This is the first dairy free pancake recipe that has worked out for me! Tender and fluffy yet didn’t fall apart nor remain uncooked in the middle. I’m super happy with how these turned out! Saving this to use again! I used oat milk for my milk substitute. Delicious!
You’ll never buy pancake mix again.
Six years ago, before we ever moved to France, I had never made pancakes for myself. Not once. I never even considered it. It was something I could get at any restaurant that served breakfast, and I never really liked breakfast that much.
But, somehow, when you can’t have something, you want it even more. So of course, when we were faced with spending several euros for the smallest box of sub-par pancake mix or making some from scratch, I figured it out.
More dairy free breakfast ideas: no milk French toast / asparagus quiche / homemade waffles / tater tot breakfast casserole
Can you make pancakes without milk?
I slightly adapted this recipe – using oil because I didn’t like melting butter, and eventually switching to dairy free milk – and we never looked back. Why would we when it literally takes 2 extra minutes to measure out ingredients instead of paying for pricey pancake mix.
Maybe pancake mix isn’t that pricey, but it’s still something I don’t need to spend money on. Plus, I almost always have all of these ingredients in my pantry.
So anytime we want pancakes, I whip up a batch of this batter, and Marc mans the griddle. He’s really strangely good at making pancakes. I know I’ve told you that before.
More pancake recipes: Bananas foster pancakes / Birthday pancakes / Gluten free pancakes / Cornbread pancakes / Whole wheat pancakes
How do you make dairy free pancakes?
We’ve used all different kinds of milk in the recipe – coconut milk (from the refrigerated section, not the can), almond milk, lactose free milk and regular milk – and it turns out great every time.
They’re the fluffiest with traditional milk, but they are still so fluffy and good no matter what we use. Use whatever you have on hand, and I promise it will still work. If you use flavored or sweetened nut milks, adjust the recipe accordingly.
More dairy free breakfast recipes: Scrambled eggs without milk / Cinnamon apple bread / Asparagus quiche / Zucchini muffins
Tips for making dairy free pancakes:
- Don’t skip the baking powder. I know the recipe seems like an excessive amount, but if you want them to be fluffy, especially without dairy, you need it.
- Use canola oil or other vegetable oils. This is my go-to substitute for melted butter because I always have it on hand.
- Keep the eggs. I know these pancakes could easily be made vegan, but the eggs do wonders for the texture of these pancakes.
- Keep your cooked pancakes warm in the oven (about 200˚F) while you’re making the rest.
Extra Fluffy Dairy Free Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 cup almond or coconut milk*
- 3 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.
- Add milk, canola oil, egg and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth.
- Preheat a non-stick griddle or large skillet to medium heat. (Coat pan with butter or oil if not using non-stick).
- Pour about ⅓ cup batter onto the griddle for each pancake. Allow it to cook until bubbles are visible throughout the pancake before flipping.
- Repeat until all batter has been used.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I just made these this morning and they came out wonderfully! I used cashew milk and some dairy-free chocolate chips. The kids loved them. very fluffy!
Can you freeze these for a later time?
Yes. You definitely can!
How would you reheat them if you were to freeze? Thanks
These pancakes were exactly what my husband and I wanted for breakfast this morning! They were soft, browned perfectly on the griddle, and tasted great! I substituted Oat Milk because that’s what I had, and I just threw everything into my Vitamix blender and mixed it all quickly and easily. We’ll definitely make this again.
These dairy free pancakes actually tasted EXACTLY like their buttermilk counterparts. I used almond milk and canola oil and did not miss the milk or the butter at all! This recipe will definitely become a staple for Sunday brunch. Also, I really appreciate your “skip to recipe” button at the top, since my computer tends to freeze quickly scrolling through a long blog post haha <3 I will definitely be looking around the rest of the blog!!
If I wanted to use wholewheat flour and honey instead of all purpose flour and sugar, what would the quantities be?
I think you would want to use about 1 cup + 2 tablespoons of whole wheat flour and about 1/2 tablespoon of honey.
I’ve been making your recipie for roughly 3 years. My kids love it since they are Dairy Intolerant we cant go out for pancakes. This recipie delivers on all fronts
Thank you for this great recipe! I haven’t made pancakes in years! I used Bob’s Red Mill organic whole wheat pastry flour 1 1/2 cups, almond milk mixed with water to equal 1 1/4 cups, 2 teaspoons Maple syrup instead of sugar, and 1 tablespoon avocado oil. The batter was thick, and it cooked beautifully with part avocado oil and part butter in the skillet. All was perfect! Highly recommend!!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Did you try the whole wheat flour and honey substitute? How did it turn out?
No I haven’t had a chance to try it yet. Sorry!
I tried it with whole wheat flour and they came out great. I used Melissa’s suggestion 1 cup and 2 TBSP. Also I only had extra virgin olive oil and that is what I used. Pancakes came out delicious and fluffy!
I DON’t have any canola oil, but I do have vegetable and olive oils, or a dairy free butter alternative. Would any of these work? I was wondering the measurement for the butter replacement. Looking forward to trying these this week. Thanks 🙂
I would use the vegetable oil because it is the closest substitute in taste and texture! Same measurements. If you use butter replacement, you would want to measure the same amount after you melt it.
Have you used this recipe as a waffle batter before? I’m just curious… we love these pancakes and I would love to try them as a waffle. thanks so much!
No I haven’t had a chance to try them as waffles yet! Sorry. I will try to get around to it soon, but I’m not sure when. If you try it, I’d love to know how they turn out!
Thanks Melissa! We used the recipe for Belgian waffles and classic waffles… and both were great! We absolutely love this recipe!
Awesome! That’s so great to hear. I’ll try it as soon as I can. 🙂
I used homemade soy milk and Swerve sweetener. Made pancakes and mini waffles in the DASH. The kids loved them. So delicious! Mahalo!
Hi! Just wondering if the meaesurement for the baking powder is actually supposed to be tablespoon? Thank you!
Yes! One tablespoon of baking powder. It seems like a lot, but it really makes a big difference in the fluffiness!
Hello! Would oat milk work in this recipe??
Yes, oat milk will absolutely work.
This looks fabulous, and I need to make this for a friend whose little girl who has a dairy allergy: does egg count as ‘dairy free’??
Yes. You can have egg when a recipe is dairy free, but the egg makes it not vegan though!
Unfortunately all I have in the house is butter! Would it still be 3 tablespoons, melted? Thanks!
Yes, definitely!!
Fluffy and delicious! I have made them with ¼ old fashioned oats, adding an extra 1/4 non-dairy milk. So tasty!