Paleo Pancake & Waffle Mix by Birch Benders, Kosher, Gluten-free, 12 oz Bag

I've tried a variety of grain-free and/or gluten free pancake mixes and Birch Bender's is the best I've found for both pancakes and Belgian waffles. I add more liquid than the directions suggest.

A friend of mine mentioned she had tried (and loved) this Birch Binder Paleo Pancake & Waffle mix so even though it is expensive - I am gluten-free and I get it... you simply cannot compare to gluten versions... but still... typical wheat-based pancake mix can be had for 7¢ an ounce! Anyway... I decided to give it a try. I bought in May 2020, stuck the bag into the cupboard and kind of forgot it until a few months later bought a pink Dash Mini 4" Waffle Maker and remembered the mix.Recommended RecipeTried the recipe as recommended on the package a few times, it's super simple, you just add water if you are making pancakes. If making waffles it is recommended to add a small amount of fat - they like coconut oil. The waffles were amazing. There is a slight sweet taste due to the Monkfruit (last ingredient), which is tolerable when having these drizzled with butter and scrambled eggs on the side. Just two of these 4" waffles are filling and satisfying (that surprises me and makes me happy all at once). By the way, even though I had the mix probably six months before opening it is fresh and delicious.Keto vs. PaleoFull disclosure, I have not tried the Keto version yet. I'd prefer less carbs, but the Keto version (10 grams carbs per serving) is currently 65¢/ounce whereas the Paleo (16 grams carbs per serving) is 41¢/ounce. After thinking about it, I decided paying less was worth a few more carbs. I see that the Keto version doesn't contain the Monkfruit so I might like the Keto version better. The Paleo version has Cassava starch, Coconut Flour and Almond Flour, while the Keto version has Almond Flour, Cassava starch and Tigernut Flour.Buttermilk Waffle RecipePaleo omits dairy... so if you are strict Paleo you won't be able to try this. My husband (the bargain shopper) bought three half-gallons of buttermilk because they were marked down to just 50 cents. When I used to eat gluten, buttermilk pancakes were a huge favorite so I thought I'd try the Birch Binders mix with buttermilk. The recipe is equal parts of the Paleo pancake mix, and buttermilk. so for one serving (two waffles) 1/4 cup mix and 1/4 cup buttermilk. Mix together and it forms a thick batter. You might need to add a tablespoon (or more) of buttermilk to thin it out a bit. The Dash mini-waffle maker is non-stick surface but I still brush the surface with coconut oil or butter. I snapped a photo of the batter after I plopped it onto the waffle iron before closing it so you can see it is pretty thick. Ohhhhhh... what a wonderfully delicious waffle this makes. If you can have dairy products, you should definitely try it. It has been a really special treat. So fast! I plug in the waffle iron and while it's heating up, mix up the batter. I usually wait until the waffle maker light goes off, and steam rising reduces significantly to check and see if the waffle is done. In between checking the waffle iron I'm scrambling the eggs so everything is ready to eat in minutes.I have the three flours on hand so maybe will try putting together a DYI version but in the meantime I have been having these with scrambled eggs (and grated mild cheddar) several times a week (see picture). Really delicious and fills me up for several hours.I would definitely recommend Birch Benders Paleo Pancake and Waffle mix, especially if you are the only person you're making food for, the small bag (12 ounces) makes 10 servings (20 pancakes or waffles) so the bag could easily last a month or two depending on how often you get a craving.

Believe it or not, this little package kept fresh in a locktite container, in the bag, but it was opened a year and a half ago. We didn't care for the grainy consistency for waffles or pancakes (I just reverted to the way I've always made my pancakes, which are always soft and fluffy with a creamy texture and always add a large dollop of sour cream to any generic box mix, along with a half teaspoon more of baking powder and milk to a thicker consistency; I also only use butter in the pan). I've been out of groceries for a while and living off of pantry staples until I can get to the store, so having a hankering for corn fritters(trying to make my mother's delicious recipe), I decided to see if I could use this mix up. I was skeptical it wouldn't be rancid but it wasn't at all. I dumped some in a bowl, added a can of creamed corn, a little garlic and onion powder, bit of salt and paprika and dolloped spoonfuls into the hot canola oil. When I took them out, again, I was skeptical, but they were so crunchy and delicious! Yum. I really like the flavor it adds, too! I hardly ever fry anything except maybe eggs and hamburgers but I'm telling you, this is a fantastic texture when fried. If you can't do tempura batter or flour, try this!

Great gluten-free option for pancakes

Very tasty and healthy too. Added ricotta, lemon zest and blueberries for an extra treat.

I lowered my review to 3 stars when I figured out how much salt I was ingesting at breakfast. I mix a whole bag at once and get 8 waffles and have two for breakfast which works out to be 350 calories. That is a reasonable amount of calories for me for breakfast.; however, according to the nutritional information, that is 2.5 servings and 2.5 x 14% = 35% of the daily allowance for salt. I'm trying to watch my salt intake and shouldn't have to waste hardly any of it on breakfast. I may try making my own mix from scratch leaving out most of the salt. I would also use less sweetener as these are a bit sweeter than they need to be.Original 5-star review below:Most low-carb pancake mixes list vital wheat gluten as the first ingredient but these are gluten free. I make only waffles and to the whole bag I add an egg, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tsp of cinnamon, a couple tbs of melted butter, and frozen wild blue berries that I get from Trader Joe's. These are the tiny blueberries and I defrost them in the microwave first. I use Pam on the waffle iron and they don't stick and freeze the leftover waffles. I use a sugar free maple syrup that I get at Market Basket and 10% real maple syrup because hey, you got to live a little, right?