These keto Johnny cakes are a must-have for anyone doing the keto diet. They can be as sweet as you like or enjoyed as a savory type of flatbread.
Whether you call these keto hoecakes, keto fried cornbread, or keto pan-fried cornbread cakes, one thing is for sure: You’re going to call them delicious! It tastes like the real thing, minus all the carbs.
Serve these low-carb hoe cakes instead of cornmeal pancakes as a side or for brunch with some melted butter and sugar-free maple syrup.
It’s an easy recipe that everyone will embrace, even if they are not on a keto diet.
I have several popular recipes that use almond meal to mimic cornmeal, like my easy keto cornbread recipe and my keto almond flour cornbread muffins.
I also have some made with coconut flour, like my keto coconut flour cornbread and my coconut flour muffins, so you have quite a number of keto cornbread recipes to choose from.
However, this is the first time I made cornbread pancakes with only 3.5 net carbs per serving. And guess what? Each serving includes three journey cakes!
Keto Johnny Cakes
Traditional Johnny cakes are made with cornmeal, making them very high in carbs and therefore not permitted on a low-carb diet.
After reading the comments from our readers, I realized that many were making pan-fried cornbread cakes using our trusty low carb cornbread recipe and even enjoying it as a side for keto chili, apparently a Southern favorite. So, I just had to try this for myself.
Let’s just say once again, our readers got it right, and now I can share these gluten-free Johnny cakes with you all, knowing it’s a great recipe that’s been tasted hundreds of times.
It’s a low-carb cornbread recipe that is the base for these Johnny cakes that won’t leave you feeling deprived or kick you out of ketosis.
Unlike traditional cornbread, which often uses both cornmeal and all-purpose flour which makes it way too high in carbs. These corn cakes use no corn, cornmeal, or regular flour.
These keto Johnny cakes are a different spin on pancakes; the addition of cornbread extract is what perfects the flavor.
Low Carb Johnny Cakes
In the South, these are known as hoecakes, but just about every culture has some variation of cornmeal, maize pancake.
Wondering how Johnny Cakes got its name?
There is a little Native American history behind this name. You see, they called it “noekhick” and they would cook these small cornmeal cakes over hot coals.
The name evolved to “journey cakes” because they were easy for American pioneers to travel during long journeys and cooked in their cast iron skillet.
Eventually, they became known as Johnny cakes, also known as hoe cakes in the southern parts of the United States.
Let’s just say this form of pancake has been a staple in American cuisine for hundreds of years.
Do you know you can even make keto arepas, and “corn” pancake sandwiches with this recipe by simply placing a thick slice of mozzarella cheese between each pancake and bringing them back to the skillet to allow the cheese to melt perfectly? Yumms.
How To Make Keto Hoecakes
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The following are all the simple ingredients you’ll need: Note that the full printable recipe card is at the bottom of the page, along with the nutrition facts.
Making these “cornbread” keto flapjacks is pretty straightforward.
Although these are made with almond meal, I have given instructions on how to make them using coconut flour for those who prefer a nut-free option.
You’ll begin by combining the almond meal, sugar substitute, salt, and baking powder and set aside in a medium-sized bowl.
Then, in another bowl, combine the heavy cream, sour cream, and eggs and combine until the wet ingredients are fully incorporated.
Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients, and gently stir with a spatula until well combined.
Next, add the melted unsalted butter and stir once again until mixed.
Then, heat a nonstick skillet, griddle, or cast-iron skillet over medium heat.
Add one tablespoon of butter to the skillet. You can also use reserved bacon fat (bacon grease) or lard if you prefer.
Drop by rounded spoonful onto the hot skillet. Cook each for about 1 1/2-2 minutes, then flip. Cook the other side of the griddle cakes until golden brown.
Serve immediately with a pat of butter and sugar-free syrup, or leave out the syrup and use it as a type of flatbread.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 weeks.
Coconut Flour Johnny Cakes
If you prefer to make these out of coconut flour, follow the same instructions in this recipe and use our coconut flour cornbread recipe as the batter.
Ingredients Needed
- Almond meal
- Baking powder
- Eggs, room temperature
- Heavy cream
- Full-fat sour cream
- Unsalted butter
- Granulated sugar substitute, a tiny amount
- Salt
- OOOflavors Cornbread Extract
Cornbread Extract
What’s the secret to mimicking the flavor of cornbread? It’s the use of sweet corn extract. It gives you all the flavor without the sugar and carbs.
The use of corn extract is really effective in getting the flavor of cornbread without the use of any corn.
OOOflavors cornbread flavored concentrate has managed to create a cornbread extract that has zero calories, zero sugar, and zero carbs.
Since it is a highly concentrated extract, I recommend you use 4-5 drops in this recipe.
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I sure hope you will give these sugar-free Johnny Cakes a try since a Shawne cake can fit your low-carb lifestyle easily without the worry of a blood sugar spike.
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Keto Johnny Cakes
Ingredients
- 1 cup of almond meal
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup of full fat sour cream
- 1/4 cup plus one tablespoon of butter to grease the skillet
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar substitute
- 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
- OOOflavors Cornbread Extract 5 drops
Instructions
- In a medium-sized bowl combine the almond meal, sugar substitute, salt, and baking powder and set aside.
- In another medium-sized bowl combine the heavy cream, sour cream, and eggs. Mix until fully combined.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and gently stir with a spatula until fully incorporated.
- Next, add the melted butter, and stir till mixed.
- Heat a nonstick skillet, griddle, or cast-iron skillet over medium heat.
- Add one tablespoon of butter to the skillet. Note you can also use reserved bacon grease or lard.
- Drop by rounded spoonful onto the hot skillet. Cook each for about 1 1/2-2 minutes then flip. Cook the other side of the griddle cakes until golden brown.
- Serve immediately with butter and sugar-free syrup.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 weeks.
Notes
If you prefer to make these out of coconut flour, follow the same instructions in this recipe and use our coconut flour cornbread recipe as the batter.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 5 Serving Size: 3 Johnny cakesAmount Per Serving: Calories: 311Total Fat: 28.6gSaturated Fat: 11.6gCholesterol: 108mgSodium: 112mgCarbohydrates: 5.9gNet Carbohydrates: 3.6gFiber: 2.4gSugar: .2gProtein: 7.3g
