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Cricket Flour Pancakes and Waffles are a good source of omega-3s, protein and fiber. The flour tastes a little like buckwheat, but offers more well-rounded nutrition than any other flour. This delicious pancake and waffle recipe will please your taste buds, tummy (it’s gentle to digest) and meet nutritional needs!
Yes, cricket flour, flour made from dried crickets. It’s a good thing!
This recipe is Gluten-free, Grain-free, Paleo, Low Carb, Keto and GAPS diet friendly, and great for most.
My big sister Jill told me about cricket flour many years ago, after hearing about it on NPR, I think? I was on board immediately. As long as it tastes good, one, and two, what are they feeding the crickets?
Because what they feed the bugs is just as important as what they feed cattle or chickens or pigs, right? I don’t want the crickets I’m eating being fed a “vegetarian diet”. Red flags of GMO corn and soy go up.
I dragged my feet creating cricket flour recipes because the product is still catching on in this country; so it’s harder to find well-sourced crickets. A lot of cricket flour is coming out of Asian countries, but their vegetarian diets, “of mixed grains and vegetables” don’t set my mind at ease.
Which cricket flour to buy
I like this company because they are sustainably-minded and quite conscientious. They are promoting cricket flour as an environmental choice and offer a gluten-free, organic, non-GM product. This is a Canadian company from whom it is easy to order.
Read more about their husbandry principles here. Kindness to animals (and insects being raised for food) matters to them!
You can also find Entomo Farms Organic Cricket Powder on Amazon, but it’s currently sold out.
Sadly, their website needs some updating. Hopefully the company is going strong. At least for now, you can buy cricket flour directly from them.
Other edible bug foods
If you’re interested in cricket flour or more adventurous bug eating, protein powders and protein bars made from cricket flour, not to mention candies and snacks, now exist. Some of these foods are made from other edible insects: meal worms, grubs, beetles and scorpions. There are over 1000 species of edible insects in the world.
What’s the point of eating crickets
Crickets produce fewer greenhouse gases than conventional beef and can be raised on less land. They are high in protein, good fats, calcium, iron, zinc and B vitamins, especially Vitamin B12 — everything you’d hope for when eating any meat source. 80% of the world’s population consumes insects.
With concerns about poor animal husbandry principles and its ill effects on land, air, and ozone, increasing numbers of radical foodies have made this dietary change, to benefit the planet.
The goal is to reduce one’s carbon footprint, not by going vegan or vegetarian, (because our bodies are obviously omnivorous by design), but by eating insects.
Cricket flour is a grain-free flour
For me, and many who have food allergies and eat a grain-free diet, there is an additional point, or benefit, to using cricket flour.
I try to limit my nut consumption. I am also allergic to coconut flour, and coconut flour has its limitations.
Cricket flour is a new flour replacement, providing nutritional variety in our diet as well as the functional favor of filling in for other flour substitutes.
While none of us should have too many nuts, in a diet of implicit moderation, cricket flour is hard to overdo.
The flavor of cricket flour
Cricket flour tastes a lot like buckwheat. It’s got a seed-like quality that is complex and delicious.
I did read one Amazon reviewer who thought cricket flour tasted like bugs, but I haven’t had that experience.
The nutrition of cricket flour
I love cricket flour because it contains all 16 amino acids. Being a “meat”, it’s a complete protein unlike other grain-free flour substitutes.
My recipe here also features chia seeds and eggs. So lots of protein in these cakes, no sugar and long-release nutrient absorption from the chia seeds, which we find, in our family, helps us to feel full, satisfied and energetic.
I hope to create an egg-free recipe soon as well.
Dangers of cricket flour
Crickets are crustaceans. So if you have a shellfish allergy you may also be allergic to crickets.
Also, for sourcing, please specifically seek out organic cricket flour; find it here. Not all cricket flour is the same.
This is the product I buy because it is gluten-free, organic and non-GM. If you buy from other sources they will likely not be gluten-free, organic or non-GM. In the case of other farms, crickets are raised in small crates and fed poor vegetable feed, defeating most of the purpose.
HOW TO USE CRICKET FLOUR IN RECIPES
Ground up crustaceans are not technically flour, even if they are “floured.”
Therefore, the product does behave differently in baked goods than coconut or nut flours.
For this reason, the flour is best used in conjunction with one other flour or flour substitute. (In this recipe, I have used chia seeds.)
Use up to 1/3 cup of cricket flour in any gluten-free or grain-free recipe. Cricket flour can’t be used in large amounts in baking, or it will adversely affect the texture.
I personally no longer need a grain-free diet, so I hope to add an egg-free alternative to this recipe soon, that’s not necessarily grain-free. Let me know in the comments your dietary needs.
Ingredients and how to make Cricket Flour Pancakes or Waffles
The simple list of ingredients in this recipe is: eggs, chia seeds, cricket flour, fat of choice, cinnamon and sea salt.
No leavening, no sweetener, and this recipe is made in the blender!
Cricket Flour Pancakes couldn’t be easier:
- Just add everything to the blender, and blend.
- Allow the chia seeds to thicken the batter for 15 minutes.
- Cook up pancakes or waffles in the usual way. 🙂
Garnish with your favorite toppings. SO easy.
CRICKET FLOUR PANCAKES AND WAFFLES
Equipment
- frying pan or griddle
Ingredients
- 6 whole eggs pasture-raised preferred
- ½ cup chia seeds If you can't have chia seeds, try substituting in coconut flour for the seeds. (I haven't done this recently, but I have a note from the past; it may work. Let us know in the Comments.)
- ¼ cup cricket flour
- 2 Tablespoons coconut oil , butter or fat of choice
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients in a blender.
- Blend on medium speed for 30 seconds, or until you have a mostly smooth batter.
- Allow the batter to set up and thicken for 10 to 15 minutes. The chia seeds will perform this action. Give the batter a stir.
- Heat a griddle or frying pan with 1 Tablespoon preferred fat and fry up the pancakes, adding more fat as needed. They will cook as traditional pancakes do.
Nutrition
You can Pin Cricket Flour Pancakes here:
eatplaylovemore says
I’m intrigued! Although I’m not quite ready to try cricket flour I am not closing the door forever. Thanks for the information.
Megan Stevens says
Great! 😉
Jessica from SimplyHealthyHome says
Great recipe. I”m excited to see more about cricket flour. 🙂
Megan Stevens says
Thanks, Jessica! 🙂
Jessica David, CHC says
I agree with Jessica.
I have never eaten anything with cricket flour and I’m definitely not opposed. The only other out of the norm flour (IMO) I’ve eaten is mesquite flour. It is made from legumes but can be purchased raw, organic, and nonGMO.
Megan Stevens says
Thanks for sharing! Hope you try cricket flour and love it. It’s a keeper! 😉
Renee Kohley says
Super excited about learning more about this flour!
Megan Stevens says
Thanks, Renee, so glad!
Stacie Weingarten-Goldin says
Thanks so much for this delicious recipe, and informative post! I have been eating crickets, cricket flour, meal worms and wax worms for about a year now, and am a huge advocate!
Megan Stevens says
Yay, hello fellow advocate!!! So happy you found the article and recipe!! What’s the most palatable way to eat meal and wax worms? 🙂 Are they gluten-free?
Stacie Weingarten-Goldin says
i really like both mealworms and wax worms roasted- in a pan with a little salt and pepper- wax worms are also really delicious fried up and put on top of a salad! I know you can get the mealworms through Next Millennium Farms through their Bug Bistro line- they have a bunch of different flavors!
Megan Stevens says
Thanks, Stacie! Great to know.
LittleOwlCrunchyMomma says
Very interesting! These look delicious! And you made them… so I’m sure they are! Thanks for sharing the information on the company, too. I have definitely wondered about the sustainability issue.
Megan Stevens says
Thanks, Jackie!! I appreciate your awareness about sourcing. I read one comment on a FB page that assumed all cricket flour contained gluten. We really have to look at how products are processed and which companies care about sustainability. It is encouraging when we find them! They are in it to make money but also have the broader vision in mind. YAY!!
April Grant says
I’ve heard crickets have a great nutritional value. I didn’t even know that they make a flour. These look great!
Megan Stevens says
Thanks, April! Yes, it make it easy on newbies like most of us are, in terms of eating insects. Flour is much more palatable than a bug on our plates. 🙂 We’ll ease in to the bug eating thing. 😉
Emily @ Recipes to Nourish says
I love learning new stuff from you. I had no idea about cricket flour until your pancakes posts. Like you, I can’t have coconut flour {actually, I can only have coconut oil and coconut water} … sounds like this is a good alternative for grain free flours. Gotta love pancakes too! Thanks for sharing your wisdom with us.
Megan Stevens says
So sweet and so glad it is helpful. Thanks, Emily!! <3
Kylie Worthington says
I have been seeing some criticism of cricket flour online and all I can think is… hello? do you EVER eat processed food? Because if so, and you think THIS is gross… you’re kidding yourself BIG TIME. These look amazing. I would totally try it.
Megan Stevens says
So true, Kylie! 😉
Pamela says
Hi Megan,
I just discovered cricket flour, so I’m excited to see that you have a recipe I may try. Would I be able to sub a different sweetener for the stevia?
Best regards,
Pamela
Megan says
Hi Pamela, yes, you can actually just omit it. I will probably change the recipe as well, as I don’t use it myself anymore either. (And, my apologies for the long delay in responding. We had an ice storm here that slowed my work down for several days.) Best!
Megan says
Okay, the recipe and article are now updated, and the stevia has happily been omitted! 🙂
Pamela says
Thank you!
Megan says
My pleasure!
Chloe says
Thanks for all the info on cricket powder! I would love to try it some time, and these pancakes look delicious.
Megan Stevens says
Thanks, Chloe, so glad!!
ApartmentWorkouts.com says
Awesome ideas! Have you ever thought about using Cricket Protein Powder to promote lean muscle? It’s not only more nutritious, and eco-friendly than beef, it also has higher grams of protein per ounce! Use it as flour substitute while baking, or add it to your favorite workout shake for a protein punch of over 18g per serving.
Purposeful Abnegation says
How many pancakes of what size per serving? Thanks!
Megan Stevens says
The recipe makes 6-8 small-medium size pancakes; so 3-4 servings, depending on what else you’re having with the cakes. You’re welcome! 🙂
Nancy in Alberta says
Hi! I appreciate and often recommend your web site and articles, but I am honestly disappointed about the crickets. You have published such great defenses on sustainable meat, countering the Big Food industries so well. While I hope you continue with those, this article sounds like a paid promotion of the insect industry. And it is an industry.
Eat them if you choose, but insects are not “meat,” nor are they “animals.” I’d love to see those sentences corrected because I think this wording perpetuates the confusion around properly sustained animal husbandry.
Another objection I have is the lack of disclosure about the downsides of insect consumption. My understanding of other cultures’ consumption is that they’re only occasionally eaten; and not made into pancakes or muffins. This means the real dangers of insect consumption are minimized; however, in North American society, we have a distinct way of jumping on bandwagons, and practicing the old adage: if a little is good for us, a lot must be better! I can’t see that any information supports this, in spite of the bug companies calling their product “agro” business, like we’re cultivating crops of bugs in the same way we would vegetables, grains, or cattle.
Again, wording matters.
As to the dangers, I’m happy to see you mention the real possibility of allergic reactions. Crickets are crustaceans, and those who have allergies to seafood and shell fish should not experiment with consuming crickets.
Further, crickets are also in the Coleoptera order, which means they produce cyanogenic substances (found in Coleoptera and Lepidoptera) which can “inhibit enzymes and therefore lead to the inhibition of important metabolic pathways in the body such as oxidative phosphorylation (Belluco et al. 2013).” Oxidative phosphorylation is the fourth and final step in cellular respiration in our cells’ mitochondria. Interfering with this process is a recipe for poor fundamental health, and no amount of so-called healthy, sustainable nutrition will counteract that. Once we start messing with the body’s redox pathways and designed methods of healing, we are in trouble. I sincerely hope this lack of disclosure in the insect industry is simply due to over-eagerness to sell a product that, say, could be a solution to world hunger, etc., and not a deliberate withholding of essential information for informed consent.
So, all this to say: while overall, I appreciate your depth of thought in your articles, I believe you badly missed the mark on this one.
Another thought would be to look at a company’s board of directors, or leaders, as they are sometimes euphemistically called, and check further into the companies that those directors are a part of, going back until you discover the source of their ideals and paycheck. The results are sometimes eyebrow-raising.
While there is lots of information countering the wholesale use of insects in the food industry, the quote I used was from this article: https://insectdeli.weebly.com/disadvantages.html?xid=PS_smithsonian
Megan says
Hi Nancy, thank you for your concern. I’m afraid you have some misinformation. Crickets are actually part of the Order Orthoptera. (The Order you mention includes beetles and weevils.) Crickets do not create the substances you mention. The link you link to and quote from does not apply to crickets. Even for those who do not believe in the Bible, it’s noteworthy that crickets are a Kosher food and considered healthy by even the most discriminating cultures that won’t eat shellfish or pork. Crickets are not a bandwagon type food if they are sourced from the company (or a similar one with good ethics) that I link to, or sourced well. (And, as mentioned above, 80% of the world’s population eats insects. This is not a new idea or food source.) This is not cheaply grown food that’s high profit. It’s actually sustainable (again, only when sourced well). While I believe the same is true about pasture-raised beef (with rotational grazing etc), we can eat more than one good protein. Adding protein to smoothies or baked goods is just fine, no problem with that mindset, similar to collagen. I am in no way affiliated with this cricket company I mentioned. This article does not profit me. The company I link to is not part of a big industry set to trick people. While many vegan or plant-based foods are truly not healthy and trying to steer people away from quality meats raised well that benefit the human body, cricket products raised well can exist alongside and compliment a sustainable, ancestral and anti-inflammatory diet for those not allergic to shellfish. I am happy to say insect protein, if words like “animal” and “meat” bother you.