When we first decided to embark on a plant-based lifestyle, it was a little overwhelming. One of the hardest parts was finding alternative ways to eat the foods we no longer could and knew we would miss. As a lover of pancakes, finding a recipe for simple plant-based pancakes was one of the first things I wanted to tackle.

I ended up having a great recipe that I was able to modify into a plant-based, vegan version that works so well!

Why find a new recipe when you can modify an old one?

I hate having to test a ton of new recipes to find a new favorite. It is time consuming and if they don’t work out, you’re stuck eating a bunch of sub-par stuff. Or worse, throwing it all away. Fortunately, I had a pancake recipe I’d been using for a while that we really liked.

A few years prior to our plant-based journey, I’d found a pancake recipe I really liked. I already made it with a substitution for the sugar and I wondered if I’d be able to make additional subs so I could have simple plant-based pancakes. So we decided to try some substitutions to make it work for our new lifestyle.

So many vegan and plant-based recipes call for all kinds of ingredients I do not have in my house. I’m not buying a bunch of expensive ingredients to make pancakes. I just want a fluffy, delicious pancake that I can easily make whenever the mood strikes.

Thankfully, it worked! Modifying a recipe by substituting for plant-based ingredients does not always work well. Sometimes the texture is off, the taste isn’t right, or the cooking process goes awry. Not this time! So to save you some trial and error, especially if you’re just starting out and really want something simple, I am sharing!

The Plant-Based Pancakes We Love!

The recipe we started with is from allrecipes.com and is called Fluffy Pancakes. It’s a pretty basic pancake recipe that may have originally come from a cookbook or have been passed down from a family member. I’ve never actually made the recipe as described as I originally substituted the sugar for maple syrup. However, reviewers find it delicious! You can click the link above for the recipe as is on allrecipes.com.

I can assure you that the plant-based, vegan version is equally amazing. There is no loss of fluffiness or taste and the texture is great, too! We’ve also added a few things for a little added health factor!

Our Ingredients

• 3/4 Vanilla Soy Milk (or any non-dairy milk)
• 2 TBS Vinegar
• 1 C All-Purpose or Pastry Flour
• 2 TBS Maple Syrup
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/2 Mashed Banana
• 2 TBS Unsweetened Applesauce
• 1 TBS Chia Seeds (optional)
• 1-2 tsp Ground Flax Seeds (optional)
• 1 tsp Vanilla (optional)

Directions

Add vinegar to milk and let sit while combining other ingredients. Milk will “sour” during this time.

Combine flour, maple syrup, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and applesauce.

Mash banana with hands and add to the mix.

Pour soured milk into the mixture and whisk together until well combined. There may be some smaller lumps left from the banana.

Add the vanilla, chia seeds and ground flax seeds and whisk until just combined.

In a non-stick pan, cook individual pancakes over low to medium heat.

Alternatively, pour into mini-muffin tins to 3/4 full. Add toppings (such as chopped fruit) if desired.

Cooked pancakes will keep in fridge for up to a week (but they don’t usually last that long in our house).

A few warnings about other substitutions

When I first tried to make this, I experimented with a few other substitutions. Here’s what I learned, so you don’t have to.

• Don’t use almond flour. It does not give you a nice fluffy pancake. It comes out way too dense and you lose flavor.
• Vanilla soy milk adds a nice vanilla flavor, but any non-dairy milk can be used. If using vanilla milk, you can still add the vanilla as well. It doesn’t come out too strong.
• You can add more than a tablespoon of chia seeds, but don’t add too much or you risk the batter becoming too thick and “gooey” as the seeds gel up.
• You can also add more than a teaspoon of ground flax seeds, but too much will make the batter slightly grainy in texture.
• Although the chia and flax are optional, they really do add a little extra puffiness to the batter. We always use them. You really barely notice them if you’re worried about the crunch of the chia seeds.

Try these amazing plant-based pancakes today!

I can’t even say how much we love these pancakes. We make this recipe a few times a month usually. My four year old has been eating them since he was two and some days I can’t get him to STOP eating them. He loves them so much!

We generally make these in pancake form, but I also really like to make these in the muffin tins. They cook much faster, which is important because we will generally double or triple the batch so it lasts all week. By baking them in the tins, I save time by not having to stand there and physically cook each one.

Plus, kids love to dip things! A plate of bite-sized mini muffin pancakes and a side of pure maple syrup to dip them in!

The muffin tins also make this a great option for an on-the-go snack! Nice and healthy, not messy, and lightly sweet. Seriously, these don’t even really need syrup on top. They’re delicious all by themselves. Give them a try, I think you’ll love them, too!

For a fun twist, check out my post on turning these into Grinch Pancakes for Christmas!