Fluffy Vegan Pancakes

This vegan Pancakes recipe creates the best light and fluffy pancakes. You’ll love this vegan breakfast recipe served with maple syrup, peanut butter, and more. Make a double batch of these tasty pancakes and freeze them for easy toaster pancakes, too.

A long stack of pancakes with maple syrup on a plate. The text reads: Vegan Pancakes.

Sometimes there’s nothing better to soothe a tattered soul than easy Vegan Pancakes recipe. In the spirit of tradition, they can be eaten for breakfast, but why stop there? They make a great after-dinner sweet treat, but even the “light” variety of pancakes can leave you feeling a bit heavy. So you know what? Forgo the dinner and go straight to the pancakes as your evening meal. Breakfast for dinner, that’s what I say!

It’s not as if I’m the first person to invent pancakes for dinner. But still the idea of it sounds so thrilling. Don’t you think?

A fork holds a bite of pancakes in front of the rest of the plateful.
The vegan pancake is a great addition to your breakfast menu!

It was a recent reader who pointed out that I hadn’t yet posted a pancake recipe. No pancakes? That had to be resolved…and quickly.

Besides, if the weather isn’t exactly perfect. I can’t think of anything that works better than pancakes to lift the bad weather blues. Well, except for hugs from your kids, and lovin’ from your honey. But you know what I mean!

I’ve loved making simple vegan pancakes from scratch for quite a while now. But when I first started, I wasn’t even certain I could make pancakes vegan. It was fun figuring it out and now sharing it with you.

Are Pancakes Vegan?

Typical pancakes are not vegan because they’re made with milk and butter from a cow. However, you can make some easy ingredient adaptations to make your pancakes recipe vegan! For example, pancakes with almond milk are easy to make because almond milk is so widely available.

What Pancake Mix is Vegan?

There are several packaged vegan pancake mixes, whether intentionally or by accident. These include Bisquick Original Pancake and Baking Mix, Aunt Jemima Original Pancake and Waffle Mix, Arrowhead Mills Organic Gluten-free Pancake and Waffle Mix, and Bob’s Red Mill Pancake and Waffle Mix. If the pancake mix calls for egg, substitute a chia egg, flax egg, or ¼ cup applesauce in its place.

How to Make Vegan Pancakes from Scratch

As you can see above, there are vegan pancake mixes you can buy, but nothing beats homemade pancakes! This recipe for vegan pancakes is not only delicious, but it’s also easy, too.

Note: There are two ways to prepare your pancakes, based on your preferences. If you like thick, fluffy pancakes, just follow the recipe as is. However, if you want thinner, spongier pancakes, then add ¼ water to the batter.

Ready to make your vegan buttermilk pancakes? Let’s begin:

Step One: Combine Dry Ingredients

In a medium-size bowl, combine the dry ingredients and give them a stir.

Note: Use whole wheat pastry flour to make vegan whole wheat pancakes.

Step Two: Add Wet Ingredients

Plant-based milk is being poured from a measuring cup into a bowl with the flour mixture.

To make the vegan pancake batter, create a well in the middle of the flour mixture. Pour the almond milk, into the flour. So, yes, this is a pancake recipe with almond milk.

However, it’s easy to make a pancake recipe vegan by using any of your favorite plant-based milks (such as oat milk, cashew milk, soy milk, etc.). Of course, I must say, These almond milk pancakes are so delicious!

A hand holds a small glass bowl full of melted butter and is pouring it into a bowl with flour and almond milk.

Pour melted butter in with the plant-based milk. Add vanilla and stir until combined.

Batter is in a glass bowl with a green spatula.

The goal is to not over-mix, otherwise you’ll overwork the gluten causing tough pancakes. So, mix until just combined, allowing some small lumps is fine.

Step Three: Cook the Pancakes

Place a skillet on your stove and raise the heat to medium or medium-high. Add a bit of coconut oil and spread it around the pan.

When the skillet is hot enough, pour about 1/4 cup of pancake batter in a circle. You can use the bottom of the measuring cup to even out your circular pancakes…if your’e into that kind of thing. I’m usually able to get 3 pancakes per skillet, but you can also use an electric griddle to make more at a time.

Let the pancakes cook until you see bubbles forming on the top-side batter. That is a sign that your pancakes are ready to be flipped. Turn them over carefully and cook the other side for another minute or two until they’re done all the way through.

Place finished pancakes on a baking sheet and keep that in a slightly warmed oven while you finish the rest of the pancakes.

To serve the perfect vegan pancakes, top with vegan butter, maple syrup and Blueberry Sauce. I love using the blueberry sauce recipe from my Vegan Cheesecake.

Make Vegan Pancakes Fluffy

Want to make your healthy vegan pancakes fluffy? I did lots of research on the tricks to fluffy pancakes. I thought these tips for perfect pancakes by Rick Martinez were great.

However, there was something missing for making vegan fluffy pancakes. I never saw it spelled out like I wanted. And to be honest, there’s not that much difference between homemade vegan pancakes and regular pancakes…except for eggs.

And yet, my vegan pancakes weren’t turning out like I wanted them to. But after locking myself in the kitchen with some flour and a skillet, now I’ve become the pancake whisperer! 🤗

A close-up photo of a tall stack of pancakes, showing maple syrup following over the edges.
These vegetarian pancakes are light and fluffy!

So, let’s break down the ways you can create the perfect fluffy pancakes:

  • Be careful not to overmix the pancake batter. This overly develops the gluten and can result in tougher pancakes.
  • You want to have just the right amount of fat in your pancakes — too much can suppress the formation of bubbles in the batter as they cook, resulting in less rise. Too little and they will be dry.
  • Baking powder and baking soda create the rise we’re looking for! Adding just a little bit of baking soda will help your pancakes brown, which is nice. It’s necessary to include an acid in the recipe, thus the lemon juice or apple cider vinegar.
  • Keep that batter thick! This is a trick you won’t see anywhere else, but it works! The thinner your batter, the spongier and thinner will be your pancakes. Hey, that’s ok if that’s what you’re after! But if you want nice puffy pancakes, keep the batter on the thick side.

Serve these vegan pancakes with some tasty blueberry sauce for a special treat.

Love Healthy Breakfast Recipes?

If you love vegan breakfast recipes, you’ll definitely want to check these out:

A stack of vegan pancakes has a pat of vegan butter on top and maple syrup flowing down the sides.
A stack of vegan pancakes with a pat of butter on top with maple syrup.

Light and Fluffy Pancakes

Make these fluffy Vegan Pancakes for your next breakfast or brunch. You'll love them piled high with lots of vegan butter and maple syrup on top.
5 from 6 votes
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Resting Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 182kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 4 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 cups almond milk
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice (or apple cider vinegar)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 tablespoons vegan butter melted
  • 2 teaspoons coconut oil (for cooking)

Instructions

  • In a medium-size bowl, combine the dry ingredients and give them a stir.
  • Create a well in the middle of the dry ingredients. Pour the almond milk, lemon juice, water, vanilla, and melted vegan butter into the dry mixture and stir until just combined. A few lumps are fine.
  • Place a skillet on the stove and raise the heat to medium or medium-high. Add some coconut oil to the skillet and spread it around the pan.
  • When the skillet is hot enough, pour about ¼ cup of pancake batter in a circle. Use the bottom of the measuring cup to even out your circular pancakes. Let the pancakes cook until bubbles form on the top-side batter. That is a sign that your pancakes are ready to be flipped. Turn them over carefully and cook the other side for another minute or two until they’re done.
  • Place finished pancakes on a baking sheet and keep that in a slightly warmed oven while you finish the rest of the pancakes.
  • Top with vegan butter, mapl¼e syrup, and/or Blueberry Sauce (see link for recipe)

(The products above contain sponsored links to products we use and recommend)

Notes

This recipe creates a thick batter, resulting in thicker, fluffier pancakes! If you want thinner, spongier pancakes, add ¼ cup water to the batter. 
Calories: 182kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 332mg | Potassium: 243mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 200IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 169mg | Iron: 2mg

The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Enjoy!

17 Responses to Fluffy Vegan Pancakes

  1. Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyLily Reply

    5 stars
    It sound real delishios , i am nearly 13 on the 19th i am definitely will have this on my birthday as a breakfast because i am turning VEGAN on my birthday wish me luck.

    • Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyMarly

      Our birthdays are not that far apart, so I’m going to wish a big happy birthday! You know, I think my daughter was about your age when she went vegan. She was vegetarian for years, but vegan was a natural fit for her. Wishing you the best of luck, Lily!

  2. Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyKim Reply

    These look amazing. What would be a good substitiute for the vegan sour cream? Could I maybe use coconut based yogurt or a smashed banana?

    • Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyLily

      5 stars
      Smashed bannanna mmmmm yuuummmm yes make bannanna vegan pancake, definitely my style

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