100% vegan
Breakfast · American

Fluffy Vegan Pancakes

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Thick, tender, fluffy vegan pancakes made with pantry staples and no eggs. Plant milk curdled with a splash of vinegar makes a quick vegan ‘buttermilk’ for maximum lift, and the same batter makes Australian-style pikelets.

Recipe byitsvegan Kitchen
Oct 29, 2026
Nut-freeSoy-freeQuickBudgetKid-friendly
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Prep10 min
Cook15 min
Total25 min
Serves4
LevelEasy

Method

  1. Stir the vinegar into the plant milk and leave for 5 minutes. It will thicken and curdle slightly: this is your vegan buttermilk, and its acidity reacts with the bicarbonate of soda to make the pancakes rise.
  2. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt together in a large bowl so the raising agents are evenly spread.
  3. Add the oil and vanilla to the milk, then pour into the dry ingredients and fold gently with a spatula until just combined. A few lumps are fine; overmixing develops the gluten and makes the pancakes tough and flat.
  4. Let the batter rest for 5–10 minutes while you heat a non-stick pan over medium-low heat. Resting lets the flour hydrate and the bubbles start to form, so the batter becomes thick and puffy. Do not stir it again.
  5. Brush the pan lightly with oil and pour in about 60 ml (1/4 cup) of batter per pancake, without spreading it.
  6. Cook for 2–3 minutes until bubbles appear across the surface and the edges look set, then flip once.
  7. Cook for another 1–2 minutes until golden and cooked through, then keep warm in a low oven while you cook the rest.
  8. Serve stacked with maple syrup and fruit.

Tips, storage & swaps

Tips for fluffy vegan pancakes:

  • Check your baking powder: it loses strength once opened. Stir 1/2 tsp into a little hot water; if it does not fizz vigorously, replace it.
  • Use a thicker plant milk (soy or oat) for the buttermilk; soy curdles most noticeably.
  • Fold, don’t whisk, and stop as soon as no dry flour remains.
  • Rest the batter, then cook it straight away: batter left for more than about 30 minutes loses lift.
  • Keep the heat medium-low. Vegan pancakes take slightly longer to cook through than egg-based ones, and a pan that is too hot browns them before they rise.

Variations:

  • Pikelets (Australia and New Zealand): small, thick pancakes traditionally served at room temperature with jam or butter. Drop tablespoons of the same batter into the pan to make 5–6 cm rounds and cook for about 1 minute each side. Makes about 24.
  • Gluten-free: replace the flour with the same weight of a gluten-free plain flour blend that contains xanthan gum (or add 1/2 tsp xanthan gum), and check that the baking powder is gluten-free. Rest the batter for 10 minutes; it may need an extra splash of milk.
  • Blueberry or banana: drop a few berries or banana slices onto each pancake right after pouring.
  • Chocolate chip: scatter vegan chocolate chips over the batter in the pan.

Storage: cooked pancakes freeze well layered with baking paper; reheat in the toaster.

FAQ

Why are my vegan pancakes flat? The usual causes are old baking powder, overmixing, or a pan that is too hot or too cool. Leaving the batter to rest for 5–10 minutes also helps.

Can I make the batter the night before? It is best made fresh, because the raising agents start working as soon as the wet and dry ingredients meet. Instead, mix the dry ingredients in advance.

What can I use instead of eggs in pancakes? This recipe needs no egg replacer: the vegan buttermilk and the baking powder and soda provide the lift.

What is the difference between pancakes and pikelets? Pikelets are an Australian and New Zealand name for small, thick pancakes, usually eaten cold or warm with toppings. In parts of the UK the word can also mean a crumpet-like griddle cake.

Every recipe on itsvegan is 100% plant-based: no meat, fish, dairy, eggs, honey or gelatin. Always check packaged ingredients such as chocolate, bread and wine for hidden animal products.

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Recipe from itsvegan.org — https://itsvegan.org/recipe/fluffy-vegan-pancakes