The best Vegan English Pancakes! Foolproof, quick & easy to make & perfect for dessert or brunch. They are beautifully freckled and so good straight from the pan, served glistening with fresh lemon juice & sugar!
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"We are English and have really missed traditional English pancakes since becoming vegan. We've tried and tested LOADS of different recipes over the years. This recipe is by far the best! We are happy pancake loving people again! Thank you!" - Jessica ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ More reviews →
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I could not let Shrove Tuesday, or Pancake Day as it's more affectionately known, go by without sharing my recipe for traditional Vegan English Pancakes.
I have lots of vegan pancake recipes here on AVV but as a Brit I think it's 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).
Of course I've veganized that recipe and it's just as good (if not better) than the non-vegan version...Beautifully soft, tender and freckled with those characteristic little golden brown spots, and perfect crispy lacey edges!
How Are English Pancakes Different To Crepes & American Pancakes?
English Pancakes are very different to American Pancakes. They are flat (not cakey and fluffy), much bigger and do not use any raising agent.
English pancakes are also different to French crepes. The batter isn't as rich (traditional crepes are made with butter and cream, English pancakes are not), and whilst they are quite thin, they are not as paper-thin as a crepe where a crepe spreader is used to spread the batter paper-thin over the surface of a crepe pan.
Ingredients
Here is exactly what you need to make this recipe along with some notes so you know why we are using each ingredient:
- Flour - This should be white flour. Plain flour in the UK or all-purpose flour in North America.
- Aquafaba - This is the liquid that you find in a can of chickpeas and it is our egg replacer in this recipe. Do not use any other vegan egg replacer as a sub. It will not work in the same way. If you aren't using the chickpeas from the can right away they store fine without any liquid in a sealed container in the fridge for 3 days or the freezer for 3 months. Or make my reader favourite chickpea lentil curry to use them up!
- Baking powder - 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 vegan English pancake recipe 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 in a non-vegan recipe.
- Dairy-free milk - Any plant milk such as cashew milk, soy milk, oat milk, or almond milk will work in this recipe but I recommend trying to use an unsweetened and unflavoured variety if you can.
- Oil - You need some for the pancake batter and some for cooking the pancakes. Any mild neutral oil will do such as vegetable, canola, sunflower, light olive oil, or refined avocado oil.
- Vanilla - This isn't a traditional ingredient in English pancakes but when removing eggs we lose some richness and flavour. A touch of vanilla helps make up for that making these pancakes extra delicious.
- Salt - Just a touch is important for enhancing flavour.
How To Make Vegan English Pancakes
Vegan English Pancakes are really easy to make. Here's how:
- Mix all of the ingredients together to make a thinnish batter then leave it to rest for at least 10 minutes.
- Heat a large non-stick frying pan/ crepe pan over medium high heat and once it's really hot add some oil and brush it around the pan.
- Wait for it to glisten, then 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/flip the pancake over to cook on the other side.
- Remove and repeat.
Watch me cook them so you can get your technique just right:
It is completely normal for the first pancake you cook to be a bit of a flop. Subsequent pancakes will cook much better.
That first pancakes job is to season the pan. It helps the oil to fill the porous parts of the pans surface creating a smooth foundation, and it encourages the heat to distribute evenly across the pans surface.
It is compulsory for the chef to stuff their face with the first flopped pancake while they are cooking the rest of the pancakes ;O)
Flipping Pancakes
To flip or not to flip...that is the question...It's traditional to flip the pancake in the air to turn it over just like I do in my video. I have witnessed far too many pancakes accidents though, so if you're not confident your pancake won't meet its death on the kitchen floor then I recommend using a turner!
I'll let you decide...Just don't blame me if it all goes wrong! 🤭
How To Serve English Pancakes
The traditional (and best) 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 vegan chocolate syrup, berry compote, roasted strawberries or jam spread all over them then rolled up. You could do the same with homemade vegan lemon curd.
You could also fill them with fresh fruit, fruit compote, 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 made a lasagne type dish with them instead of pasta sheets. Use your imagination and have fun!
Storing Leftovers
Layer leftover pancakes up between sheets of parchment paper then slide them into a freezer bag or container. They will keep in the fridge for a couple of days or the freezer for up to 3 months. Simply defrost and reheat in a lightly greased frying pan for a minute or two.
Recipe
Vegan English Pancakes
Author:WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Ingredients
- 210g (1½ cups + 3 tablespoons) all purpose flour , plain flour in the UK
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- 9 tablespoons aquafaba , (liquid from a can of chickpeas)
- 2 tablespoons oil , plus extra for frying (a neutral oil such as mild olive oil, vegetable, canola or sunflower oil)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 420mls (1¾ cups) unsweetened plant milk
INSTRUCTIONS
- Add the flour to a large mixing bowl along with the salt and baking powder. Whisk to combine.
- Add the aquafaba, oil, and vanilla to the bowl, then gradually add the milk whisking as you go to work out any lumps. Once all the milk has been added and the batter is pretty much 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.
- Pour a steady stream of batter into the middle of the pan (enough to coat the bottom of the pan). In my large 10 inch pan I use about ½ a cup. You need to do this very quickly, then lift the pan off the heat and swirl the pan so the batter coats the entire bottom surface of the pan.
- Leave the pancake to cook for between 30 seconds to a minute. When the top is starting to look quite dry 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.Please note that it is completely normal for the first pancake of the batch to be a bit of a flop. It never turns out as well as the rest and often falls apart or sticks a bit. Its job is to season the pan and it is compulsory for the chef to stuff their face with it while they cook the rest of the pancakes ;O)
- Repeat until all of the batter is used adding a little 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 a pile as you cook them so they keep warm until you are all done.
NOTES
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Eva says
Fantastic recipy. I have tried a few other vegan pancake recipies but they never turn out succeful. My friends who aren’t vegan love them too. Its a keeper reciepy plus easy to follow and make. Thank you very much for sharing. Happy pancake day ! X
A Virtual Vegan says
Happy Pancake Day to you too! I'm really pleased you enjoyed them. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave feedback. It's much appreciated!
Lucy says
Tried these for Pancake Day, my first as a vegan so I was anxious about whether they’d be as good as the non-vegan ones I’ve always had. They were absolutely delicious and worked perfectly. So easy to make and cooked very well. Will definitely make these again and will be trying some of your other recipes ☺️??
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you Lucy. I'm really pleased you enjoyed them, and thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment. It's much appreciated!
Linda says
So easy! I made a delicious lunch using the chickpeas and then made pancakes. I thought I would miss out on proper English pancakes now I’m vegan (7 months and feeling great!) but no!! I think my non-vegan husband will love them too. Thanks for this recipe.
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm so pleased you enjoyed them Linda. Thanks so much for stopping by to leave a comment. It's much appreciated!
Erato says
Regarding the flipping thing - a chef friend of mine taught me to practice the move with a piece of dry toast first. I got to where I could flip three fried eggs! (although I don't eat them any more)
A Virtual Vegan says
That's a good idea. It would be pretty hard to get toast stuck to the ceiling (like my mum once did with her pancakes!!) Ha ha!
Colleen says
These are fabulous! My husband couldn't tell they weren't traditional egg pancakes. I did add a little carbonated water to the batter the same as I do for vegan Yorkshire puddings. The pancakes were delicious and very "tossable" too! Thanks for sharing the recipe.
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm so pleased you both enjoyed them Colleen and thanks so much for stopping by to leave feedback. It's much appreciated!
Anna says
Thank you so much for creating and sharing this recipe! Your version of pancakes is also here in Germany the more common one and I’ve been looking for a delicious vegan recipe for ages.
Those pancakes were really delicious and they taste very similar to the original that I know.
Thanks!
Have a nice day! :)
Jorsan says
What purpose does the aquafaba serve? I've made pancakes for years (though non-vegan, sorry) and never used such an ingredient.
A Virtual Vegan says
Aquafaba works as the egg replacement. It is a common ingredient in vegan recipes that would usually use eggs. It works brilliantly in this recipe!
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!