Healthy vegan pancakes perfectly proportioned for one person! This easy, perfectly fluffy single-serve pancake recipe is wholegrain, egg-free, dairy-free, oil and fat-free and perfect for when you're all alone and craving pancakes but want to be somewhat healthy!
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FEATURED COMMENT:
"BEST PANCAKES EVER!!! I've made these before, but this time I added fresh blueberries to the batter just before making. Mel, your pancake recipes are all top-notch, and this one is the BEST in my opinion!" - Maureen ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ More reviews →
Healthy oil-free vegan pancakes for one! This is the recipe I make when I'm home alone and have a pancake craving but want to stay on the healthy train.
Just like my Pancake in a Mug, it's perfectly proportioned for one serving, making just 2 or 3 fluffy pancakes (depending on how big you make each one) and is really quick and easy, while being surprisingly nutritious and wholesome.
I originally shared this recipe back in 2016, and although many of you loved it, my recipe development skills have improved over the years and the way I make these pancakes has evolved, too. So I've tweaked the recipe to make the pancakes healthier, softer, higher in protein, and way fluffier.
I always want my recipes to be the best they possibly can be, and I hope you love this new and improved version. The pancakes were good before, but now they are even better!
Mel x
P.S. Did you love the old version of this recipe? I've included a copy of it in the FAQ's so you can still make it if you want to.
Ingredients
Here is what you need at a glance, along with some important ingredient notes & substitution ideas:
- Flour - This recipe is intended to be a slightly healthier one, so my preference is to use wholewheat or spelt flour. Even with wholewheat flour, the pancakes are perfectly fluffy. You can use all-purpose flour if you prefer, and gluten-free all-purpose flour baking flour containing xanthan gum also works.
- Flaxseed - This needs to be ground flaxseed. It adds extra nutrition to the pancakes and helps to give them a great texture.
- Dairy-free milk - I always use soy milk to boost the protein content of the pancakes, but any dairy-free milk will do, such as oat milk, soy milk, cashew milk, or almond milk.
- Leaveners - It's important to use both baking powder and baking soda in this recipe.
- Apple cider vinegar - The acid in the vinegar reacts with the baking soda to create fluffier pancakes. You can use lemon juice instead if you prefer.
- Salt & vanilla - A little salt is really important for enhancing flavour, and whilst I love vanilla in my pancake batter, you could switch it for any other extract. You could also add a few pinches of any ground spices you enjoy, such as cinnamon, pumpkin spice, or nutmeg.
No Sweetener?
I have not included a sweetener of any kind in this recipe because it's intended to be healthier, and I figure that whatever you add as a topping is usually sweet anyway. If, however, you do want your pancakes to be sweet, feel free to add one to 2 tablespoons of sugar to the dry ingredients when making the batter. You could also use maple syrup, but reduce the milk to compensate (for example, if you add 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, reduce the amount of milk by 2 tablespoons).
Let's Make Healthy Vegan Pancakes For One!
Can't wait to make them? Here's a quick rundown of how it's done. See the recipe card for the full and detailed version, and if you're a visual learner, check out my recipe video.
1 - Make the batter. First, whisk the dry ingredients together. Then make a well in the centre and add the wet ingredients before mixing it all together to form a thick batter. The thickness of the batter is intentional. That's what gets you perfectly fluffy pancakes!
2 - Cook the pancakes. You can make one giant one, or 2 or 3 smaller ones.
3 - Cook the pancakes slowly, no higher than medium-low. Never rush vegan pancakes, or you won't get the best texture. Wait until there are popped bubbles on the top and the edges look dry before flipping.
4 - Flip and cook until golden on the other side. Again, don't rush them!
Healthier Vegan Pancake Topping Ideas
Turn an incredible stack of healthier pancakes into a masterpiece with these healthy pancake topping ideas:
- fresh fruit such as berries or sliced bananas.
- date caramel.
- frozen berry compote.
- roasted strawberries.
- unsweetened applesauce.
- vegan yogurt.
- caramelized bananas.
- no churn any berry sorbet.
- almond butter.
- savoury sides like vegan bacon, vegan scrambled eggs, tempeh strips, vegan sausages, grilled tomatoes, hash browns, or breakfast potatoes.
And one last shot of my breakfast today from the side so you can see just how thick and fluffy these healthy vegan pancakes are!
Recipe FAQs
Yes! I saved it here just in case. Here it is:
½ cup (63g) flour (spelt, whole wheat or all-purpose)
1 slightly heaped teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon chia seeds
pinch of salt
120ml (½ cup) dairy-free milk
½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Add the flour, baking powder, chia seeds and salt to a mixing bowl and mix to combine.
To another small bowl or jug add the milk, vinegar and vanilla. Stir together.
Pour the liquid into the dry ingredients and stir to combine (just enough to combine everything and so that you can't see any dry flour). DO NOT overmix or beat it. A few little lumps won't hurt.
Get a pan ready on a medium heat while you wait. Brush the pan with a tiny bit of oil (unless it's an awesome non-stick one that you trust).
Check your pan is hot and then spoon the pancake batter into it. You canmake your pancakes as big or small as you like.
Once the batter is in the pan, turn the heat down to halfway between medium and very low. The trick to good pancakes is not rushing them, so be patient.
Watch and wait until you see some bubbles start to form on the top of the pancakes. When you see the bubbles, flip gently and cook for another 2 minutes or until golden.
Put leftover pancakes in a sealed container or bag and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat them in a toaster or microwave.
Yes. I wouldn't add more than 4 tablespoons, though. You will need to add some extra milk to compensate. 2 to 3 extra tablespoons should do it.
Recipe
Healthy Oil-Free Vegan Pancakes For One
Author:Ingredients
- ½ cup (63 grams) wholewheat flour , or spelt flour, all-purpose flour, or GF all-purpose baking flour
- 2 teaspoons ground flaxseed
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda (bicarbonate of soda in the UK)
- 1 pinch fine salt
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) soy milk , or any other dairy-free milk if you don't mind less protein
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar , or lemon juice
INSTRUCTIONS
- To a small mixing bowl, add the flour, ground flax, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix together.
- Place a non-stick skillet/frying pan over medium-low heat. It's important for the pan to be preheated before you add the liquid ingredients to the batter.
- Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients, and add the milk, vanilla, and apple cider vinegar. Mix gently to combine into a thick batter (almost like muffin batter).
- Lightly coat the pan with a little oil (I use a pastry brush to brush the surface), then spoon the batter into the pan. You can make your pancakes as big or small as you like. I usually make 2 or 3. The batter is really thick, so spoon it in, then level the top gently with your spoon or spatula. Keep the pancakes thick (about ½ an inch). Don't push it down too much, or you'll lose all the precious bubbles in the batter.
- The trick to good vegan pancakes is not to rush them, so be patient and don't be tempted to turn the heat up. Keep them cooking gently until bubbles appear over the surface (there's a picture of mine in the post for guidance) and the bottom is golden. It will take a good 5 to 7 minutes.
- Flip, then allow the other side to become golden before removing from the pan. About another 2 minutes.
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Bonnie says
We just enjoyed these pancakes for breakfast! They were excellent - very fluffy, as described! I used all-purpose flour for the pancakes, as I had it on hand. I would be curious as to how spelt flour would taste - could you describe it? Thanks! And thanks for a great recipe!
Melanie McDonald says
So pleased you enjoyed them, Bonnie!
As for spelt flour, it's really delicious. It's healthy without tasting healthy if you know what I mean. It makes really light baked goods/pancakes and gives them a slightly nutty, toasty flavour.
Mandy says
Delicious !
Pat says
Wow! That was easy and delicious and robust and vegan-healthy! I can’t wait to try more of your recipes!
Saffron says
We love these. Is the batter freezable please? Would be great to always have the mix ready to hand!
Melanie McDonald says
I've never tried freezing the uncooked batter so I'm not sure how well it would cook after. Cooked pancakes freeze brilliantly though. Separate them with some parchment paper. I warm them up straight from frozen in a toaster (if you don't mind the outsides getting a little toasted) or in the microwave.
Carla says
Thank you for this recipe. I made it and it was quick and tasty. The only difference I added 1 tsp of Maca powder. Topped with Blueberries, granola and maple syrup. I will definitely make this again.
Alicia says
This has to be my favourite pancake recipe ever! It works so well and there are only a few vegan and healthy pancake recipes that do. I even add protein powder to it and it doesn’t change the consistency either. Love it! Eating them right now as I write this comment.
Catherine Long says
Fabulous! I loved these pancakes. I’ve tried a few recipes and there are only a few recipes that work for me but these were great. I also like the idea of not adding sugar as my toppings were sweet
Sam says
Not sure what everyone else is doing when they say this recipe doesn’t work because these are just perfect for us. They work every single time without fail.
I can only think they aren’t weighing the flour properly. The batter is never runny for us. Thanks for a great recipe Mel.
Meh says
They were ok. Followed the directions (yes, I measured everything), cooked on pan at 350. Like several other reviewers said, the batter came out runny and the pancakes fell apart when flipped. Let them cook a little longer on each side and they came out flakey, which was the best thing about them.
Shelby says
Every time I tried this recipe, the batter was way too watery. What am I doing wrong?
A Virtual Vegan says
I can't say without more info but the batter should be very thick. When measured correctly it can't possibly be watery.
Alicia says
This recipe was amazing!!
I’ve always struggled with vegan pancakes but I followed the exact measurements and instructions and they were great. Could protein powder work in the recipe?
Thanks!
A Virtual Vegan says
Glad you enjoyed them Alicia! I don't ever use protein powder so can't answer from experience, however someone else in the comments said they added some and it worked well.
Maureen says
BEST PANCAKES EVER!!! I’ve made these before but this time I had no spelt flour so used organic white whole wheat flour and added fresh blueberries to the batter just before making. Mel, your pancake recipes are all top notch and this one is the BEST in my opinion!
❤️?❤️
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you so much Maureen!
Barbara says
Love this recipe!! Thanks :)
Fay says
I made them with
126g flour
1 cup whey powder
3 slightly heaped teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
125ml cow milk + ½ cup blueberries blended together
10 pinches of stevia glycosides (the white powder pinch stuff)
2 teaspoon sunflower seeds
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon Sicilian lemon extract
Too much baking power. The vinegar changed the pH & made the batter a horrible color and they tastes nasty.
A Virtual Vegan says
That is not my recipe. You made your own recipe and rated it 2 stars 🤭.
Sarah says
woke up this morning craving pancakes and made this recipe. Super simple and satisfying! definitely will be making these again! Thanks Mel!
A Virtual Vegan says
Yay! Glad you enjoyed them Sarah!
Alicia says
They don't cook well in my oven. Do you have suggestions why?
A Virtual Vegan says
Yes, don't cook them in your oven. They should be cooked on the stove top.
Alice says
I made these for first time and they are delicious. This is first time that I've made pancakes on a gas stove and I did not have a stick free pan so I did use a little bit of avocado oil in pan.(I've made very few pancakes at all in my 70 years.) Thanks for tip on temperature adjusting during cooking. I used organic wholewheat flour and substituted a little bit buckwheat flour as I ran low on wholewheat. They were made a little heavier and dense because of this but the flavor was enriched. I served with maple syrup and sliced banana. **** I had an extra so put in frig. I pulled it out and heated in microwave for a few seconds. It needed no topping and was even more delicious. Thank you for such an easy and delicious recipe.
Rachael Hawkins says
They were really good thank you fir such a great recipe so fluffy. I served mine with maple syrup and banana it was delicious.
A Virtual Vegan says
You're welcome Rachael and thank you for leaving feedback. It's much appreciated!
Av says
These came out so perfectly! I’ve tired other egg free pancakes that were completely flat and not good. These were so fluffy and delicious! I love that they are a 1 serving recipe too!
CC says
Wow! I am so pleased with this recipe. I have been looking for vegan pancakes and I am always surprised at how much oil or maple syrup/sweetners the recipes call for. When I made pancakes before being vegan I didn’t used to add sugar/syrup, as you said they are often topped with things that are sweet. This is the perfect recipe! So fluffy, no oil, no syrup or added sweetners, I am so happy! Thank you for sharing. =)