These vegan lemon pancakes are intensely lemony with a hint of sweet vanilla. They taste like lemon cake! Lemon zest and juice infuse lots of bright citrus flavor, while vegan yogurt makes them soft and fluffy and tender with a hint of crispiness on the outside. Serve with maple syrup or vegan lemon curd.
Table of Contents
If you love pancakes you know you can't have enough pancake recipes in your recipe box. Here's a great one to add to that collection: these gorgeous vegan lemon pancakes packed with oodles of fresh citrus flavor.
These pancakes are lightly crispy on the outside and soft and melt-in-the-mouth tender on the inside. I add some maple syrup to the batter so the pancakes are slightly sweet and you can eat them without any trimmings. I also like adding a bit of vegan yogurt to the batter, which makes the pancakes tender and more fluffy. Yum.
Like all pancake recipes I share with you on this blog, including these classic vegan pancakes, vegan pumpkin pancakes and vegan oatmeal pancakes, these vegan lemon pancakes are wholegrain (although you can make them with all-purpose flour - they'll be just as delicious!).
It doesn't take much more time to mix these up with pantry ingredients than it would to get a pancake mix out of a box. In fact, the batter comes together in one bowl in under 10 minutes. You can make the pancakes oil-free by using a non-stick skillet or cooking spray. There are 10 grams of protein and five grams of dietary fiber in each serving of three pancakes.
Recipe card
Vegan Lemon Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups whole wheat pastry flour (or unbleached all-purpose flour)
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt (optional)
- zest and juice of two lemons (juice will be around ⅓rd of a cup)
- 1 ½ cups nondairy milk (I used oat milk but any nondairy milk is fine)
- ½ cup vegan yogurt
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup (optional)
- 2 tablespoon avocado oil or any neutral oil (or cooking spray to coat the griddle)
Instructions
- Whisk the dry ingredients in a large bowl--the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
- Stir in the lemon zest.
- Add the lemon juice, nondairy milk, yogurt, vanilla and maple syrup to the bowl. Mix until thoroughly incorporated but don't overmix. Some lumps in the batter are fine but there should be no dry streaks of flour.
- Coat a skillet lightly with vegetable oil or cooking spray. When it's hot, pour out the pancakes using a ¼th cup measure. These pancakes spread easily but use the bottom of the cup or a ladle to help guide the shape if necessary.
- Cook until bubbles appear in the center and the sides are slightly dry. Lift a corner gently with a spatula and if the pancake is golden-brown underneath, flip over and cook the other side for another minute or so.
Notes
- For lemon poppy seed pancakes, stir in a tablespoon of poppy seeds into the batter.
- For lemon blueberry pancakes, stir in a cup of blueberries into the batter.
- If you are making these for someone who loves chocolate, stir in half a cup of chocolate chips into the batter.
- Storing and freezing: Make all the pancakes and store them in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat in the oven or on a skillet before serving. For storing longer, flash freeze the pancakes by placing them side by side on a baking sheet and placing them in the freezer. Once the pancakes are frozen place them in a freezer safe container or bag and freeze for up to three months. Thaw and reheat in oven or skillet before serving.
Nutrition Information
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How to make vegan lemon pancakes
- Place the dry ingredients--flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder--in a bowl. Stir in the lemon zest.
- Dump all the wet ingredients in the bowl and whisk or mix with a spatula until everything is incorporated. Make sure you scrape the bottom of the bowl thoroughly to ensure no dry flour remains, but don't overmix. Some lumps are fine.
- Use a ¼th cup measure to pour out pancakes on a hot skillet coated with oil or vegetable spray. When bubbles appear closer to the center and the sides appear dry, flip and cook the other side for another minute or so.
- Serve hot with maple syrup or vegan lemon curd.
Variations
- For lemon poppy seed pancakes, stir in a tablespoon of poppy seeds into the batter.
- For lemon blueberry pancakes, stir in a cup of blueberries into the batter.
- If you are making these for someone who loves chocolate, stir in half a cup of chocolate chips into the batter.
Sara says
Hi Vaishali, made these this morning--they were so easy and fast and my kids loved them. They were gone in minutes wish I had made a double batch.
Vaishali says
So happy you made these! Thanks for letting me know.
Caity Sue says
What kind of yogurt? Plain? Flavored? The recipe didn't specify....
Vaishali says
Hi Caity Sue, always use plain yogurt unless specified. Although if you used a vanilla yogurt in this recipe it would be fine.
Karen says
I treated myself to these pancakes today. Didn't have the ww pastry flour but whole wheat flour was fine. Omitted the salt. Eating the pancakes plain was uninspiring but once I put maple syrup on it, I fell in love with them. Nice recipe, Vaishali!🙏💐
superfitbabe says
I'm in love--these sound so good!
Mints! says
I tried these today but used Quinoa flour instead of Soy flour. Very tasty. Thank you!
Tom Aarons says
Hi Vaishali. Sorry to slip this in on your blog and several pages back at that. I just thought you might like a direct respons re vegan replacements for the egg custard in my custard pumpkin dish. I'm not entirely sure, but I'm thinking maybe you could steam and cool the pumpkin or squash first and then add a coconut milk, sugar and agar agar jelly. It would be different from a custard (firmer and denser for a start), but should still make a wonderful dessert.
Kitchen Flavours says
That looks gr8 and sounds healthy
Shreya says
Hi, these are so new to me. Looks lovely. Amazing flavours. I have something for you at my blog.
Nidhi says
Pancakes look very yummy!
I guess that is what expereince and confidence does...one becomes more open to experimenting with ingredients.
Aparna says
These are a great idea and the lemony flavour sounds interesting.
Many of my recipes which have become regulars at our table came up from putting whatever was in my cupboard, too.
If you're interested, you cpuld send this into JFI at Monsoon Spice, perhaps?
notyet100 says
this looks yum,.nice click too,..;-)
kmouse says
These look amazing (as does all your foods)! I've added you to my blog list. 🙂
Kim
Cham says
Lemon extract in pancake, that is sure for me 🙂 Great with blueberry, oh ur doggies love those pancakes, they re adorable 🙂
Cinnamon says
Pancakes look great.... and that too with blueberries.. its sounds interesting!
Lavi says
i started to drool, when u said, corn kernels in each bite...
Really a healthy breakfast!
bee says
this is great. i avoid pancakes 'cos most recipe have 1 tablespoon of baking powder in them. using sourdough may help to eliminate the leavening agent altogether.
Rachel says
I am not surprised by your fav breakfast being pancakes.and .blueberries get me craving for it!!!
Medhaa says
Love these, will try out soon and like you will just do with whats at home.
arundati says
i too am a "lets see what i can do with what i have on hand" kind of gal....and mostly i am quite delighted by the turn out!! pancakes look great...loved the critter under the curtain...has the markings of a fine tortoise shell!!