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 Vegan Banana Pancakes and my Vegan Spelt 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!
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!
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 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 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!
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Recipe
Vegan English Pancakes
Author:Ingredients
- 210g (1½ cups) 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) unsweetened plant milk
- 2 tablespoons oil , plus extra for frying (a neutral oil such as mild olive oil, vegetable, canola or sunflower oil)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
INSTRUCTIONS
- Add the flour to a large mixing bowl along with the salt and baking powder. Whisk to combine them.
- Add the aquafaba, oil and vanilla to the bowl, 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.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. 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. 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.
Maureen says
Great, made these today for Pancake day, my husband said they taste just like pancakes (lol). Thank you for another great recipe
Mandy says
Happy Shrove Tuesday Mel! I made your English pancakes this morning. My British mum used to make these, same,with lemon and sugar!and 😄 I used to make crepes when I was older in Montreal. But I wasn't vegan at that point and had a perfect crepe pan and flipped them like a maniac to great success. Now I have an induction stove and my crepe pan won't work with it😖. I struggled. My first 3 pancakes were a visual disaster. They looked horrible. I think my stove temp was too low and not enough oil using a different smaller frying pan. Also I was impatient! By pancake #4 I had increased the heat to "6", added a tidge more oil and the remaining pancakes were PERFECT! 😅 By this point I had run out of lemons but I had a delicious homemade vegan goat cheese I put inside with a drizzle of fig balsamic and rolled it up. It was reminiscent of the fab cheese blintzes I used to eat years ago in Calgary!!! Yum yum. So thanks! It's my first time using aquafaba too, even though I've heard of it for years. Thank you for inspiring me!
Melanie McDonald says
High heat and plenty of oil is definitely key to success. Glad it all worked out and you enjoyed them. Your filling sounds delicious!
)eannie says
So good! I added blueberries & sliced banana with vegan yogurt, rolled them up & dusted with confectioners sugar. Delicious!!!
Nina says
👏 🇬🇧 😘 hugs from the UK fab recipe… thank you
Michele says
What can you say about this recipe apart from best traditional pancake recipe EVER!
Paula DeCarlo says
I am pretty sure I grew up calling these Swedish pancakes, being of partly Swedish heritage. I have not made them since going gluten free and then dairy free, now plant based. Maybe I will try these
Jessica says
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 x
Melanie McDonald says
I love this! So pleased you're enjoying them Jessica!
Emily says
These turned out perfectly. So simple to make as well! Was a bit worried at how thin the batter was but I shouldn’t have been. So chuffed to have found such a good recipe, will definitely be my go-to for pancakes now :)
Melanie McDonald says
That's awesome Emily. I'm so pleased you enjoyed them!
Sara says
Really truly excellent pancakes. The taste of pancake day personified! Thank you. This is the only recipe you’ll ever need. Absolute perfect with lemon and sugar or vegan-type Nutella spread. Yum!!
Melanie McDonald says
Thanks so much Sara!
Nicola Peach says
This was our first vegan pancake day and these pancakes were excellent! Enjoyed by the whole family even our dog who always has the last one with peanut butter, lemon juice and a tiny bit of sugar!
Thanks for the recipe :)
Melanie McDonald says
Ha ha, your dog sounds as spoiled as mine! So pleased you all enjoyed them!
Carl says
I've made these a few times now as my son has an egg allergy. They are awesome and easily the best vegan pancakes I've made. Just checked the cupboard to see that we have chickpeas, i.e. aquafaba, available, as pancake day is next week - yum! Lemon juice and sugar all the way!
Meg says
Briliant recipe, worked perfectly, thank you so much. 🙏
Jennifer says
Just like the pancakes of my childhood! Great recipe.
Nina says
Any ideas if I need to substitute the flour? Coconut flour or almond flour? My son is not allowed eggs, flour or dairy :-(
Melanie McDonald says
This recipe hasn't been tested with anything other than regular flour. I know from experience that coconut flour or almond flour definitely won't work though. Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free 1 to 1 Baking flour would give you the best chance of them turning out well, but as I haven't tried it myself I can't guarantee how well. You'd be much better off looking for an already vegan and flour-free pancake recipe.
I do have this recipe that uses corn flour: https://avirtualvegan.com/vegan-gluten-free-pancakes/
Jojo says
So easy to make! They also taste just like the traditional pancakes my mother always made me! I'm eating a mostly plant based diet now and I would never miss the eggs. I actually opened the can of chick peas 4 days ago and the aquafaba stayed fresh in the fridge! Thank you!
Nikki says
Amazing! I'm from England and grew up on these but don't make them often as my son has an egg allergy. So happy I found your egg free version. These were beyond delicous and tasted just like i had growing up! Many Thanks!!!
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm really pleased you enjoyed them Nikki and so pleased your son gets to experience them too!
Tamara says
Amaaaazing recipe! This is just like the non vegan pancakes i used to make. I just made this recipe today for pancake day and you simply can’t tell the difference. Thank you!!
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm really pleased you enjoyed them Tamara!
Sian Hurren says
Brilliant recipe, thank you x !
Lauren S says
Apparently "the best pancakes I've ever made" vegan or non-vegan! And I've made alot of pancakes. Perfect recipe, be sure not to overmix the batter as stated. Enjoyed mine with vegan Nutella, lemon and sugar ? x
A Virtual Vegan says
That's awesome! I'm really pleased they were a hit!
Tess says
These were absolutely perfect. The perfect balance of soft, airy and tasty. I've just eaten too many for lunch :) Good job I only make these once a year. Thank you for another great recipe. Not one of your recipes has ever failed on me.
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you so much Tess. I'm really pleased you enjoyed them! I'll be eating way too many of them for dinner tonight!