Fluffy Vegan Whole Wheat Pancakes

This easy pancake recipe only takes a few minutes to whip up with simple ingredients. They might just be the best vegan pancakes around! You’ll love how light and fluffy they are.

Made with whole wheat flour, they’re quite filling too and can even be made sugar-free if needed. Enjoy a big stack for breakfast (or dinner!) with all your favourite toppings like fresh fruit, chia jam and maple syrup.

If you’re a pancake-lover, you’ll also want to try these chickpea flour pancakes, chia seed pancakes, buckwheat pancakes and berry banana pancakes!

This recipe is essentially just 3 ingredients: whole wheat flour, baking powder and a sweetener. The liquid can be water or milk and cinnamon and vanilla are optional!

• Whole Wheat Flour: The recipes uses 100% whole wheat flour but all-purpose flour, white whole wheat flour or a 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour will also work.
• Baking Powder: Be sure to use baking powder, not baking soda. For the best fluffy pancakes, make sure your baking powder is active. You can quickly test it if you’re unsure but adding 2 tsp to 1/2 cup of hot water. If it fizzes, you’re good to go!
• Liquid: You can use any kind of plant-based milk (almond milk, soy milk etc.) or just water. I don’t notice much different between milk and water, so I usually just use water to keep it super simple.
• Sweetener: You can use maple syrup, coconut sugar, cane sugar or for sugar-free pancakes, stevia, monk fruit sweetener or erythritol.
• Flavour Enhancers: Vanilla and cinnamon are optional but add extra flavour.

Step 1: Mix the dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl.

I like to use a fork or whisk to help break up any lumps of flour and help thoroughly distribute the baking powder and salt. This is important for a fluffy result!

Step 2: Start heating a non-stick skillet, pancake griddle or crepe pan over medium heat. Add your liquid to the dry ingredients and gently fold until all the flour is wetted.

The batter will be quite thick and almost foam-like, but still pourable. This is perfect and means the baking powder is working.

Quick Tip: Let the batter rest for 5-10 minutes while you wait for the cooking surface to heat. This is key for fluffiness.

Step 3: Once the pan is hot, use a bit of non-stick cooking spray, if needed, then add approximately 1/3 cup portions of the batter to the pan.

Let them cook until the edges appear dry, firm and golden brown, and small bubbles are starting to appear in the batter. This should take about 4-5 minutes.

Flip and cook for another 30-90 seconds until cooked through and brown on both sides.

Repeat until you’ve used up the remaining batter. If you like, you can keep them warm in the oven at a low temperature until you’re ready to serve.

Notes and Tips

For Vegan Buttermilk Pancakes: For a slightly tangy buttermilk flavour and a bit more rise to your pancakes, you can add 1-2 tsp of lemon juice, apple cider vinegar or white vinegar to the non-dairy milk and let it sit for 2-3 minutes before adding it to the batter.

FAQs

Serving Ideas

Below are some yummy ideas for topping your pancakes:

• Toasted coconut flakes or coconut bacon.
• Quick chocolate sauce: Mix melted coconut oil and cocoa powder together at a 1:1 ratio then sweeten to taste with maple syrup, agave syrup, liquid monk fruit sweetener or stevia. Melted chocolate chips or dark chocolate also works.
• Date caramel, date paste or homemade caramel sauce.
• Nuts: Walnuts, pecans or slivered almonds.
• Sautéed apples or baked apple slices.
• Caramelized banana or sliced banana.
• Nut or seed butter like peanut butter, almond butter, tahini or coconut butter.
• Maple syrup or agave syrup (tahini and maple syrup is amazing together!).
• Chocolate chips: For chocolate chip pancakes, mix 4 tbsp into batter or sprinkle a few onto each pancake once you add the batter to the pan.
• Fresh or thawed frozen berries. For blueberry pancakes, gently fold up to 1 cup fresh berries into the batter or drop a few fresh or frozen berries onto each pancake after you add the batter to the pan.
• For a special occasion, like Christmas or Easter morning, try them toped with coconut whipped cream and strawberries.
• Blueberry Chia Jam