Foolproof Vegan English Pancakes. Quick & easy to make & great for dessert or brunch! They are beautifully freckled and so good straight from the pan, served glistening with fresh lemon juice & sugar.
I could not let Shrove Tuesday, or Pancake Day as it’s more affectionately known, go by without sharing a recipe for traditional Vegan English Pancakes.
I have quite a few pancake recipes here on AVV (like my Gingerbread Pancakes and my Vegan Sweet Potato Pancakes), but they are all American style pancakes. Being a Brit I thought it time I shared the pancakes I grew up eating every year, without fail, on Pancake Day and any other day my Sister and I could persuade my Mum to make them.
How are English Pancakes different to crepes and American Pancakes?
English Pancakes are very different to American Pancakes. They are flat, much bigger and do not use any raising agent. Because of this they are thin (but not as paper-thin as a crepe) and they are not cakey in texture like American Pancakes.
Although traditionally English Pancakes do not use raising agent, they do have egg in the batter and eggs provide a little leavening action. That is why in this version I use aquafaba (liquid from a can of chickpeas) and a little bit of baking powder. They both work together to do what eggs would otherwise do.
My Vegan English Pancakes are just as good as their non-vegan counterparts. They are beautifully pliable and soft with crispy lacey edges. Their surface is freckled with little brown spots and they have a subtle vanilla flavour.
How to make Vegan English Pancakes
Vegan English Pancakes are really easy to make. Here’s how:
- Mix everything together to make a thinnish batter then leave it to rest for at least 10 minutes, although longer is fine
- Heat a large fry pan/ crepe pan over a medium/high heat and once it’s really hot add some oil
- Quickly pour in enough batter to cover the whole base of the pan and swirl it around to coat evenly
- Leave for a minute or or so then turn it over and cook on the other side
- Remove and repeat
It’s traditional to flip the pancake in the air to turn it over. I however have had, and witnessed, far too many pancakes accidents so am boring and use a turner in the pan now. In the past I have had many pancakes meet their death on the kitchen floor and my Mum once launched a pancake in mid-air and it stuck to the ceiling 🤣.
To flip or not to flip…that is the question…..I will let you decide. It’s a very personal decision…just don’t blame me if it all goes wrong!
If all goes right though, and they don’t end up on the floor or the ceiling, this is what you have to look forward to 😋
How to serve English Pancakes
The traditional way to serve English Pancakes is with fresh lemon juice and sugar. Sprinkle the sugar all over the pancake, squeeze lemon juice over it, then roll it up and sprinkle a bit more sugar on the outside. I know I’ll get comments all over about the refined flour and the sugar. Unfortunately they aren’t the healthiest thing in the world but they are so good and a great treat every once in a while.
If you don’t want to be quite so traditional there are all sorts of different ways to serve Vegan English Pancakes. My son’s favourite way to eat them is with jam spread all over them then rolled up. You could also fill them with fresh fruit, chocolate spread, banana and chocolate, coconut cream or drizzle them with maple syrup. You can even omit the vanilla from my recipe and use savoury fillings. I’ve even been known to make a lasagne type dish with them instead of pasta sheets. Use your imagination and have fun!
This is why I am loving these Vegan English Pancakes:
- They remind me of my childhood
- Making them is such fun!
- They are super cheap and filling
- You can get creative with fillings and toppings!
- They freeze perfectly (just place a sheet of parchment between each one)
- And they are just as good as English Pancakes made with eggs!
Vegan English Pancakes
Foolproof Vegan English Pancakes. Quick & easy to make & great for dessert or brunch! They are beautifully freckled and so good straight from the pan, served glistening with fresh lemon juice & sugar.
Ingredients
- 210g / 1½ cup all purpose flour , plain flour in the UK
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- 9 tablespoons aquafaba , (liquid from a can of chickpeas)
- 420mls / 1¾ cups milk of choice *
- 2 tablespoons mild olive oil **, plus extra for frying
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Add the flour to a large mixing bowl along with the salt and baking powder. Mix to combine them.
Add the aquafaba, oil and vanilla, then gradually add the milk whisking as you go to work out any lumps (a few little tiny ones won't hurt). Once all the milk has been added and the batter is smooth, set aside and leave to rest for at least 10 minutes. DO NOT use a blender to mix the batter. Over-mixing will affect the texture of the pancakes.
Heat a large non-stick frying pan or crepe pan (mine is 10 inches wide - if you use a smaller one you will get more pancakes, a larger one a few less) over a medium high heat until very hot, then add a drop of oil and swirl it around the pan to coat. The better your pan the less oil you can get away with using.
Pour into the middle of the pan, enough batter to coat the bottom of the pan. I have a large frying pan and needed just less than ½ a cup. You need to do this quickly, then lift the pan off the heat and swirl it so the batter coats the entire bottom of the pan.
Leave the pancake to cook for between 30 seconds to a minute. Turn back a little outside edge to look under and flip or turn it when lots of nice brown spots have appeared. Cook for a further 30 seconds to a minute until that side is spotty too then remove from the pan.
Repeat until all of the batter is used. If your pan isn't a great one like mine you will need to add a tiny drop of oil before cooking each one. I wipe the oil around my pan carefully with a piece of kitchen paper (be sure not to burn your fingers).
You can feed the pancakes to the waiting hoards as you cook them, or you can keep a plate in a very low oven and place each pancake in there as they are cooked so they keep warm until you are all done.
Recipe Notes
*Almond milk has a strong flavour which comes through in the batter so I wouldn't recommend using it in this recipe. I tend to use either soy milk or cashew milk.
**Any other mildly flavoured liquid oil will work. Vegetable, sunflower or canola oil would all be suitable choices. DO NOT use Extra Virgin Olive Oil because the flavour is way too strong.
These Vegan English Pancake freeze very well. Layer them up with a piece of parchment paper between each one and slide them into a freezer bag. Defrost when you need them again and warm each one quickly on each side in a frying pan or in a microwave for a few seconds.
I recommend serving these pancakes quite simply with fresh lemon juice and sugar. They are at their very best like that and it is my favourite way to eat them. My son’s favourite way to eat them is with jam spread all over them then rolled up. You could also fill them with fresh fruit, chocolate spread, banana and chocolate, coconut cream or drizzle them with maple syrup. You can even omit the vanilla from my recipe and use savoury fillings. I’ve even been known to make a lasagne type dish with them instead of pasta sheets. Use your imagination and have fun!
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DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?
If you did, be a ☆ and let me know what you think by rating it and commenting below. Tag me on Instagram too. I am @avirtualvegan and my hashtag is #avirtualvegan
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Ellen says
Just made these. It tastes absolutely fantastic. Being from South Africa I was looking for a South African (English – yours is similar to ours) recipe and not the thick American pancakes and crepes. Been testing out recipes for more than a week now.
I am so happy to have found your website. Here in SA we eat it with sugar and cinnamon, oftentimes adding a tespoon full of black coffee. The lemon is also nice.
Thank you so much, your recipe easily deserves 5 stars.
Ellen Pike
Bloemfontein
South Africa
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you Ellen. I’m so glad you enjoyed them. Sugar and cinnamon sounds lovely. I’ll try that next time I make them!
Elsje Parsons Massyn says
I made your English Pan Cakes today, as Cape Town South Africa is in winter season and it has snowed somewhere on the mountains and of course that calls for snacking on something sweet and warm.
Thanks very much.
I quoted you on Instagram as I posted the pancakes there.
Thanks for your beautiful blog and other sites. Youre a real blessing and a life saver
Elsje Parsons Massyn
Cape Town
South Africa
A Virtual Vegan says
I’m glad you enjoyed them and thank you for sharing your picture on Instagram!
Victoria says
Did anyone try making this awesome-sounding pancake recipe with substituting regular all-purpose wheat flour with Gluten-Free flour? If so, which one and what was your ratio? Miss having pancakes but have reaction to gluten. Thank you in advance.
A Virtual Vegan says
I haven’t tried it and haven’t had any feedback from anyone who has yet. But, I think they would work ok. I plan to test & publish a gluten-free version for pancake day next year. I think the Bob’s Red Mill 1 for 1 flour would work really well, or Dove’s gluten-free in the UK. Maybe even oat flour but the texture could end up a bit off with that. You might need to adjust the liquid quantity a bit when using a different flour. The batter should be like a runny cake batter. Kind of like thick coconut milk. Good luck if you decide to try it!
Sandy says
I make crepes all the time. So i am really excited to try these with no eggs and the lemon and tiny sugar. Will let you know.
Melissa Griffiths says
I love the versatility of these – add any toppings that sound good – and everyone can customize their own!
A Virtual Vegan says
Thanks Melissa! We do that here. All the toppings set out in bowls and me dishing the pancakes out as they are cooked. So fun!
Sue says
Another Brit here. Living in Canada for 52 years but these are still my favourite way to eat pancakes – reminds me of my Grandma. Will definitely be trying these …
A Virtual Vegan says
Beats my 5 years. It’s a wonderful place to live eh? I hope you enjoy them when you get to give them a try!
Deborah Leader says
Can I use flax eggs in place of aquafaba???
A Virtual Vegan says
Aquafaba is a much better option. Taste & texture-wise and for appearance. It will technically work with flax but the pancakes won’t be as good.
Maija says
The Finns also eat pancakes like these… called lettuja. There is also an oven pancake called pannukakku that is similar to Yorkshire pudding, I’m told. I grew up eating both. Being in Canada I always saw those fat/thick pancakes and wanted them! I was grown before I was able to try them. Yuck! If I never have another one I’ll be fine with that! I’m excited to try your recipe. My Mom would spread them with butter and sugar and roll them up. (I’ll try coconut oil or butter and sugar). We’d hover in the kitchen and eat them as fast as they’d come out of the pan! If there were ever leftovers, they’d be buttered and sugared and rolled up… and we’d just take them and eat them out of hand later on. I’m going to make yours as soon as I use another can of beans… We should make EVERY Tuesday a pancake day! Thank you!
A Virtual Vegan says
Hi Maija, It’s really interesting that so many countries have variations of this recipe. We too used to hover next to my Mum as she made the pancakes with plates in hand waiting to grab them right from the pan. There is nothing better! I hope you enjoy them when you get to give them a try!
Gosia says
I love this recipe and need to try it asap! Your English pancakes are so similar to my Polish pancakes 🙂 they also had eggs in it and where thin. Frying technique is also the same. I will love to try them and feel this chilhood bless 🙂 Thank you
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you! How interesting that they are similar to your Polish pancakes. Someone also said there is a Swedish version that is very similar too. I had no idea before now. I guess we all love our pancakes! I hope you enjoy them when you get to try them!
Gosia says
Forgot to mention we eat them usualy just with sugar so lemon sound very intresting 🙂 (especially I’m sour freak 🙂 ). I love to have them with powidla (wikipedia powidła is a zwetschgen stew. Unlike jam or marmalade, and unlike the German Pflaumenmus (plum puree), powidl is prepared without additional sweeteners or gelling agents). BTW love your recipes.
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you! If you love sour flavours you will love them with lemon!
Sarah De la Cruz says
Ooh, these look fabulous! I’ll have to see if I can master the flipping technique!
A Virtual Vegan says
Your boys would love to watch you learn!
Michelle Thompson says
Made these for the first time – they were great! Needed to thin the batter out a little, but that’s the only tweak I made.
Nick says
Thanks for the recipe. I’m a Brit who doesn’t do pancake day/Shrove Tuesday, but I DO love pancakes (with golden syrup…), so really happy. Also used the batter to make deep fried pineapple rings, this evening…wow…
A Virtual Vegan says
Oh now stop it…..I can’t get Golden Syrup here in Canada and used to LOVE it when I lived in England. And pineapple fritters too? I have memories of getting them from the Chinese takeaway years ago and they were covered in golden syrup. Absolutely heaven. I bet homemade are even better. I’m jealous! So glad you enjoyed the pancakes and thank you for stopping by to leave feedback. I much appreciate it!
Christina says
Made this morning – delicious! The aquafaba really helps mimic the eggy/gummy quality of crepes made with eggs. I made them in a cast iron pan. I’m saving this recipe to make again. Thank you!
A Virtual Vegan says
You’re welcome Christina. I’m so glad you enjoyed them. Aquafaba is my favourite ingredient of all time. I still can’t get over how well it works in place of eggs. Thank you so much for stopping by to leave feedback. I really appreciate it!
Cadry says
I don’t know how it happened, but I’d never heard of Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Day until this week! It sounds like I need to make up for lost time with your pancakes. I love that the traditional toppings are a squeeze of lemon juice & sugar. That sounds right up my alley – much more than maple syrup!
A Virtual Vegan says
I don’t know what happened either but you need to get on that pancake day train A.S.A.P!
Dianne says
I didn’t know that English pancakes were different than American pancakes. It may sound weird, but I don’t like cakey pancakes (although I do like cake!). These look like they’d be right up my alley, though!
A Virtual Vegan says
These would be so perfect for you!
Katie Koteen says
Gorgeous photos! I can’t wait to make these — they’re a perfect weekend breakfast.
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you Katie! Hope you enjoy them!
Mary Ellen | VNutrition says
These look so amazing! What a perfect brunch idea!
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you Mary Ellen!
Vikky says
I was sceptical about the chickpea water at first but these were deliscious and so easy to make. And so much like the pancake day pancakes I remember and crave. Didn’t have lemon so used the mystery citrus fruit in our yard – pomelo? with a scattering of crunchy sugar and they were perfect.
A Virtual Vegan says
I’m so glad you enjoyed them Vikky. That chickpea water is magical stuff. You will find it in lots of my recipes because it give such great results. Thank you so much for coming back to leave feedback. It’s much appreciated!
Jenn says
These are gorgeous! And I love how they are served simply with sugar and lemon juice. Sounds so perfect!
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you Jenn!
Beth says
I think its so clever when recipes replace eggs with chickpea water!
Lovely recipe!
Becky Striepe says
Oh wow! I’ve never had an English pancake before, but now I definitely want to try making them!
A Virtual Vegan says
You would love them Becky!
Amy Katz from Veggies Save The Day says
I know these aren’t exactly like crepes, but they remind me so much of them with the lemon and sugar. I’ve never loved American pancakes, but I am so excited to try yours!
A Virtual Vegan says
I unfortunately love all pancakes! Ha ha. Hope you enjoy them!
Sharon says
These are delectable!! The texture is lovely.
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you Sharon. Glad you enjoyed them!
Cheryl says
These look absolutely perfect! I’ve been wondering about using aquafaba in pancakes; you’ve convinced me! Thanks for sharing. 😊
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you. I hope you enjoy them if you give them a try!
Cindi says
I have wondered for years if there was a way to make eggrolls without having to buy egg roll wrappers, and I’m wondering if these would work. I’m going to try them as pasta sheets too. Sounds like a great recipe to have in my back pocket. I love international recipes too. Isn’t the internet great?!
A Virtual Vegan says
The internet is a wonderful thing! I bet they would work as egg roll wrappers minus the vanilla. Great idea!