Vegan Pancakes

I have a declaration to make…I couldn’t make pancakes.  Almost every time I tried, the batter would come out sticky, under cooked, burned, gummy, thick, or thin. At times all of the above at once. With each attempt came a disaster.

So, this idea of making a vegan pancake seemed like torture.  Making light, fluffy, delicious pancakes with only plant-based ingredients IS really hard. They say that the mark of a good chef is the ability to cook an egg perfectly and well…I couldn’t do that and I do not think that I am a chef.  I simply must eat to stay alive and make eating less of a bore as possible. I did not grow up in a home where animal based products were the staple.  Before the craze of a plant based diet…I lived the life as it was a part of the life my grandmother promoted.  As for the egg…It’s a simple thing that requires so much skill to get right. In the world of vegan cooking, I think pancakes are a true test as well; if you can get them right, you can cook anything (MAYBE).

Recently, I decided for this New Year and my 40 years of life on this earth…to conquer this problem. I have never had any formal training.  All I have is the years under my grandmother’s guidance and trial and error with lots of curiosity.  Vegan pancakes is easy once you know the proper technique.

These are by far the most delicious pancakes I’ve ever tasted and they will not leave you with a heavy stomach. They’re simple, sweet, light, and fluffy.  If you’ve ever struggled with pancakes, definitely give this recipe a shot.

Vegan Pancakes

Makes 6 4-inch pancakes

Ingredients:

½  cup Oat flour

½ cup of Quinoa flour

¼ cup of flax seed flour

2 teaspoon raw honey

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon pink Himalayan salt

1 cup + 1 tablespoon non-dairy milk ( I used almond milk)

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon coconut oil

Tips for the Perfect Pancakes

Seriously, a few swirls to incorporate the wet & dry ingredients is enough. The pan must be very hot for pancakes to come out right. Wait for those bubbles. When making pancakes, if you get the batter and temperatures right, you should see bubbles on the surface at around the 2-minute mark. Then flip and cook for 1.5 minutes on the other side.

Step One: Flax Egg

One of the most exciting parts about this recipe is that it uses no banana. So many vegan pancake recipes rely on banana to hold things together. This makes the batter too dense, for one, and it also adds a banana taste (not surprisingly). Instead, we’ll use a flax egg, which is 1 tablespoon of ground flax-seed with 2.5 tablespoons of water. Whisk these together in a bowl and set aside to thicken.

Step Two: Mix Carefully

In a medium mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt) and stir together.

In a separate bowl, add the non-dairy milk and apple cider vinegar to create buttermilk. Then add one tablespoon melted coconut oil and finally the flax egg. Mix the wet ingredients.

Now, carefully mix the two together without stressing the batter. To do this, form a “crater” in the middle of the dry ingredients, then pour the wet ingredients (as shown) into the crater. Slowly stir until most of the batter is incorporated. A few small lumps are your friend, too much mixing is not.

Vegan Pancakes Batter

Step Three: Hot Pan

Warm the pan over medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes. Then, use a paper towel to spread a little vegetable oil over the bottom of the pan. Test the temperature by cooking one small pancake first. If it sizzles when it hits the pan and forms bubbles after 1-2 minutes without burning, your temperatures are right.

Use a 1/4 cup measurement to create the perfect 4-inch pancakes. If your pan is large enough, you can cook 2-3 at a time. Again, wait 2 minutes for large bubbles to form on the surface, then flip and cook for another 90 seconds. Store the first batches in a warm oven while you finish the rest. Then, top with blueberries, maple syrup, raw chocolate, peanut butter, coconut chips, cardamom, or whatever you love on pancakes.