Perfect Vegan Pancakes (Soft & Fluffy!)
Servings:2 servings
Make perfect vegan pancakes every time! I included my favorite tips, which I 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
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 plus 1 tablespoon unsweetened non-dairy milk - I prefer 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 well. Set aside.
- Put the non-dairy milk in a medium-size bowl, and add the vinegar to create vegan buttermilk; set aside. In a separate bowl melt the butter. Pour the melted butter, oil, and vanilla into the "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 (don't whisk or stir vigorously). The batter will be fluffy, and once it comes together don't stir again!
- Preheat an electric griddle or large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. If you have an infrared thermometer, the surface should be approximately 375°F (190°C) when fully preheated.
- Flick water onto the pan/griddle to make sure it's ready. The water should bead up and dance across the surface before evaporating. If desired, add a small pat of vegan butter and swirl it around (if using a non-stick surface you don't need it). Use slightly less than ⅓ cup batter per pancake. Keep an eye on how quickly the pancakes are cooking and reduce the heat slightly if needed.
- After about 1½ to 2 minutes, the edges will look somewhat set and dry, and you'll see bubbles forming across the top of the pancakes. Use a wide spatula to flip the pancakes. The second side will cook more quickly than the first, about 1 minute. The pancakes are done if the center bounces back when pressed.
- Serve vegan pancakes warm with maple syrup, vegan butter, and fresh fruit.
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. I thought the GF pancakes took a little longer to cook. Use the same visual cues, and you'll be fine.
Troubleshooting: As discussed 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.
- Flour is best measured by weight. However, 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. Stir just until there are a few clumps of flour left, then stop and don't touch it again!
- Flick a little water onto the griddle/pan to see if it's fully preheated. The water should bead up and dance across the surface before evaporating. Even better, use an infrared thermometer to check that the surface temp is close to 375°F (190°C).
- If you'd like, add a small pat of vegan butter to the griddle/pan before cooking the pancakes, though it isn't necessary if using a non-stick surface. Make sure the butter doesn't burn by wiping out the pan between batches.
- If your first pancake gets too brown before the center is done, lower 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.
Nutrition
Calories: 415kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 13g
