Why choose between a buttery almond croissant and a plate of pancakes when you can have both? These Almond Croissant Pancakes are the ultimate fusion—fluffy, gluten-free pancakes with a swirl of homemade frangipane filling, giving you all the nutty, sweet goodness of a bakery-fresh croissant in pancake form. They are truly irresistible and perfect for a weekend brunch or holiday get-together!
If there’s one thing you should know about me, it’s that I’m a croissant fiend. I usually reach for a plain croissant because there’s something so special about the simplicity of those butter layers and crispy, flaky exterior. Buttttt when the sweet tooth is hitting a little extra hard, almond croissants are the way to my heart!
One random weekend, this recipe concept just hit me out nowhere….”what if I added a frangipane swirl to pancakes!?” I tested it out and it was just as iconic as I thought it would be. But it did take me a few tries to perfect a fluffy, gluten free pancake batter and a frangipane filling that was soft enough to swirl through the batter. Now that I have, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to go back to normal pancakes…
These pancakes are fluffy and sweet, heavily infused with almond extract, and the frangipane filling gets nice and caramelized when you flip them over! They are such an addicting and impressive recipe to whip up for a special weekend brunch….or perhaps for Easter!? All the things you love about an almond croissant but made at home super easily. Can’t wait for you to experience the joy that is these pancakes!
Why You’ll Love these Gluten Free Almond Croissant Pancakes
- The base is a simple American pancake, that’s undetectably gluten free!
- Each pancake is swirled with a creamy, frangipane filling for that almond croissant feel.
- These pancakes are perfectly fluffy, sweet and almond-y.
- They are easy to make, yet impressive enough for a weekend or holiday brunch!
- Leftovers store well in the fridge or freezer for a quick breakfast all week long.
What You Need to Make these Almond Croissant Pancakes
For the Pancake Batter:
- Gluten Free 1-to-1 Flour: I always use either King Arthur or Bob’s Red Mill brands, both of which contain xanthan gum which is a crucial ingredient. If you’re not gluten free, you can substitute an equal amount of normal AP flour.
- Unflavored Collagen Peptides: This is an optional ingredient and doesn’t affect the flavor or texture of the almond croissant pancakes, but it does boost the protein! I would not recommend substituting normal protein powder.
- Cane Sugar: These pancakes are sweetened with a bit of cane sugar (or granulated sugar). You can definitely use coconut sugar instead, but it will affect the color of the pancakes.
- Baking Powder: The leavening agent we’re using to help make our pancakes fluffy.
- Kosher Salt: Even sweet things need a little salt to enhances the flavors.
- Eggs: 2 large eggs.
- Milk: I personally use 2%, but this will work with pretty much any milk you prefer (including fairlife for an extra protein boost).
- Unsalted Butter: We’re keeping it classic and using butter as the fat source for these pancakes. Make sure to let it cool slightly after melting.
- Almond & Vanilla Extract: We are infusing both the pancake batter and the frangipane filling with lots of almond extract for a strong and delicious flavor! Don’t skip it!
For the Frangipane Filling:
- Unsalted Butter: Allow the butter to soften first, so that the frangipane isn’t too thick otherwise it will be hard to create the “swirl” effect in the pancakes.
- Cane Sugar: Or granulated sugar.
- Egg: 1 large egg, which cooks off and is totally safe to eat!
- Almond Extract: Don’t be shy with this, as it adds that signature almond flavor we all know and love from almond croissants!
- Almond Flour: For even more almond-y flavor and a gritty texture. Do NOT substitute gluten free 1-to-1 or AP flour. You may be able to get away with using almond meal, though.
- Kosher Salt: Just a bit to taste! If your butter is salted, skip this.
How To Make these Almond Croissant Pancakes
Prepare Pancake Batter & Let it Rest:
First, whisk together eggs, milk, melted & cooled butter, vanilla and almond extracts in a medium bowl until combined. Then, in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, collagen (if using), sugar, baking powder and salt. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and switch to a spatula to stir until just combined. It’s okay if there are clumps! Allow batter to rest for ~15 minutes, while you prepare the frangipane filling and heat up the pan.
Beat together Frangipane Filling:
In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, add the butter and sugar. Beat until combined (about 1 minute). Then, add in egg and almond extract and beat again. Finally, add in the almond flour and salt, and beat again until combined. Transfer frangipane to a piping bag or a ziplock bag with one of the corners cut off.
Heat Griddle & Cook Pancakes:
Next, bring a griddle pan to medium-low heat or an electric griddle to about 350F. Once thoroughly pre-heated, grease with butter. Then, scoop out ¼ cup of batter per pancake. Add the frangipane swirl starting at the middle of the pancake and going out the edge, pushingly slightly into the batter so it’s not raised off the pancake too much. You may have extra frangipane filling.
Cook, Flip, Serve & Enjoy:
Allow the pancakes to cook for about 3-4 minutes, or until bubbles appear on the surface and the bottom is golden. Then flip and continue cooking for about 3 more minutes, or until golden. Optionally, top with powdered sugar and/or maple syrup. Enjoy!
What is Frangipane? Is it Safe to Eat Raw?
Frangipane is a creamy, almond-based pastry filling that is commonly used in almond croissants and many other classic French desserts. It’s made from butter, sugar, eggs and ground almonds (AKA almond flour/meal). Frangipane is often confused with marzipan, which is very similar but much firmer and sweeter.
Because frangipane contains eggs, it’s not recommended to eat it raw. However, for these almond croissant pancakes, the frangipane gets cooked when the swirl comes in contact with the griddle after flipping, so it’s safe to eat!
Equipment Recommendations:
Use whatever you have on hand but here are a few products that I used to make these almond croissant pancakes, and always get questions about!
- Mixing Bowl: This one from Farmhouse Pottery is my pride and joy. It’s stunning, sturdy and gets used multiple times per day. Life hack is to buy a “second” to save some money!
- Griddle Pan: I like this double burner one from Caraway because it’s a non-toxic, non-stick material and it fits a ton of pancakes! This link should get you 10% off.
- Electric Griddle: I’ll admit, this is an investment but I love it for pancakes, smash burgers, hibachi, etc. I find that the temperature is a lot easier to regulate and my pancakes don’t burn as much!
Can I Make these Dairy Free?
I have not tried a dairy free version of these almond croissant pancakes, but it will likely work! For the pancake batter itself, all you need to do is substitute a vegan butter or a neutral oil (such as avocado oil) and a thick and creamy non-dairy milk (such as Malk or Elmhurst brands). Then, for the frangipane, you can substitute a vegan butter (my favorite is Country Crock Plant Cream because it tastes SO similar to normal). If you try this, please let me know how it goes!
Can I Freeze these Gluten Free Almond Croissant Pancakes?
Yes! I love to freeze extra almond croissant pancakes to have on hand for a quick and easy breakfast option. For the best results, first let the pancakes cool down and then “flash freeze” them. AKA add them to a wire rack, plate or baking sheet, pop them in the freezer for a few hours and then transfer them to an airtight container or bag – I like Stasher bags for this!
Then, when you’re ready to eat the pancakes, you can pop them in the toaster or the microwave. If you have a defrost setting on your toaster, use that! You may have to run them through the toaster twice until warmed through.
How Should I Store Leftover Almond Croissant Pancakes?
I recommend allowing the almond croissant pancakes to cool down completely on a wire rack first. The frangipane swirl causes them to stick to each other when they’re stacked, so it’s best to place a sheet of parchment between each layer before transferring them to an airtight container and storing in the fridge for 4-5 days. Pop them into the toaster or microwave to re-heat!
Find the full recipe below. As always, please let me know if you tried it by commenting below or tagging me on Instagram, @munchinwithmaddie_.
Looking for More Breakfast Recipes?
- High Protein Baked Oatmeal (Apple Chai)
- Tuscan Cottage Cheese and Egg Bake
- Meal Prep Chipotle Egg Bake
- Chocolate Protein Pancakes
- High-Protein Peanut Butter & Jelly Overnight Oats
- Brownie Baked Oatmeal
Almond Croissant Pancakes (Gluten Free)
Equipment
- kitchen scale (optional)
- 1 medium bowl
- 2 large bowls
- whisk
- hand or stand mixer
- piping bag or ziplock bag
- griddle pan or electric griddle
- spatula
Ingredients
For the Pancake Batter:
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups milk of choice (355ml, I used 2%)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter melted & cooled (56g)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 2 cups gluten free 1-to-1 flour (240g, or AP flour)
- ¼ cup unflavored collagen peptides (20g, optional)
- 3 tbsp cane sugar (38g)
- 4 tsp baking powder
- pinch of kosher salt
For the Frangipane Filling:
- ¼ cup unsalted butter softened (56g)
- ¼ cup cane sugar (50g)
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp almond extract
- ¾ cup + 2 tbsp almond flour (85g)
- pinch of kosher salt
Instructions
- First, whisk together eggs, milk, melted & cooled butter, vanilla and almond extracts in a medium bowl until combined. Then, in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, collagen (if using), sugar, baking powder and salt. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and switch to a spatula to stir until just combined. It's okay if there are clumps! Allow batter to rest for ~15 minutes, while you prepare the frangipane filling and heat up the pan.2 large eggs, 1 ½ cups milk of choice, ¼ cup unsalted butter, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tsp almond extract, 2 cups gluten free 1-to-1 flour, ¼ cup unflavored collagen peptides, 3 tbsp cane sugar, 4 tsp baking powder, pinch of kosher salt
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, add the butter and sugar. Beat until combined (about 1 minute). Then, add in egg and almond extract and beat again. Finally, add in the almond flour and salt, and beat again until combined. Transfer frangipane to a piping bag or a ziplock bag with one of the corners cut off.¼ cup unsalted butter, ¼ cup cane sugar, 1 large egg, 1 tsp almond extract, ¾ cup + 2 tbsp almond flour, pinch of kosher salt
- Bring a griddle pan to medium-low heat or an electric griddle to about 350F. Once thoroughly pre-heated, grease with butter. Then, scoop out ¼ cup of batter per pancake. Add the frangipane swirl starting at the middle of the pancake and going out the edge, pushingly slightly into the batter so it's not raised off the pancake too much. You may have extra frangipane filling.
- Allow the pancakes to cook for about 3-4 minutes, or until bubbles appear on the surface and the bottom is golden. Then flip and continue cooking for about 3 more minutes, or until golden. Optionally, top with powdered sugar and/or maple syrup. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @munchinwithmaddie_ on Instagram and/or hashtag it #munchinwithmaddie.