Vegan Pancakes

Start your morning with these charming, delicious, fluffy vegan pancakes. Trust me; these are the best vegan pancakes, and you will not know they are plant-based. Totally egg and dairy free, these easy vegan pancakes are made with simple ingredients—a great way to start your morning. At any rate, who does not like pancakes for breakfast?

I love pancakes! I believe there is no time of day when pancakes are not “the perfect” meal option, morning, noon, or night. This is the best recipe for the fluffiest vegan pancakes, which are simple to make and a crowd pleaser every time.

Wonderfully light and fluffy, golden brown pancakes drizzled with warm maple syrup spell happiness like nothing else. It’s hard not to smile as these beautiful pillows of pure joy puff up on the griddle.

Looking for more recipes for vegan pancakes? Try my vegan lemon poppyseed pancakes, vegan pumpkin pancakes, or this vegan silver dollar pancake recipes.

Surprisingly, most countries have some type of pancake in their meal repertoire; some have thin pancakes, others thick, some have sweet pancakes and others savory; regardless of where you come from, American pancakes are becoming increasingly popular across the globe. And why not? They practically ooze charm and comfort and with names such as hotcakes, flapjacks, and griddlecakes, how can you not? Pair with fresh fruit, berries, maple syrup, and vegan butter.

As a matter of fact, we came across American-style pancakes thousands of miles from America’s shores and very far from civilization this past summer. We were hiking in the mountains of Norway. Around a bend, we came across this charming summer cabin, surrounded by hundreds of goats, where they served hungry hikers “lapper”, you guessed it, American pancakes. Thick and fluffy pancakes, served with fresh strawberry jam — an extraordinary sight so far from home.

There is nothing like a warm breakfast to start the day. Here are some other vegan breakfast recipes you might like:

• Crispy Baked Hash Browns
• Pumpkin Breakfast Recipes
• Vegan Crepes
• Easy Healthy Overnight Oats
• Oat Waffles
• Silver Dollar Pancakes

Easy Vegan Pancake Ingredients:

Let’s take a look at the ingredients it takes to make this vegan recipe for pancakes. 

• Unsweetened almond milk: The secret to fluffy vegan pancakes is to make a vegan buttermilk, by mixing fresh lemon juice and non dairy milk together. Not all non dairy milk will curdle. Sometimes vegan milk will contain ingredients that prevent curdling, don’t worry, the pancakes may be less fluffy, but they will still be delicious. If that is the case, try a different brand of non dairy next time, or try my homemade almond milk recipe, which works beautifully in these vegan buttermilk pancakes. Also, if you have never made homemade oat milk, check out my easy vegan recipe. 
• Fresh Lemon Juice: fresh lemon juice curdles the milk making a vegan buttermilk, which makes a fluffier vegan breakfast pancake. It also adds brightness to the taste.
• Vanilla Extract: Adds flavor and aroma to the pancakes. You can also use vanilla bean paste for a deliciously strong vanilla flavor.
• Flour: All-purpose flour is most commonly used to make pancakes, but you can substitute half of it with white whole wheat flour to make a healthier pancake.
• Sugar: This recipe uses all-natural cane sugar, but you can also use brown sugar, maple sugar, or coconut sugar.
• Salt: Just a pinch of sea salt goes a long way. You can omit the salt if you are trying to decrease salt intake.
• Baking Powder: the rising agent, makes the simple vegan pancakes nice and fluffy.
• Golden Ground Flaxseed: adds fiber and nutrients to this vegan recipe for pancakes and acts as a binder. This is an optional ingredient, but I personally like to add some extra fiber and nutrients when possible, and it works great in these vegan fluffy pancakes.
• Coconut Oil, melted: (optional), adds flavor and richness. You can also use melted vegan butter, olive oil, or vegetable oil. 
• Toppings: vegan butter, maple syrup, berries or bananas.

How to Make the Best Vegan Pancakes: 

If you have ever asked the question, “How do you make vegan pancakes?” you have come to the right place. Here is my step-by-step DIY guide on how to make fluffy vegan pancakes at home. 

Step one: Make the vegan buttermilk by mixing almond milk and fresh lemon juice in a small bowl. Let sit for 10 minutes. When the milk is curdled, add the ground flaxseed and vanilla extract.  

Step two: In a medium-sized bowl, sift the flour and add sugar, salt, and baking powder. Stir to combine. 

Step three: Make a well in the middle of the flour and pour the curdled milk into the center. Gently stir to combine while adding the coconut oil, being careful not to overmix. The pancake batter should be lumpy.

Step flour: Scoop the vegan pancake batter and cook the pancakes on a hot griddle until golden brown on each side, about a minute for each side.  

Step five: Serve with your favorite toppings like maple syrup, fruit compote, and fresh berries.

Vegan Pancake Ideas, Variations, and Substitutions

• Change the shape: Get creative with different pancake shapes and designs. For a sweet breakfast treat, make a loved one smile by making heart-shaped pancakes. Surprise the kids by making animal-shaped fluffy vegan pancakes. Or make my favorite silver dollar pancakes for the cutest breakfast addition to any brunch celebration. 
• Experiment with flour: Substitute all-purpose flour with white whole wheat flour to make whole wheat pancakes or add some almond flour to make healthy vegan almond flour pancakes.
• Blueberry pancakes: It is impossible to go wrong with vegan blueberry pancakes. Add some fresh blueberries to the pancake batter for a pop of blueberry flavor in this outstanding blueberry pancake recipe.
• Carob or chocolate chips: Add some carob or chocolate chips to the pancake batter to add a fun chocolaty flavor and make vegan chocolate chip pancakes.
• Vegan Banana pancakes: Make simple vegan pancakes with banana by mashing a banana and adding it to the pancake batter. You may have to adjust the amount of almond milk added as the banana will add more liquid to the pancake batter. 
• Nut butter: Substitute nut butter for the oil in these easy vegan breakfast pancakes. Almond butter, peanut butter, or your favorite nut butter are all options. 
• Lemon poppyseed pancakes: Add some fresh lemon juice and poppyseeds to the pancake batter to create delicious, zesty pancakes that will bring your guests back for more. Check out my lemon poppyseed pancakes with lemon glaze for a perfect brunch treat. 
• Vegan pumpkin pancakes: Make these tasty pumpkin pancakes on a brisk fall morning for a cozy treat the whole family will love. 

Allergy-Friendly Options:

Gluten-free: Make gluten free vegan pancakes by substituting an equal amount of flour with 1:1 Gluten-free flour.
Nut-free: Use soy milk instead of almond milk and substitute coconut oil with canola oil.
Oil-free: replace coconut oil with apple sauce.
Soy-free: Naturally soy-free.

Tips for making the Fluffiest Pancakes:

• The secret to making the fluffiest vegan pancakes is making vegan buttermilk. Simply add fresh lemon juice to almond milk and wait for the milk to curdle. This will create the fluffy texture we all want in our pancake recipes. 
• Straightaway, when making tasty vegan pancakes, cooking them as soon as the wet and dry ingredients are mixed is super important. The chemical reaction that occurs as the wet and dry ingredients interact creates that fluffy pancake.
• If cooking a whole bunch of pancakes before serving, consider keeping them warm in the oven at the lowest temperature until ready to serve.
• Be gentle when flipping the pancake to avoid flattening the pancake. With this in mind, watch for the bubbles on top to pop before flipping the pancake to the other side.

Common Mistakes and Troubleshooting:

• Do not overmix: Overmixing will develop the gluten in the flour, making the pancakes tougher and denser. You want to maintain a few lumps, as this will keep the pancakes fluffier.
• Cook pancakes on a hot griddle: this will give that golden crust on the outside and a soft, delicious inside. To test if your griddle is hot enough, splash a couple of drops of water on the griddle and see if it sizzles.

• Don’t let the pancake batter sit for a long time before cooking the pancakes.
• If the batter is too wet, the pancakes could be flat. Consider adding a little extra flour, a tablespoon at a time.
• If the batter is to dry, the pancakes will be heavier and denser; consider adding extra plant-based milk, a tablespoon at a time.

How to Store Vegan Pancakes:

If you are looking for an easy way to store these fluffy vegan pancakes, I have a few tips and tricks to make breakfast pancake meal prep a breeze. 

• On the Counter: You can store pancakes on the counter for a few hours. 
• In the Fridge: Store these easy vegan pancakes in an airtight container or bag for a few days, though, it would be good to refresh the pancakes by placing them in the toaster for a couple of minutes before eating.  
• In the Freezer: Easily store vegan pancakes in an airtight freezer container or bag for up to 3 months. This is the preferred method of storage in our house. It makes for a quick, warm, easy breakfast. Remove the number of vegan frozen pancakes from the freezer and pop them in the toaster for a warm, comforting breakfast.  
• Reheating pancakes: These healthy pancakes are easy to reheat. Simply pop them in the toaster or microwave until warm. 

How to make vegan pancake mix?

Want to learn how to make the best vegan pancake mix? Making your own pancake mix is super easy. It’s perfect for a busy weekday when you want a vegan breakfast pancake.

1. In a bowl, mix together 1 cup all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1 tablespoon of golden ground flaxseed. Transfer the vegan pancake mix to an airtight container or plastic bag.
2. Label and date the vegan pancake mix and include these instructions for later use: In a small bowl, mix 1 cup almond milk, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1 tablespoon oil.
3. Add the wet ingredients to the vegan pancake mix and mix until the batter is combined.

Now you have the perfect homemade pancake batter to cook into the fluffiest vegan pancakes.

I hope you enjoy this vegan pancakes mix. It makes the best pancakes.

FAQs – Frequently Asked Questions:

Do I need oil or margarine in the skillet?

Good question! Generally, you should not need to add oil or margarine to the pan when cooking pancakes. However, it does depend on the quality of your griddle or skillet. A coated or well-seasoned skillet should not require oil. But should the pancake stick to the skillet or griddle, use a little plant-based margarine or cooking oil in between each pancake.

Can I make the batter ahead of time?

No, the result would be flat pancakes. You could, however, combine the dry ingredients by themselves and the wet ingredients by themselves and mix the two right before cooking.  

Can I make the pancakes ahead of time?

Yes, but they may not taste as fresh or be as fluffy.  

How to make vegan gluten free pancakes? 

Make unbelievably delicious gluten free vegan pancakes by substituting Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 gluten free flour. These gluten free pancakes turn out fluffy and delicious. 

How to make vegan pancakes from scratch? 

It is easy to make vegan pancakes from scratch at home. With a few pantry staple ingredients, you can whip up some delicious homemade vegan pancakes in no time. Check out my pancake recipe and video for a step-by-step guide. 

Are pancakes vegan? 

It depends! Most pancakes are not vegan because they contain eggs, milk, and dairy ingredients. But making the best vegan pancakes at home is super easy, and the results are far superior to regular pancakes. 

Is pancake mix vegan? 

Most pancake mixes contain powdered dairy products. There are a few vegan pancake mixes on the market, but my favorite option is to make my own DIY homemade vegan pancake mix. 

How to make pancakes vegan?

It is easy to make regular pancakes vegan with a few small adjustments to the recipe. Start by mixing non-dairy milk with fresh lemon juice to make vegan buttermilk. This will help your pancakes turn out super fluffy. Ground golden flaxseed works well as an egg replacer in pancake recipes, as it helps act as a binder. 

How to make vegan pancakes fluffy?

The secret to making the fluffiest pancakes is to make vegan buttermilk by mixing together plant-based milk and fresh lemon juice. The lemon juice curdles the milk and creates the fluffy pancake texture we all love. 

Watch My Vegan Pancake Recipe Video:

Print

Looking for more vegan breakfast recipe ideas? Try my easy healthy overnight oats, vegan blueberry scones, or these vegan strawberry muffins.