Vegan lemon pancakes that are so intensely lemony with a hint of sweet vanilla. They taste like lemon cake and are Jay's favorite pancakes -- a certain everyone-pleaser. 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. These are made with whole wheat and are really healthy, but you have the option of making them with all purpose flour. Serve with maple syrup or, if you want even more lemoniness, with my divine vegan lemon curd. These pancakes will give you a great reason to get out of bed and get going!
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 really something: they are slightly crispy on the outside and soft and melt-in-the-mouth tender on the inside. They are slightly sweet so you can eat them without any trimmings. But you can also make them extra delicious by drizzling on a little bit of maple syrup or smearing on some vegan lemon curd.
Best of all, like all pancake recipes I share with you on this blog, including these classic vegan pancakes, vegan pumpkin pancakes and vegan oatmeal pancakes, these are wholegrain and they are super easy to make. Honestly, 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.
Table of Contents
Why you'll love these vegan lemon pancakes
- They're so DELICIOUS. Intensely lemony with a hint of vanilla, they taste like lemon cake.
- They are easy to make. These are one-bowl and the batter takes no more than 10 minutes to make. Add another 15 minutes or so to make the pancakes and you have a breakfast that will make everyone love you just a bit more!
- They are healthy. These pancakes are whole wheat, although you can use all purpose flour with great results if that's what you prefer. There is no added oil in this recipe, although you will need some cooking spray to coat the skillet. There are 10 grams of protein and five grams of dietary fiber in each serving of three pancakes.
Ingredients
- Whole wheat pastry flour (or unbleached all purpose flour). I love these with whole wheat pastry flour because they come out light, fluffy and you get the health benefit, of course. But if you prefer white flour for your pancakes, that works just as well. If you have only regular whole wheat flour, use half whole wheat and half all purpose.
- For leavening: baking soda and baking powder.
- Salt
- Nondairy milk. I used oat milk. You can make these with any nondairy milk you like or have.
- Lemon juice and zest. The flavor of lemons has a way of dissipating when you cook them, and although these pancakes are very lemony, adding the zest ensures you get the best flavor.
- Maple syrup. This is not essential and you can leave it out of the batter, but I like some sweetness in these pancakes so I don't use much or any extra syrup when I actually eat them.
- Pure vanilla extract. This adds a nice, sweet touch.
- Vegan yogurt. I use my homemade cashew yogurt but you can use any vegan yogurt you like.
- Vegetable oil or cooking spray. For cooking the pancakes.
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.
Suggested additions
These vegan lemon pancakes are perfect as they are. But if you like stirring in something extra here are a few ideas:
- 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.
Storage 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.
Related recipes
Vegan Lemon Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups whole wheat pastry 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 vegetable 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.
Recipe 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.
Sara
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
So happy you made these! Thanks for letting me know.
Caity Sue
What kind of yogurt? Plain? Flavored? The recipe didn't specify....
Vaishali
Hi Caity Sue, always use plain yogurt unless specified. Although if you used a vanilla yogurt in this recipe it would be fine.
Karen
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
I'm in love--these sound so good!
Mints!
I tried these today but used Quinoa flour instead of Soy flour. Very tasty. Thank you!
Tom Aarons
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
That looks gr8 and sounds healthy
Shreya
Hi, these are so new to me. Looks lovely. Amazing flavours. I have something for you at my blog.
Nidhi
Pancakes look very yummy!
I guess that is what expereince and confidence does...one becomes more open to experimenting with ingredients.
Aparna
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
this looks yum,.nice click too,..;-)
kmouse
These look amazing (as does all your foods)! I've added you to my blog list. 🙂
Kim
Cham
Lemon extract in pancake, that is sure for me 🙂 Great with blueberry, oh ur doggies love those pancakes, they re adorable 🙂
Cinnamon
Pancakes look great.... and that too with blueberries.. its sounds interesting!
Lavi
i started to drool, when u said, corn kernels in each bite...
Really a healthy breakfast!
bee
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
I am not surprised by your fav breakfast being pancakes.and .blueberries get me craving for it!!!
Medhaa
Love these, will try out soon and like you will just do with whats at home.
arundati
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!!