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.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
OMG… hosted brunch for 7, including two teens, and i had to make a second batch of these pancakes, loved by all. i used vanilla almond milk and threw some dairy-free chocolate chips in some of the pancakes. YUM
We love these pancakes!! Have you ever tried to freeze them?
I haven’t frozen them, but I have reheated leftovers from the fridge. I usually toast the leftover ones in the toaster!
Great pick me up!! It was super easy to make. I was feeling kind of down and these brought my smile back 🙂 Thanks so much!!!
P.S I added a tbsp of Land O’ Lakes Half&Half for smoothness, though I’m sure it would have been fine without.
This recipe worked great with coconut milk at our house. Double the recipe and it feeds 4 kids and 2 adults! I used half melted butter and half olive oil because it was what I had on hand and it worked great. We have omitted the sugar and also replaced it with a bit of maple and both were delicious! The pancake is very fluffy but holds up to syrup. Thanks!
I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk, warmed, then substituted melted salted butter for the oil. Non-dairy milk has lacked depth for me in the past, hence the substitution. These still lacked a good maillard reaction (picture on this web page has much more browning), but the flavor and texture were really nice. For those wondering, the recipe makes 8-9 pancakes, and they seemed to be a bit more filling than traditional pancakes.
We really love this recipe! I make it every weekend and I add a banana to the wet ingredients before I blend it all together! Thanks for these great pancakes!
I’m lactose intolerant and have been trying to learn some quick and easy food recipes this year, and this pancake one is definitely a keeper! The pancakes were delicious and looked exactly like the photo, thank you so much! I’ve also found with other recipes that I have a ton of leftover batter, but after making the pancakes for myself and my brother we had none left. It was the perfect amount.
-Sincerely, a 19-year-old trying to learn how to make nice food.
This recipe is amazing and never fails! Absolutely perfect for my dairy free 6 year old and delicious for everyone else too. It seems like a lot of baking powder but I can’t taste it at all, and it makes them so beautifully fluffy. Thank you!
I added 1.5 tsp of cinnamon and 2 smashed bananas. AMAZING!
Yummy!!!!! Better than normal pancakes!!!!