If you’re looking for a good pancake recipe without milk, I’ve got you covered! Today’s recipe is for delicious coffee chocolate chip pancakes, and I’ll share several liquid options you can use in your homemade pancakes.

Before we jump in, let’s take a look at the purpose of milk in a traditional pancakes. It’s there to provide moisture, and to help bring all of the ingredients together. The milk is a big contributor to forming a smooth batter. Without milk, you have flour and flavourings.

You may be wondering if a dairy-free pancake recipe would be just as good as a pancake made with regular milk, and the answer is YES. In fact, I’ll link you to several of my kids’ favorite recipes for dairy free pancakes.

Truly Corn Free Note: To make these truly corn free, skip the chocolate chips. The only TCF chocolate chips are 100% pure dark, and an unsweetened chip isn’t for everyone. For everything else, be sure to source truly corn free versions of each ingredient.

Tools You’ll Need to Make Delicious Pancakes

• Large Mixing Bowl
• Measuring Cups & Measuring Spoons
• Whisk
• Frying Pan/Large Skillet
• Spatula/Turner

Dry Ingredients for Your Pancakes

• 200g Sorghum Flour, superfine
• 100g Millet Flour, superfine
• 75g Potato Starch
• 100g Organic Maple Sugar
• 4 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
• 15g Ground Coffee (double for coffee lovers)
• 30g Golden Flax Meal

Flour Details: You can use 375g of an all purpose flour in place of my sorghum + millet + potato starch.

Wet Ingredients for Your Pancakes

• 450mL Liquid of Choice (16 ounces/2 cups, see notes below)
• 3 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar

You’ll Also Need

• 160g Chocolate Chips of Choice

Liquid Of Choice Options

The great thing about this recipe is that it can cater to all types of needs, even if you have a medically restrictive diet to food allergies, food intolerance, etc. If you have milk and want to use it, you can. Here are options for this homemade pancake recipe.

• Mammal Milk (cow, sheep, goat, camel, buffalo)
• Non-Dairy Milk (coconut milk, oat milk, soy milk, almond milk, etc.)
• Room Temperature Plain Water
• 225mL/1 cup Cold Brew Coffee + 225mL/1 cup Water
• 450mL/2 cups Cold Brew Coffee (for serious coffee lovers)

Additional Ingredient Notes

If you use cold brew coffee as your liquid of choice, omit the ground coffee.

The flax helps bind the pancakes since this is an egg free recipe. If you’d prefer, you can use a large whole egg, beaten, in place of the flax.

If you’re not gluten free, or have a gluten free flour blend you love (such as Bob’s Red Mill or Rustic Scoop), use 375g of your all purpose flour. Be sure to leave out the sorghum, millet, and potato starch.

You can reduce the maple sugar to as low as 50g. For those who like sweet coffee drinks, leave the maple sugar where it is.

More Pancake Recipes Without Milk to Enjoy

• Fluffy Rose Pancakes (amazing milk-free pancakes)
• Dessert Style Chocolate Chip Pancakes (great if you love sweet pancakes)
• Fluffy Gluten Free Pancakes (dairy-free pancakes your whole family will love)
• Fluffy Buckwheat Chocolate Pancakes (egg-free pancakes that taste fantastic and aren’t crumbly)
• The Ultimate Fluffy Gluten Free Pancakes (an easy pancake recipe that’s gluten free and top 9 allergy free)
• Banana Glaze/Sauce Recipe (transform regular pancakes into banana pancakes with this amazing sauce)

Directions

Let’s make amazing pancakes with simple ingredients! Start by combining your flax and water together in a small bowl and mix well. Set aside. Next, place your mixing bowl (or large bowl) on your kitchen scale and add the dry ingredients one at a time. Be sure to tare in between each one.

The great thing about this method is that you get the best results if you’re gluten free. It allows me to tell you exactly how much to use without worrying about packing a cup of flour or fluffing flour. For this recipe, I like to use a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, but you can absolutely mix by hand.

Lightly mix the dry ingredients together, then return your bowl to the kitchen scale. Tare to zero, then add the wet ingredients. If using cold brew coffee, you can add it cold, room temperature, or hot. For extra flavour, you can add a teaspoon of vanilla extract.

Mix your pancake batter until smooth and very little clumps remain. Finally, fold in your chocolate chips of choice. I use mini chocolate chips for pancakes, but it’s really a personal preference. You can use mini, chunks, or large chocolate chips. Now it’s time to cook pancakes 🙌.

Note: The best way to get very fluffy pancakes is to gently mix the batter by hand. When I want fluffy pancakes, I hold the wire whisk from the stand mixer in my hand and mix everything together. The video on this page will show you if you’re a visual learner.

Cooking Pancakes

To cook your pancakes, heat a large nonstick pan on medium heat (5, 5.5, or 6/10 for me). Allow the pan to heat completely. If it doesn’t, your first batch will turn out meh.

Once the pan is nice and hot, use a scooper or small measuring cup to add batter to the pan. For those who want an extra pop of flavour, add butter or oil to the pan first. Let it heat/melt, then add the batter. For consistent sizing, I suggest using a medium or large cookie dough scoop for your batter. An ice cream scoop also works.

Your batter will start to cook and you can see it change up the sides. Bubbles will start to form on the top of the pancake. When several small bubbles have formed, it’s time to flip (this usually takes 2-3 minutes). Use a spatula to flip over your pancakes and cook until the bottom is golden brown. Both sides of your pancakes should be golden brown. If you used butter or oil in the pan, you’ll even have a bit of a crispy edge like the pancakes in my photo.

Repeat until you run out of pancake batter. That’s it! Using simple pantry ingredients, you’ve made amazing milk free pancakes. This recipe yields 18 pancakes when using a large cookie scoop (3 Tablespoons in size).

Serving Your Pancakes

My kids love these homemade pancakes plain, or with maple syrup. Sometimes they’ll add a few extra chocolate chips to the plate. If you enjoy whipped cream, that would be a great option as well. For those with sugar concerns, there are unsweetened whipped creams you make or purchase.

I’d avoid toppings such as fresh fruit, as many will clash with the coffee. Banana may be a good option if you’re a fan of that combination.

How to Store Your Delicious Pancakes

These free-from pancakes perform best when frozen. To freeze, line a baking sheet/cookie tray with parchment paper. Place your leftover pancakes on the tray in a single layer. You can stack by using parchment in between the layers. Freeze the entire tray.

Once the pancakes are frozen solid, transfer to freezer bags or an airtight container. Try to press out as much excess air as possible. To thaw, place pancakes on counter top at room temperature for about an hour. You can also reheat these in your oven until just warm, but be sure to avoid over heating, as this will negatively impact the texture.

These pancakes work in a lunchbox as well. You can put them in the lunch box frozen, and by lunchtime they’re fully thawed. Since these pancakes are egg and dairy free, they can even go without an ice pack 🙂

One of the benefits to freezing leftovers (or double batching to add to your freezer stock) is that pancakes from your freezer are great on busy mornings. You can give them a quick oven heat whilst you get ready to go, and with very little effort, breakfast is served.

Answering Your Milk-Free Pancakes Questions

Can I cook these pancakes on a griddle instead of in a frying pan?

Absolutely. You can use a hot griddle and have perfect pancakes. I’d still encourage you to cook the batter in a little melted butter for the ultimate pancake experience.

I can’t have butter. Can I use olive oil when cooking the pancakes?

Yes, you can. I’ve done this as well. My kids tell me that whilst it lacks the rich (dairy free) buttery flavour, it’s still better than cooking the pancakes plain.

Can I use white sugar instead of the maple sugar?

Yes, you can use white sugar in place of the maple sugar. In fact, you can use any granulated sweetener (white sugar, caster sugar, date sugar, coconut sugar, brown sugar, etc.). Know that the final flavour will be slightly altered, but I’m sure you’ll still be happy with your pancakes. You may want to start with less sugar since maple sugar has a more muted sweetness. Regular cane sugar my be very forward when used.

What happens if I cook the pancakes on medium-high heat instead of medium?

I’m sure some are tempted to turn up the heat, but when you do that, it creates a goopy center. Now, if you’re a fan of goopy pancakes (can’t lie, I’m a fan), this is good. For everyone else, this is bad. When the heat is too high the outsides will cook rather quickly and can start to burn before the middle has cooked all the way through.

Can I use this pancake recipe in place of a waffle recipe and cook it in a waffle iron?

Technically yes, but this isn’t a waffle recipe. You’d want to add oil and change up the body of the recipe. You’ll probably also want a little more sugar in the recipe to convert this to a waffle batter. For more info, check out this article on pancake batter vs waffle batter.

I’m all out of baking powder. Can I replace it with baking soda?

No, you can’t. Baking soda has a very distinct taste and will ruin your pancakes at 4 teaspoons. Instead, check out this homemade baking powder recipe. If you have the ingredients on hand, you can use it instead.

What’s the best dairy free milk to use in this recipe?

When it comes to the best dairy free milk option, I’d say all except coconut milk, unless you love the flavour. Dairy free milk is a 1:1 exchange in this recipe, so they will all function properly. Personally, I like to use an unsweetened milk and one with cleaner ingredients. Whatever dairy free milk you have on hand will work out though.

Can I cook these pancakes in coconut oil instead of butter?

Yes, you can. Know that the taste will be distinct and present. If you love coconut oil, this isn’t an issue. If you’re on the fence, I’d use olive oil instead. If you have a child who doesn’t like coconut oil, cook their pancakes first with another oil, or no oil, then cook the rest of your batter in the coconut oil. When cooking in coconut oil, allow it to melt completely in your pan beore adding your pancake batter.

Can I use a box of pancake mix in place of the flour?

Yes, but you’ll need to compare the ingredients. If the pancake mix already has salt and baking powder, you’ll need to skip that in my recipe. We don’t want to double up on those types of ingredients as it can ruin your final pancakes.

In terms of how much, you’ll want to use 375g of boxed pancake mix in place of the flours I call for.