Fluffy Vegan Pancakes made with applesauce, gluten-free oats, and not a single banana. Add toppings or mix-ins for endless easy healthy breakfast stacks!
Originally published June 3, 2016. Updated January 2021.
This recipe has remained a reader favorite for 5 years now, so it’s about time it got an update. I get tagged weekly on instagram in beautiful fluffy remakes with all sorts of delicious toppings and additions, so many of you have told me it is your go-to pancake recipe now and it is still mine too. The ingredients are simple, the prep time is quick, the result is marvelously pillowy with a perfect crumb when you cook them right – don’t waste your maple syrup on any other pancakes because this is The Best Fluffy Vegan Pancake recipe.
How To Make Fluffy Vegan Pancakes
No bananas?
This entire recipe came to be from a simple reader request for a vegan pancake recipe without bananas since 97% of the recipes out there seem to include them. I get it, not everyone loves bananas. Or sometimes you just don’t have bananas. Or bananas are better spent on banana bread things, so save them for that. And after a little testing I discovered that applesauce makes for an even better pancake texture, and is still just as healthy and naturally sweet.
Vegan Gluten-Free Pancake Ingredients
So now that you know what’s NOT in this recipe, lets discuss what is:
- Applesauce. Unsweetened is best, I typically just buy it but you can make your own. Alternatively you can use pumpkin puree or nondairy yogurt, but applesauce makes for the lightest texture.
- Almond milk. Or any milk, dairy or nondairy.
- Lemon juice. Or apple cider vinegar, this helps with rise.
- Maple syrup. Or 1-2 tablespoons of your favorite sweetener, although it is optional especially if you plan to drown them in maple syrup later.
- Oat flour. Store-bought or grind your own, using gluten-free oats if necessary.
- Baking powder and baking soda. The combo makes for the fluffiest texture possible, but if you don’t have both 2 teaspoons of baking powder will be fine.
- Vanilla and cinnamon. Or any other spices or flavors you want to add in.
So that’s the required list, but feel free to add other mix ins: chocolate chips, blueberries, chopped nuts, a swirl of peanut butter, chai spice, a few spoonfuls of cocoa powder…the options are endless!
Tips For The Perfect Fluffy Pancakes
Technique matters a lot when it comes to getting the perfect fluffy pancake crumb, so here are my top tips:
- Grind the oats very fine if making your own flour. The finer the flour, the finer the pancake crumb.
- Don’t over mix the batter. Whisk until combined and then leave it alone.
- Let the batter rest for 10 minutes before cooking. The oats will cause it to thicken which leads to less spreading which leads to thicker cakes. The batter won’t spread very much on its own, so use a spoon to quickly spread into a circle.
- Cook on low to medium heat. Low and slowwwwwww baby, that’s the key here. It gives them time to rise and cook all the way through to avoid mushy middles. Usually around 3-4 on my stovetop is perfect, and about 3-4 minutes before flipping.
- Use coconut oil or spray the pan very well. Not only does this prevent sticking, but it also creates the gorgeous brown color.
- Drown with maple syrup. Optional…but also not.
More Pancake Recipes You’ll Love
Because flavor variations are always fun…
- Gingerbread Pancakes
- Pumpkin Pecan Pancakes
- Blueberry Pancakes
- Or if oats aren’t your thing, these QUINOA flour pancakes are super fluffy too!
The BEST Fluffy Vegan Pancakes (gluten-free!)
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 pancakes 1x
- Category: breakfast
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: american
Description
Fluffy Vegan Pancakes made with applesauce, gluten-free oats, and not a single banana. Add toppings or mix-ins for endless easy healthy breakfast stacks!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (120g) unsweetened applesauce
- 1/2 cup (120g) nondairy milk
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1–2 tbsps maple syrup (optional)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cup (150g) oat flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
- Whisk together the applesauce, nondairy milk, maple syrup, lemon juice, and vanilla.
- Add the dry ingredients. Stir to combine (don’t over mix just until all the lumps are gone).
- Heat a non-stick skillet over low heat.
- Scoop about 1/4 cup of batter per pancake into the pre-heated pan.
- Cook for 4-5 minutes or until the edges are starting to brown. Flip. Cook another 4-5 minutes. Take your time, low and slow is really the secret here.
- Repeat until all the batter is gone (I usually get 6-8 pancakes per batch)
- Top with fruit, maple syrup, chocolate chips, etc. Enjoy!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 pancakes
- Calories: 332
- Sugar: 12g
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 57g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 10g
Keywords: vegan, gluten free, oat, breakfast, healthy, easy, oatmeal, applesauce
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Surprisingly enough one can make pretty good pancakes using… just millet. And water. And spices, of course. But that would be definitely banana free too!
(I’ll give yours a try as well though, they look so fluffy!)
Really!?! With cooked millet or millet flour or…? Very interesting, that sounds really healthy and simple!
Cooked millet. I add some arrowroot to mine, because I am paranoid of breaking them apart, but my dad, who taught me this recipe, just goes full on only millet and water 🙂 (I guess some plant milk would do too)
That sounds so cool, I never knew millet could pancake!
I make a pancake with ground millet and chickpea flour and ground flax. They are tasty. I made yours and they are really good. Thanks!
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I am so happy you liked these Darlene! Your mix of flours and flax sounds really yummy too😋
These look absolutely delicious- as always with everything you make! I LOVE using applesauce in my pancakes, rather than banana. I eat so many bananas in everything else that it’s nice to have some variation! And I understand your feeling on the blob. I love pancakes, but I don’t make them very often because I can’t form them for the life of me. I may just have to have another go at them though with your recipe 🙂
So it’s not just me then! I’ll be on instagram and see people with these 12 high stacks of perfect pancake circles and I’m just like how!?! I know one blogger who uses a cookie cutter, so I tried that too but it still blobbed after I flipped it 😀 Oh well, they taste good regardless!
Hellooooo breakfast tomorrow!! So happy I have all these ingredients on hand because I need these in my life right away. No bananas in the batter just means more for topping <3
I like the way you think! Bananas are a precious resource, so one less thing that uses them up is always good 🙂 Thanks Leah!
these were wonderful…thank you so much you are appreciated for you oil free recipes…
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I’m so glad you like the oil-free recipes, thanks Nelda!
What is yield 5 means
5 PANCAKES! One batch makes 5-6 medium sized pancakes, the word “pancake” was just lost somewhere along the way of switching recipe plugins multiple times since I posted this one😆
What would the serving size be?
I usually find 2-3 to be a good serving, so half a batch 🙂
It didn’t matter how long I cooked them, they kept falling apart and coming out quite raw. I followed the recipe but I don’t know if somehow I did something wrong 🙁
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Hi Carla! So sorry that happened to you, how dry was your batter? And what temp did you cook them on? And did you measure by weight or cups/volume?
I just made this after seeing your recipe on youtube and these are honestly the best pancakes I’ve ever tried. I had to add some more liquid because I didn’t use a blender, I just mixed by hand, and they came out really well. I served them with homemade vegan nutella, so good! Thank you for this recipe, I will definitely be making these again 🙂
Yay, I’m so happy to hear it! And yes I suppose the blender isn’t really necessary I just use it for everything without thinking haha. With homemade nutella sounds sooooo delicious <3 Thanks for taking the time to leave feedback here Uzo!
I am loving that photo of the syrup pouring alllll over the pancakes. I love an easy pancake recipe! These look gorgeous, Natalie!
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That was definitely the money shot in this batch 😀 Pour shots are stressful but so worth it if they work. Thanks Casey 🙂
Ohhhh these pancakes are so clever Nat! Such a great idea to use applesauce instead of bananas! When I read the title of this post, I started racking my brains – “What could she have used instead of bananas?!” – applesauce seems so obvious now though, haha 😀 I will definitely be trying these!
I also have no idea how to use a pancake ring either, I’ve been too scared to try for that exact reason – flipping and making a mess, haha.
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It wasn’t that obvious to me either actually, I tried multiple other things before landing upon this one. I can tell you one thing, sweet potato blended in pancake batter is not a good idea ? I think we all need a pancake ring 101 lesson from Brandi, she has it down!
Not sure what I did wrong, but these were flat and I almost had to burn them to get them done in the middle. Very disappointed.
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The lack of fluff is usually one of two things: 1) the batter was too thin and spread too much when you poured it into the pan or 2) old baking powder that doesn’t create enough rise. The batter should be quite thick and you don’t want to spread it or they will turn out very flat. As for the center cooking without having to burn the outsides, lower the stove temp and cook them for longer at a lower heat to allow them to cook through evenly. Hope that helps!
Haha, yes it seems everybody uses banana in their pancakes and they always look gummy and raw in the middle, but applesauce, I love applesauce! I use it in several of my pancake recipes and they are always fluffy and amazing, works well when combined with the right ingredients. Glad to see no dates either, haha! To me, maple syrup is my favorite sweetener to use in pancakes because it gives more of that true pancake flavor! These look delicious. I’ve been eating a ton of my buttermilk pancakes lately, but I will have to try these sometime, especially since I love oat flour, but using all oat flour has resulted in gummy/too dense results for me, but I’m sure the baking soda helps that here, soooo can’t wait to try!
I love banana pancakes and all, but this applesauce texture is where it’s at! Speaking of gummy pancakes, I tried making some with sweet potato before I landed on the applesauce…soooooo gummy haha! I know you use sweet potato in some of your pancakes, I think the cooling thing must be where I went wrong 😀 I think dates would make them gummy too tbh. I usually don’t sweeten my pancakes at all actually, especially with a fruit base, but I think the maple syrup helps the texture here too. I was worried about the oat flour, but without being able to use almond or rice it was the only way to go. They turned out surprisingly not gummy at all!
Oh I meant to ask you what type of pancake ring or cookie cutter are you using? I use a round metal one everytime and they turn out perfect EVERY time, it’s so easy. You have to spray the ring inside right before pouring the batter and let it cook until the top looks dry, then just pull the ring off with tongs, it’s so easy I swear, lol. I never have an issue. If you don’t use spray though or try to flip too soon then yes it will not release.
Oh yes, I always cool my sweet potato. actually cook it day before and then use it the next morning for the pancakes and they are so fluffy. But yes, a hot potato blending turns gooey, hahaha!
Oh wow well I can totally see why mine failed then! I tried it with a silicon pancake ring someone gave me and a cookie cutter, neither went well. But I didn’t spray it nor did I let it cook so long that the top was dry. You must cook it on quite a low heat then. Okay I will try it again, they look so pretty with the ring I am determined! Thanks for the tips 🙂
I totally thought I was alone with the pancake ring thingy! haha!! Every time I use one, it ends in disaster….removing it to flip the pancake is a real struggle! But these, my friend, are incredibly fluffy and perfect! We just watched your video and as soon as it started, Willow said, “Is she going to talk?!” When I told her no, she provided the commentary and got quite a few of the ingredients correct 🙂 It was so cool to see the pancake fluff up when you flipped it! We were running trials for a blender pancake recipe, too! And without banana! I will definitely whip these up for Willow when our new blender arrives!
p.s. – those little pink flowers are the cutest!
Her voice narrating the video was probably much cuter than mine! Honestly just music and text is so much easier, I’ve been working to streamline my editing process. Plus I don’t rewatch it months later and think “why was I rambling so much!?!” haha! Oh I know, I love watching things cook in sped up video–kinda mesmerizing. I’m so glad you went ahead and ordered a new Vitamix, I’m afraid you would regret getting anything else since you already know how amazing they are. Fingers crossed for fast shipping! One day I’ll watch a youtube video on how to use pancake rings, until then bumbly shaped ones are good with me 😀
They look SO fluffy, and also too pretty to eat. What a gorgeous presentation, Natalie. I totally agree with you about using lemon juice to get a fluffier pancake, or in any bakery, I use it in almost everything.
I’m finding the lemon juice to be a good addition to most everything too! It’s such a simple thing, totally worth it for that extra fluff. Thanks Linda 🙂
These pancakes look amazing Natalie! They have the perfect, light and fluffy texture! Love that you used applesauce in the recipe 🙂 yum!
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Thanks Harriet! The fluffiness surprised me actually, I need to give applesauce more credit as an oil substitute 😀
Could I use Spelt flour for a change from oats?
Yes, should be just fine!
This is some serious pancake perfection right here! And without bananas, I’m really impressed. Love the apple sauce in there! Now you’ve got me craving pancakes… and it’s almost midnight here 😀
Haha thanks girl! Actually midnight is kind of a good time to crave pancakes because breakfast is just a sleep away 😀
These look so fluffy and delicious! I love oat flour. I’ll have to give these a try next pancake Sunday ?
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Me too! I love it’s natural bit of built in sweetness 🙂 Thanks Ashley!
You know how excited I am about this recipe!! Finally, a banana-free option 🙂 It’s really hard to find applesauce over here (and I’m too lazy to make my own) so I always buy apple puree from the baby food aisle. I’m sure my local shop thinks I have a baby that I just feed apples, constantly… Anyway, it works great. So I will top up on some and try these!
That’s so smart!! I always forget about the baby food aisle, there are so real gems tucked in there. Like sweet potato puree and carrot, those would be great bases for muffins or pancakes too. Plus usually no additives, yay! Yes I always think of you with the banana free recipes, it’s good to show that vegan doesn’t have to equal banana-everything 🙂
Natalie!! This is a pancake dream!! Love the pics, pretty impressive stack (I swear I thought there were more than three!) 🙂 I really love pancakes without bananas!! I’ve used applesauce a couple of times (last autumn when I had fresh local apples and made my own applesauce), but you just reminded me I have to use it again next time! I had a bit of a pancake disaster during the weekend: I used all kinds of leftovers for the batter (including leftover oatmeal and leftover avocado pudding..hahah what was I thinking…). Kids wouldn’t eat them unless I topped them with chocolate sauce and nice cream (and it still tasted quite odd). It was actually quite funny how weird they turned out. So I’m very happy to see a perfect stack of delicious pancakes now. And definitely using applesauce next time, no weird experiments 😉
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Hahaha I’m glad the fluffy allusion could food you into thinking there were more 😀 Well there were actually, they were just too ugly for the pic…but not too ugly to eat. Mid photoshoot snacks are necessary ya know! You mean nicecream and chocolate sauce can’t fix all problems!?! 😮 I am shocked! Although odd isn’t necessarily bad…just adventurous haha! Hey you never know that avocado doesn’t pancake if you don’t try. I love all the untraditional combinations you come up with 🙂 Ooh homemade applesauce pancakes would be wonderful! With heaps of cinnamon of course. Yes please make more pancakes and take pretty pics, I need inspo for pancake styling and you are my #1 stop for all things photo inspiration <3
Pancakes for breakfast (or dinner!) any day!!! And I feel your pain with the pancake ring Natalie!!! I normally use a bit of coconut oil around the rims of the ring so the batter doesn’t stick to it, but it doesn’t always work 100% Doesn’t stop me from eating all 100% of pancakes 🙂 xxx
Oh agreed! Ugly pancakes are just as delish as perfectly round ones. And actually learning to use the ring right gives me an excuse to make and eat multiple batches 😀 I’m definitely going to try the coconut oil next time, thanks for the tip Anna!
These look so amazing! I love pancakes.
Me too! Cake for breakfast 😀 Thanks Becky!
Yes Yes Yes! I’ve been craving pancakes but didn’t want the texture or taste of the banana based ones that everyone seems to go crazy for nowadays. These bad boys will satisfy my cravings and honor my clean eating diet. You rock!
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I know right, banana pancakes everywhere you turn! I much prefer the texture of these though, I’m not sure I will be going back. I hope you enjoy them Mary 🙂
Yum! Love the baking soda + acid fluff up trick 🙂 And although I mostly prefer bananas over applesauce as a fat & egg replacement, it’s nice to finally have a recipe that doesn’t have that banana aftertaste!
Yes I usually agree with you, bananas tend to be better at the job. But sometimes (like right now) my banana stash is running dangerously low…must ration the bananas! So it’s good to have options 🙂 Thanks Lucie!
Simply amazing! Thanks, Natalie. I made two double batches this morning. Approved by the hubby (non vegan) and my one year old! Will definitely repeat. I only used half of maple syrup and the rest according to the recipe. I can’t get over myself how good they were!
Now off to make the everything “non” cupcakes. I’m making them every weekend and take them as a snack to work and leave them as snacks for my toddler. Again, always double batch 🙂 Keep up the good work!
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You are a busy baking bee today! But I’m so happy everyone liked the pancakes, getting non-vegan AND kid approval is not always easy. Good to know it worked with only half the maple syrup, I actually had someone else asking about that. I’m used to baking for just one, so I can see where a double batch would be necessary when baking for you and your little one. Heck even just with one person those cupcakes disappear pretty quick 😀 Thank you for your support and it is wonderful to know that you are making the most of the recipes. Have a great week!
Hi there, I was just wondering what non-stick pan you use? I haven’t been having much luck with non-stick pans, they never last very long!
Hi Christine! This is the non-stick pan I use: https://www.amazon.com/Calphalon-12-Inch-Nonstick-Covered-Omelette/dp/B00485D8HA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1465874743&sr=8-1&keywords=calphalon+12+inch+skillet
It works great, I never have a problem with pancakes sticking with it and it’s lasted me 3+ years already! Hope that helps 🙂
These look so good! I love that they don’t have banana. I feel like pancakes with banana taste banana-y, even when they aren’t meant to.
So true! And sometimes I don’t mind, but sometimes I do. These are a nice break from the banana taste, they just taste like pancake 🙂
These look so delish! To make my own oat flour using a vitamix, I’m assuming I would not use quick cook oats, right? I have the steel cut that you have to cook for a while. Thanks so much!
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You can use quick oats! I’ve done it before, they work perfectly! I usually use rolled oats to make oat flour. I’ve never tried steel cut, but with the power of a vitamix I’m sure those will be fine too! Just make sure you blend on high till it’s really nice and fine 🙂
Do you think you could pre-make this batter and it would keep a night or two in the fridge?
Because this recipe relies partially on the baking soda + acid to rise, no I do not recommend pre mixing it. The baking soda starts to react as soon as you add it to the batter, so it is time sensitive. Sorry!
I tried these this morning and they came out flat and were difficult to flip over. The flavor was nice but the fluffy soft factor was lacking. I had to scrape them off the non-stick pan each time which destroyed their shape. The first pancake wasn’t too bad but as I continued making them they got flatter and more difficult to flip.
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Yikes! Sounds like something went wrong. Did you tweak anything ingredient wise? Even a little bit can change things. Also, how new/old are your baking powder and soda? Did you let the batter sit before using? And what temp did you cook them on? I know that’s a lot of questions, but it’s hard for me to know what went wrong otherwise since I wasn’t there in you kitchen. Let me know!
Thanks for replying! All these questions are important 🙂 I followed the recipe exactly except I used sweetened applesauce. I used medium heat and cooked them one at a time. My baking soda was brand new and the baking powder says best used by May 2016. That could be the culprit… I used the batter immediately and it sat as long as it took the previous pancake to cook, about 1-2 minute per pancake. Each pancake came out worse than the one before! I made a total of 5 pancakes. I’m going to try this recipe again, I’ll ensure I have good baking powder.
Definitely could be the baking powder then. I can’t think of any other reasons. Let me know how take 2 goes!
Best pancakes I have EVER made/had. I never leave reviews on recipes that I try- even if they turn out great. But these were exceptional. Didn’t change a thing in the recipe. I make two batches and freeze them (wax paper in between each one, and place in a ziplock bag). Perfect pancakes every morning!!!!! Thank you!
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And I’ll mention how I ready the frozen pancakes- just microwave them (40 seconds at a time, flip over, and repeat until desired temperature is reached)
Wow Emily!! Me and my pancake recipe are totally honored, that is high praise! And wonderful idea to freeze them too, my lazy side likes the sound of pancakes that are just a few minutes in the microwave away 🙂 I’m really really happy you love them and I very much appreciate that you took the time to leave a comment, thank you!
Thank you so much for mentioning freezing! I was really wondering if I should freeze the mix or the actual pancakes after they were cooked. I am making these as soon as I wake up in the morning!
Thank you so much Emily!
Thank you so much Natalie!
YUMMY!!!
I WONDER IF THEY WOULD COME OUT AS FLUFFY W/ COCONUT FLOUR. I’LL TRY THAT TOO.
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DON’T FEEL IGNORED. MOST PEOPLE DON’T HAVE TIME TO REPLY. BUT WE APPRECIATE YOUR HARD WORKING HRS AND SHARING YOUR WONDERFUL CREATIONS.
GRACIAS!
PEACE
Thank you for your support?
I tend to have really bad luck with coconut flour, but you can certainly give it a try!
Oh Natalie these never set up for me 🙁 They certainly don’t look anything like the picture not even the same color.
I did everything to spec and don’t know what went wrong! Was so hoping I could have these today. I have been a vegetarian 18 years and then went Celiac. I had to refigure how to make everything differently…and I did! I found I needed plenty of egg in those days to hold GF blends together. Now I have gone Vegan and I am struggling! I find many things (like traditional wheat pancakes) can be made easily vegan and many things gluten free can be made easily with plenty of egg..but I am not finding the same thing for foods that are GF and Vegan! They all feel raw. Not like a good raw (as in fresh raw foods) but rather like a gooey, raw, battery wet inside result. Not at all cake! I even made then in a one egg pan to avoid the blobby mess. Do you have any idea what I could do differently? Help 🙁
Oh no Tess, I’m so sorry to hear they didn’t work for you! I promise vegan GF baked goods are totally possible with awesome texture, so don’t get too discouraged yet <3
What was the consistency of your batter? Slight variations in measurement are certainly a possibility, the batter should be very thick. So thick that I sometimes use a finger or back of a spoon to spread it immediately after pouring it in the pan. If it was very runny that could be the problem. But more likely the issue is with cook temperature. You said you cooked them for a while, about how long before the edges were cooked? There are two possibilities here 1) the temp was too high so the edges cooked before the center had time to. Or 2) the temperature was too low so they just didn't cook. More likely your temp was too low since I usually cook these over pretty high heat. The pan should also be already heated up before adding the batter. Was it flip-able or never cooked through enough to flip? Okay those are the main possible issues I can think of. I have had many people leave successful feedback on this recipe so I promise it is possible for you to get the fluffy result too! Let me know if any of those ideas sounds like they could be the problem and I will try to narrow it down and help you as much as I can. Wish I could be in your kitchen, it would certainly make this much easier 🙂
PS I want to clarify…they did cook (barely, around the edges) formed into a circle shape from the pan, but stayed gooey in the middle (meant to say earlier not at all “cake like”) but rather like cooked oatmeal. When I saw the texture inside I even put them back in the pan for more cooking… thinking they needed more cooking. Nothing changed even after cooking them a long time.
Maybe you made these several times before figuring out how to get your pictured results and you can help me figure out what happened? I did follow directions and measurements exactly!
True, I was wondering if it would work because if you look in the picture (the one before the video) it actually looks gooey and a little bit raw in the middle, not fluffy and cakey…
Still looks yummy to me, though, just not fluffly and cakey 🙂
Oh, Thank you so much Natalie for replying back and the troubleshooting and encouragement! 🙂
OK, the batter was thick, but maybe it could be thicker? Without you plugging some specific Non dairy brand…I do want to say I know that some nondairy milks do have a different consistency. For instance I always use Almond Breeze almond milk (sugar free) but I do know that Silk almond milk has a much thicker consistency, which I do not like for drinking. But…Maybe the type of milk makes a difference for cooking. Also I know a lot of people who bake Vegan goods (although not necessarily Gluten Free) use Soy milk, because as they say, the higher protein yields a better result! I wonder if that could make a difference.
I did cook them towards the lower side not wanting them to scorch. They appeared to be cooking and then, in flipping them… the spatula almost smushed them towards the middle of the pan (like it ruined the perfect circle) as if they were raw inside. So I just sorta flattened the “crimp” back out again, let them cook some more until they appeared more cooked. When I tried them I realized they still remained gooey inside. I put them back in the the pan, higher this time, when I got discouraged by the texture.
The inside was strange almost like the gooey results some things have when made with flaxseed. They were much flatter than yours so maybe it was the leavening. Does that make sense?
But if you say that it should be cooked on the higher side in an already hot pan. I shall try it that way. Or maybe it was my oat flour or the baking powder or baking soda was not new enough? Or maybe I blended too much, which you warned against. I don’t know. How much flour are you grinding to get 1 1/4 cup oat flour? or are you using 1 1/4 cups of oats ground into flour maybe it was a misunderstood measurement?
I will try again, because you say it is possible.I just hate to lose all those ingredients, if I mess this up again.
Thanks for everything!
Tess
Good thought on the milks! I used Silk unsweetened in this recipe when I made the video, but I have since made it with Almond Breeze unsweetened as well so either of those should be fine. I do not use soy milk because I don’t tolerate soy well. So it sounds like we are on the same page there.
Yes, try higher heat! Out of 10 I usually have my burner set to about 7 when cooking these. The high heat activates the leavening agents better. Old baking powder or soda could definitely cause a problem. If you’ve had them for more than a few months (especially opened) replace them. A good way to know if that was the problem though is did you see bubbles on the surface of the pancake batter as it cooked on the first side? You should see bubbles coming up through the batter as it is almost ready to flip. If that did not happen then it does sound like a leavening problem. Plus you said they were really flat so that’s another good clue. Also did you use freshly squeezed lemon juice? That can make a difference in the leavening too.
The gooey flax-like texture you described could be a result of over-blending. Oat flour can get really weird and gummy if you over blend it. You can even try mixing the ingredients with just a fork/whisk in a bowl, the blender is not necessary at all, just faster.
I usually grind a bunch of oats at once and keep the flour in a tub, so I measure 1 1/4 cup of the flour not the rolled oats. It would probably be about 1 1/2 cup oats before blending. But even small differences like how packed or loose your cup measure was can make a difference. If you said the batter was thick and it looked similar to the consistency in the video then you are probably fine on measuring and I wouldn’t make it any thicker.
Oh I know, the ingredient waste always makes me sad too (That’s why I have a dog lol. Kidding :D). But sometimes it takes a few times to get it right. If you do try again definitely let me know how it goes. Good luck!
Natalie
I subbed 1/4c of oat flour with some vanilla protein powder and added chopped 85% dark chocolate. These are to die for!
Great idea on the protein addition, I love that! And of course the chocolate addition sounds perfect too, so happy you liked them 🙂
I don’t have any apple sauce…..but i do have apples. Could i mash the apples into a sauce? Do i have to cook the puree.
I don’t think it will work with raw apples, but you can cook them down on the stove and then puree them. There are tons of recipes out there, just search “unsweetened applesauce”.
I just made these for brekkie and they were awesome!! I subbed water for the mylk, molasses for the syrup, and they turned out fluffy and delicious! I added bluebs too 🙂 thank you for all your incredible recipes!
Oooh the molasses addition sounds delicious, I have to try that! And bluebs are always my pancake fruit topping of choice. I’m so happy you liked them, thanks for taking the time to let me know 🙂
Hi Natalie 🙂
So I have tried this recipe twice now, and the pancakes turn out pretty good, but the consistency of the dough is always a little grainier because my blender will never blend oats to a fine consistency.. do you think they would be just as fluffy if I used plain ol’ AP flour?
Thanks!
Hi Amaylah! Yes, all purpose flour will be fine here. Also, not sure where you live but you may be able to find oat flour that is already ground either at your grocery store or online as well. Hope that helps with the texture!
Hey Natalie, do you think another kind of flour can work? We have brown rice flour, quinoa and tapioca flour. What mix are the best? Same quantity? Thanks for the heeelp
Haven’t tested these with other flours yet, but based on what you have I think either the quinoa alone or a combo of the brown rice and tapioca would work. If you go with the brown rice and tapioca I would try like 1/2 cup tapioca and 3/4 cup brown rice. Too much tapioca and they will be gummy. Quinoa is not one I am too familiar with but it can often sub 1:1 with oat flour. And yes I would go with the same amount unless it seems really really thin or thick. Hope that helps!
I probably put too much lemon because my nutribullet exploded, and they tasted horribly lemony, and they just burnt
Oh no!! No that’s definitely not part of the pancake plan, I’m so sorry! Maybe try just mixing the batter by hand next time, it might be too thick for the nutribullet to handle?
these were DELICIOUSNESS. such a good recipe!!
I am so happy you liked them Larisa!! Thanks for the feedback 🙂
Hi Natalie! Ok, I made this recipe and it’s amazing!! My dad bought me a waffle maker. Do you think this recipe can work too? Thanks!!
Hi Melanie! Yes this recipe does work as waffles too, I have done it many times 🙂
Hi! How many pancakes u get from this recipe?3? Sorry I’m just confused 😉
It depends on the size of your pancakes, but anywhere from 3 to 5 usually, about 2 servings 🙂
Great thanks! BTW love ur blog! Just found it and added to my list!
Could I use squeezed orange juice instead of lemon juice? I freeze orange sections for smoothies but don’t have lemons on hand.
Is the reason for the lemon juice is the ph value for texture fluffiness of the pancakes?
Yep, the lemon is there as an acid to help them rise and be extra fluffy. You could certainly try orange juice but it’s not as strongly acidic. You could use apple cider vinegar instead as well, I’ve done that many times in this recipe 🙂
Thanks, I do have apple cider vinegar. I’ll try that.
I have a small waffle maker and searched for an oat pancake or waffle recipe using no bananas and found this. I like the idea of using applesauce and always have it on hand.
Natalie!!! I have been making these since summer and I am in love! I always make my own oat flour and they are super good yet I never knew how smooth they could be by using real/premade oat flour! I bought some at whole foods today and went straight home to make these! They were SO FLUFFY; I topped them with blueberries and a little pb2 and they were to die for!! Thanks for all of your wonderful and delectable yet healthy recipes! Going vegan this past summer but not wanting the processed alternative foods has been so easy with your recipes! Thank you so much and I will keep checking YouTube for updates lol! 🙂 Keep creating and inspiring! ?
How very interesting! I rarely buy the remade oat flour too since it is so easy to make, but I have no doubt industrial equipment can get a much finer flour than my blender. I will have to try it now, you have me very curious for these and other fluffy cake-type recipes too! Mmmm blueberries and peanut butter, what a delish topping combo? I am so happy these are a stale for you and that I can help at least a little bit with your vegan journey. Thanks for the support Katie <3
These were delicious! I finally have a go to pancake recipe! I like that it’s healthy enough to give to my baby for breakfast. Thanks for the recipe!
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I am so happy to hear it Samantha!! I hope you both enjoy?
Dear Natalie,
I am so grateful for your blog, I am pregnant and have so many food sensitivities that it has been really difficult. My food cravings didn’t care about my food allergies! And I have been so sad not being able to eat the foods I wanted to eat and then a miracle… I found your blog and have been able to enjoy the most delicious food! You brought happiness back into my life! Thank you!???
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Awww Marzia, this comment totally made my day thank you <33 That sounds like quite the tricky spot to be in. It is so frustrating when to be craving something you can't eat, especially when you are pregnant and deserve to be nourishing your body with what it wants. I am very very happy to hear that the recipes have been able to help out, best of luck with your baking adventures and the rest of your pregnancy!
Do you have the Nutritional Information on this? Servings, calories, carbs …
I do not choose to calculate that for myself or for my recipes, but feel free to plug the ingredients into a recipe nutrition app and easily find it for yourself! Like this one: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/recipe/calculator ?
These are the best pancakes I have ever had!!! So so so good! An absolutely genius recipe. The lemon juice and maple syrup in the batter really bring these pancakes to the next level!
I did encounter a problem, though. My pancakes weren’t as near as fluffy as yours’ were in the picture. They were problem a 1/4 of the thickness yours were. Any suggestions on what to do next time would be great!
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