Cherrybrook Kitchen Pancakes for the Wheat and Gluten Intolerant

Because of food allergies to wheat, milk, eggs, peanuts, and soy, my daughter has endured limited breakfast options. Pancakes, a favorite for the rest of the family, were out of the question until I stumbled one day into the "special needs" food section of our local grocery store.

On the shelves of this small section were brightly colored boxes announcing dairy free, gluten free, wheat free, soy free, egg free and peanut and tree nut free food mixes. Amazingly, a pancake mix was prominently placed. I admit I was very skeptical. I had no idea how anything made without those ingredients could come out looking like pancakes.

The cost of the pancake mix was slightly high at around $5.00, but if my daughter liked it, it would be worth every penny.

The only other needed ingredient aside from the mix was some form of liquid. Soy milk was recommended, but since that was not an option for me, I used vanilla flavored rice milk. The consistency of the batter, once mixed, was very thin.

Using a non-dairy, non-soy margarine to grease my nonstick frying pan, I spooned about five tablespoons of batter into the hot frying pan. Since the batter was so thin, it spread out quickly. In spite of having none of the usual rising agents used in baking, the pancake began to thicken as the batter cooked.

Cooking time for the Cherrybrook Kitchen pancakes was slightly shorter than normal pancake batter. That was most likely due to the thinner batter. After approximately three minutes on each side, the pancake was golden brown and cooked through.

The aroma of the pancake was similar to normal pancakes, although the vanilla flavored rice milk did cause it to smell like vanilla. The taste of the pancake was excellent. It was more moist than a traditional pancake, and also much sweeter. In fact, I typically eat them without syrup. The sweetness may be in part due to the vanilla flavored rice milk, which is very sweet on its own.

The true test of the pancake was my daughter, who, prior to trying the Cherrybrook Kitchen pancake had never tasted one before. As she filled her mouth with a syrup covered bite of pancake, a messy smile broke out on her face. She declared it delicious, and to this day, it is her favorite breakfast.

In spite of its thinness, the Cherrybrook Kitchen pancake batter can handle add ins such as fruit, chocolate chips (depending on your pancake eater's allergies) or spices such as cinnamon or nutmeg. The consistency and flavor of the batter is subject to the type of liquid used, so soy milk creates a thicker batter and a less sweet flavor.

Overall, the Cherrybrook Kitchen pancake mix is an excellent tasting alternative to homemade, or Bisquik made, pancakes. At the price, however, you will want to save them for the family members with specific food needs.