Product Review: The Pure Pantry Gluten-Free Organic Old Fashioned Pancake and Baking Mix (with bonus recipe & coupon code)

Product: The Pure Pantry Gluten-Free Organic Old Fashioned Pancake and Baking Mix – $7.29+

A couple weeks ago, I was fortunate enough to be sent a free package of The Pure Pantry‘s Gluten-Free Organic Old Fashioned Pancake and Baking Mix.  I was ecstatic…for quite a few reasons.  For the first thing…most gluten-free baking mixes that I have tried…haven’t lived up to expectations.  Secondly, the pancakes on the package looked heavenly…so, I could only imagine the awesomeness that was enclosed inside.

Included with the mix were two recipes.  I had this perfect vision in my head the moment I saw one for The Pure Pantry’s Gluten-Free/Dairy-Free Cornbread (or Muffins).  You see…I love chili, soup, and stew.  I LOVE…LOVE…LOVE these things…and it’s officially autumn.  It’s fall.  It’s soup season.  It’s time to break into my vegetable crisper and my pantry and whip up some warm, comforting goodness on the stovetop.

Tonight…that’s just what I did.  And I pulled out my package of The Pure Pantry’s Gluten-Free Organic Old Fashioned Pancake and Baking Mix because the perfect accompaniment to any chili (and I made a fantastic Garden Chili with LOTS of veggies!)…is cornbread, of course!!

This was not my first foray into gluten-free cornbread.  I’ve made at least a dozen different versions of it.  None of which I have liked.  Seriously.  None.  They just never seemed to hit that perfect cornbread mark!  Always a disappointment.  If my roommate was game, she’d offer to use the failed versions for some snacks at work…but that was rare.  Yeah…my cornbread record since going gluten-free has not been stellar.

So, you can only imagine my anticipation today when, after a long day of fitness, festivals, and…yes…food…I wanted to cook up a light chili and give this cornbread recipe a whirl.  What could go wrong?  I’d either be amazed…or disappointed once again.

The recipe was very easy and everything needed was in my pantry or fridge already.  Don’t you love it when that happens?  Combining the mix with corn meal, baking powder, salt, and some liquid ingredients, this epic dough that felt light and airy emerged.  I poured it into a greased baking pan and threw it in the oven for about 22 minutes.

What emerged was sheer cornbread perfection.  It looked like cornbread.  It smelled like cornbread.  Once the chili was done simmering away on the stove…I would find out if it tasted like cornbread.  About 20 minutes later…dinner was served.

The first difference between the cornbread made with The Pure Pantry’s Gluten-Free Organic Old Fashioned Pancake and Baking Mix was that it didn’t feel heavy or dense…even as it came out of the oven.  I can tell when I bake whether a recipe is going to be good by how heavy the pan feels as I lift it out of that oven.  This didn’t feel heavy at all.  It was this gorgeous golden color on top. It cooled briefly before I got out a knife and sliced it into 16 squares.  Cutting it was a dream.  I could tell that it was going to be a perfect texture due to how easily the knife cut through it.  Like butter!  It glided right through…no fighting with heavy, gummy insides on this bread.  I might have perfection here!  Each bowl of chili was served with two squares of the cornbread.

The verdict?!

BEST GLUTEN FREE CORNBREAD EVER!!  And, as I stated above, I’ve made so much gluten-free cornbread that I didn’t like or I felt just came out wrong.  There was absolutely nothing wrong with this recipe.  It was hearty and delicious and so easy to prepare.  I loved not just the texture, but how light, but substantial it felt.  I loved the flavor…which…for me…was perfect.  It wasn’t sweet cornbread…which is just how I like it.  Sugar in cornbread is cake.  This didn’t taste like cake.  This tasted like cornbread.  It had that gritty, corn flavor.  Honestly…made my night.

I am going to definitely try the sweet recipe that was sent along with this baking mix as well…so stay tuned for that!!  But for now, please enjoy this recipe from The Pure Pantry:

Recipe: The Pure Pantry’s Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free Cornbread (or Muffins)

Servings: 6
Time: Prep 10 minutes; Bake 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup The Pure Pantry Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Mix
• 1 cup organic yellow corn meal
• 1/4 cup agave nectar
• 1 teaspoon aluminum free baking powder1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk (almond milk or rice milk may be substituted) (I used unsweetened almond milk)
• 1/3 cup vegetable shortening, butter, or coconut oil – melted
• 1 large egg, slightly beaten (or egg replacer)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Grease or butter an 8-inch square baking pan.

Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl.

Combine milk, oil, agave, and egg in a small bowl; mix well.

Add the milk mixture to flour mixture; stir until just blended.

Pour into prepared pan and bake for 20-22 minutes.  For muffins, spoon batter into greased muffin cups, fill 2/3 full and bake 15-18 minutes.

This recipe may be doubled and baked as above in a 13×9 inch baking pan.

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The Pure Pantry has so many mixes to offer.  And they were kind enough to share a coupon code with me to give to all of you, my dear readers.  If you are interested in trying their products, skip over to http://www.thepurepantry.com and take a look at their shop.  You can get $1.00 off your purchase of any two (2) gluten-free products from The Pure Pantry simply by entering PLU 35147 as you are checking out!  Trust me…these products are totally worth it.  I have never been so satisfied with a mix than I was with this one.  The Pure Pantry might actually be selling gluten-free baking perfection.

But…don’t just take my word for it.  Get over to their site…order some of their products and see how life changing your gluten-free foods can be.  Simple.  Delicious.  And…amazing and delicious.

The Pure Pantry is pure gluten-free delicious goodness!