Looking for a unique and useful gift? This buckwheat, oat and cinnamon pancake mix looks terrific in a mason jar and is both delicious and naturally gluten free using ingredients easily found or already in your cupboard. Check out more DIY gifts on the handmade gifts page.
If you are looking for a gluten-free alternative to my other delicious gift-in-a-jar, Cinnamon-Oat Pancake-Waffle Mix, either for gift-giving to people with gluten intolerances or for yourself, then you are in the right place! This buckwheat, oat and cinnamon pancake mix takes the things we loved the most from the cinnamon-oat mix and combined them with naturally gluten free buckwheat.
The thing that's the coolest about this recipe is that the ingredients are pretty straightforward: no hard-to-find ingredients are called for. In fact, if you bake with buckwheat (a little added to biscuits is really good!), you may already have everything you need to make this pancake mix.
Layer the ingredients in a jar, print out the accompanying tag and optional label and you've got a great, inexpensive gift in minutes. I've given this for Christmas gifts (along with easy berry syrup), families needing a pick-me-up, and think it would make a nice teacher gift - or even a Father's Day or Mother's Day gift to foodies.
What is Buckwheat?
Buckwheat is actually not related to wheat at all, even though it sounds like it should be. I was surprised a few years ago to learn that it is made from a seed that is actually related to rhubarb (which seems weird to me, but whatever).
The important thing is that it is naturally gluten free and can be used in place of regular wheat flour in recipes like pancakes and biscuits that use baking soda and/or baking powder for leavening.
Buckwheat, Oat & Cinnamon Pancake Mix
The Tags
There are so many talented bloggers out there creating awesome labels and printables - sometimes I feel pretty inadequate with my simple labels! But I want to encourage you to do what you can - a simple computer-printed label glued on to the front of cardstock with the recipe inside is totally okay. It still looks good and is functional. Plus, you know they're just going to use it and then throw it away, right?
Instead of fancy labels, I decided to make the jar look sweet with a vintage zinc lid, jute tie, and clothespin. Easy as pie (which is NOT easy, now that I think of it - where do you think that phrase came from?) and used things that I already had.
You can use the printable recipe below for just one tag, or CLICK HERE to download a page with four recipe tags on it, plus labels of the mix name you can glue on like I did if you'd like.
Create the Mason Jar Gift
Notes:
- The layers listed below are slightly different than pictured above. I started out with an amount I thought would fit and realized I needed to increase the recipe to fill the jar, so the photos have extra layers on the top. Follow what is listed below.
- If you'd just like to keep the mix yourself in the cupboard, mix everything together and keep in an airtight container in your pantry. Update: to make right away, follow this recipe that is based on this mix, but uses maple syrup to sweeten!
Ingredients and order of the layers that fill one quart jar (press each layer with the back of a spoon to level):
Layer 1:
- 1 cup buttermilk powder (can use dry milk or leave out for dairy intolerances - milk makes for more tender pancakes)
Layer 2:
- 2 1/4 cup buckwheat
Layer 3:
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon (put it just around the edges so it shows)
Layer 4:
- 3/4 cup oats, powdered in a blender or food processor briefly (it shouldn't be flour-like, you want to see some partial oats still)
Layer 5:
- 1 1/2 tablespoon coconut sugar or brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Cooking Tip
When using buckwheat in pancakes, I've found that doing one simple additional step ensures lighter pancakes - whip the eggs briefly with a hand whisk until at least half of it is foamy. I've included this in the recipe directions, so hopefully whoever you give the pancake mix to will take the time to do this easy, extra step to get gluten free pancakes that are very similar in texture to wheat flour pancakes.
Instructions to attach to jar (again, you can print your own below or click here to download a sheet with 4 recipe tags and optional labels):
Gluten Free Buckwheat, Oat & Cinnamon Pancake Mix Gift in a Jar
Ingredients
To use mix:
- Empty contents of quart jar into a bowl and mix well.
- Remove 1 cup for every batch of pancakes.
- Store the remainder in the jar for up to 3 months.
To make 1 batch pancakes:
- 1 cup pancake mix
- 1 egg separated
- 1 tablespoon butter melted
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Place the 1 cup of pancake mix into a medium sized bowl.
- In a separate bowl, mix the egg yolk, butter, and water together.
- Use a hand whisk to beat the egg white until frothy (at least half should froth- do as much as you can by hand to add lightness to the pancakes).
- Stir the yolk mixture into the dry mix, just until combined. Then fold in the frothy egg white.
- Prepare griddle or pan. Use 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake and cook over medium heat until holes form in the tops of the pancakes. Flip and cook until done, about a minute more.
Notes
Nutrition
Other Easy Handmade Food Gifts You May Like:
Red Beans And Rice Gift In A Jar {+ Free Printable Tags}
Rosemary Focaccia Bread: Handmade Gift In A Jar {+ Printable Tags}
Rustic DIY Wooden Box Gift Idea Filled with Hot Sauces {or whatever…}
Gift in a Jar: Cinnamon Oat Pancake-Waffle Mix
DIY Ice Cream Sundae Kit Gift + Free Printable Tags
Tami says
I love the vintage look of this. How did you get the clothes pin to look like that?
Merry Christmas!
Jami says
Oh, dear, Tami - those were a gift so I don't know how they were made. 🙂 Maybe decoupage?
Shirley @ The Gardening Life says
I love doing gifts in a jar and will definitely try this recipe! Thank you and Merry Christmas!