Easy Vegan Gluten-Free Pancakes that whip up quickly and are super fluffy. They're the perfect breakfast to serve for a lazy weekend breakfast or brunch.
This page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Back when I started experimenting with turning my favourite recipes into plant-based and/or gluten free versions, this recipe for easy vegan gluten free pancakes was one of the first I came up with.
Come to think of it, it may have actually been the first!
This was quite a few years ago and since then, the recipe has not changed at all. I make these pancakes often and they have become one of the most requested things to eat here at breakfast (and sometimes a weekend lunch or weeknight supper...breakfast for dinner is the best, isn't it?)
I took these shots almost 4-months ago but held on to them. If you follow me on Instagram, you would have seen a sneak peek. (BTW, are you following me on Instagram yet? If you don't, come follow and say hi!)
I held on to the shots because I thought, "hmm...this is *just* a pancake recipe. Does the internet really need another pancake recipe?" And the answer is YES. It does. Because these easy vegan gluten free pancakes are special.
They're special because they are everything you would expect a pancake to be, but maybe NOT what you would expect a vegan AND gluten free pancake to be. They are light, fluffy, and they're delicious.
When I serve them, pure maple syrup is a must but if I have some fresh berries on hand, they pair really well together. Sliced bananas are nice too. If you want to make your pancakes extra special, try topping them with some coconut whip. Mmm...
Fun fact: I actually used this pancake recipe as the starting point for my easy vegan gluten free waffles. I tinkered with this recipe a little bit and after a few tries, those waffles came to be! (And by the way, they are also perfection.)
Then, that waffle recipe served as the base for all my other waffle recipes. Funny how developing recipes work! (how many times did I just say recipe? 😉 )
When you find something that works, stick with it. Use it as a base and make small adjustments to suit whatever new thing you're trying to come up with.
Now, on to my next creation...
What kind of flour should be used for this recipe?
I have only tested this recipe with Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free All-Purpose Baking Flour. (the one with the red label you see in that link, NOT the one with the blue label!). You can find it in your grocery store (likely in the natural foods section), your health food store, or you can buy from Amazon.
This flour is a blend of different flours and all gluten-free flour blends cannot always be interchanged easily because they all contain different ingredients and ratios. I have had readers who have used different flours with success, read through the comments below, but I can only speak about the flour I use for this recipe with confidence since I have been using it to make these pancakes for many years and have not had any fails.
And...I know for sure that coconut flour will not work with this recipe.
If you like this easy vegan gluten free pancakes recipe, here are a few others you may like too:
- Vegan Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pancakes
- Vegan Gingerbread Pancakes
- Fluffy Vegan Banana Pancakes (GF)
- Banana Oat Pancakes (Vegan + GF)
- Vegan Gluten Free Lemon Blueberry Waffles
- Easy Vegan Gluten Free Waffles
If you make them, post a pic on Instagram and tag me! I'd love to see your remake. I'm @delightfuladventures over there and my hashtag is #delightfuladventures.
And be sure to check out my other delicious vegan breakfast recipe ideas!
How to Make Easy Vegan Gluten Free Pancakes
Easy Vegan Gluten Free Pancakes
Suggested Equipment:
Ingredients:
- 1 ¾ cup unsweetened dairy-free milk
- 3 tablespoons oil
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup (optional, use only if you prefer a slightly sweeter pancake)
- 2 cups gluten-free flour blend **see important note about flour below**
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions:
- Whisk milk, oil, vanilla, ground flax seeds, and maple syrup (if using) together in a medium-sized bowl, whisking enough to incorporate the flax seeds. Let sit for 5-minutes.
- Heat pan over medium-high heat for at least 2 minutes.
- Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt together in a large bowl.
- Slowly add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing well until incorporated.
- Lightly coat surface of pan with a very small amount of oil. Ladle about ⅓ cup (or less for smaller pancakes) of the pancake mixture into the center your pan, cooking 1 at a time.
- Flip when ready.
- Continue cooking until the batter is done, placing pancakes on a covered oven-safe plate in the oven as they finish to keep them warm.
Recipe Notes:
- This recipe makes 8-10 pancakes, depending on how large or small you make them. Calorie count is for 1 of 8 pancakes without toppings and without the optional maple syrup added to the batter.
- When I make my pancakes, I use a thick, cast-iron pan. I usually turn mine after about a minute and a half, when the edges start to look dry. Some experimentation may be necessary until you get a feel for it. Everyone's griddle/pan will cook differently.
- This recipe will NOT work with coconut flour.
- It's important to know that different gluten-free flour blends use different ingredients and ratios, so results will always vary if you substitute. I have never used any other brand of flour to make this recipe (other than Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour (Amazon link) in the red bag, NOT the blue bag), so please know that your results may not be the same as mine if substitute with another gluten-free flour blend.
- Nutrition info is based on 1 of 8 pancakes, without garnishes or maple syrup, and is only to be used as a rough guide. Click to learn how nutrition info is calculated on this website.
Brenda Bertrand says
What oil did you use?
Gwen Leron says
Hi Brenda, I usually use coconut oil, but any neutral flavoured oil can be used (avocado, safflower, vegetable etc).
Caroline says
Hi Gwen,
This recipe sounds great and I’m hoping to make them for my sister’s birthday this weekend.
I just have a quick question, do you think it will be ok to make the batter ahead of time and leave it in the fridge over night ready to use in the morning?
Thanks very much!
Gwen Leron says
Hi Caroline! Unfortunately, you will not be able to make the batter the night before and use in the morning. The baking powder and baking soda will no longer be active and the pancakes will not rise and be fluffy when you cook them (they'll end up flat and gummy). What you can do to save time is mix all the DRY ingredients together the night before, store in an airtight container and then in the morning, mix the wet ingredients together, add them to the dry and you'll be ready to go. I hope this helps and I hope your sister loves her birthday pancakes 🙂
Susan says
I just found your vegan pancake recipe!! I was happy to see I had all the ingredients and didn’t need anything fancy.
Two questions.......is there a way of replacing the oil. I don’t really like using any type of oil.
And can I freeze cooked pancakes?
Thank you, Susan
Gwen Leron says
Hi Susan! I'm glad you found the recipe! I have not tried making them without the oil, so I'm not 100% certain how they would turn out, but I do think they would be fine if you were to replace the oil with plain unsweetened applesauce. The oil is used for moisture, so the applesauce will replace what it is will be missing. And yes, you can freeze them after you have cooled them off. If you make them, please let me know how it goes 🙂
Samantha says
I’ve done this recipe twice now exactly as it’s listed and my batter just becomes a lumpy congealed mass. What am I doing wrong?
Gwen Leron says
Sorry to hear this, Samantha. What kind of flour are you using?
DCMama4 says
I didn't have Bob's Red Mill or flax but decided to try this with KA All Purpose (which already has baking powder in it so I cut that down significantly). Used whole chia seeds instead of flax. First batch was too runny and took forever to cook so I added 2 tbsp coconut sugar and1 tbsp extra rice flour. Texture of the rest of the batch was perfecy! Thinner but toddler loved it. So hard to find vegan and stuff that tastes great. Thank you!!
Gwen Leron says
You're so welcome! And I'm very glad to hear it worked well with your substitutions. Thanks for taking the time to leave your message 🙂
Emilie says
I used Doves Farm GF plain white flour, and ground chia seeds instead of flaxseed, and the pancakes turned out beautifully! I thought I had said goodbye to pancake breakfast forever but I'm delighted to have found this recipe, thank you!
Gwen Leron says
Hi Emilie! So glad to hear it worked well for you with the Doves Farm GF flour. I hear a lot of good things about that one, we don't have it here in Canada, though. I'm also glad that you did not have to say goodbye to pancakes 🙂 Thanks so much for your note, happy you found and like the recipe.
Stephanie says
Being on a fairly long-term, whole food elimination diet can be rough, and sometimes you just have a craving! This recipe checked all of the boxes for being 'safe' and totally met my craving! I served it with seed butter, coconut flakes and some blueberries and kiwi. Delicious!
Note that I made the recipe exactly as listed - no substitutions.
Gwen Leron says
I had to do an elimination diet years ago, so I totally get it! I'm so happy you were able to fit these pancakes onto your safe list. And happy that you stuck to the recipe as it is written, no chance of disappointment when done that way 🙂 Thanks so much for your note, Stephanie!
LeeAnn G says
My child has wheat & egg allergies. THANK YOU for a delicious recipe! I used the King Arthur GF measure for measure flour as it was all I had on hand. Instead of the flax seed, I used the Follow Your Heart brand of Vegan egg. I used 2 tbsp of the vegan egg mixture without adding any water. The batter was pretty thick, so I added an extra 1/4 C of milk. These pancakes were SO good! They were very fluffy & IMO, better than traditional pancakes. Thanks again!
Gwen Leron says
You're welcome, LeeAnn! I'm glad it worked well with your substitutions. And I'm very happy that you loved the recipe, thanks very much for taking the time to leave me a note, much appreciated 🙂
Lisa says
These are the BEST gf vegan pancakes I've tried to date - by far!
They were fluffier than any pancake I've ever eaten (including g those with gluten) I could easily break them with a fork. And so yummy!!
Thank you!
Gwen Leron says
Oh, yay! I am so flattered by this comment, Lisa! I agree that they rival the fluffiness of any pancake, with or without gluten! Thank you so much for your lovely, note, I appreciate you taking the time to comment 🙂
Leah says
Hello from a land very near Bob’s Red Mill. I always feel proud when someone is using this local label. This is my second time trying this recipe. So many other flour blends for gluten free, vegan pancakes have been an epic fail but this one has worked both times, beautifully. Thank you for taking the time to perfect and post this recipe and thank you for sharing that you use a cast iron skillet. I will be adding that to my wish list, this non-stick skillet is burning my pancakes.
I mistakenly left my comment as a response above.
Gwen Leron says
Hi Leah! I LOVE Bob's Red Mill products and use so many of them! That is so nice that they are local to you. I am glad that the recipe turned out well. And yes, I love using my cast iron skillet since it is naturally non-stick, it does take a little longer because I have to make them one by one, but I don't mind 🙂 On days when I am in a rush, I do sometimes wish I had a griddle so I can make them all at once! Thanks so much for your note!
Kristin says
I have to say that this is the best gluten free vegan pancake recipe I've found...by FAR! Between two families, we have tried EVERYTHING and none of them turned out good, until I found this recipe. I'm so thankful and actually enjoy making pancakes again!! Thank you!
Gwen Leron says
Yay! I am so glad you decided to try yet another recipe after being disappointed so many times, Kristin. And I am so happy that you loved them. Thanks for your note!
Jen says
Added extra vanilla for the kids, otherwise they worked well and were a hit with my fussy toddler.
Gwen says
Wonderful! It's always great when the kids like a new recipe 🙂 Thanks for your note, Jen!
Rita says
Sorry to say, I did not get satisfactory results, even though I used the Bob's Red Mill Red Label flour mix and exactly the ingredients and process you had in your recipe. I didn't have flax seed or maple syrup, so they were left out. My pancakes were gummy. They did not turn a nice brown like yours but stayed pasty looking without a tan. The taste was good, but lacking the 'fluffy' characteristic. They puffed up nicely on the griddle, but in spite of cooking them thoroughly, they flattened out on the plate. Have you any other suggestions for troubleshooting? Since I am not vegan, would adding an egg help the end result?
Gwen says
Hi Rita, I'm very sorry to hear they did not turn out well for you. If you used the Bob's gf flour with the red label (this one), made no substitutions, and followed the directions exactly, then technically, they should have turned out. Omitting the maple syrup and flax should not cause gummy pancakes. The thing that comes to mind is your baking powder. Was it fresh? The baking powder is the ingredient that plays the role of "lifting" the pancakes up to make them fluffy and not gummy. Same for the baking soda. Make sure that both of those ingredients are fresh and not expired, or close to expiring, before trying again. Also be sure that everything is measured correctly. If you do try again, let me know how it goes. I hope this helps, Rita!
Leah says
This is my second time trying this recipe. So many other flour blends for gluten free, vegan pancakes have been an epic fail but this one has worked both times, beautifully. Thank you for taking the time to perfect and post this recipe and thank you for sharing that you use a cast iron skillet. I will be adding that to my wish list.
Tegan says
I used this recipe to get my measurements right, but I used the only flour I could find in my local supermarkets in England- “free- by doves farm” all purpose. I also used chia seeds instead of flaxseeds, but I’m actually pretty happy about that, because it ended up being a thin mixture that made great UK-style thin pancakes, which are more like French crêpes. I’ve been struggling a lot to make good ones that are vegan, so it was a very very happy accident
Gwen says
Hi Tegan! Happy accidents are always nice 🙂 I'm glad it all worked out in the end! We don't have the Doves Farm gf flour here in Canada, but I have heard lots of nice things about it from other readers. Thanks so much for your note 🙂
Rebekah Butler says
Best gluten free pancake recipe EVER! I used Bob's Red Mill, the one made from rice for not chickpea, and added some vinegar for a buttermilk flavor. So delish!
Gwen says
Yay! So happy to hear this, Rebekah! And good to know that the rice based 1 to 1 flour worked well for you. I'll have to try making some buttermilk (I use almond milk + apple cider vinegar) the next time I make them, great idea, that would be delicious! Thanks so much for your note 🙂
Krysta says
I made these and split the batter in half and added chocolate chips to the other half. I also used vegan butter instead of oil. So good thank you! Even my non vegan non gf boyfriend loved them!
Gwen says
Yay! So glad they were a hit and everyone liked them, Krysta! Thanks so much for your note 🙂
Lav says
These were simply perfect!! I halved the recipe to get 6 pancakes for my husband and I. So fluffy, easy to make, and tasty! Thank you for a wonderful recipe!
Gwen says
You are so very welcome, Lav! So happy that you like the pancakes 🙂 Thank you for your note, I appreciate it!
Elissa says
I used Trader Joe’s gluten free all purpose and these were delicious! Thank you!
Gwen says
Hi Elissa! That's great to hear, very happy to know that it worked well with Trader Joe's gf flour. This is one I have not tried yet since we don't have TJ's here in Canada (hopefully we will get them soon!) Thanks for your note 🙂
Jenn says
Finally!!!! These are excellent. I used the Bob's gf 1 to 1 baking flour, has blue on the label. And I was a bit short so used a couple Tbs of king Arthur gf blend. These are the best gf pancakes since we stopped eatitng eggs a couple years ago. That's a lot of sub-par, gooey, weird pancakes we have tried over the years.
Gwen @ Delightful Adventures says
Hi Jenn! I'm so glad to hear that the recipe worked well for you and that you're happy with it. Also glad to hear that the gf flour with the blue label worked well. I heard from another reader not long ago who used it and didn't end up with a good result. So I'm happy to hear that it worked out for you. Maybe it has to do with the other gf blend you combined it with? Not sure, but either way, yay! 🙂 Thanks so much for your message!
Jenn says
Making my second batch now, as I was out of the flour blends and tried some buckwheat pancakes (yuck). I used only the blue label Bob's and so far so good. Next time I want to weigh the flour as I feel I used too much and had to add water a little at a time to get a good consistency. I used a cast iron, grapeseed oil, almond breeze original, and no maple syrup. This batch is ever so slightly gummy, so maybe the 2tbs of king aurthur gf did balance it out, or that one I just tried wasn't cooked long enough/too thick.
Gwen says
Let me know how the next batch turns out, Jenn! I do find that the blue label blend can provide gummy results, so I don't use it for this recipe, but if you make it work, that would be great! 🙂
Deanna says
BEST PANCAKES EVERRRR!!!!! You nailed it! Definitely have to stick to the Bob's Red Mill Flour but that's an easy compromise for pancakes that don't stick to the pan and are the perfect consistency. Thank you for making Sunday morning brunch delicious again!
Gwen says
YAY! I'm so happy you love them, Deanna! 🙂
KG says
Sadly no one in my family liked these. I followed the recipe exactly and used the same flour. The batter was so thick, I had to add more soy milk to get it to the right consistency. But the actual pancake came out gummy, not fluffy :(. I can't figure out what went wrong.
Gwen @ Delightful Adventures says
Sorry to hear they didn't work for you, Kami. Did you follow the recipe exactly as it is written? No substitutions, omissions, and proper measurements? Was your baking powder and baking soda fresh? Any of these things could contribute to gummy pancakes. And you said you used the same flour...I just want to make sure that you used the Bob's Red Mill gluten-free flour with the red label and not the blue label. The flour with the blue label will definitely give you a very thick batter and may even make a gummy pancake. They are two totally different flours with different ingredients, even though they are both gluten-free. I make this recipe regularly and they have never been gummy. If you try again, I hope things go better! If I can help you troubleshoot further, feel free to send me an email 🙂