Super Simple Vegan Pancakes
These vegan pancakes are easy to make, requiring only 7 basic ingredients! These eggless pancakes are absolutely delicious, too. They're just the best!
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 30, 2024
I’ve been laying low since I got home after a month of being away. Hibernating, if you will. Reveling in the quiet and making coffee without worrying about waking someone. Making pancakes over and over. Spending lots of quality time with my dog Cookie, the pancake thief.
It’s been lovely. My pancake endeavors have paid off, too. I realized the other day that I don’t have a basic pancake recipe on the blog, so here we are. Meet my new favorite pancake recipe. It’s easy, healthy and vegan, to boot!
How to Make the Best Vegan Pancakes
Basically, I reduced my gingerbread pancake recipe to its most essential formula, then I traded almond milk for cow’s milk and olive oil (or coconut oil) for the butter. I was concerned I’d taste olive oil in the finished product, but I really can’t! Coconut oil works as well, but it solidifies on contact with cold ingredients, so olive oil is the easier choice.
I tried a “buttermilk” version as well, with almond milk combined with a tablespoon of vinegar and lesser amounts of baking soda and baking powder. Even with the vinegar to react with the baking soda, the pancakes tasted terribly bitter. I’m still mystified. I scratched the buttermilk idea and carried on with one tablespoon baking powder as the leavener, which works great.
I omitted the eggs completely, surprisingly without any downsides. Just to be sure, I tried a version with flaxseed to replace the egg, but it didn’t make any difference. The batter gets nice and bubbly thanks to the baking powder, then it fluffs up on contact with the hot cooking surface like flatbreads typically do.
Without that eggy flavor, the remaining ingredients get to shine through. As such, this vegan pancake recipe produces remarkably delicious pancakes.
Whole Wheat Flour Tips
Bob’s Red Mill sent me their organic whole wheat flour, which imparts a lovely, lightly nutty flavor. Bonus? Since it’s higher in fiber and protein than all-purpose flour, these pancakes are more likely to stick with you until lunch.
Speaking of whole wheat flour, if yours tastes bitter, your flour has gone bad! Whole wheat flour is not inherently bitter, but because it contains all of the good-for-you natural oils present in wheat, it can go bad more quickly than processed flours. For best longevity, buy quality flour and store it in an air-tight container in a cool, dark place, like the refrigerator or a cabinet.
Please let me know how this recipe turns out for you in the comments!
If you love this recipe, be sure to check out the two pancake recipes in my cookbook, which both have vegan options. Looking for more vegan breakfast recipes? Here are a few of my favorites:
- The Very Best Granola
- Vegan Banana Nut Scones
- Homemade Bircher Muesli
- My Favorite Chia Seed Pudding
- Apple Steel-Cut Oatmeal
Watch How to Make Vegan Pancakes
Simple Vegan Pancakes
These easy vegan pancakes are my favorite basic pancakes! Who knew that eggless, whole grain pancakes could be so fluffy?! Feel free to throw in some add-ins like blueberries or chocolate chips, if you’re so inclined. Recipe yields 6 modestly-sized pancakes (perfect for 2 servings), so multiply as necessary.
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole wheat flour*
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup almond milk or dairy-free milk of choice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or melted coconut oil
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup or sugar of choice
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- More oil to grease your pan/skillet, if necessary
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. In a 2-cup liquid measuring cup or another mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, oil, maple syrup and vanilla extract until thoroughly blended. (If your coconut oil solidifies on contact with the cold milk, gently warm it in the microwave just until it liquifies again.)
- Pour the liquid mixture into the dry mixture. Stir until combined, so only a few lumps remain (don’t over-mix or your pancakes will be tough!). If you’d like to mix in any totally optional add-ins (like chocolate chips or blueberries), gently fold them in now. Let the batter rest for 5 minutes so your pancakes will be nice and fluffy.
- Meanwhile, if you’ll be using an electric skillet, heat it to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Otherwise, heat a heavy cast iron skillet or nonstick griddle over medium-low heat. You’re ready to start cooking your pancakes once the surface of the pan is hot enough that a drop of water sizzles on contact.
- If necessary, lightly oil the cooking surface with additional oil or cooking spray (I don’t oil the surface of my non-stick griddle and my pancakes turned out great).
- Using a ¼-cup measure, scoop the batter onto the warm skillet. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until small bubbles form on the surface of the pancakes (you’ll know it’s ready to flip when about ½-inch of the perimeter is matte instead of glossy), and flip. Cook on the opposite sides for 1 to 2 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Repeat the process with the remaining batter, adding more oil as needed. You may need to adjust the heat up or down at this point. Serve the pancakes immediately or keep warm in a 200 degree Fahrenheit oven.
Notes
Adapted from my gingerbread pancake recipe.
*Flour options: All-purpose flour should also work fine here.
*Make it gluten-free: Readers report that Bob’s Red Mill’s gluten-free all-purpose flour works great.
Leftover pancakes? Pancakes make great leftovers! Store them in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or freeze them for months. To warm, wrap a short stack of pancakes loosely in a paper towel and gently reheat in the microwave until warmed through, flipping and re-wrapping the stack halfway through.
Make-ahead option? I don’t recommend mixing pancake batter and storing it in the refrigerator overnight. You will have better luck mixing the dry ingredients separately from the wet ingredients, as directed in step 1, then storing those two components separately (store the wet mixture in the fridge). When you’re ready to make pancakes, begin with step 2. This technique will work better if you use olive oil, since coconut oil solidifies when chilled.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
Great recipe!! I was able to make these in a pinch even though my pantry and fridge are pretty bare…
Thank you, Tricia! Happy the pancakes turned out well for you.
I’m not sure how this recipe worked for anyone? Even after adding extra water it was still not runny and I’ve had to toss it all. Bummer!
I’m sorry to hear that, Jeri! This is a pretty classic pancake recipe, minus the egg, so I’m really not sure what went wrong for you. The batter shouldn’t be super runny, but it should cook up nicely against a hot pan!
I made these this morning first with coconut flour…big mistake, but wanted to try…the flour absorbed the nondairy milk lol. So, I used whole wheat flour (Hodgson Mill)….and mixed in some frozen blueberries…My family really enjoyed these! :) Pancakes are a big deal in our family and almost were scarce when we went vegan… because of the dairy and eggs… Thanks for this recipe!!!
Coconut flour will do that! Glad they turned out well with whole wheat flour, Tiffany. :)
Hey Kate
I just came across your website and this was the first recipe I tried. I liked the pancakes, but I seem to have done something wrong: the batter was very, very dense, and my pancakes came out somewhat raw on the inside. I’ll try to fix that next time (maybe some more milk?). Till then, thanks for this recipe. I’m certainly going to be spending some time around here.
Wish you all the best
Alberto
Hi Alberto, I’m sorry to hear that! Did you let the batter rest any longer than 5 minutes? I find that the longer it rests, the thicker it gets. You might only want to wait a couple of minutes next time. I hope that works for you.
Hi again, Kate
So, I must confess that I cheated by using “normal” milk. But that first time around was just for practice. Later in the day I tried the exact same recipe at my girlfriend’s (she’s vegan), but using common white flour and soy milk. It worked fantastically – I guess maybe the flour I used the first time around was what made the batter so dense (I did let it rest for only a couple of minutes). I’m definitely trying this recipe again many times.
So, thanks a lot again.
Hmmm, well, I’m still not sure what went wrong, but I’m glad the second batch turned out great! I always measure my flour using the spoon and swoop method—if you’re scooping flour into the cups, you can end up with a lot more flour in the recipe than I used.
Hi there! I made these this morning and loved how simple they were to make, with ingredients I already had!
Just one thing- they had a great taste initially but as i ate them there was this strong vinegary/bitter after taste.. I followed the recipe exactly.. Any ideas what could have caused this? No one else seemed to have this issue.
Still though- this satisfied my craving for pancakes which I had been craving since I became vegan!
Thanks so much!!
Emily
Emily, so sorry to hear that! Are you sure you used baking powder instead of baking soda? It sounds to me like maybe you grabbed baking soda, which is sure easy to do, but unless the recipe includes an acidic ingredient like buttermilk (this one doesn’t), the end results will taste very bitter.
These turned out delicious. I used 1/3 cup coconut cream + 2/3 cup almond-coconut milk unsweetened. Gold all purpose flour instead of whole wheat – makes for a more traditional-tasting pancake. I also added 2 tablespoons flax to amp up omega-3s. Still came out great. Thanks for recipe.
Thank you, Leslie! I’m glad these pancakes turned out well for you.
Wow, Kate. This is awesome. I have been looking for a vegan pancake recipe and something with organic ingredients. I will try this out with the available ingredients here. Thanks for sharing.
Cheers !!!
These were amazing. I did use butter and half white flour and half oat flour. So so good!
Thank you, Christie! Happy to hear it!
Absolutely delish! My hubby and I cant eat sweet things right now so I doubled the vanilla essence and added 1 tsp of cinnamon and 1/4tsp of nutmeg. Hubby is in love and so am I. thanks for sharing Kate :-)
Good god, these are amazing! Just as good as, if not better than, pancakes I had before going vegan. And SO FILLING. 100 stars for this recipe, and another 100 for helping me satisfy my pancake craving!
Woohoo, thanks Acacia!
Hi! These sound great! Can I use water instead of milk? I don’t have any on hand at the moment.
Hey Abbie, I’m sorry for the delayed response. I’m not sure if water would work here since the recipe calls for a full cup of it. If you try (or have tried) it, please let me know!
Hi Kate,
Thanks for such a great recipe! Just made these pancakes and they were delicious. Although vegetarian for a long time, I’m fairly new to vegan cooking and blogs like yours are such a great help to us newbies. I look forward to trying more or your recipes.
First year being vegan so I’ve never tried pancakes like this before, they’re amazing! Plus they don’t leave that horrible groggy feeling after eating one too many that you get when eating regular pancakes. Absolutely perfect! I topped mine with blueberries and I think next time I’m going to go for some dark chocolate as well.
This recipe is the recipe I’ve been looking for, for over a year now! I finally stumbled upon this one when I googled ‘simple vegan pancakes’- best decision ever! I’ve tried a dozen of recipes with various binders (chia goop, banana, flax goop..) And ratios of baking soda and/or powder. None were ever so… Fluffy as this one- all the recipes I tried came out chewy or goopy. As of yet this is the closest recipe I found to a typical omnivore pancake made with eggs and milk. I added half of a large banana squished into a puree for some flavor and a bit of extra water to thin out the batter to make crepes. The edges were crisp, the cakes fluffy and soft and they soaked up the maple sirop like crazy. Thanks so much for this Canadians new go to recipe. :)
Love this recipe!! We got a little fancy and added sliced pecans, almond extract, cinnamon, and a dash of Disaronno – so delicious!! This is now my go-to recipe!
My 5 stars didn’t save so I had to comment again and add it!
Oh my god! The best pancakes ever…I’m not completely vegan but I have to recognize that those pancakes are even better that the original recipe, really delicious!!! Thanks for sharing
This recipe was great! Added frozen blueberries and a little bit of water, didn’t have enough non-dairy milk xD, and they were great. Very quick too, I could make them before school!
I made these pancakes this morning. I think they are just ok, not better then my usual pancake recipe. I think it’s too much coconut oil. I tasted so much of it in every bite. Also these pancakes stick together. You know how you pile pancakes after you cooked them? Yeah, these won’t come apart with out ripping off the bottom of them. Also I found the texture to be different. It easily falls apart and it stuck to the roof of my mouth. Very mushy pancakes. They aren’t disgusting or anything but it’s not my favorite.
I added some cinnamon, sugar, and cocoa. I do this to my waffles too and these were so easy to make. My brother doesn’t know their vegan, can’t wait to surprise him haha!
These pancakes are amazing! And to define ‘amazing’ here…
I used to think I didn’t like pancakes. Cooking’s not big in my family, so we used to use the pre-boxed batter that you just added water and oil to and got blotchy, vaguely sour tasting and strangely rubbery pancakes. I knew these would be much better, but my first thought upon biting into one was: ‘Wow, it tastes… like food!’
And not only did they turn out fluffy and delicious, they smell like pancake pastries. Thank you for sharing this magical recipe!
Our new weekend ritual. Thank you for the recipe.
They turned out amazing!!!!
Made these for Sunday breakfast and they are amazing! Got exactly 6 pancakes and they were delicious. 3is a perfect serving and because the basic recipe isn’t too sweet, it’s not overly sweet when you add toppings. Thanks so much!!
This is first healthy pancake alternative I have tried to the traditional buttermilk pancakes that I have enjoyed as much – if not more! Goes great with frozen berries – my new Saturday cheat breakfast.
Wow, thank you for this recipe! I actually substituted my all purpose gluten free blend flour so that everyone in my family can enjoy (we have egg, dairy, nut, and gluten allergies between us). I also used soy milk in place of almond. I also add a flax egg but I’m not sure it does anything. Finally a truly simple, delicious pancake we can all enjoy. Even my husband, who has no allergies, lines up for these. I had tried store bought GF/Vegan mixes before and they were awful. Seriously, thank you! I’m off to make them for the 4th or 5th time for my kids.
These were the best I’ve made since I attended a wellness clinic 8 years ago. So fluffy and cooked all the way! Finally! I heeded your advice & didn’t stir the heck out of the batter. I substituted 1 1/2 TBS applesauce for the oil & threw in a TBS of flaxseeds & added 1/4 tsp nutmeg & shake of cinnamon. I used a banana for the sugar because we like maple syrup on top. It’s been a while since I loved licking the bowl too. Thanks
Just want to add my review and comment. I have been using this recipe page for a year now, every weekend in the morning, I create those delicious pancakes. It creates a family moment. Can’t wait for my 5-month-old baby to start eating these amazing pancakes.
These pancakes are amazing! I have very little experience with baking/cooking and these were very easy to do! Thank you for sharing your recipe:).
I decided on a whim after my run this morning to make these for breakfast. Wish such a short ingredient list, I already had everything in my pantry. My husband and I both thought these were delicious and I’m definitely going to make them again!
I’m thinking about adding a tbs of ground flax seed next time. Should I reduce the flour a bit?
This is now my go-to pancake recipe! It’s just delicious, and I don’t miss any of the non-vegan ingredients!
I had pancake cravings at 10pm last night and went for this recipe, honestly the best decision I’ve ever made! I threw some blueberries into the batter and it was amazing. So good I repeated them again this morning…New favourite!
Made these pancakes this morning for breakfast, as I had no porridge oats left..unfortunately the amount of baking soda used made them taste really bitter! It ruined otherwise amazing, fluffy pancakes..I don’t know why this happened. I used wholemeal flour (with nothing added-and not self-raising) and followed your recipe exactly. Anyway, I’ll give them a go again soon (as they are so easy to make and everything else about them was peeerfect!), and mayybe try about a teaspoon of baking powder instead of a tablespoon! I’ll let you know how I get on :)
Baking soda will make your pancakes bitter. The recipe calls for baking powder, so be sure to use baking powder!
This is the first vegan pancake recipe I’ve successfully used! The other recipes left me with gummy pancakes, but these were perfect. Thank you!
I tried these pancakes this morning and they turned out great! Very delicious!
Hi Kate,
I was looking for a pancake recipe with infredients I have at home and this was the one. I did use brown sugar instead of maple syrup since didnt have any and the recipe says it’s ok! I also added a little bit of water because I like my pancakes thinner. But these were delicious. Thank you for the recipe! These are the first pancakes I’ve made without the boxed-just-add-water stuff.
This was such an amazing Recipe! I was able to make my self breakfast, and have leftovers for tomorrow! I made them with frozen blueberries that thawed and heated perfectly by the time the pancakes were done. Thanks for sharing!
Just used this to make waffles – delish! Thanks!
As promised, simply delicious and nutritious vegan pancakes. I added fresh organic blueberries (in the skillet). Awesome!
This recipe is a keeper! I used Bob’s Red Mill GF All-purpose Baking flour, hemp milk and 1 tsp. of Coconut palm sugar. Topped with a little bit of maple syrup, it was a healthy, tasty, Gluten Free and low Glycemic index pancake. Thanks a lot for developing and posting this recipe…
These are the best vegan pancakes I’ve ever made! I used half the amount of baking powder and they came out perfect, highly recommend to anyone!!
Turned out pretty good. Messed up the baking part though…
Made this recipe! It was good. I think I may have over mixed because the pancakes felt a little coarse…or maybe it was the whole wheat flour. Also needed some more sweetness for me! Going to try it again with a little more maple syrup and less mixing!
These were really great!! I used coconut sugar as my sugar of choice and it turned out perfect. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe.
Fluffy and wonderful! I needed something simple for my daughter and I to share at a non-vegan pancake breakfast at her preschool. I made them the night before, froze them, reheated the next morning and we loved them. Not as good right off the skillet, but they held up great.
I used regular soy milk (Silk) and agave nectar (you pay a king’s ransom for maple syrup in Vancouver).
For an add-in, I used what was on hand: a small overripe banana. Delicious!
(A word of caution if you put banana mush in the batter: it interferes with the bubble-forming, so don’t wait for bubbles to form or the pancakes will burn.)
I tried these yesterday and they were great, thank you so much! I added some apple, dates and banana to them and they tasted divine! Keep the vegan-spiration going, I’m loving it!
These pancakes turned out excellent! I used vanilla coconut milk, and I really liked the idea of using maple syrup to sweeten them. I even had the exact same flour in my pantry ☺.
I made these and they are delicious. My mom who’s not vegan loved them too. Couldn’t even tell they didn’t have eggs! Thank you! Making them again for breakfast tomorrow with blueberries :D
These were so good! I’m honestly even a little surprised how good they were without butter and eggs! I’m a pancake fanatic but we are all lactose intolerant in my fam so needed to change things up. My 2 and 6 yo gobbled these up and were begging for more!
I tried this recipe for the first time today- I think it’s a great recipe, as the pancakes turned out okay despite my horrible cooking! The texture is really moist and even with a bit of chew. I didn’t put anything on top of the pancakes so I could taste everything accurately. They are savory and filling, and I really like the whole wheat flour you recommended. I’m going to work on my skillet and heating so I don’t over cook next time. I made the pancakes in this batch too big, so I had to wait longer to flip them, and I nearly blackened one of them! Overall: I’m going to use this recipe again because even with all of my mistakes, the pancakes stil turned out to be tasty.
I’ve tried many vegan pancake recipes before, and most of them turned out to be complete disasters, with the pancakes stubbornly sticking to the pan or falling apart as soon as I dared touch them. Your pancakes, however, are the bomb! They are moist yet fluffy, delicious, and they hold together very well. My son and I are in love! The recipe is definitely going in my “go-to” binder.