These fluffy gluten-free vegan pancakes are incredibly healthy too! They are made with a mix of four gluten-free flours and have the most perfect crispy, tender texture. Serve with a glug of maple syrup for a nourishing vegan breakfast or brunch that everyone in the family can enjoy.
Pancakes are my favorite breakfast and I have shared with you so many recipes I adore, like these scrummy vegan pancakes made with whole wheat flour (they are truly the best!), these amazing vegan sourdough pancakes and these adorable vegan sheet pan pancakes, to name just three.
Also on that list is this vegan gluten-free pancake recipe. Although I am not gluten-free and neither is anyone else in my family, we can never have enough of these pancakes (and these vegan gluten-free coconut flour pancakes!).
They are deliciously puffy and light with a crispy and tender texture. And I love them especially because they are very, very healthy. That's because I mix four different flours to make them.
One of the big problems I have with some store-bought gluten-free flour blends is the amount of starch in them and the presence of gums, like xanthan gum, when you don't really need them. I think the gums and starch also tend to make the pancakes (and waffles) gummy. So although I do use them occasionally (like in this gluten-free sourdough pancake recipe), I do prefer using my wholesome, homemade mix of flours when I can.
These vegan gluten-free pancakes are very customizable. I'll share with you tips to make these with a gf all purpose flour if that's what you want to use, and to replace some of the other ingredients if you don't have them, as well as some useful troubleshooting tips to ensure your pancakes turn out perfectly each time you make them.
Why you will love these pancakes
- Absolutely delicious. You don't have to be gluten-free to eat these pancakes or fall in love with them. They have the perfect flavor and texture and the applesauce makes them slightly sweet, so you can even skip the maple syrup if you want to.
- Healthy. The mix of healthy, gluten-free flours makes these really nutritious and loads the pancakes with fiber, protein and nutrients.
- Easy, one-bowl recipe. You can dump all ingredients in a bowl for the pancake batter and mix. Prep can't get any simpler. There's no need to make flax eggs first or separately mix vinegar with milk.
- Soy-free, nut-free, gluten-free and vegan. Everyone in your family or circle of friends can eat these gluten-free pancakes, regardless of their dietary preferences.
Ingredients
See recipe card below for exact quantities of each ingredient.
- Gluten-free flours: sorghum flour, brown rice flour (white rice flour works too!), stone ground cornmeal and oat flour. You can skip the cornmeal if you don't want to use it and use more sorghum and brown rice flours. See FAQs below for more substitutions.
- Leavening: baking soda and baking powder
- Flaxseed meal. This is just ground flax seeds.
- Ground cinnamon (optional). I like adding it in for a nice flavor.
- Applesauce. Applesauce adds more flavor and keeps the pancakes really tender.
- Vegan yogurt. I love vegan yogurt in this pancake recipe because it adds more flavor, protein and deliciousness. But if you don't want to use it, use more milk and add a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar along with the wet ingredients. Use a nut-free yogurt or milk if nut-free.
- Non-dairy milk. I used oat milk, but any dairy-free milk of your choice will work here.
- Pure vanilla extract
How to make gluten-free vegan pancakes
Place all four flours in a large mixing bowl.
Add the salt, cinnamon and flaxseed meal.
Whisk the flours and other dry ingredients together with a whisk or fork.
Dump in the wet ingredients--applesauce, yogurt, non-dairy milk and pure vanilla extract.
Use a spatula to mix into a batter with no dry flour. The batter will be thick.
Heat a cast-iron griddle or a non-stick griddle or skillet over medium-high heat. Scoop out the batter into pancakes (I used a ¼-cup measure).
Wait for the pancakes to get really puffy and for the edges to dry out, about two minutes. The bottoms of the pancakes should be a deep golden-brown.
Carefully flip the pancakes and continue cooking for another minute or so.
Recipe FAQs and Troubleshooting Tips
The gluten-free pancakes don't have any gluten to act as a binder, so they need enough time on the skillet to set up. If you try flipping the pancakes too early, before they have had time to set, they can break. Make sure the pancakes are very puffy and the edges are dry with a strong golden-brown hue before you carefully flip them. Also don't make the pancakes too big--I use a ¼ cup measure to scoop out the batter for pancakes that are about 3 ½ inches in diameter. Flipping smaller pancakes is far easier.
Yes, you can skip the cornmeal or the oat flour if you don't want to use them and just use more of the rice and sorghum flours. Don't use too much cornmeal by itself because it has a coarse texture and you need the finer-textured flour to help the pancakes hold together. You can also add almond flour instead of cornmeal.
Yes, certainly. Replace all flours with 2 cups of the gluten-free all-purpose flour.
You can skip the yogurt and add ½ cup more of non-dairy milk with a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice mixed in it to make a vegan buttermilk.
Yes! Four pancakes have 498 calories, 15 grams of protein and 9 grams of fiber. They make a very filling, satisfying and healthy breakfast.
Make-ahead tip
- You can make a large batch of gluten-free pancake mix by whisking together the flours with flax meal and salt (use the servings slider to scale out the recipe). When hungry for pancakes, measure out two cups and add in the wet ingredients.
Topping suggestions
- A pat of vegan butter and maple syrup.
- Fruit like bananas, blueberries or fresh berries. Peaches and apricots are lovely with these pancakes as well.
- Vegan whipped cream
- Chocolate chips or rainbow sprinkles (if serving to kids).
- Peach jam, raspberry jam, banana jam or rhubarb jam.
- A dusting of powdered sugar.
Storage instructions
- Refrigerate: Store pancakes in the fridge in an airtight container for up to four days.
- Freeze: Flash-freeze the pancakes by placing them on a baking sheet in the freezer. Then store in a freezer-safe container or freezer-safe bags for up to four months.
- Reheat: Reheat pancakes on a griddle or in a toaster oven until heated through.
More vegan pancake recipes
If you love these multigrain gluten-free vegan pancakes, be sure to check out more gluten-free vegan recipes on Holy Cow Vegan!
Multigrain Gluten-Free Vegan Pancakes
Equipment
- Non-stick griddle or cast-iron griddle or skillet
Ingredients
- ½ cup brown rice flour (or any rice flour)
- ½ cup sorghum flour
- ½ cup oat flour (be sure to buy one that is labeled gluten-free or make your own by milling rolled oats)
- ½ cup stone ground cornmeal
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional, but very nice)
- 2 tablespoon flax meal
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup non-dairy milk (I used oat milk. Use any milk of choice, including almond milk, soy milk or cashew milk)
- ½ cup vegan yogurt
- ½ cup applesauce
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Place all four flours in a bowl. Add the salt, cinnamon and flaxmeal. Whisk together.
- Dump in the wet ingredients--applesauce, yogurt, non-dairy milk and pure vanilla extract. Use a spatula to mix into a batter with no dry flour visible. The batter will be thick but pourable.
- Heat a cast-iron griddle or a non-stick griddle or skillet over medium-high heat. Scoop out the batter into pancakes (I used a ¼-cup measure).
- Wait for the pancakes to get really puffy and for the edges to dry out, about two minutes. The bottoms of the pancakes should be a deep golden-brown. Turn heat down if the griddle gets too hot and the pancakes start burning before they are cooked.
- Carefully flip the pancakes and continue cooking for another minute or so.
- Serve hot!
Recipe notes
- The gluten-free pancakes don't have any gluten to act as a binder, so they need enough time on the skillet to set up. If you try flipping the pancakes too early, before they have had time to set, they can break. Make sure the pancakes are very puffy and the edges are dry with a strong golden-brown hue before you carefully flip them. Also don't make the pancakes too big--I use a ¼ cup measure to scoop out the batter for pancakes that are about 3 ½ inches in diameter. You can make them even smaller if you are a new cook. Flipping smaller pancakes is far easier.
- If using a store-bought gf flour, replace all flours with 2 cups of the gluten-free all-purpose flour.
- Refrigerate: Store pancakes in the fridge in an airtight container for up to four days.
- Freeze: Flash-freeze the pancakes by placing them on a baking sheet in the freezer. Then store in a freezer-safe container or freezer-safe bags for up to four months.
- Reheat: Reheat pancakes on a griddle or in a toaster oven until heated through.
Nisha Ramani
Thanks for this awesome recipe tweaked it a little added some jaggery for sweetness.
Vaishali
Awesome!
Tom
I’m a bit late, finding you in 2018. Not sure if this blog is still managed. But, I like the look of the recipes, so far.
Question: what is the purpose of the balsamic vinegar in this recipe? Is there a non vinegar substitute?
Vaishali
You can use something else that's acidic, like lemon juice. It combines with baking soda to give lift and lightness.
Therese Morris
Could I use a bit more baking powder (like say 2 tsp) and omit the baking soda and vinegar?
Vaishali
Yes that's fine. Your pancakes could be a little less tender though.
Anusha
Hi,
I have a ton of rye flour to be used up. Will it work in this recipe along with brown rice flour and finger millet flour ?
Thanks,
Anusha
Vaishali
Yes, I should think so!
CarbTFU
Thanks for the recipe
Anardana
Hi there, long time reader of your blog- love it!
Vaishali Honawar
Alison, oats do not have gluten. Some oat flours can be contaminated with gluten while processing, but you can find oat flour that is specifically marked gluten-free. I have mentioned this before in other recipes, but to clarify I will add an explanation to this one too.
Alison Jose
Hi not sure if ive missed something but this recipe includes oat flour which has gluten? Its really important that u dont say its gluten free if u include oat flour as oats have gluten - am researching for adhd boy & this would have bad results if parents dont realise plus coeliacs so tag should be removed to be safe. Cheers alison
Swati Sapna
The pancakes look fantastic! I have often made pancakes with a mix of wheat flour (aata) and maize flour (makai ka atta), and with jaggery instead of sugar. the final result has never disappointed me 🙂
Vanessa M
I'm not a vegan...but can I just say these pancakes were DELICIOUS!!!!!!! I mean seriously, where have these pancakes been all my life??? I came across your blog after 2 things happened. 1. I had these delicious pancakes at IHOP that were whole grain with walnuts mixed into the batter with a blueberry compote on top. I have a friend who is vegan and gluten-free and he was really interested in the pancakes I had eaten but knew they definitely weren't vegan or gluten-free. I did a google search and this came up. I made some minor tweaks to the recipe but overall kept it the same. I added 1/8 cup of brown sugar--which he said he approved (I know there's a debate over this) and 1/2-3/4 cup (I sort of eye-balled it) of walnuts. They were HEAVEN!!! I think this batter (with some tweaking) would make an excellent vegan/gluten-free whole grain and blueberry muffin too! I think I'll try that next 🙂
Thanks for the recipe!!
Vaishali Honawar
Vanessa, so happy you liked the pancakes-- the brown sugar in it must be delicious. Thanks for the feedback.
Melina
I am currently on a diet- have been for 7 months. I've been a bad vegetarian for 15 years, eating mainly pastas and baked goods and eating A LOT. So I put on a lot of weight. Now I'm being a good vegetarian who doesn't eat eggs or milk (still eat some cheese) so I'm embracing the vegan recipes. You CAN lose the weight. I just count my calories (I use an app for that, which gives me a daily breakdown of what I've consumed in calories, fat grams, carbs, protein, sugar, etc) and I exercise. It's very slow- just 1 kilo a month- but I'm maintaining my almost-vegan life style and in fact, eating better than ever. Here's the truth: the older we get, the less it seems we can eat, and this has nothing to do with being a vegan or not. Exercise is a great way to burn some of this off while allowing yourself to eat a little more. If you don't like feeling like you have to track your food every day, just do it for a week or so to get an idea of what needs changing. good luck 🙂
archana
Hi Vishali, Am a lurker for over 2 years now. Love your american take on Indian recipes. I just started milk alternatives. Almond milk tastes horrible in hot beverages. But in a cold coffee, tastes decadent. Mix coffee granules in 2 tbs hot water with the sweetener of choice (helps dissolve the granules better). Then in a blender , add cold almond milk and coffee. If your are in the mood, add a drop of vanilla and some caramel for a yummmmy cold coffee.
Anonymous
Hi Vaishali,
Did you try oat milk or any other option?
Thanks
Vaishali
I haven't tried oat milk, but I believe it's a good option. It would be rather thin for my taste.
I did try the So Delicious coconut creamer for my coffee at Krupa's suggestion, and I love it! It has no coconutty flavor, which I wouldn't want in my tea or coffee, and it is only 10 calories per tbsp which is great.
DonnaD
Thank You for your honesty!!!! I am dealing with the same issues and just recently added more greens to my diet.Oh yea and the exercise is the big one for me too! I use to walk my dog for 30-45min, now he is older and can only gofor 15-20. I feel much less bloated when I am off gluten. Thanks again for your great website!
DonnaD
Thanks for your honesty!!! I know the feeling and am right there with you! MORE GREENS!!
in2insight
Thank you for sharing that story, and awesome looking pancakes.
I have found that Oat milk works wonders in both coffee and tea. I buy the organic plain one.
Healthy is the goal, the body shape is mostly pre-destined.
Vaishali
Sounds awesome!
Anonymous
Love your blog. Its one of the most dependable blogs for recipes on the internet. Thanks.
Just wanted to share an experience with you.I have type 1 diabetes which is an autoimmune disorder and I always struggle with the right mix of carbs and protein to balance my sugars. I am like Desi...a vegan at home.. A few months ago I decided to reduce grains in my diet and in the evenings ate baked tofu with a salad every alternate day. And i was buying the best and the most expensive tofu from a specific farmers market. Within 15 days i started noticing my tummy swell up and one night my abdomen hurt so bad my husband had to rush me to the ER. Thats where we realized I had 2 ovarian cysts one of which burst along with an uterine lining of a 4 month pregnant woman !!! I had a tough tough time dealing with the pain and the healing. My endocrinologist on my next visit asked me..."what was it that must ve increased your estrogen as much ?" .. Thats when it all came together for me. It was the tofu that i had suddenly started eating. I am soy free right now and i intend to do my best to stay that way.
Vaishali
Wow, that's a scary story! Your experience sounds rare, but it is not hard to imagine that most of us suffer some ill effects from excessive soy intake.I've always been an avid label-reader, but it's amazing to find how many foods it's hidden in.Thanks for sharing your story with us, and for your kind words about the blog. I am happy you've enjoyed it.
Krupa
That's scary indeed. I never knew soy could be that dangerous. I guess that's another ingredient to watch for when reading the labels. Doing the right / ethical thing is never easy I guess. 🙂
Krupa
Vaishali, you might already know this, but thought of sending it anyways. There's a veg/vegan fest in Baltimore this weekend. I am excited about it, have being waiting for a while.
Here are the details :
If you can spread the word to your readers, that will be great. Might be beneficial to someone like me who is new to veganism.
Vaishali
Krupa, nice to know. Didn't know you were in our area-- love Baltimore with all my heart! And one of my favorite writers -- Poe-- is buried there.
Krupa
Almost in your area. I am in Philadelphia actually and a big time foodie. I missed the Philly food fest so looking forward to the Baltimore one. Two hours drive but I am sure it's worth it. Hopefully see you there.
Krupa
Hi Vaishali,
I forgot to mention, I have the same weight loss problem. I have always being a vegetarian. Being a vegan since two months. I lost weight initially, but now I either maintain or gain. I workout religiously..morning HIIT and evening around one hour cardio. I track my calories in MyFitnessPal and weight watchers ( phew!!) and I do not eat and junk food. My soy intake is restricted to only 1/3 cup a day for my tea. Tofu once a week. Probiotics everyday, healthy oils, all green veggie juice. I wonder if I stop doing workouts and don't watch what I eat, how much heavier will I get :-/
It's frustrating but I wish there was an answer. If you have any success please do share.
Vaishali
Krupa, you sound truly motivated. Bravo! I will be sure to share my successes as they happen. 🙂
Monique Cummings
Get rid of the oil! At 120 calories a teaspoon, it will make you gain weight fast, and it's processed, which means it doesn't have to be broken down--it turns straight to fat. Eat healthy whole fats like avocado, nuts, and olives, in limited quantities of course of you're trying to lose weight.
Anonymous
What a surprise to read your post Vaishali - I have been Vegan for about 7 months, and initially lost some weight, but have sat at the same for months now - way overweight but cannot shift it. I too am an ethical Vegan so going back to lacto/ovo is not an option. I'm glad to read I am not alone, because I always felt uncomfortable telling people I am Vegan for the simple fact that I am sure they look at my weight and wonder what the heck I must be eating! Thanks for being so honest. I think we all just eat too much food and not exercise enough, plain and simple. Must get myself in hand. Regards, MAB (Australia)
Vaishali
Thanks for your candor too, MAB. As a vegan, and as someone who worked in a largely vegan workplace full of ultra-thin people, I would often find myself feeling bad about my weight gain. But like I said in the post, many of these vegans had terrible eating habits-- some were practically starving themselves. I'd rather enjoy my food and be a little overweight-- and healthy.
Vaishali
Hi Nupur, thanks for sharing your story and I love that tip about exercising after every meal-- I must confess that many are the days when I gobble down dinner and plunk into a couch to watch some TV before bed.
I agree that moderation is the best approach and I felt that way about soy too, but over time I have changed my mind because of the effect soy can have on your hormones and also on sluggish thyroids, like mine. I certainly can't imagine life without wheat.
Nupur
I was forced to take a look at my diet when I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes a couple of years ago. I "ate like a diabetic", mixing carbs, fats and protein in every meal and snack, keeping portion sizes moderate, and (most importantly), exercising after EVERY meal. By taking a 10-15 minute brisk walk, that's all. Just these fairly small changes and I was amazed at how quickly I lost the excess fat and how well my blood sugar was controlled.
In my case, I KNOW that I eat too much, just out of habit and because something tastes good, and I KNOW I don't exercise enough. Bad habits die hard 🙂
For what it's worth, my personal take on wheat and soy is that like all other foods, they're just fine in moderation for those of us who don't have true allergies to them.
Sarah
I had a very similar experience going vegan and slowly gaining weight even with a healthy diet. I was even tracking my calories, and I am an avid, consistent exerciser! I am always happy to see people talk about both the challenges and successes. It can be really isolating to be a vegan who gains weight, as you point out, so thanks for talking about it.
Vaishali
Thanks, Sarah, for sharing.
Artsy-Craftsy Ivy
Vaishali, thanks for posting this. First, the recipe looks great! And second, I am going through the SAME thing. I know, like Karen above, that I need to cut out the crap and exercise. I also need to eat more raw vegetables. Anyway, looking forward to reading more from you about this!
~ Ivy
Vaishali
Thanks, Ivy. I think there are more of us in this boat than we know, and it's good to hear from people who are going through the same dilemma.
divya
looks awesome n yummy...
Karen's Vegan Kitchen
So glad I'm not the only one who feels fat. I'm also thankful that you're not going to do something crazy like start eating eggs & chicken and drinking milk "for the protein." I know that if I just get off my butt and exercise more and cut out all the delicious vegan cookies and snacks during the week, that should be a huge help in reaching a more desirable weight. In the meantime, your hot cakes look so yummy with the different flours. I'll have to make it real soon. Thanks for sharing!
Vaishali
Karen, you are definitely not the only one out there. I wish more of us would talk about it, though. Thanks for adding your voice.
Anonymous
What a wonderful recipe, and I know so many people with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity will appreciate these recipes (like me)! So Delicious Coconut Milk and Coconut Creamers have carageenan in them. I urge everyone to read up on concerns about this ingredient, which shows up in many natural, organic foods as an additive. For example, Dr Weil has written about his concerns about carageenan. I have found that homemade almond milk has such a light and sweet taste, and it is easy to make at home. The almond milk from the store has a flavor that is too strong, I think. Coconut Butter or Coconut Manna added to tea and whisked or frothed is divine. I am constantly trying different milk alternatives in tea because I love tea so much!
Best of health to you, and best wishes and thank you for all you do! xo
Jana
Vaishali
Jana, thanks for all the great tips! I have made almond milk at home but never tried it in tea. That's a good idea. Will read up on carageenan.
Anonymous
Oh, but I had a lot of carbs, of course. I've found out that carbs work well for me, but you wanted to have less. Anyway, I still love your blog.
Anonymous
Hi!
I am a big fan of your blog, and I have also struggled with my weight. It's better now, but I feel really stupid sometimes because I'm a vegan and don't look very skinny. It is EASY to gain when you are vegan! (One reason might be all the good food blogs 😉 )
Anyway, what I wanted to say, is that it really isn't that hard to eat 50 grams of protein. I plottet most of what I ate today into cron-o-meter.com, and it was basically oat meal, fruit, whole grain bread and pasta, nuts, tomatoes and other vegetables, and some peanut butter. Normal intake of food (at least 1600 calories), and 56 grams of protein. Without trying. No legumes (except for the peanut butter, and no soy.
Now I want some pancakes!
Vaishali
Hi Anonymous, thanks for being supportive. Carbs actually don't work for me--they cause me to gain weight-- but I appreciate the cron-o-meter tip. I have to check that out!
Richa
This post is so at the right time Vaishali.. After 2 years of being underweight for mixed up reasons, i am finally now tipping the scales in the normal range, but started looking chubby. And I was wondering what the heck was going on since i eat almost the same food, infact healthier and more variety than what i was eating 2 years back. pfft.. My diet is almost no soy with a bit of tempeh once a week. I am not sure about a gf diet because most gf baking needs so much added starch. Cant imagine that helping the weight. I am cutting down on the nuts mostly and eating more of the beans, veggies on the plate and little less rotis/dosas/etc. We women though are unique creatures and things that work for one doesnt work for the other. Dont even get me started about how awesome my husband looks whatever he eats on his 2 yr vegan diet.
Those pancakes look perfect!
Vaishali
Thanks, Richa. A lot of us - and I am guilty of this too- believe we have to spread the idea that vegans are thinner because it gets more people to jump on the wagon. And while it may be true for many, it is not so for everyone. This is why I also strongly believe that it is important to be an ethical vegan rather than be motivated by the health aspect, because the latter doesn't always hold up at least with weight loss.
And yes, what is it with those men and their super-efficient metabolisms? 🙂
Rev
Hey this is awesome! love your space!
visit me when time permits:
http://www.relishdelish.blogspot.com
Priya Suresh
Super fluffy and highly irresistible pancakes,drooling here.
Chitz
Looks very perfect & yummy.. I was always under the impression that turning vegan wud guarantee curbing the unwanted weight gain !! First time hearing otherwise.. Loved reading ur post.. Very informative & tempts me to turn vegan !!
Vaishali
Hi Chitz, vegan foods are naturally healthy so it helps curb and control weight gain to some extent, but it's not a silver bullet. Vegans still are overall healthier and perhaps weigh less than the average population, but we are certainly not immune to weight gain.
Preety
wow this sounds super healthy and super yummy..
Krupa
Hi Vaishali. These look great. I will try over the weekend. Thanks a ton for all the recipes. I have recently turned vegan and I check your blog frequently for baking inspirations. You make veganism sound easy. For the chai, I was using soy milk too, I have recently switched to coconut creamer by So Delicious. Also adding tea masala and fresh ginger really adds to the flavor and its the closest to getting the authentic taste. Millet & sorghum are heavy for digestion, except in winter. So you might want to consider that if you are considering gluten-free.
Have you tried hemp seeds..that has a lot of protein. You can add to your smoothies. I also juice the leafy greens each morning..2 handful kale, spinach etc. Hope that helps.
Vaishali
Krupa, thanks for your lovely message and the great tips. I did not realize that about millet and sorghum, so it's really good to know. And I did not know there was a So Delicious creamer with coconut milk-- that's a great idea and I will be looking for it on my next trip to the grocer's.
I do drink a fruit and veggie smoothie each morning with some greens in it, but I just don't find the time to cook greens every day for our meals which is something I need to work on.
Agreed on the hemp seeds-- I have been eyeing a powder on Amazon that could go into my morning smoothie.