Topped with fresh fruit, syrup, walnuts, and seeds, these pancakes are sure to please everyone at the table. Low maintenance for an easy morning treat – what more could you want ?
Making pancakes is one of those things that I feel like everyone should be good at that I am in fact horrendous at. The batter never turns out right, I overcook or undercook, they get splattered everywhere when it comes time to flipping them over… Until I discovered this simple way to make them.
Many recipes call for far too many ingredients. Not to name names, but one well known British chef’s recipe involves splitting eggs and bringing to stiff peaks. None of that is needed for pancakes. Taking inspiration from the simplicity of a crêpe and adding a bit of baking powder, you’ve got exactly what you need. 5 ingredients, a bit of time, and voilà. They also don’t need to have animal products involved in their creation. Milk alternatives work just fine, and you can grease the pan with a bit of vegetable oil instead of butter.
American buttermilk pancakes are in a league of their own, and require much more in terms of cooking, and in my opinion are better left to the pancake experts. If you’ve got kids, or if you are a giant impatient kid like me, these vegan pancakes will not disappoint. They are incredibly flexible, and you can add blueberries or dark chocolate chips right into the batter if that’s your thing. (Secret: add just a few to the batter and drop a few into each pancake as it cooks, that way they’re evenly distributed and no one complains about someone having more chocolate in their pancake.)
All you need to do is take all of your ingredients – flour, sugar, baking powder, milk alternative, and a teeny bit of sweetener (your choice as to what; it could be vanilla extract, date or agave or maple syrup, or even golden syrup!) – and you whisk them together. Done. No lumps. You’ve got batter.
A ladle comes in handy to spoon the perfect amount into your greased pan. Only cook a couple at a time over just medium-low heat. Cook until the edges are set, bubbles appear on the surface and you can scoop under to flip them.
This recipe makes about 10-12 small pancakes. For stomachless me, I can eat about five in one sitting because they are so small. I don’t feel over full because they are non-dairy and not complex ingredients! Plus, the toppings can be sugar free or as sugary as you would like.
Finally, fresh off the grill, stack your pancakes or spread them out and add your toppings. Aaron and I have had these two days in a row, both times served exactly the same. A half of a pear chopped, seeds, syrup and some nuts. YUM!!!! Banana goes super well with them, and we have made them with spelt flour and blueberries for a delicious whole-meal alternative.
Vegan Pancakes
Ingredients:
150g self raising flour (or whatever flour pleases you)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract (or maple/date syrup)
200 mL milk alternative
1 Tbsp vegetable oil for cooking
pinch of salt
1. Whisk together the dry ingredients. Add in sweetener. Slowly add milk, mixing while you do to get a smooth mixture.
2. Heat a pan over medium low heat, add a small amount of vegetable oil, and add a small ladleful of batter at a time. Only put a few in the pan at a time, and cook until the edges until set and bubbles begin to appear (about 3-5 minutes).
3. Flip and cook for another 3 or so minutes until golden.
4. Serve stacked up with all the toppings of your choice.
Topping options
- bananas, pears, apples, or any other fruit of your choice
- seeds (chia, pumpkin, hemp hearts)
- maple or date or agave syrup
- nut butter
- vegan chocolate chips
Try any and all of these toppings, and let me know what to try next!
Sans Estomac 