! The season seems to be really early here this year! I may just have to move gradually North to catch the ripening cherries when it ends down South. I love the idea of a secret orchard all to myself…sounds like heaven!
I wish I lived near an orchard where I could get fresh cherries from and fresh farm eggs and vegetables and fruit too come to think of it! I don't like the sound of a cherry omelette either but I love the sound and look of your pancake. yum!
I know. I feel very lucky living where I do….. there seems to be a great supply of local produce all year long!