Camping season is here! Pack a bag of homemade gluten free pancake mix and you can quickly whip up a batch of fluffy pancakes, tender waffles, biscuits, or moist, sweet muffins. (Skip to recipe.)
Certain foods always make me think of camping: pancakes from a cast-iron pan, canned spaghetti, and simple campfire treats. Every spring my mom stocked the camper with a stash of special camping foods — items we rarely had at home and that felt indulgent because they were so convenient and long-lasting. Canned beef stew, cocktail sausages, bags of marshmallows, boxes of crackers, jars of orange cheese spread and even canned bacon: to us these were exotic treasures that marked the start of summer adventures.
My dad was an avid fisherman and he loved taking the family to camp beside remote lakes. We’d ride for hours, five girls spread out in the camper overhang, faces pressed to the window watching the road. Once we arrived he’d launch the boat and head off to fish. The kids helped set up camp, roasted wieners over the fire, explored the woods, and read stacked mysteries in shady nooks between boat turns. After a day in the sun we’d gather for warm, simple meals cooked on the campstove or over the fire — pure bliss.
Mom’s memories of those trips were less romantic: packing and unpacking for a family of seven, managing meals, laundry, bandaids and bug spray, chasing toddlers, tending the fire and catching up with chores at home afterward. Camping was hard work for her, even if it felt magical to us as children.
Camping is easier today with better gear, but you still need to cook. Keep a bag of this gluten free pancake mix on hand to simplify outdoor meals — or store a jar in your cupboard for quick breakfasts, waffles, muffins or biscuits for busy mornings and after-school snacks.
This mix is versatile: if you’re backpacking and want to skip eggs and oil, it will work made up with water alone (texture will be less rich, but it’s handy in a pinch).
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Kitchen Frau Notes: I use toasted quinoa flour in this mix for its protein and nutty flavor. Untoasted quinoa flour can be grassy or slightly bitter; toasting tames that flavor and adds complexity. See the toasting instructions near the end of the post. I often toast large batches and store them for baking.
Citric acid mimics the tang of buttermilk and reacts with baking soda to give extra lift. If you don’t have it, try to find it at a health food store or pharmacy — it improves tenderness and rise.
Psyllium husk powder helps bind the mix and gives better structure, especially if you plan to use the mix for muffins, waffles or biscuits. Pancakes work without it, but the texture is springier with psyllium.
Homemade Gluten Free Pancake Mix
- 1½ cups (225 g) brown rice flour
- 1 cup (100 g) oat flour
- 1 cup (120 g) sorghum flour
- 1 cup (120 g) toasted quinoa flour* (see how to toast it below) or millet flour, or 1 additional cup sorghum flour
- 1 cup (150 g) sweet rice flour
- 1 cup (120 g) tapioca starch or arrowroot starch
- ¼ cup (50 g) sugar
- 5 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1½ teaspoons citric acid crystals
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon psyllium husk powder or 2½ tablespoons whole psyllium husks (optional)
Whisk all ingredients together in a large bowl or shake them well in a lidded container. Store in an airtight container for 3–4 months at room temperature if the flours are fresh, or freeze for longer storage.
Makes about 7 cups of pancake mix.
*Gluten Free Buckwheat Pancake Mix: Replace the sorghum and the quinoa/millet flour with 2 cups buckwheat flour.
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Label your container with the mixing instructions below.
To prepare PANCAKES:
For each 1 cup (140 g) pancake mix, add:
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon oil
- ½ to ¾ cup (120–180 ml) milk, non-dairy milk, or water
Can be made with ¼ cup applesauce to replace the egg, or even made without egg.
Whisk together, starting with the lesser amount of liquid to form a smooth, slightly thick batter. Add more liquid if needed or an extra spoonful of mix if too runny. Drop large spoonfuls onto a lightly oiled griddle or skillet over medium heat and cook until browned on both sides, flipping halfway through.
Each 1 cup of mix makes six 4-inch pancakes.
Optional add-ins:
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon or 1 teaspoon vanilla per cup of mix
- Chocolate chips, raisins or chopped dried fruit
- Grated or chopped fresh apple
- Fresh or frozen berries
- Chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts)
- Sliced bananas placed on the uncooked top before flipping
- Sprinkle chia seeds on the uncooked top before flipping
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To make WAFFLES from the pancake mix:
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 cup (240 ml) milk or non-dairy milk
- 1½ cups (210 g) pancake mix
Whisk eggs, oil and milk together, then stir in the pancake mix until smooth. Pour batter into a preheated, lightly greased waffle iron and cook according to the manufacturer’s directions until golden brown.
Makes six 6-inch waffles.
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To make MUFFINS from the pancake mix:
- 1 egg
- ½ cup (120 ml) oil
- ½ cup granulated, brown or coconut sugar, or ¼ cup (60 ml) honey
- 1 cup (240 ml) mashed banana, applesauce, or yogurt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon or 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1½ cups (210 g) gluten free pancake mix
- Optional add-ins: ½ cup chopped nuts, chocolate chips, raisins, shredded apple or carrot
Whisk the first five ingredients, then stir in the pancake mix until most lumps are gone. Fold in any add-ins. Line a muffin tin with liners and divide the batter among 12 cups.
Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 18–20 minutes, until the tops spring back when lightly pressed. Cool 5 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a rack.
Makes 12 muffins.
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To make BISCUITS from the pancake mix:
- 2 cups (280 g) pancake mix
- ½ cup (113 g) cold butter (preferably salted)
- ½ cup (120 ml) milk or non-dairy milk
Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Cut cold butter into the pancake mix with two knives or a pastry cutter until the butter pieces are pea-sized. Stir in milk, mix briefly with a fork, then gently bring the dough together with your hands, leaving visible butter chunks. Pat into a ¾-inch (2 cm) thick circle and cut with a 2–2¼ inch (5–6 cm) cutter. Reroll scraps, place biscuits on a greased pan and bake 20–25 minutes until golden at the edges. Cool 5 minutes in the pan before removing.
Makes about 9 biscuits.
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*How to toast quinoa flour: Spread quinoa flour in a ¼–½ inch (about 1 cm) layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast in a 225°F (110°C) oven for about 2½ hours, stirring several times, until the flour is golden and smells toasty. Cool completely, then store in an airtight container.
Guten Appetit!
If you enjoy these recipes, save the page or keep a jar of mix ready — it’s a simple way to make camping and weekday meals easier and more delicious.