Make these vegan almond flour pancakes once and you will have a new family favorite for breakfast. They are light and soft with just a touch of crispness around the edges. They are also gluten-free, soy-free, and, best of all, they taste like dessert for breakfast.
Love pancakes? You might also want to try these vegan low carb pancakes, vegan multigrain gluten-free pancakes and gluten-free vegan sourdough pancakes.
Creating the perfect pancake that is made mostly of almond flour can be tricky, especially in the absence of eggs. Both eggs and the gluten in wheat provide pancakes with structure and stability. These eggless and vegan gluten-free almond flour pancakes are not only a triumph over those limitations, they are so tasty, you might want to eat them all the time even if you aren't gluten-free.
The pancakes are airy and light and full of flavor. The almond flour is sweet and nutty and a bit of vegan yogurt adds more yum. In fact, the batter is so tasty, I licked the spatula and the bowl clean!
Table of Contents
Creating a tasty, foolproof vegan almond flour pancake recipe
If you have baked with gluten-free flours, you know that baking in the absence of gluten requires thoughtful substitution. Gluten provides structure to baked goods and recipes like pancakes and waffles and removing it from a recipe can make your efforts fall flat - literally.
Non-vegan recipes add eggs to the gluten-free batter and the protein in the eggs helps the pancakes set and makes them light. Some vegan recipes use a large quantity of all-purpose gluten-free flour along with the almond flour. But the all-purpose flour, which is a mix of gf flours and starches, takes away from the natural deliciousness of the almond flour.
Here is what I recommend:
- Instead of an all-purpose gluten-free flour, use a mix of rice flour and some tapioca starch in the recipe. Both are practically flavorless and they don't encroach on the natural sweetness of the almond flour. At the same time, the protein in the rice flour, aided with more protein from vegan yogurt, give the pancake stability and structure, helping it set and fluff up.
- Use vegan yogurt, because it not only makes the pancakes tastier, it also works with the baking soda to help the pancakes become lighter and fluffier, and it provides protein to stabilize the structure of the pancakes. Don't be tempted to sub with applesauce because applesauce will only make the pancakes more tender and make it harder for them to set up.
- Don't add any oil or butter to the pancake batter. The oil, in my experience, only tends to make the pancakes heavier in texture. If you want butter, just butter the pancakes at the table.
- Add almond extract to the recipe to give the pancakes more delicious almond flavor. This is optional, or you can substitute with vanilla extract.
- Give the almond pancakes time to set up. This is critical, because these pancakes will take a little longer to set up than a wheat pancake. I have illustrated for you, in the pictures below, at which point exactly to flip the pancakes. Flipping them too soon could cause them to break, so pay attention.
Ingredients
- Blanched almond flour. Finely milled almond flour, also called super fine almond flour, is key to this recipe. Pancakes made with coarsely ground almond flour won't form a smooth batter and will not hold together on the griddle.
- Rice flour. Rice flour helps add some structure and it's gluten-free, which makes it perfect in these pancakes. If you can find brown rice flour, you can use that for even healthier pancakes. Make sure the rice flour is also finely ground.
- Tapioca flour. The starches in the tapioca flour also help with binding and firming up the pancakes.
- Leavening: Baking soda + baking powder.
- Almond milk. I like using almond milk to keep the almond theme consistent. If you prefer another non-dairy milk you can use that instead.
- Vegan yogurt. Make your own using my recipe, or use any store-bought vegan yogurt of your choice.
- Apple cider vinegar. This, and the vegan yogurt, combine with the baking soda to make the pancakes fluffy and to add structure to the pancakes.
- Almond extract (optional). I like adding a little to deepen the almond flavor. You can skip it or use vanilla extract instead.
- Maple syrup (optional). The almond flour has a lot of sweetness, so you can skip this if you want to. I like adding a tablespoon to my batter.
How to make vegan almond flour pancakes
Place the almond flour, rice flour, tapioca flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Whisk to mix.
Add the wet ingredients - vegan yogurt, almond milk, apple cider vinegar and optional almond extract. Use a spatula to mix until you have a smooth batter.
Mix in the maple syrup, if using.
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and coat the bottom generously with oil. Use a â…“rd cup measure to pour out pancakes, at least an inch apart.
Wait until the edges of the pancakes are golden brown and you see bubble pop up near the center of the pancakes. Carefully slide a thin spatula under the pancake and flip.
Cook the other side for a couple of minutes until the pancakes are firm with no wet batter in the center, then remove to a plate. Continue to make pancakes with the remaining batter.
My top tip
While making pancakes, adjust the heat according to how hot the skillet is. Cast iron skillets are excellent at holding on to heat, so once they are hot you can turn down the heat to medium or medium-low. Turn up the heat if the pancakes are taking too long to set up, and lower it if the pancakes burn before they have firmed up.
Serve
These pancakes taste delicious by themselves. Serve them simply with a drizzle of maple syrup and fruit. Or top with vegan whipped cream.
Recipe FAQs and troubleshooting tips
You can swap out the rice flour for the same amount of gf all-purpose flour or, if you don't want gluten-free pancakes, the same amount of regular all-purpose flour.
Because there is a good amount of rice flour and tapioca starch in this recipe, it does have more carbs. If you are looking for an excellent vegan and keto-friendly pancake recipe, check out my vegan keto pancakes, which are also made with almond flour.
If you didn't add tapioca starch and rice flour to the skillet, as well as the yogurt, the pancakes will fall apart when you try to make them. Another reason they can fall apart when you try to flip them is if you didn't give them long enough to set up and firm up. See the photo and tips above to make sure that you only flip when the pancake is ready.
Yes! There are 12 grams of protein and six grams of fiber in each serving of three pancakes, along with nutrients from the rice flour and the almond flour.
Store leftover pancakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days, or freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to three months. Thaw and reheat in a toaster oven or in the microwave before serving.
More vegan pancake recipes
Recipe card
Vegan Almond Flour Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1½ cups almond flour
- 1 cup rice flour
- ¼ cup tapioca flour
- 1½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1¾ cup almond milk
- ¼ cup vegan yogurt
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup (optional)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (for making pancakes)
Instructions
- Place the almond flour, rice flour, tapioca flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Whisk to mix.
- Add the wet ingredients - vegan yogurt, almond milk, apple cider vinegar and optional almond extract. Use a spatula to mix until you have a smooth batter. Mix in the maple syrup, if using.
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and coat the bottom generously with oil. Use a â…“rd cup measure to pour out pancakes, at least an inch apart.
- Wait until the edges of the pancakes are golden brown and you see bubble pop up near the center of the pancakes. Carefully slide a thin spatula under the pancake and flip.
- Cook the other side for a couple of minutes until the pancakes are firm with no wet batter in the center, then remove to a plate. Continue to make pancakes with the remaining batter.
Nutrition Information
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