This is the best vegan pancake recipe around – it makes the lightest, fluffiest pancakes ever! Just a few pantry ingredients are needed to make this easy weekend breakfast, and no eggs are required! Top these pancakes with your favorite fruit and some warm syrup for a weekend breakfast that your family will love.
If you’re looking for the perfect weekend breakfast, nothing beats a stack of vegan pancakes with warm buttery spread and pure maple syrup.
Many years ago, I was struggling to find a delicious, egg free breakfast option. I just wanted something that tasted good!
I found a recipe to start from, and with a few adjustments, I was able to make pancakes without eggs or milk, and I was thrilled to find out that they tasted amazing!
I love these more than traditional pancakes – they have a wonderfully light texture that’s irresistible.
Once you master this simple recipe, you may like to try my vegan banana pancakes, chocolate chip pumpkin pancakes, or perfect vegan waffles.
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Why This Recipe Works
The secret is the amount of baking powder – it makes these pancakes so light and airy. The batter is very puffy, and when you fry it, the outside gets really nice and crisp, and then inside stays beautifully light and fluffy.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ These pancakes are LEGIT!! Thank you so much for publishing a pancake recipe that actually tastes good! I have only recently found out that I’m allergic to dairy and egg whites, so somewhat-vegan eating is new to me (and my family, since they eat what I eat!). Many thanks! – Kristen
Ingredient Notes
- Flour – I like to use white spelt flour for this recipe, but you can also use all-purpose flour, and that will work really well. If you use whole wheat flour, that will work, but the pancakes will not be quite and light.
- Baking Powder – The secret ingredient is baking powder! The baking powder causes the batter to rise and produces perfectly fluffy and tender pancakes. The amount of baking powder in the recipe is correct. It looks like a lot, but since this recipe is made without eggs, you do need that large amount to make these pancakes rise.
- Sugar – A little bit of sugar is needed to sweeten this recipe. I used organic cane sugar, you can use granulated sugar or light brown sugar if you prefer.
- Oil or Melted Vegan Buttery Spread – Choose a neutral tasting oil, like organic canola oil, grapeseed oil, or melted vegan buttery spread – either will work well.
- Non-Dairy Milk or Water – A neutral tasting non-dairy milk is a good choice for this batter. If you don’t have a plant based milk that works for your diet, feel free to use water.
Oil Free Option
If you want to try to make these without oil, try using applesauce instead of oil. The texture may not be quite as fluffy, but the recipe will still work.
Step by Step Instructions
- Place the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
- Add the wet ingredients.
- Stir the batter and let it sit for 5 minutes so it can rise.
- After 5 minutes, the batter will be very puffy, like this:
- Heat some vegan buttery spread in a frying pan over medium heat. Once the buttery spread is sizzling, spoon some batter in. I can usually fry 2 or 3 pancakes at a time.
- After 2-3 minutes, flip the pancakes. They should be golden brown. Cook for another 2-3 minutes so that they are cooked through and golden on both sides.
- Serve with more vegan buttery spread and maple syrup.
Tips for Success
- Let the batter rise for at least 5 minutes. The baking powder needs a few minutes to do its job. The amount of baking powder required is 1 ½ Tablespoons. It sounds like a lot, but it’s necessary, and is the key to super fluffy pancakes.
- Don’t over-mix the batter. It doesn’t need to be smooth.
- Don’t turn the heat up too high! Medium heat will do it.
- Don’t flip them too quickly. It will take about 5 minutes for the bottom to cook through. Look for the edges to be cooked, and a few bubbles to form in the batter. Then flip and finish cooking.
- Using a good frying pan makes all the difference – try a stainless steel Calphalon pan, or a non-stick Green Pan.
FAQs
I haven’t tried that, although if you look through the comments, you will see that some people have tried it with success.
It could be that your baking powder is old. Make sure you use fresh baking powder for best results.
Yes, 1 ½ Tablespoons is correct. You need that amount in order for the pancakes to rise. I like Featherweight Baking Powder or Clabber Girl, and have not had any issues with the pancakes tasting bitter when I use these brands.
Storage/Freezing
Store leftovers in an airtight container or ziploc bag in the refrigerator. They should stay fresh for about 5 days.
You can freeze these if you like! They will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Reheating
When you want to reheat these, you can use the microwave or the toaster oven. If you use the toaster oven, they will get a little bit crisp on the edges, which I think is delicious, but if you don’t want that to happen, you may want to use the microwave.
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See how easy it is to make these pancakes in the video below.
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Recipe
Light and Fluffy Vegan Pancakes.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups white spelt flour you can use all-purpose flour if you wish
- 1 ½ Tablespoons baking powder
- 1 ½ cups non-dairy milk I use unsweetened coconut milk, or water
- 3 Tablespoons organic cane sugar
- 3 Tablespoons organic canola oil or coconut oil, or melted vegan buttery spread
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- vegan buttery spread for pan
Instructions
- Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl.
- Add wet ingredients, and let rise for about five minutes.
- Melt a tablespoon of vegan buttery spread in a large frying pan over medium heat (I have an electric stove and put the burner at about 5).
- Spoon the batter into the pan, and cook until you see the edges starting to turn golden brown (about 5 minutes or so).
- Flip pancakes and continue to cook until done, about 3 more minutes.
- Serve with vegan buttery spread and syrup, or desired fruit topping.
Notes
Nutrition
adapted from this recipe.
CHNut Research Team
Really informative article on Light and Fluffy Vegan Pancakes. – The Pretty Bee. A 2025 study published in BMC Medicine found that bioavailable forms of nutrients often show dramatically better absorption — worth considering alongside the points you’ve made here. The research on optimal dosing has been particularly compelling recently.
Karly
We make this recipe every Saturday. My kids are now helping. We get the biggest fluffiest pancakes my husband is always surprised how they turn out (yes after years). We double a double recipe and use 2/3 the sugar and add nuts or seeds or fruit to it.
Love this recipe so much. Thank you for sharing this with us
Kelly Roenicke
So glad you enjoy these! Thanks for letting me know! We love them, too! :)
Chele
This recipe is a winner! I added cinnamon to my batter and subbed maple syrup for the sugar….delicious! Thanks for sharing!
Simone
10 stars!!
I’ve followed many pancake recipes out there, but these were phenomenal!
Do you think I could use natural peanut butter in place of the butter/oil??
Kelly Roenicke
I’m so happy you liked these! I don’t know if that would work. I think you could add peanut butter to the batter, but I still think you would need the oil for the best texture.
RudyAD
These are great…simple, good recipe. My two toddler boys loved them! We threw in wild maine Blueberries in a few and Bananas in a few as well. Thank you for taking the time to share with us.