Breakfast can't get any better if it includes these fluffy, delicious gluten free sweet potato pancakes that also happen to be vegan! These easy-to-make pancakes are spiced perfectly and will fit right in on your brunch or breakfast table.
So....that picture above...
Doesn't it make you want to get up and make these easy vegan sweet potato pancakes RIGHT NOW? That's how I feel when I look at it.
I love pancakes, and so does my family, so I'm always coming up with new variations of my easy vegan gluten free pancakes. Like that recipe, these gluten free sweet potato pancakes are quick to make and just so, SO good. Plus, they're very easy to make, as you'll see below.
How to Make Them
(Note: I’ve outlined the step-by-step here, but find the full recipe, ingredients, and directions at the end of this post.)
First, you'll whisk together all the dry ingredients, then whisk all the wet ingredients together. Next, pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix. After those simple steps, you'll have your batter all ready to go.
I like to use a ladle to add the batter to the pan. I still use a cast iron pan for pancake making (yes, I'm making them one by one!), but use a griddle if you have one. I really need to get one of those to make my pancake cooking process quicker! (I'm eyeing this one!)
Let each pancake cook for a few minutes on each side and when done, you'll have a batch of golden, vegan gluten free sweet potato pancakes ready to be served.
How to Serve
You can top them with whatever you like, but my favourite way is with fresh blueberries and sometimes, if I have them, toasted pecans, like in the pictures. And of course, maple syrup...because what are pancakes without maple syrup?!
Here are some other topping ideas, try all of them to see which one you like best!
Pure maple syrup in highly recommended, to me, pancakes aren't pancakes without it! You can also garnish with fresh berries like I have or you can top with any of the following:
- coconut whipped cream
- blueberry compote
- raspberry sauce
- strawberry jam
- maple caramel sauce
- homemade applesauce
- fresh fruits
- toasted nuts (chopped maple glazed almonds would be nice!)
- almond or peanut butter
- baked cinnamon apple slices
Preparing the Sweet Potato
If you aren't starting out with sweet potatoes that are already cooked, you can make Instant Pot sweet potatoes, or you can roast a few in the oven the day before, cool them off, and refrigerate.
Before adding them to your wet ingredient mixture, you'll need to puree them since sweet potatoes tend to be stringy. You don't want any strings in your pancakes!
You can also use leftover sweet potatoes for this recipe.
Leftover baked sweet potatoes can be used in many ways (like in my vegan sweet potato muffins, sweet potato pudding, or gluten free sweet potato loaf!), so if you have some, make a batch of leftover sweet potato pancakes...your family will thank you and you'll clear up some space in the fridge 🙂
Can Pumpkin or Squash be Used Instead of Sweet Potato?
I get this question often about my vegan sweet potato muffins, so I thought I'd answer this here in case you don't have sweet potato on hand but you need to fix a pancake craving right away 🙂
I have a recipe for vegan gluten free pumpkin pancakes, so if you prefer to use squash, you may want to try that recipe instead of this one.
If you still want to stick with this particular gluten free sweet potato pancake recipe, you can use squash, just be sure that it's roasted and pureed well.
These pancakes are not overly sweet on their own, so if you prefer sweeter pancakes, you may want to add an extra tablespoon of maple syrup to the batter (in addition to the two already called for).
The sweet potatoes are naturally sweet and add a bit of sweetness, but with squash you won't get that.
Are They Fluffy On the Inside?
You may think that because they're vegan AND gluten free that it's impossible for them to be fluffy. But, as you can see from the picture above, that's not the case.
Despite being egg free, dairy free, and gluten free, they're indeed, very fluffy. Just like pancakes should be.
Can This Batter Be Used to Make Waffles Instead?
I have not tried that with this batter, but if you do want sweet potato waffles, I have a separate recipe for those that you can find here.
If you make these pancakes, let me know in the comments below or post a pic to Instagram and tag me!
You can also help me to help others find this vegan gluten free pancake recipe by pinning it to your recipe board on Pinterest! You can do that by clicking here.
If you like this recipe, you may also like these other pancakes:
- Vegan Banana Pancakes
- Vegan Buckwheat Pancakes
- Banana Oat Pancakes
- Vegan Eggnog Pancakes
- Vegan Gingerbread Pancakes
- Easy Vegan Gluten Free Pancakes
- Vegan Blueberry Pancakes
And if you like vegan gluten free waffles for breakfast, I have recipes for those, too!
Gluten Free Sweet Potato Pancakes
Suggested Equipment:
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cup unsweetened dairy-free milk
- ½ cup pureed sweet potato
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil (any neutral flavoured oil will work)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 2 cups gluten-free flour blend *see important note about flour below*
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions:
- Whisk milk, sweet potato puree, oil, vanilla, ground flax seeds, and maple syrup 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, nutmeg, 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.
- Turn 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:
- Please read all of the helpful tips and info above before making this recipe.
- 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.
- Be sure that your baking powder is fresh or it will not get the lift they need while cooking to become fluffy inside. Click here to learn how to test your baking powder for freshness.
- This recipe will NOT work with coconut flour.
- Be sure to puree your sweet potatoes in a food processor or with a stick blender so there is no stringiness and the sweet potato is perfectly smooth.
- This recipe makes 8-10 pancakes, depending on how large or small you make them.
- 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. See images above.
- Nutrition info is based on 1 of 8 pancakes without syrup and toppings. Nutrition info is only to be used as a rough guide. Click to learn how nutrition info is calculated on this website.
Ron says
Can the batter be saved in the fridge? And if so for how long?
Gwen Leron says
Hi Ron, no, unfortunately, the batter will not hold up when made in advance because the baking powder and baking soda will become inactive and your pancakes will end up flat and gummy. What you can do is semi-prepare by combining all the dry ingredients the night before and storing them in an airtight container. In the morning, mix the wet ingredients together, add them to the dry ingredients and you’ll be all set. I hope this helps, let me know if you have any further questions.
Ron says
Thank you.
Great recipe. I usually cook the whole batch so alls good.
Gwen Leron says
I'm glad you're enjoying the recipe, Ron!
Alice K. Campbell says
Are flax seeds mandatory for the recipe?
Gwen Leron says
Hi Alice, yes, for the best possible results, the flax seeds are needed. If you can't have flax seeds, chia seeds will work well as a replacement. Let me know how things go!