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
CLICK BELOW TO PIN
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!
★★★★
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…
★★★★★
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 🙂
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!
★★★★★