Gluten-Free kenyan Hot Chocolate Pancakes

Gluten-Free kenyan Hot Chocolate Pancakes

Yields 6 to 7 pancakes
For the pancakes:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose gluten-free flour (I used Cup 4 Cup)
1/4 cup raw cacao powder
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 large eggs
1 3/4 cups almond milk
2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted (plus more for frying)
1 teaspoon gluten-free vanilla extract
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
Suggested toppings:
Toasted gluten-free marshmallows
Gluten-free chocolate syrup
Whipped cream
Combine the gluten-free flour, cacao, sugar, baking powder, spices, and salt into a large mixing bowl. Whisk together well and set aside.
In a separate mixing bowl, combine the eggs and almond milk. Whisk well until smooth. Add in the melted coconut oil (taking caution that it is not too hot, as it might scramble the eggs — it should be lukewarm) and the vanilla extract. Whisk again until everything is very well-combined.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk again until a thick batter forms. The consistency of this batter is going to be much thicker than regular pancake batter due to the nature of the gluten-free flour. It might be sticky as well — this is fine. Finally, fold in the dark chocolate chips so they are evenly distributed throughout the batter.
Heat up a pancake griddle, or a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Melt a generous amount of coconut oil onto your griddle or into your skillet. Once the oil is hot and coats the bottom of the pan, pour a little more than a 1/4 cup of batter into the skillet to make each pancake. The batter is thick, so use a silicone spatula to even out the pancake into a round shape.
Allow the pancake to cook for approximately 3 to 5 minutes a side. The batter will not bubble in the center like it would if you were making non-gluten-free pancakes, so you have to keep a close eye on the texture of the edges as they begin to firm up. Once it seems firm, and the bottom is crispy, flip the pancake and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes. Repeat these steps until all of the pancakes are cooked.
Serve the pancakes with toppings of your choice, or make them extra hot chocolate-y by adding chocolate sauce, whipped cream, and toasted marshmallows.