Fluffy Vegan Whole Wheat Pancakes
on Oct 07, 2021, Updated May 21, 2026
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These fluffy vegan whole wheat pancakes take just minutes to make with basic ingredients for an easy and delicious breakfast.
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 vegan chickpea flour pancakes, vegan chia seed pancakes, gluten-free vegan buckwheat pancakes and berry banana pancakes.
Ingredient Notes
This list is not complete. Please see the recipe card at the end of the post for the complete ingredient list with measurements and detailed instructions.
- 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-by-Step Instructions
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
Nope! This recipe works without eggs or an egg substitute like a flax egg but you can add one if you’d like for a bit of extra nutrition.
For pancake recipes that use flax, try my quinoa flour pancakes or coconut blueberry pancakes.
It really depends on your pan. I have a pan that will work without any oil or cooking spray but another that needs it otherwise my pancakes will stick.
If needed, I recommend dabbing a paper towel in avocado oil, olive oil or coconut oil to lightly grease your cooking surface or using light coating of nonstick avocado, olive or coconut oil spray.
You can, so feel free to make a double or triple batch and stash some in the freezer.
I suggest freezing them on a baking tray first then transferring them to a freezer bag or airtight container. Otherwise, freeze them with a small square of parchment paper between each one to prevent them from sticking together.
The frozen pancakes can be thawed briefly at room temperature then reheated in the oven, a toaster oven, microwave or even popped in the toaster.
If you make this recipe, please consider leaving a comment and a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the comment section below. It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe, and I love to hear from you. Thanks for trying my recipes! – Deryn
Whole Wheat Fluffy Vegan Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole wheat flour, 120 g
- 1 tbsp baking powder, 12 g
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk, 250 ml
- 2 tbsp pure maple syrup, 30 ml
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon, optional
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract, optional, 5 ml
Instructions
- Mix together the whole wheat flour, baking powder, sea salt and cinnamon (if using) in medium mixing bowl using a fork or whisk to help break up any lumps of flour and distribute the baking powder and salt.
- Add the wet ingredients (non-dairy milk and maple syrup) and gently mix until all the flour has been mixed in. The batter will be thick and slightly lumpy.
- Let the batter rest for at least 5 minutes while you heat a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat.
- If needed, lightly oil the pan with coconut oil or olive oil or spray with a light coating of non-stick cooking spray, then scoop approximately 1/3 cup portions of the batter onto the pan. Cook the pancakes until the edges look dry, firm and golden brown and bubbles are appearing, then flip and cook for another 30-90 seconds until thick, fluffy and browned on both sides.
- Repeat with the remaining batter then serve right away with your favourite pancake toppings like fresh fruit and maple syrup.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published January 26, 2014.
Fantastic recipe. Came out perfect. Thank you
Hi! I am thinking of making these for a kids camp. Since i need to make so many i was wondering what your recommendations would be to make these as sheet pancakes! i also can’t use maple syrup so what could i substitute that with? thanks!
You can use any sweetener you like. I’m not sure about the sheet pancakes. I’d probably look up a sheet pancake recipe for the best oven temp and time and then use this batter if you’d like! Good luck!
Thank you for this recipe! They came out fabulous on the first try! Cooked them right up on the griddle! My boys gobbled them up! We added a handful of blueberries and several chopped strawberries after the batter sat for five minutes! Keeping this recipe for regular use!
Glad to hear it, Ashley! Thanks!
Thanks for this awesome recipe! It’s been my go to for a long time because it’s so dang quick and easy and delicious!
These are a staple especially when we go camping. Always turn out great especially when I let the batter sit at Least 15 minutes. Thanks!
I love this recipe, we have a lot of intolerances in our family and this recipe helps us have yummy fluffy pancakes whenever we want, since we have made them so much, I might start experimenting with adding fruits and such into them.
These tasted amazing but I was shocked to see that there are tons of carbs in this recipe! I could make regular pancakes and they would have less carbs. Again I loved the taste but was disappointed that I had used all of my daily allotted carbs all on breakfast. Suggestions on how to cut the carbs?
You could reduce the maple syrup or use a sugar-free sweetener, add more milk/water for thinner but lower-calorie pancakes, etc. though it’s probably not the right recipe for you if you only eat 57 g of carbs per day, that’s not much! I’d suggest a looking for a low-carb pancake recipe made with something like almond flour or coconut flour. Flour is pure carbs so not much getting around that. Glad you enjoyed them though!
Thanks for this amazing recipe!!
So easy and delish!!
Try once, you’re hooked 😋
This has been our go-to pancake recipe for years! Thank you <3
I’m honoured! Thank you!
Added rasp blkbry blubries, omitted the vanilla because I didn’t have any, used agave instead of maple syrup cuz that is what I had.
This is my new go to pancake recipe. Super fluffy, oil free, low cal for high volume, so quick and easy to make.
Thank you! So glad you loved them.