I’m so excited to share this amazing dairy free pancake recipe with you today. I’ll show you how to transform simple ingredients into amazing fluffy pancakes. This recipe is a take on a classic pancake recipe, so it’s on the simple side, which is great if you’re busy or don’t have loads of energy.
In addition to being dairy free, this easy pancake recipe is also gluten free, egg free, top 9 free, and top 14 free. I do have notes below if you’d like to use a standard flour, as well as eggs.
Allergy Status
Free From: Wheat/Gluten, Dairy, Egg, Soy, Tree Nut (including Coconut), Peanut, Fish, Shellfish, Sesame, Top 9 Allergens, Alliums, Avocado, Banana, Beans & Lentils, Berries, Buckwheat, Cane/Refined Sugar, Carrot, Celery, Cinnamon, Citrus, Cooking Oil/Added Fats, Corn, Cruciferous, Garlic, Legume, Lupin, Mushroom, Mustard, Nightshade, Oat, Onion, Pea & Pea Protein, Potato (Nightshade Variety), Poultry, Red Meat, Rice, Stone Fruits, Strawberry, Squash & Gourd, Sweet Potato & Yam, Tapioca/Cassava/Yuca/Manioc, Tomato, Yeast
Friendly To: EOE, Vegan
Compatible With: Apple Free, Latex Cross Reactive Foods Free (H/M), FPIES, Low FODMAP
Apple Free, Latex Cross Reactive Free, FPIES, Low FODMAP: Use an alternative vinegar of choice.
Dairy Free Pancake Recipe Ingredients
Flax Binding Agent
- 3 TBSP Golden Flax Meal
- 6 TBSP Water (room temperature)
Part 1 Ingredients (Wet Ingredients)
- 450mL Milk of Choice (16 ounces)
- 3 tsp Organic Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 tsp Organic Vanilla Extract
Part 2 Ingredients (Dry Ingredients)
- 320g Gluten Free All Purpose Flour (see notes below)
- 4 – 8 TBSP Granulated Sweetener of Choice (see notes)
- 4 tsp Baking Powder
- 1 tsp Sea Salt
- 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
Optional: Dairy Free Butter of Choice for Cooking
Dairy Free Pancake Recipe Notes
Flax + Water: If you don’t need an egg free and/or vegan option, 1 large egg or 2 medium eggs can be used in place of the flax + water. Crack the eggs into a small bowl and whisk, then use in the pancake recipe where I call for the flax.
Milk of Choice: You can use any dairy free milk you enjoy including almond milk, cashew milk, coconut milk, oat milk, rice milk, soy milk, and even a homemade milk.
My Gluten-Free Flour Blend for This Dairy Free Pancake Recipe:
- 180g Sorghum Flour, superfine
- 60g Millet flour, superfine
- 50g Organic GF PP Oat Flour OR Organic Tiger Nut Flour (tuber, not a tree nut).
- 30g Arrowroot
Note: I create custom flour blends for each of my free-from recipes. This wouldn’t necessarily be an AP blend to use in all situations.
Granulated Sweetener: You can use any granulated sweetener including maple sugar, date sugar, coconut sugar, and light brown sugar. I use organic maple sugar, and usually 5 Tablespoons. However, each sweetener will have a different level of sweetness (plus personal preferences), which is why you have a range to choose from.
You cannot use a liquid sweetener in this recipe (maple syrup, honey, etc.). If you’re using gluten free flour, I really don’t suggest skipping the sweetener since GF flours can have a pretty distinct taste. The sweetener can really help balance the recipe.
Dairy Free Pancakes Recipe Directions
To make regular pancakes, I like to use an electric stand mixer with the wire attachment. You can also mix this dairy free pancake recipe by hand in a large bowl, or with a handheld electric mixer.
If you want super duper mega fluffy pancakes, you’ll want to mix by hand. Since this is an egg free recipe, mixing by hand will retain the maximum amount of lift.
Start by combining your flax and water together in a small bowl and set aside. Next, place a measuring cup on your kitchen scale, tare to zero, and add the milk. Add the vanilla and vinegar to the milk cup. Your wet ingredient prep is now complete.
Place your empty mixing bowl on your kitchen scale, tare to zero, and add the Part 2 Ingredients (dry ingredients). Don’t forget to tare between weighted ingredients if you’re using my gluten free flour blend. Once they’re all in, lightly mix to combine. This is a good time to heat your pan, so you can start cooking ASAP.
Add the wet ingredients along with your prepared flax to the mixing bowl. Gently mix by hand until all of the ingredients are pretty well combined. Don’t let the batter rest, as you don’t want to loose any fluff potential.
If you haven’t done so already, heat a large frying pan on medium heat, and once it’s hot, add a little dairy free butter to the pan. You can also use a little oil such as organic tiger nut oil (tuber, not a tree nut).
Add pancake batter to your melted butter and allow it to until a good amount of bubbles have formed and you can see the sides of the pancakes firm up. After bubbles have formed, flip the pancakes over. Continue to cook for another 1-2 minutes. Your pancakes should be golden brown on both sides, and dry in the middle (unless you’re a fan of runny middles which one of my tasters is).
The total time spent cooking is going to vary based on pancake size and how many pans you have going. When I cook dairy free pancakes at home, from start to finish including making the bater and clean up, my cooking time is about 30 minutes.
If you’re new to cooking pancakes in general, know that the first pancake is always a little meh, you adjust the temperature if needed, your timing if needed, and the rest turn out awesome.
If you’re a fan of little pancakes, the best way to have cute little pancakes consistently is to use a small or medium cookie dough scoop. These are the ones that I use. The small scoop is especially fun for toddlers, and the medium scoop is great for lunchboxes.
Tip: Have two frying pans going. You’ll get thru the pancake batter much quicker. Whilst it’s an extra dish to clean, the time saved is worth it.
Another Tip: I like to use a 1/3 cup measuring cup as a scooper when making regular sized pancakes. It’s a good consistent size.
How to Store Your Leftover Pancakes
Once you’ve made your delicious pancakes, there’s a good chance you’ll have some leftovers. For best results, do not store your leftover pancakes in the fridge, but instead, freeze them.
Once your pancakes have cooled, line a large baking sheet (also called a baking tray) with parchment paper. Place a single layer of pancakes on the tray (it’s OK if the sides are touching). Cover with a piece of parchment paper, and place down another layer of pancakes. Repeat until all of the leftover pancakes are on the tray.
Freeze the entire tray. Once the pancakes are frozen solid, transfer them to an airtight container. I like to use freezer baggies so there’s no wasted space. To thaw, leave frozen pancakes on the counter top for 60 – 90 minutes. You can also thaw them in a toaster oven or oven.
Your frozen leftovers can be a real source of fast food on busy mornings. You can also place frozen pancakes in a lunch box, and by lunch time, they’re thawed and ready to be enjoyed.
Toppings & Serving Suggestions
There are so many different toppings you can place on top of the pancakes before serving that will put a little more pep in their proverbial step. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Spread of Choice (Nut Butter, Peanut Butter, Seed Butter, etc.)
- Maple Syrup
- Maple Butter (here’s an example, it’s a dairy free product that’s whipped and heated maple syrup)
- Easy Spread/Butter Caramel (mix a nut butter or spread of choice with maple syrup and it thickens to form a caramel-like sauce)
- Fresh Fruit (fresh blueberries, strawberries, and bananas are options my kids love)
- Chocolate Chips (one of my kids’ favorite toppings)
- Bacon Bits (I usually get this brand but I’ve also been getting this one as well when I see it)
- Chopped Nuts and/or Chopped Seeds
- Unsweetened Dairy Free Whipped Cream
- Generous Pinch of Sprinkles (great if you have little kids who are still learning to like pancakes)
- Dollop of Dairy Free Butter
More Gluten + Egg + Dairy Free Pancakes to Enjoy
Here are a few vegan pancake recipes I think you’ll enjoy:
- Easy Fluffy Gluten-Free Pancakes (such a tasty pancake recipe that’s top 9 free)
- Fluffy Maple Rose Pancakes (my tasters go wild for these gluten-free pancakes)
- Coffee Chocolate Chip Pancakes (gluten, dairy, egg, top 9 free)
- Mega Fluffy Lemon Vegan Pancakes with Faux Torched Marshmallow Topping
- Matcha Chia Pancakes (these delicious dairy-free pancakes are great if you like flavours off the beaten path)
- Raspberry Yuzu Pancakes (a great recipe if you love tart and citrus flavours)
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If you want to see more gluten free + top 9 free recipes, check out the Advanced Recipe Search which has more than 100 filters to mix and match (allergens, diet types, etc.).
Pancake Tip: Make Your Own “Boxed” Pancake Mix at Home
One of the biggest challenges for a lot of free-from folks is the additional cost associated with allergy friendly products. It’s sometimes called the gluten free tax or free-from tax, but we’ve all seen rising costs.
With some products, such as pancake mix, you can easily make your own version at home. When you look at what pancake mix really is, it’s a combination of a flour blend, leavening agent, and salt. Yes, you’ll need to invest in flour to make your own blend, the amount of money you’ll save in the long run is huge.
To make pancake mix at home, place a large mixing bowl on your kitchen scale. Tare to zero, add all of the dry ingredients (tare between weighted ingredients), then mix well. Transfer the mix to a baggie or reusable container and label it. That’s it. You now have a homemade “boxed” pancake mix.
Each time you want to make pancake batter, mix up the wet ingredients associated with that recipe and keep moving forward like you normally would.
If something like this feels like too much work for you, you can also freeze pancake batter, which may be more appealing to you. Either way, just know that you can save a lot of money by creating the base mix yourself.
Answering Your Dairy Free Pancake Recipe Questions
How much dairy free milk should I use if a pancake recipe calls for regular milk?
The great news is that cow’s milk (aka regular milk) is a 1:1 swap for dairy free milk. If a recipe calls for 225mL/8 ounces/1 cup of regular milk, you’ll use the same amount of your dairy free milk.
The only plant-based milk that doesn’t really play ball is full fat coconut milk, which is the kind that you purchase in a can. Boxed coconut milk (more watery) is fine to use as a 1:1 swap.
Is non-dairy milk the same thing as dairy free milk?
If you manage a milk/dairy allergy, it’s important to know that generally, no, they don’t mean the same thing. Nondairy (also written as non-dairy) used to imply that there could be a very small amount of cow’s milk dairy in a product. Dairy free on the other hand means zero dairy. Period.
Whilst the regulation has changed over the years, the US FDA generally has the viewpoint that “non dairy” could contain up to 0.5% of dairy milk derivatives such as caseinate. Dairy free always meant zero milk or milk derivatives.
Anytime you’re at a grocery store and want to purchase plant-based milk but you see the term non-dairy rather than dairy free, contact the brand for clarification. You can also start on their website, as some brands have a robust FAQ.
If you don’t like the answer, or are uncomfortable, do not purchase the milk. If you mange a lactose intolerance, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to have the product, but it’s still a good idea to get in touch with the brand before purchasing.
Can I use whole wheat flour in place of your gluten-free flour?
When making this gluten-free pancake recipe, rather than use whole wheat flour, I’d suggest an all purpose wheat flour. However, take that advice with a pinch of salt. Since one of my kids is allergic to wheat, it’s not something I have loads of experience with.
Based on my research though, whole wheat flour is going to be a pretty specific product, and if you’re not used to the taste and texture, it may be a little jarring for you.
However, if whole wheat flour is one of your pantry staples and you love the taste, yes, you can swap it 1:1. Don’t over-mix, as this recipe doesn’t develop gluten.
Should I use unsweetened almond milk or sweetened almond milk when making pancakes?
Personally, I use unsweetened milk in ALL of my cooking and baking. I do this because as a recipe developer, I want to be able to completely control all of the variables (or as many as possible).
If you love the taste of a sweetened milk, and you’re happy with the ingredients, there’s no harm in using it. For fun, you could make two batches of pancakes and test them out head to head. One with sweetened almond milk and one with unsweetened almond milk to see which you would deem the best almond milk pancakes.
Since this recipe is freezer friendly, you could store leftovers in the freezer and have some easy breakfast and lunches ready to go.
If I use soya milk in this pancake recipe, will the soya taste be really present?
If you’re a super taster, maybe. For everyone else, no, the soya taste won’t be super present. Like regular milk, unless you’re drinking it straight, the taste of plant-based milk isn’t forward when you use it in cooking and baking.
What’s the difference between vegan pancakes and dairy free pancakes?
Standard dairy free only pancakes will usually call for 1 or 2 large eggs, and eggs aren’t vegan. Whilst it’s rare that a dairy free pancake would call for honey, you may see it here and there online. Most likely, you’d see it as “dairy free honey lavender pancakes” or something special like that.
It will usually boil down to the eggs though, that will be the difference between the two.
Should xanthan gum be in my gluten-free flour blend?
Xanthan gum isn’t an essential ingredient in home baking. It’s there because manufacturers need to use less than stellar ingredients to condition doughs and bring down the price. I used to own and operate an award winning gluten free, vegan, top 9 free bakery. Guess what I never once used? Xanthan gum.
The key however is that I’m a master at creating unique free-from flour blends that shine. Large scale manufacturers don’t have that kind of freedom, so they do what’s needed to try to ensure the flour will work in all situations (a losing battle, but they’re trying).
If you make a custom blend, or if you follow a recipe that uses a custom blend, you absolutely don’t need to add xanthan gum to the recipe.
Can I cook the pancake batter in oil instead of butter?
Yes! I’ve experimented with cooking pancakes in organic tiger nut oil (tuber, not a tree nut), and organic extra virgin olive oil. My kids still say that dairy free butter is the way to go, but that oil is a nice second place. They also say that oil is better than nothing, so there’s that.
I don’t suggest vegetable oil or canola oil, but coconut oil could be another good option. It’s not one that I use since one of my kids is allergic to coconut.
Do you have a coconut + dairy-free recipe for caramel sauce?
It sounds like there are some very delicious pancakes in your near future! I do indeed have a coconut and dairy-free recipe for caramel sauce. You can find it here on my RAISE Membership website, or in this cookbook.
Can I use cooking spray instead of the dairy free butter when cooking?
The great news is that when making this easy gluten-free pancake recipe, you don’t need to use cooking spray, or dairy free butter. It’s really there for the flavour. My kids insist that it’s the only way to cook pancakes properly.
As long as you use an unscratched nonstick pan, or properly heat a metal pan, you should be A-OK. If you’re concerned, you could use a little bit of your cooking spray and spread it around, but in all my years of free-from pancake making, I’ve never used it.
Do these dairy free pancakes taste like traditional pancakes from a box?
I’m not going to pretend that they do and lead you astray. Now, I personally can’t eat these, or the traditional pancakes you’d get in a box. However, I’m going to say no, these won’t taste that way. There’s no wheat, no eggs, no milk, no preservatives, and so on. It’s a completely different way to make pancakes, and I think if you think about it like that, it’s OK that they’re different.
If you really want to get close to what comes in a box to make traditional pancakes, you’d have to search online for a copycat recipe and see what others have come up with.
