Denny’s stacks of pancakes are popular throughout the country, and for a good reason! They’re mouthwatering, served on massive platters, and oftentimes coated with butter and gluten-free syrup. But are Denny’s pancakes gluten-free?
Denny’s pancakes are not gluten-free. They use all-purpose flour, which contains wheat, to achieve their texture and fluffiness. If you are looking to dine out, IHOP does offer gluten-friendly pancakes, made from rice flour. The best healthy gluten-free pancake brands include Birch Benders Gluten-Free Pancake Mix, Simple Mills Pancake & Waffle Mix, and Pamela’s Gluten-Free Baking & Pancake Mix.
However, Denny’s does offer some other gluten-free meals. There are plenty of healthy, gluten-free alternatives to Denny’s pancakes, as well. Let’s break down each of these topics in more detail.
Contents
Flour Use and Cross-Contamination
Denny’s pancakes, like many other pancakes offered at eateries and diners throughout the country, use all-purpose flour as their base component. All-purpose flour is versatile and tastes great for folks who can tolerate gluten, but it’s unfortunately derived from wheat. All-purpose flour is usually vegan, however.
At the time of this writing, Denny’s doesn’t offer any pancakes made with rice flour, tapioca flour, or any other flour alternative. Because of this ingredient alone, Denny’s pancakes are literally off the table for folks with celiac disease or gluten sensitivities. That’s a big bummer considering that Denny’s does offer gluten-free syrup (granted, syrup is usually gluten-free by its very nature!).
The same holds true for many of Denny’s other bread-based products, such as the bread used for their burgers and sandwiches. There are no gluten-free buns or sandwich breads at Denny’s.
But if you’re just stopping by for breakfast, rest assured you can find some gluten-free options, like eggs, bacon, sausage, and so on. It’s really just the pancakes and bread products you have to be aware of at Denny’s.
Denny’s Pancakes Nutritional Breakdown
Denny’s has only a single pancake option on their menu. This, unfortunately, is not a gluten-free recipe as it uses all-purpose flour rather than flour alternatives, like rice flour or tapioca flour. Let’s take a closer look at this pancake recipe’s detailed ingredients so you know for sure that it’s not gluten-free.
Its ingredients are:
- Buttermilk
- Cooking oil
- Baking soda
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Eggs
Nutrition Facts (per 2 pancakes):
- 450 cal
- 11 g fat or 17% DV
- 60 mg cholesterol or 20% DV
- 1390 mg sodium or 58% DV
- 77 g carbohydrates or 26% DV
- 2 g fiber or 8% DV
- 20 g sugar
- 10 g protein
As you can see, the only problematic part is the all-purpose flour. If enough people petition Denny’s, we might see them swap this out for tapioca flour or rice flour or, even better, offer gluten-free pancakes for its customers with gluten sensitivities.
Gluten-Free Alternatives to Denny’s Pancakes
When it comes to gluten-free pancakes, however, there are several alternatives. You’ll just have to focus on finding gluten-free pancake mix or batter at grocery stores rather than eating pancakes at most restaurants. As you’ll see from the breakdown below, most similar restaurants to Denny’s also fail to offer satisfying gluten-free pancakes.
Pancakes at Competing Restaurants
Unfortunately, the majority of similar restaurants to Denny’s that offer pancakes, like IHOP or Cracker Barrel, don’t offer good gluten-free alternatives to traditional flapjacks. Because of this, you’ll usually have better luck crafting your own gluten-free flapjacks or breakfast items at all.
Are IHOP’s Gluten-Friendly Pancakes Gluten-Free?
IHOP recently came out with an expansion to its menu called the “gluten-friendly” pancakes and waffles. While these sound gluten-free at first, they really aren’t, as you’ll see from the ingredient breakdown below. IHOP’s gluten-friendly pancakes are a good lesson on the importance of specific language.
In a nutshell, gluten-friendly pancakes from IHOP are a little easier on your digestive system than traditional pancakes. But if you have celiac disease or have a digestive tract that is very sensitive to gluten, they still won’t be suitable choices for your breakfast.
That’s because these gluten-friendly pancakes are prepared in a cross-contaminated or shared environment. Because they are made using the same tools and in the same area as regular pancakes, IHOP can’t guarantee that gluten-based particles don’t get into the pancake mix. You might get away with eating these if you have gluten intolerance, but we wouldn’t risk it.
The ingredients for IHOP’s Gluten-Friendly Pancakes are:
- Rice flour
- Butter
- Eggs
- Milk
- Oats
- Sugar
Nutrition Facts (per 4 pancakes):
- 540 cal
- 15 g fat or 23% DV
- 80 mg cholesterol or 27% DV
- 1140 mg sodium or 48% DV
- 90 g carbohydrates or 30% DV
- 2 g fiber or 8% DV
- 17 g sugar
- 11 g protein
Are Cracker Barrel’s Pancake’s Gluten-Free?
Cracker Barrel’s famous buttermilk pancakes are certainly tasty, but they also unfortunately don’t qualify as gluten-free. You’ll notice from the ingredient breakdown below that they use enriched wheat flour as their core ingredient, so you’ll need to look elsewhere to get your gluten-free pancake fix.
Its ingredients are:
- Enriched wheat flour
- Yellow corn flour
- White rye flour
- Dextrose
- Leavening agents
- Sugar
- Whey powder
- Salt
- Egg yolk
- Soybean oil
- Buttermilk powder
Nutrition Facts (per 2 pancakes):
- 180 cal
- 5 g fat or 2% DV
- 15 mg cholesterol or 5% DV
- 800 mg sodium or 35% DV
- 37 g carbohydrates or 13% DV
- 5 g sugar
- 4 g protein
Healthy Gluten-Free Pancake Brands
While pancakes from Denny’s and similar sit-down restaurants may not have gluten-free pancakes for you to enjoy, you’re not totally out of options. Indeed, there are plenty of other gluten-free pancake brands you can purchase and make in your own kitchen. Let’s take a look at some of these healthy gluten-free pancake mixes one by one.
Birch Benders Organic Gluten-Free Pancake Mix
Birch Benders offer a stellar organic and gluten-free pancake and waffle mix you can use to whip up a gluten-free breakfast for you and your family in no time. On top of being free from gluten-based ingredients, it’s also certified kosher, BPA free, certified organic, and even suitable for vegetarians since it doesn’t use any eggs.
Its ingredients are:
- Brown rice flour
- Potato starch
- Almond flour
- White rice flour
- Buttermilk
- Cassava starch
- Non-GMO cane sugar
- Leavening
- Salt
- Xanthan gum
Nutrition Facts (per ¼ cup or 35 g):
- 130 cal
- 2 g fat or 3% DV
- 270 mg sodium or 12% DV
- 22 g carbohydrates or 8% DV
- 1 g fiber or 3% DV
- 4 g sugar or 5% DV
- 3 g protein
- 96 mg calcium
- 4 mg iron
- 100 mg potassium
Simple Mills Pancake & Waffle Mix
Simple Mills offers a wealth of healthy batters, waffle mixes, and pancake mixes. This pancake and waffle mix is made with healthy, real ingredients like almond flour and coconut flour for added nutrients. It’s also certified gluten-free, soy-free, dairy-free, corn-free, and more. Ultimately, it’s a great non-GMO and paleo-friendly pancake mix for vegans and folks with sensitive digestive systems alike.
Its ingredients are:
- Almond flour
- Arrowroot
- Organic coconut sugar
- Organic coconut flour
- Cream of tartar
- Baking soda
- Sea salt
Nutrition Facts (per 3-4 pancakes or waffles):
- 180 cal
- 8 g fat or 10% DV
- 240 mg sodium or 10% DV
- 23 g carbohydrates or 8% DV
- 3 g fiber or 11% DV
- 6 g sugar or 10% DV
- 4 g protein or 3% DV
- 48 mg calcium
- 1 mg iron
- 354 mg potassium
Pamela’s Gluten-Free Baking & Pancake Mix
Last but not least is Pamela’s Gluten-Free Baking & Pancake Mix, which is not only certified gluten-free but also low FODMAP and vegetarian to boot. The packaging is made from recyclable materials, as well, so it’s a great choice if you want to do your part for the environment and avoid upsetting your digestive system at the same time.
Its ingredients are:
- Brown rice flour
- White rice flour
- Cultured buttermilk
- Natural almond meal
- Tapioca starch
- Sweet rice flour
- Potato starch
- Grainless and aluminum-free baking powder
- Baking soda
- Sea salt
- Xanthan gum
Nutrition Facts (per 40 g):
- 200 cal
- 8 g fat or 10% DV
- 50 mg cholesterol or 17% DV
- 330 mg sodium or 14% DV
- 26 g carbohydrates or 10% DV
- 1 g fiber or 4% DV
- 3 g sugar
- 6 g protein
- 15% DV calcium
- 7 mg iron or 4% DV
Final Thoughts
As you can see, Denny’s doesn’t have any gluten-free pancakes right now. With luck, that might change in the near future as more restaurants across America add gluten-free options to their menus to accommodate folks with gluten-free diets. Until then, consider the gluten-free alternatives we broke down above or purchase one of the gluten-free meal options when you sit down at Denny’s for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Related Questions
What does Denny’s have that is gluten-free?
A wide range of breakfast foods like eggs, bacon, beef patties, sliced or shave ham, steak, omelets, and more.
Are Denny’s pancakes dairy free?
No. The core pancake recipe contains buttermilk.
Are Denny’s omelets gluten-free?
They can be, as long as you order them without bread in favor of a gluten-free English muffin.