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Buckwheat Pancakes Recipe (Blue Ridge Parkway)

By: Author Bram Reusen

Posted on Last updated:

Buckwheat pancakes recipe inspired by: Blue Ridge Parkway, Virginia (alternatively: Shenandoah National Park or New River Gorge National Park)

A historic staple in the local cuisines of both Virginia and West Virginia, buckwheat used to be one of the most common crops in both states. It was so popular, in fact, that both George Washington and Thomas Jefferson grew buckwheat at their respective farms, Mount Vernon and Monticello.

Although buckwheat is no longer the popular ingredient in Virginia that it used to be, it’s still featured on menus across the state. Additionally, you can also still find and indulge in buckwheat pancakes at select annual festivals around Virginia.

One of the restaurants still using buckwheat in their recipes is the Mabry Mill Restaurant, which bring us to the National Park Service unit that inspired this recipe: the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Mabry Mill is easily one of the most iconic places on the entire Blue Ridge Parkway, which stretches all the way from Shenandoah National Park to Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

It’s incredibly fitting that this would be a place where road trippers can stop and enjoy a classic buckwheat pancake!

If you’re feeling “national parksy” and want to have a national park-inspired breakfast, this traditional buckwheat pancake recipe is a fantastic option.

Buckwheat pancakes in a cast-iron skillet

Blue Ridge Parkway Buckwheat Pancakes

  • Prep time: 5 minutes
  • Cook time: 15 minutes
  • Total time: 20 minutes
  • Servings: 4 (two buckwheat pancakes per person)
  • Calories per serving: 162

Considered a “superfood”, buckwheat is 100% gluten-free and contains more high-quality protein than wheat, rice or corn.

Pancakes made with buckwheat don’t taste anything like the typical flour-based pancakes most people are used to.

However, that doesn’t mean they’re less flavorful at all. In fact, I’d say buckwheat pancakes are more flavorful than regular American flour pancakes. And they’re (significantly) healthier, too.

I personally love these buckwheat pancakes, which are amazing with some maple syrup, a couple of slices of crispy bacon and some fresh fruit on the side. They make for a phenomenal camping breakfast as well!

Buckwheat pancakes recipe with bacon and maple syrup

Necessary Kitchen Tools

Gluten-free buckwheat pancakes recipe
Yield: 4 servings

Blue Ridge Parkway Buckwheat Pancakes Recipe

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Inspired by Virginia's Blue Ridge Parkway, this gluten-free buckwheat pancakes recipe makes an amazing and healthy breakfast at home or while camping.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup buckwheat flour
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 3 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

Instructions

  1. Add buckwheat flour, sugar, baking soda and salt to a large bowl and mix well.
  2. Whisk buttermilk, vanilla extract and egg together in a medium bowl.
  3. Pour the buttermilk mixture into the buckwheat flour mixture. Stir well with a spoon until all large lumps of flour are gone (some small lumps are okay).
  4. Melt a tablespoon of butter in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat.
  5. When butter is melted and starts sizzling, scoop batter into the skillet. I use a 1/4 measuring cup to scoop my pancake batter, which keeps the sizes similar. Make sure the pancakes don't touch each other in the skillet.
  6. Cook the buckwheat pancakes until the bottom is well browned and bubbles begin appearing on the top, about 3 minutes. Watch closely.
  7. Flip pancakes over and cook the other side until browned, another 2 minutes or so.
  8. Repeat steps 4 through 7 for the rest of the batter.
  9. Serve immediately with your favorite toppings or sides.
  10. Enjoy!

Notes

Note: If you don't have any buttermilk, you can mimic it by mixing the same amount of regular or dairy-free milk with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice in a bowl. (The acid of the lemon will react with the baking soda in the same way as buttermilk, making the pancakes fluffier.)

Combine this milk-lemon juice mixture with the vanilla extract and egg (step 2 above). Pour the mixture into into the buckwheat flour mixture along with 2 extra tablespoons of melted unsalted butter (step 4).

--> Milk + lemon juice + melted butter = pretty close to buttermilk as an ingredient!

Nutrition Information

Yield

4
Amount Per Serving Calories 162Total Fat 10.4gSaturated Fat 6.1gCholesterol 72mgSodium 1193mgCarbohydrates 13gFiber 1gSugar 7.7gProtein 5.9g

A general nutrition calculator was used to determine the nutritional information of this recipe, which is meant solely as an indication of the dish's nutritional values. This nutritional information is solely for the buckwheat pancakes and does not account for any toppings you may add, such as bacon, maple syrup or fruit. Depending on specific ingredients, quantities used and/or serving size, the ultimate dish you end up making may have different nutritional aspects. Please consider the information provided here only as guidance and not as an absolute fact.

© Bram
Cuisine: Breakfast / Category: Recipes
If You Decide to Make This Blue Ridge Parkway-Inspired Buckwheat Pancakes Recipe at Home, Feel Free to Tell Everyone About It Below! Happy Cooking!

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