Fluffy Vegan Pancakes

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These light and fluffy vegan pancakes are the perfect breakfast recipe to serve on a weekend morning. This vegan pancake recipe is quick and easy, and the results are so delicious! Gluten-free and oil-free options are discussed as well.

This is my family’s favorite vegan pancake recipe. They’re thick and fluffy, and healthy too.

Don’t be intimidated if you’ve never made pancakes from scratch before. They’re actually really easy to make. You can’t go wrong with this simple recipe. All you need are a few basic pantry ingredients, and you’ll be well on your way to a delicious pancake breakfast.

Ingredients for Vegan Pancakes

This recipe has a blessedly short ingredients list. And I’m willing to bet you have everything you need to make this recipe in you pantry right now.

For the dry ingredients, you’ll use flour, a little sugar, baking powder, and salt.

Then, for the wet ingredients, you’ll need your favorite non-dariy milk, some oil, and a couple teaspoons of apple cider vinegar.

You read that right – no flax eggs or egg replacers are necessary for this recipe.

• Flour. Regular all-purpose flour is just right for this recipe. But, if you feel like, you can easily substitute whole wheat flour for even more wholesome pancakes. A whole wheat pastry flour or a white whole wheat flour will give you the lightest results.
• Sugar. Choose organic cane sugar or coconut sugar.
• Non-dairy milk. You can use any nondairy milk you like. I usually use oat milk or almond milk, since that’s what I have on hand most often.
• Oil. I little oil gives the pancakes moisture and tenderness. Melted coconut oil is a great choice, as is any neutral-tasting vegetable oil.
• Baking Powder. Baking powder is what makes the pancakes rise. Do not substitute baking soda.

Favorite Add-Ins and Toppings

You can certainly add fruit or nuts to the batter, as well. I like to sprinkle on a few blueberries or chopped pecans onto the pancake as it cooks, before I flip it.

When you are finished cooking, serve these pancakes with a pat of vegan butter and a generous pour of maple syrup. You can also top them with fresh fruit!

How to Cook Pancakes

Making vegan pancakes is super simple. Let me walk you through it, and you’ll be a pancake pro in no time.

First, add the vinegar to the non-dairy milk, and set it aside. Adding a bit of vinegar acidulates the milk, mimicking the taste of buttermilk. Depending on the type of non-dairy milk you choose, it might separate or curdle. This is okay!

Next, whisk together all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Stir well to combine the ingredients, as well as break up any lumps in the flour.

Then, add the milk mixture and the oil to the ingredients. Use your whisk to stir the ingredients together until they are just combined.

If there are a few lumps left in the batter, that’s okay.You don’t want to over-mix the batter, or the pancakes will turn out dense and tough.

Next, pour or ladle approximately 1/4 cup of batter onto your preheated pan. I find that a medium, or even medium-low, heat is best for these pancakes.

Let the pancakes cook on the first side until you see bubbles rise to the surface. You’ll know the pancake is ready to turn when the edges seem set.

Carefully flip the pancakes, and let them cook on the second side for another minute or so. The second side will cook more quickly than the first side.

Tips for the Fluffiest Pancakes

My secret ingredient for fluffy vegan pancakes? Well, it’s not really a secret – it’s just baking powder! A whole tablespoon might seem like a lot of baking powder for this recipe, but it really is required for the lightest and fluffiest result. (Remember, we aren’t getting any lift from eggs!)

• Don’t over-mix the batter. Overmixing creates excess gluten in the batter, which will make the pancakes tough.
• Cook over medium heat, not high heat. High heat will burn the bottoms of the pancakes before the middles have a chance to cook through.
• Don’t flip too quickly. Let the pancakes have a chance to rise.
• Use a non-stick pan and a thin, flexible spatula to make flipping pancakes a breeze.

How to Store Leftovers

If you have leftover pancakes, you can freeze them to save them for another day.

To freeze: Let them cool completely, then freeze them in a single layer. (This way, they won’t stick together.) Once they’re frozen, you can store them together in a large zip-top bag.

To reheat: I like to reheat these pancakes in the toaster for a quick and easy breakfast. You can also reheat them in a toaster oven or the microwave until warmed through.

How to Make-Ahead

I don’t suggest making the pancake batter ahead. The baking powder will loose its oompf, and the resulting pancakes will be tough.

Instead, what you can do is make your own DIY pancake mix by pre-mixing all of the dry ingredients. Then, when you are ready to cook the pancakes, all you will need to do is add the wet ingredients.

Tools Used to Make This Recipe

• Non-Stick Skillet. With a good pan, you won’t even need nonstick spray.
• Mixing Bowl. I like batter bowls with spouts for mixing recipes like pancake batter.
• Whisk. The smaller size means less splashing while you whisk.
• Flexible Turner. Thin enough to slide under delicate pancakes, and it won’t scratch your non-stick pan.

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