GLUTEN-FREE VEGAN SEMLA PANCAKES

What is this yummy treat I’m serving you today, you might ask (unless you’re just mesmerized by the fluffy messy cream and jam)? These are gluten-free vegan semla pancakes! Kind of like the traditional semla, a delicious cardamom bun we eat on Shrove Sunday and Shrove Tuesday, but in pancake form.

Originally I created this pancake bun recipe for my vegan baking book which was published in Finland last spring. I shared the recipe on my blog: vegan cardamom bun pancakes. The original is not a gluten-free recipe, so I really wanted to try a gluten-free version too.

I’m happy with the result, although this is not a fluffy pancake bun. It’s more a denser, hearty and comforting one. And because it’s a semla pancake, we filled it with almond paste, raspberry jam and whipped cream.

Before Shrove Tuesday there’s always the question (or debate) which combo of almond paste / raspberry jam / whipped cream is the best. I’ve solved this issue simply by putting a little bit of both almond paste and raspberry jam and a whole lotta cream.

These little cardamom bun pancakes are not super sweet on their own, so without the crazy filling, this would make a great snack too. But I’m sure you want to taste this semla with all the fillings, right?

Happy Shrove Sunday from the forest ♥

Print Recipe

Gluten-free vegan semla pancakes

This pancake tastes like a cardamom bun and when it's filled with jam and cream, it becomes a delicious treat.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time15 mins

Resting time30 mins

Total Time25 mins

Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: gluten-free, vegan

Keyword: cardamom bun, gluten-free, pancakes, semla, vegan scrambled eggs

Servings: 10

Ingredients

• 1,2 cups (300 ml or ~210 g) Gluten-free all purpose (light) flour mix I use a special gluten-free bun flour mix from Viljatuote (not sponsored, this is what I always use to make buns)
• 0,35 oz dry yeast (1 packet of dry yeast, we have packets with ~10 grams of yeast)
• 1/4 cups coconut sugar
• 1,5 tsp ground cardamom
• 0,5 tsp salt
• 0,8 cups yogurt I use unsweetened soy yogurt, but any yogurt should work
• 1/4 cups water
• 1/4 cups melted coconut oil
• + oil additional oil for the pancakes
• Optional: sugar for coating the pancake buns
• Fillings: almond paste, raspberry jam and/or raspberries, vegan whipped cream

Instructions

• Mix dry ingredients in a bowl: flour, dry yeast, sugar and spices.
• Combine yogurt and water and heat to ~105 F (~42 C). Don't over heat or the yeast won't work properly.
• Pour yogurt-water mix to the dry ingredients and knead for a few minutes, add oil and keep on kneading for a few minutes.
• Shape the dough into 10 (or more) thick pancakes. Let rise covered in a warm place for about 30 minutes.
• Warm oil in a pan and add pancakes. Cook pancakes in mid temperature for about 2 minutes per side. 
• Optional: when still warm, brush the pancake buns with coconut oil and coat with sugar.
• Let chill for a while and fill the pancakes with almond paste, raspberry jam (or raspberries) and lots of whipped cream. Enjoy! 

Notes

If you want to use regular wheat flour, you would need more than 1,2 cups. If you want to try a spelt flour + oat flour version of this, here's the recipe.