Who doesn't love pancakes for breakfast? These fluffy vegan pancakes are not just delicious, they are actually good for you because they're made with whole wheat and flaxmeal. And they are ready in under 30 minutes. A soy-free, nut-free recipe.

Healthy pancakes may sound like an oxymoron, but they are very possible. Something I proved to you 12 years ago with these quite perfect Vegan Pancakes that just happen to be whole wheat.

Over the years, many of you have made these and some of you have returned to tell me how much you love them. I can't agree more. This is probably the breakfast I make most often in my kitchen, and it really is a foolproof recipe, and one I've hardly changed over the dozens of times I've made these pancakes for family and friends.
I will admit that I have one pancake recipe that tops this one healthwise-- my Blueberry Sourdough Pancakes. I do love those pancakes with a passion for that reason, but there's one problem with anything sourdough: time. With sourdough pancakes, as with sourdough waffles, you need to remember to start your batter the night before. If you don't, there are no shortcuts.
These vegan pancakes taste just as good though. And they are even easier to make. You can put the batter together in under 10 minutes, and after that making them is a breeze.

Tips for the best vegan pancakes
- To make these pancakes, I use whole wheat pastry flour. Whole wheat pastry flour, which is made from a light whole grain, is low in gluten and a perfect substitute for all-purpose flour in most baked goods, other than delicate cakes and breads. At the same time it also adds to the nutritive value of any food it goes in because it contains large amounts of fiber and protein.
- I have had readers tell me that they used regular whole wheat flour in this recipe with great results. You can try that, of course, but my advise, if you are using regular whole wheat flour, would be to mix it half-and-half with unbleached all purpose. That way your pancakes will be soft and tender and fluffy, while still being healthy.
- These vegan pancakes are so tender and fluffy because they are "buttermilk" pancakes -- vegan "buttermilk," that is. And I make that by adding a couple of teaspoons of apple cider vinegar in the nondairy milk and letting it stand for a minute or two before adding it to the other ingredients.
- The "eggs" here are flax eggs, of course, made by adding two tablespoons of flaxmeal to six tablespoons of water. For this recipe you don't have to use separate containers to make the vegan "buttermilk" and the flax eggs. You can throw in the milk and apple cider first, add in the flaxmeal and measure out the water into the same bowl, and continue adding the other wet ingredients.
- When you mix a pancake batter, always mix until the wet and dry ingredients are just mixed together. The batter can be lumpy, that's fine. Don't take a whisk and try to beat everything to smoothness, because that will just beat air into your batter and strengthen the gluten in the wheat, leaving you with dense pancakes. Not good.
- Finally, this is a basic pancake recipe. You can make this as is and serve it with maple syrup and some fruit and everyone will thank you for a fabulous breakfast. But you can also tailor this recipe to your liking:
- Stir in fruit like blueberries or strawberries (leave the blueberries whole and chop the strawberries before adding them to the batter).
- You can also add lemon juice and zest to the batter to make lemony pancakes
- Add cinnamon for a holiday flavor that goes perfectly with cold weather and hot coffee.
- Or add dry ginger for gingerbread pancakes.

Ingredients
- Whole wheat pastry flour (or a mix of regular whole wheat flour and all purpose flour. I really encourage you to try using all whole wheat pastry flour because it gives you tremendous flavor and nutrition).
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Nondairy milk (I used almond): I used oat milk. Almond milk, soy milk, cashew milk are all fine.
- Apple cider vinegar: This helps create a "buttermilk" effect in the pancakes, making them light and fluffy.
- Flaxmeal: Flax adds more heart-healthy fiber and nutrition and is a great replacement for eggs in this recipe.
- Maple syrup: Maple syrup is wonderful here, but any sweetener, including sugar and agave, are fine.
- Pure vanilla extract: For more delicious flavor.
How to make the pancakes
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- In another bowl, add the nondairy milk and apple cider vinegar. Let it stand for a couple of minutes, then add the flaxmeal and water and whisk well. Add the maple syrup and vanilla extract and mix.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix with a spatula or the whisk until everything just comes together. The batter should still be lumpy but you shouldn't have any obvious patches of dry flour.
- Heat a nonstick or cast-iron griddle. Spray with cooking spray or coat lightly with oil. Using a ⅓rd cup measure, scoop up the batter and pour on the hot griddle. Cook until bubbles appear at the top of the pancake and the underside is golden-brown. Flip over and cook the other side until it is lightly browned as well.
- Serve hot with fruit and maple syrup.
What to serve with vegan pancakes
- Pancakes with maple syrup and perhaps some fruit on the side is the perfect breakfast.
- These vegan pancakes would also be delicious with the walnut apricot syrup I shared with my vegan crepes recipe.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, they will be even fluffier with white flour and will taste wonderful.
You can skip the flaxmeal and instead add ¼ cup applesauce or vegan yogurt.
To freeze the pancakes, flash freeze them first by placing them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Once they're frozen, place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. You can freeze the vegan pancakes for up to four months. Thaw and reheat on the griddle or in the microwave before serving.
You can also store leftover pancakes in the fridge for up to four days.
More delicious vegan breakfast recipes
- Vegan Sourdough Blueberry Pancakes
- Vegan Potato Sauerkraut Pancakes
- Savory Black Eyed Peas Sweet Potato Pancakes
- Vegan Double Chocolate Pancakes
- Savory Apple Potato Pancakes with Thyme
- Vegan Waffles


Vegan Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups whole wheat pastry flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups almond milk (or another nondairy milk)
- 2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoon flaxmeal
- 6 tablespoon water
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup (optional)
- 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- In another bowl, add the nondairy milk and apple cider vinegar. Let it stand for a couple of minutes, then add the flaxmeal and water and whisk well. Add the maple syrup and vanilla extract and mix.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix with a spatula or the whisk until everything just comes together. The batter should still be lumpy but you shouldn't have any obvious patches of dry flour.
- Heat a nonstick or cast-iron griddle. Spray with cooking spray or coat lightly with oil. Using a ⅓rd cup measure, scoop up the batter and pour on the hot griddle. Cook until bubbles appear at the top of the pancake and the underside is golden-brown. Flip over and cook the other side until it is lightly browned as well.
- Serve hot with fruit and maple syrup.
Recipe notes
- Pancakes with maple syrup and perhaps some fruit on the side is the perfect breakfast.
- These vegan pancakes would also be delicious with the walnut apricot syrup I shared with my vegan crepes recipe.
- To freeze the pancakes, flash freeze them first by placing them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Once they're frozen, place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. You can freeze the vegan pancakes for up to four months. Thaw and reheat on the griddle or in the microwave before serving.
- You can also store leftover pancakes in the fridge for up to four days.
Amina
These were delicious! I want to make these for my kids on school-day mornings. How long can I store the wet ingredients combined in the fridge? My plan was to whip up the wet and dry ingredients the night before and store them separately to ease the workload in the morning. Do you have any experience with this? Thanks! 🙂
Vaishali
Hi Amina, you can store the wet ingredients in the refrigerator for up to three days, no problem. Mix with dry just before you make the pancakes so the baking soda and powder get activated. So happy you loved the pancakes. 🙂
Michelle
I try new recipes as different health issues arise for family members and was looking for one with no eggs or dairy. This was excellent! I only had whole wheat flour, so I mixed in white flour (can do half-half, but did more ww than white). Worked beautifully!
Vaishali
Hi Michelle, so happy to hear! These taste good even with plain ww flour but they are a bit dense so I recommend mixing them in with apf. Happy they turned out well for you. ❤️
Arne
This is a great recipe. I made it exactly as directed and even the non-vegan members of the family loved it. Thanks!
Vaishali
So happy to hear!
Adrienne
so i made these just now because i was craving for pancakes that arent too dairy or ovrly sweet or buttery and OMG!! my kids and i devoured them!! I added some fresh blueberries and strawberries and my last 4 scoops i added some cinnamon and everyone ate it! Its on my list now!!! Thank you for recipe!!!!!!
Vaishali
So happy you liked them!
Nima
hi Vaishali,
Can i just use whole wheat flour and not use white flour/all purpose flour
Alocasia
These are on the griddle right now. I followed the recipe exactly, but the batter is watery. Any idea what I did wrong? Can I possibly salvage the batter that I haven't cooked yet? Thanks.
Vaishali
Add a bit more flour if the batter is too thin. But don't make it too thick-- a slightly thin batter will help make fluffier pancakes that are not too doughy.
Alocasia
Thanks. As thin as they were, they were delicious.