I'm not vegan. Let me just start off by saying that. I simply love my cheese, milk, and yogurt too much. For me, milk isn't really the problem- almond, rice, soy, and oat milk to the rescue! But it's the milk products that are hard to let go of. Yogurt and cheese? How do you replicate that, well, dairy-y flavor? I know there are substitutes(like vegan cream cheese, which I absolutely ADORE), but it's hard.
Sometimes though, you just need a break from dairy- or it needs a break from you. And a whole ton of skeptics believe that "vegan" and "pancakes" don't belong in the same sentence. Get over it, people! "Vegan" should not be synonymous with "tasteless". There are TONS of delicious, mouthwatering recipes you can make that ARE vegan!
So without further ado, here is your complete guide to vegan-izing pancakes!
We'll cover all the bases, including:
- Milk - and how to replace it
- Egg substitutes
- Anything else?
- Quick Flip Tips
- Recipes to get you started!
Let's start with milk. The, well, milky white stuff that everyone says makes you grow tall. But pancakes don't need that;) we want short, thick, and fluffy ones! This is by far the easiest thing to substitute in recipes. Some of my recipes call for yogurt instead of milk too, which helps to bind the pancakes as well. But this one is straightforward- replace with any non-dairy milk. Soymilk, rice milk, almond milk, even oat milk! Go crazy with these(if you get a vanilla flavored one, even better)!
Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Well, we're talking about eggs second, so I think you can guess the answer;) Yeah, bad joke. Sorry.
This is a trickier one. Eggs do so much for your pancakes- binding, moistening, and leavening! We need to find a vegan replacement that does all those things- or do we?
We kinda do. But it doesn't have to be one ingredient. The way I usually veganize my pancakes is one of the following combos:
Yogurt + more yogurt(it binds and fluffy-ifies really well! Use about 1/4 cup.)
A mashed banana + extra 1/2 tsp baking soda + 1/2 tbsp nut butter
1/4 cup applesauce/pumpkin puree/banana + 1 tbsp neutral oil + 1/2 tsp baking powder
Obviously, the first combination is not vegan, but eggless. It works like a charm! Yogurt is an all-star: it can bind, moisten, and even fluff up the final result! For those of you who are vegan, however, we'll get a little creative. A mashed banana adds moistness, nutty butter is a good binding agent, and a bit of extra baking soda will put a pep in your pancakes' step! If you don't have those, you can also use applesauce or pumpkin pure. Simply combine with oil and baking powder, and voila! You've successfully replaced eggs in the batter!
I also get questions about chia and flax eggs. Chia/flax eggs are basically just 1 tbsp ground or whole chia or flaxseeds mixed with 3 tbsp water, soaked overnight. You can use these in place of the applesauce or banana, but I would still recommend adding 1-2 teaspoons of oil and the baking powder.
Another thing I absolutely hate is when pancakes do that awful thing where they split in the middle. In the blink of an eye, the perfect breakfast turns into a full-fledged disaster!
So, how to prevent that, you ask? Use a large spatula. And, patience. Being a not-so-patient person myself, I can attest to the fact that this is hard. But when you're about to spontaneously combust while waiting for your pancake to cook, just think about the dreamy result you will get if you wait. Remember, nothing worth having comes quickly!
Here's a bonus tip: keep 'em small. Vegan pancakes(or even pancakes in general) tend to fall apart easily, and the absence of eggs does not make it one bit easier. So stick to a lot of 3-inch pancakes rather than a couple big ones. They'll be easier to flip, cook, and eat!
Congratulations, my friend. You are now(a self-proclaimed) Pancake Master!
Now what to do with all this mastery, you ask? Check out the recipes below!
