Looking for a milk substitute in pancakes? Make this Almond Milk Pancake Recipe! They are so fluffy and delicious that nobody will notice they are dairy free.
If you have never tried making pancakes with almond milk before, now is the time. It is a great replacement for milk in pancakes. If you have a dairy-free diet or just want to make a change in your regular pancakes, this recipe is for you.
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Almond milk is a great plant-based milk. We use it often, especially to make hot chocolate. We also make crepes with almond milk and love them so much!
We first tried it on a day when we noticed that the only milk in the refrigerator to make some pancakes was a bottle of homemade roasted almond milk. They turned out great with a super fluffy texture and as tasty as regular milk pancakes. So they have become our (and your) favorite pancake recipe since then.
About The Ingredients
- Flour: Use all purpose flour, also known as plain flour. You can use a combination of plain flour and whole wheat flour if you want. If you want, use a blend of gluten-free flour. When measuring, fill the cup with flour using a spoon. Don't directly scoop the measuring cup.
- Sugar: Use granulated sugar. One or two tablespoons will be enough as we serve our pancakes with maple syrup.
- Baking powder: It really helps a lot to make fluffy pancakes.
- Salt: Just a pinch of salt to balance the flavors.
- Almond milk: Use unsweetened, plain almond milk or vanilla almond milk. If you want, you can even make your own almond milk buttermilk and make this recipe with it.
- Egg: One egg is enough for this recipe. If you are after an egg-free recipe, leave it out and add extra almond milk (2-3 tablespoons).
- Oil: You can use olive oil, vegetable oil, canola oil or coconut oil. We use it both in the batter and for cooking pancakes. You can use melted butter (vegan or regular) too.
- Optional Add-Ins: You can add a handful of chocolate chips or berries and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. For chocolate chips, check the ingredients of the product you use to be sure they are dairy-free.
Instructions
This fluffy almond milk pancakes recipe is no different from making a simple cake batter.
- Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt well in a large mixing bowl. Then, in a medium bowl, whisk together the almond milk, egg and oil until smooth.
- Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and whisk just until everything is combined. Don't over-mix! Otherwise, your pancakes won't turn out fluffy enough. It is okay if you see a few lumps in the batter. Let it rest for 5 minutes.
- Put 1 teaspoon oil in a non-stick pan or use a cooking spray. And heat it over medium heat. Swirl the oil or spread it with a spatula so it covers the base of the pan.
- Use a measuring cup (¼ cup) or a tablespoon (for a smaller size) and drop batter in the pan. Cook for about 2 minutes or until you see bubbles on the surface of the pancake.
- Then flip and cook the other side for 1-2 minutes. Transfer the pancakes on a plate and repeat the same steps until all batter is used.
- Make the pancakes in batches. If you are using a large pan, you can make 4-5 pancakes at a time.
Storage
In the fridge: These dairy-free pancakes can be made ahead of time. Store them in the refrigerator covered for 2-3 days. Reheat in the pan or microwave before serving.
In the freezer: Let the pancakes cool completely. Put them in a freezer bag with a piece of parchment paper between each. They keep well in the freezer for 2 months. Reheat them frozen in the microwave oven for about 20 seconds or in a large skillet covered until warm. We don't recommend freezing the uncooked batter.
Expert Tips
- Don't over mix the batter even if you are tempted to.
- Letting the batter rest for 5 minutes really helps the pancakes rise better.
- When the pan gets too hot, remove it from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes. Then continue cooking the remaining pancake batter.
- To keep the cooked pancakes warm while you are working with the rest of the batter, put them on an oven-safe plate or in a baking pan and let them sit in the oven at low temperature (200 F / 93 C degrees).
Does almond milk change the taste of pancakes?
No, it doesn't. Unsweetened, plain almond milk has a mild flavor, so it is not noticeable in pancakes.
Is this a dairy free pancake recipe?
Yes, these pancakes are completely dairy free. This recipe doesn’t call for any dairy-milk or butter. The only milk in these pancakes is from almond milk, which is a plant-based milk. It is a great substitute for milk in pancakes.
Make Them Vegan
This pancake recipe with almond milk is NOT vegan.
To make them vegan, you can make flax egg by mixing 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal with 3 tablespoons water. Let it sit for 5 minutes and then substitute this mixture for the egg in the recipe.
Also, you can check out our almond buttermilk pancakes, which are completely vegan.
Toppings
We love having a variety of serving options. These pancakes are not so sweet so that you can adjust the sweetness to your taste by drizzling them with maple syrup, agave syrup or honey.
Another sweetener could be powdered sugar. If you like, sift a little powdered sugar on the pancakes. Also, you can serve whatever fresh fruit you like on the side like blueberries and strawberries.
If you are a fan of marmalade or jams, serve your pancakes with some lemon marmalade or orange marmalade.
If it's the right season, you can even consider roasted fresh figs to pair these pancakes with.
And a dollop of simple applesauce would make a big change too.
Other Substitutes For Milk
Almond milk is our favorite substitute for milk in pancakes. But you are definitely not limited to it. You can use plant-based milks like almond milk, oat milk, soy milk, coconut milk (carton or boxed, not canned) as an alternative to regular milk.
There are some other options too. For example, you can use citrus juice and give your pancakes a refreshing flavor. Another substitute could be mashed banana, which gives a nice aroma too.
You can even use plain water, but we would recommend adding vanilla extract then. Otherwise it might taste bland.
FAQs
Yes, you can. But read the ingredients first. If you are on a dairy free diet, boxed pancake mixes might not be a good option for you. Some brands contain milk protein or milk powder in their mixes. So beware of this.
Yes, you can. These pancakes are not vegan, but almond milk is a great option to make vegan recipes. You can prepare flax eggs if you want, but you really don’t need it when making pancakes. Add extra almond milk or water to the batter if you leave the egg out.
More Breakfast Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Almond Milk Pancakes (Fluffy & Dairy Free)
INGREDIENTS
- 220 g all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
- 300 ml almond milk
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon oil
- ¼ cup Berries optional
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup optional
INSTRUCTIONS
- Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt well in a large mixing bowl.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond milk, egg and oil until smooth.
- Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and whisk just until everything is combined. Don't over-mix! Let it rest for 5 minutes.
- Put 1 teaspoon oil in a non-stick pan or use a cooking spray. And heat it over medium heat. Swirl the oil or spread it with a spatula so it covers the base of the pan.
- Use a measuring cup (¼ cup) or a tablespoon (for a smaller size) and drop batter in the pan. Cook for about 2 minutes or until you see bubbles on the surface of the pancake.
- Then flip and cook the other side for 1-2 minutes. Transfer the pancakes on a plate and repeat the same steps until all batter is used.
- Serve with maple syrup and fresh berries.
Video
NOTES
- Don't over mix the batter even if you are tempted to.
- Letting the batter rest for 5 minutes really helps the pancakes rise better.
- When the pan gets too hot, remove it from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes. Then continue cooking the remaining pancake batter.
- To keep the cooked pancakes warm while you are working with the rest of the batter, put them on an oven-safe plate or in a baking pan and let them sit in the oven at low temperature (200 F / 93 C degrees).
- Nutrition information is approximate and meant as a guideline only.
- In the fridge: These dairy-free pancakes can be made ahead of time. Store them in the refrigerator covered for 2-3 days. Reheat in the pan or microwave before serving.
- In the freezer: Let the pancakes cool completely. Put them in a freezer bag with a piece of parchment paper between each. They keep well in the freezer for 2 months. Reheat them frozen in the microwave oven for about 20 seconds or in a large skillet covered until warm. We don't recommend freezing the uncooked batter.
NUTRITION
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
ADDITIONAL INFO
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Allison Poff says
Zerrin and Yusuf Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. I made these for me and my husband. I found I had to have the heat on my stove kind of medium to medium low so they didn’t burn. Served them with maple syrup and raspberry jam. Sprinkled with some confectioner sugar. Delicious!
Zerrin & Yusuf says
Hi Allison,
We are glad you liked the recipe. The heat might change as you stated, so one can decide on the best heat when cooking the first pancake.
Maple syrup and raspberry jam are perfect toppings!
Thank you for coming back and leaving a comment.
Cheers!
kana says
Hi!! i made these and they are SO good. i put only the half cup of milk and only 1 cup of flour becasue it was just for me. i tottally reccomend
i also added some chocolate chips . plain or not these are AMAZING!!!!😁🥞
Patricia says
This recipe isn't Vegan because of egg being in the recipe.
Mary says
Followed recipe exactly and pancakes came out dense, gummy and bland tasting. Not sure what I did wrong. When I make Aunt Jemima, turns out great. I just ran out of pancake mix and thought I’d try from scratch.
Yusuf says
Hi Mary,
Sorry to hear that the recipe didn't work for you. Overmixing causes dense pancakes. Do you think this might be the reason in your case? About the taste, these are not very sweet pancakes because we have them either with maple syrup or powdered sugar. If you like it sweeter, you can always increase the amount of sugar in the recipe.
Jon says
I made the recipie as well, did not overmix. You simply do not call for enough liquid to the amount of dry ingredients. The result of the recipe as written is closer to a brioche dough than pancake batter. Suggest doubling or more on the almond milk.
Sab says
These came out perfect! This will be my go-to pancake recipe from now on. I added chocolate chips into each pancake, and served with sliced strawberries and butter on top. Way better than recipes that call for milk and I’ve made lots of different recipes! 10/10 recipe.. so good!
Carolyn says
I made these for Breakfast this morning because I had only almond milk in the refrigerator. My husband said they were the best pancakes he’s ever had. They were so light and fluffy and delicious. I added fresh blueberries to the mix and they turned out great. Thanks for the recipe.
Sher says
These were amazing and FLUUUUFFY! Thank you soooo much! My husband and I are on a diet so I removed 1 Tbs of oil and 1 Tbs of sugar. Still turned out great! I had to smack my teens hand away tonight because I was *trying* to get a jump on breakfast. He still managed to pilfer 2.
He said they were AWESOME!
Erica says
Oh man I wanted to love these, but they were *terrible* for me. Gummy, didn’t brown, and suuuuper bland. I added blueberries and that was the only saving grace. I’m sorry, but I don’t know how other people are finding these amazing 🙁
Marcia says
Can you use baking mix in place of flour/etc?
William Beck says
Great recipe and method! I’m a classically trained Personal Chef and all the measurements are precisely accurate (2tsp BP for extra fluff). If you’re into fitness and want a carb forward breakfast to start your day before a leg or back workout, simply add a scoop of your protein powder and rock this recipe! That’s what I just did this morning and everyone loved them. I kicked it up a notch and put 2 cups of frozen blueberries and a 1/4c of granulated sugar on medium heat while prepping and cooking the pancakes then strained for a nice blueberry syrup on top. The pulp will be added to BBQ sauce for tonight’s BBQ.
Great job Chef!
Zerrin says
Hi Willam! I'm so happy to hear that you loved the recipe. Adding blueberry syrup is a great twist on these pancakes.
Liz says
Holy cow....I never ever write reviews, but these pancakes deserve all the praise!! I made 10 pancakes with this recipe (1/4 cup of batter each) and they came out so fluffy!! Almost 2 centimeters tall each! I also added cinnamon inside, so freaking delicious. Hands down best pancake recipe ever, even better than the ones with dairy!
Zerrin says
You made my day with this comment Liz! So happy to hear that the recipe worked for you. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us here!
Mary says
I honestly don't know why some people are complaining. It's probably the cooking temperature, your hob or your cooking skills that made the recipe go wrong... I got perfect fluffy pancakes. The only thing I substituted is agave syrup instead of sugar.
Chris Schillinger says
I read the comments and wondered how they could be so diverse in success. I wondered if altitude made the difference. I use high altitude instructions for my baking so I added a third tsp. of baking powder and they were light and very good. Not as sweet as usual but we're not sweet fans anyway.
Nora Eldean says
I would not recommend mixing these until "smooth" i have tried making this recipe 4 times now and I continue to get flat gummy pancakes. When i mixed them and left the batter lumpy they were a little less gummy but still not fluffy. Not sure what else is going wrong.
Kalai Pillay says
Hi
So this is what I did
I amended recipe to
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 tablespoons honey or you can use syrup in the, batter
And reduced the sugar to 1 tablespoon
The mixture is not so thick
Came out amazing, delish light and fluffy
KayFaith says
Hi! I live at a high altitude and had super yummy pancakes. Had my grill on a super high heat to boost a fast bake (needed it higher than normal). Mixed wets and added dried ingredients. Will be my go to recipe. Thank you!!
xx
Erin says
I made these at the weekend and they came out so good! I added mashed banana and cinnamon in the batter because I love these in my pancakes. Nobody can tell these are dairy-free. Thanks!