Easy Vegan Pancakes (Fluffy and Soft)

Stack of fluffy vegan pancakes topped with butter and maple syrup.

Easy Vegan Pancakes (Fluffy and Soft)

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Servings:2 servings

Author: Lori Rasmussen, My Quiet Kitchen

Make perfect vegan pancakes every time! I included my top tips, learned the hard way. Because in my experience, making soft, fluffy, amazing pancakes isn't quite as simple as most recipes make it out to be. I hope you love 'em!

Yield: 7 (4-inch) pancakes

Ingredients
US Customary | Metric

Dry Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour - see Notes for gluten-free
2 Tablespoons sugar
2½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

Wet Ingredients:

¾ cup non-dairy milk plus 1 Tbsp - I recommend soy milk
4 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
2 Tablespoons vegan butter, melted - plus more for serving
1 Tablespoon neutral oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

Sift the flour and baking powder into a large mixing bowl. Add the sugar and salt and whisk to combine. Set aside.
Pour the non-dairy milk in a medium-size bowl, and add the vinegar to make vegan buttermilk; set aside. In a separate bowl melt the butter. Pour the melted butter, oil, and vanilla into the vegan buttermilk and whisk to combine.
Pour wet ingredients into dry, and use a large silicone spatula to gently fold the ingredients just until a lumpy batter forms (do not whisk or stir vigorously). The batter will be fluffy, and as soon as it comes together, stop folding. Don't stir again! Let rest 5 minutes.
Preheat an electric griddle or large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. If you have an infrared thermometer, the surface should be approximately 370°F (185°C) when fully preheated.
Flick water onto the pan/griddle - it should bead up and dance across the surface before evaporating. If desired, add a small pat of vegan butter and swirl it around (this creates lightly crisp edges. Use slightly less than ⅓ cup batter per pancake. Keep an eye on how quickly the pancakes are cooking and adjust the heat slightly if needed.
After about 1½ to 2 minutes, the edges should look somewhat set, and bubbles should form across the tops of the pancakes. Use a wide spatula to flip the pancakes. The second sides cook more quickly, about 1 minute.
Serve pancakes warm with your favorite toppings, such as maple syrup, vegan butter, chopped pecans, fresh berries, and non-dairy whipped cream.

Notes

Gluten-Free: I tested King Arthur Measure for Measure 1:1 GF flour with great results! Note that if using gluten-free flour, you don't need the additional tablespoon of milk, and you can reduce the baking powder to 2 tsp. The GF pancakes took a little longer to cook.

Tips: As mentioned above, the temperature and the way pancakes are cooked is just as important as the ingredients used! If you don't have much experience cooking pancakes, it can take one or two tries to get the hang of it.

If you don't have a kitchen scale, whisk the flour first, then lightly scoop it up with a measuring cup, and level off the top.
Avoid overmixing the batter as this can make the pancakes thin, tough, or chewy. Use a folding motion and stop mixing as soon as the batter comes together. Lumps are fine!
If you add vegan butter to the griddle or pan, wipe it out between batches so it doesn't burn.
If your first pancake browns before the center is done, reduce the temp. Also keep an eye on how quickly the rest of the pancakes are cooking, and if needed, adjust the heat slightly as you go.

Store leftover pancakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can also freeze pancakes for up to 1 month. Thaw before reheating on the stovetop or in the oven.

Nutrition