Looking for the perfect vegan pancakes for the whole family? Then you’ve come to the right place ♥! Admittedly, there are plenty of vegan pancake recipes out there. I’ve tested five different versions and ultimately returned to a variation of my own vegan Kaiserschmarrn recipe.
Why You Should Try This Recipe
Good vegan pancakes like these taste wonderfully fluffy, moist, and light. The other recipes I tested sometimes resulted in a texture that was more like a soggy, leathery shoe sole on the plate. For my recipe, you only need simple ingredients that you probably already have at home—no special ingredients like egg replacer powder or chia seeds. These vegan pancakes are banana-free, which makes them versatile. This basic recipe can even be adapted to savory pancakes. The batter takes only 5 minutes to prepare. Both kids and adults love the result, so these are vegan pancakes for the whole family. By the way, even if you're not vegan (but, for example, have no eggs at home), you'll still enjoy egg-free pancake batter 😉
Vegan Pancake Ingredients
As mentioned, all the ingredients are simple and easy to find:
Light wheat flour Type 405 has the best baking properties for vegan pancake batter. You can also substitute it with light spelt flour Type 630.
Baking powder and baking soda work in combination with an acid (like lemon juice or apple cider vinegar) to make the pancakes fluffy and light without eggs. If necessary, you can skip the baking soda and just use baking powder (2 tsp), but I don’t recommend it.
Sugar is kept to a minimum in this recipe since you'll likely top your pancakes with something sweeter, like syrup or cinnamon sugar.
Oil is used not only for frying but also in small amounts in the batter. Fat is a flavor carrier, making the pancakes taste richer, juicier, and smoother. I love using rapeseed oil with a butter flavor, but you can also use neutral oils like sunflower or rapeseed oil (must be heat-resistant!).
Plant-based milk substitutes cow’s milk 1:1. Whether it’s almond milk, oat milk, soy milk, or rice milk, it’s a matter of taste. Just avoid extremely low-calorie options that mostly consist of water.
Sparkling water adds extra fluffiness to the batter.
Preparation in 3 Steps
Making vegan pancakes is almost the same as making classic pancakes, so the tips I shared for those also apply here.
- Mix the batter: Similar to muffin preparation, mix the dry ingredients (except for sugar), whisk the wet ingredients, and then combine the two. Stir just until everything is smooth, either with a whisk, hand mixer, or food processor. If lumps form, briefly blend with an immersion blender. Finally, carefully stir in the sparkling water to avoid losing too much carbonation.
- Let the batter rest: Allow the batter to rest for 5-15 minutes. This will help the flour absorb liquid and make your vegan pancakes thicker and fluffier. You can skip this step if you're in a hurry.
- Fry the pancakes: Fry the pancakes in one or, even better, two pans simultaneously. The amount of oil you need depends on the quality and coating of your pan. I use about 1 teaspoon for every 2 pancakes. Add a few tablespoons of batter to the pan and cook on medium heat (for me, setting 6 out of 10) for about 1-1.5 minutes. Once the pancakes can be easily lifted from the bottom, gently flip them and cook until done.
Tips for Perfect Vegan Pancakes
The right consistency means different things to different people. We love thicker pancakes that are distinct from vegan crepes. General rule: The thinner the batter (i.e., the more plant milk you use), the thinner the pancakes will be, and vice versa.
The slightly golden color, which normally comes from the eggs in traditional pancakes, is of course absent here. You can make them visually more appealing by substituting about 15g of flour with vanilla pudding powder (which also adds extra flavor) or stirring in a tiny amount of turmeric or yellow food coloring.
Variations: Sugar-Free or Savory
These vegan pancakes are only lightly sweetened. You can reduce or increase the sugar amount as you like. If you prefer sugar-free, substitute with erythritol, liquid sweetener, or xylitol. For savory pancakes, simply reduce the sugar to two pinches and add ½ teaspoon of salt instead.
Tips for Keeping Warm and Storing
The best way to enjoy these pancakes is fresh off the griddle. If you plan to fry them all at once, stack them and cover them with a kitchen towel or foil for a few minutes before eating. Alternatively, you can keep them warm in the oven at about 50°C (120°F). Leftovers can be stored in a large container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, either warm them up in a greased pan or microwave.
Enjoy your pancakes, perhaps with applesauce, strawberry jam, or Nutella! And don’t forget to check out our many other vegan baking recipes, like vegan waffles or healthy pancakes without eggs, sugar, and flour.
Recipe Card
Vegan Pancakes
Ingredients
For the batter:
- 270 grams wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder, leveled
- 1 teaspoon baking soda, leveled
- A pinch of salt
- 40 grams oil, see tips
- 400 ml almond milk, or oat/soy milk
- 1 ½ teaspoons lemon juice
- 40 grams sugar, adjust to taste
- 80 ml sparkling water
For frying:
- 4 teaspoons oil, rough estimate
Instructions
- Mix the flour with the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk together the sugar and oil using a hand mixer or food processor. Stir in the milk and lemon juice.
- Combine the dry ingredients with the wet ones, mixing just until smooth. Stir in the sparkling water carefully, to avoid losing too much carbonation. Let the batter rest for 5 minutes.
- Fry the pancakes in a single pan or, preferably, in two pans at the same time. Heat about ½ to 1 teaspoon oil per pan. Gently stir the batter before adding several tablespoons to each pan, frying on medium heat for about 1-1.5 minutes per side. Flip when the pancakes can be easily lifted and bubbles form on top.
Notes
- Ingredient Tips: You can substitute the wheat flour with light spelt flour Type 630. The oil should be neutral-flavored and heat-resistant, like rapeseed or sunflower oil. You can also use coconut oil or, as I prefer, rapeseed oil with butter flavor. If you prefer, you can use just 1 teaspoon of baking powder instead of the combination of baking powder and baking soda. You can replace lemon juice with apple cider vinegar.
- Sweet or Savory: The pancakes are only lightly sweetened. You can adjust the sugar amount or substitute it with erythritol, liquid sweetener, or xylitol. For savory pancakes, reduce the sugar to two pinches and add ½ teaspoon of salt.
- Consistency: The thinner the batter (i.e., the more plant milk you use), the thinner the pancakes will be. This recipe makes approximately 8-10 pancakes, each about 17-20 cm (7-8 inches) in diameter, depending on how thick or thin you prefer them.
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