Vegan Pancake Recipe: How to Make Easy Vegan Pancakes

Vegan pancakes are an animal-free twist on regular pancakes. Traditional pancake recipes rely on animal products like eggs, milk, or butter, but vegan pancakes swap out those ingredients with dairy-free and egg-free alternatives.

Eggs are useful for baking because they act as a binding ingredient. Luckily, there are a few tried-and-true ways to replace eggs and make delicious pancakes with vegan alternatives.

1. 1. Flax: To replace one egg with a flax egg, mix one tablespoon of ground flaxseed or flax meal with three tablespoons of water. Allow the mixture to thicken in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
2. 2. Chia: For an egg replacement with high protein content, use a chia egg. Simply mix one tablespoon of chia seeds with three tablespoons of water and let the mixture congeal for five minutes before incorporating it into your pancake recipe.
3. 3. Applesauce: Applesauce is a tasty, classic vegan egg replacement. Use a quarter of a cup of unsweetened applesauce for every egg a recipe calls for.
4. 4. Mashed banana: Similar to the applesauce egg alternative, mashed bananas can be an effective substitute in vegan pancakes while also adding a subtle banana flavor. Use a quarter cup of ripe mashed banana for every egg the recipe calls for.
5. 5. Carbonated water: If you have a can of seltzer water in the fridge, you already have an effective egg substitute. For each egg the recipe calls for, use a quarter cup of carbonated water.

For the fluffiest results, follow these tips.

1. 1. Use a big, flat, hot cooking surface. If you’re making a large batch of pancakes for brunch, consider purchasing a large rectangular griddle to put over your stove or an electric griddle. This allows for a larger and evenly heated surface. Get the griddle or non-stick pan hot before the batter touches the surface. You can always turn the temperature down if needed to achieve that golden brown exterior.
2. 2. Grease the pan with heat-resistant oil. When greasing your pan, coconut oil or vegetable oil are the best options because they can withstand high temperatures and are unlikely to smoke.
3. 3. Add more non-dairy milk for thinner pancakes. If you want your pancakes a little thinner while still being light and fluffy, add a tablespoon of oat milk, almond milk, soy milk, or coconut milk to thin out the pancake batter.
4. 4. Use white or whole-wheat flour. Gluten-free flours like coconut flour, almond flour, and oat flour tend to make pancakes dense. For your best shot at vegan, gluten-free pancakes, use a gluten-free pancake mix and swap out the eggs with one of the vegan alternatives listed above.
5. 5. Make vegan buttermilk. Traditionally, buttermilk gives pancakes a light, fluffy texture. The recipe below calls for homemade vegan buttermilk using your vegan milk of choice and a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice.
6. 6. Mix your batter until just combined. Just as with traditional pancakes, you want some lumps in your batter. Overmixing will dilute the flax egg and vegan buttermilk that prevent the pancakes from becoming gummy and dense.

Stick with the classics or mix and match the following toppings to make your best pancakes yet.

1. 1. Fruit: Blueberries, banana slices, and chopped strawberries are all great options.
2. 2. Syrup: Maple syrup is a classic choice, but strawberry syrup can add a fresh twist to your vegan pancakes.
3. 3. Vegan chocolate chips: While there are many vegan options available today, some popular chocolate chip brands are incidentally dairy-free, too. Check the ingredients list and rest assured that cocoa butter is naturally dairy-free.
4. 4. Nuts: Toasted walnuts, pecans, and almonds make great additions to vegan pancakes.
5. 5. Vegan butter: Nothing completes a vegan pancake quite like a pat of dairy-free, vegan butter.