Fluffy Almond Milk Pancakes (Dairy-Free!)
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure.My homemade almond milk pancakes are a quick and easy breakfast treat, ideal for anyone looking for a delicious dairy-free option. With just a few simple ingredients and no buttermilk needed, these fluffy pancakes are always a family favorite thanks to their light, airy texture and subtle sweetness. I’ll walk you through the steps to create these delightful pancakes, offering tips, fun variations, and a vegan and gluten-free option too!
In my opinion, brunch must always include a short stack of pancakes! My tender almond milk pancakes recipe is a staple plant-based breakfast in our house, perfect for Sunday mornings, sleepovers, or hosting special events.
This recipe brings together the best of both worlds: comfort-food breakfasts with a healthy twist. My homemade pancakes taste just as good as buttermilk pancakes but are made with creamy almond milk instead.
If you’re looking for other healthy pancake recipes like this one, be sure to check out my oat milk pancakes and for even more breakfast inspiration try one of my 100 vegetarian breakfast ideas!
👩🏽🍳 Why I Absolutely Love This Recipe
My family devours these delicious pancakes! My kids especially kept asking me, “can you make pancakes with almond milk??” And my answer is yes! Almond milk is the perfect non-dairy substitute for milk in pancakes – it’s creamy, neutral flavored, and works perfectly in this recipe.
I have perfected this recipe to the point where my kids can’t even tell the difference between these and a traditional pancake recipe (or even a mix from the box!), which makes this one of my favorite healthy recipes for picky eaters too!
Because our weekday mornings are busy, I like to mix up the dry ingredients ahead of time. Then, I add in the almond milk, egg (or flax egg), vanilla, and butter (or vegan butter) and toss on the griddle or skillet for a quick and healthy breakfast. I’ll even make a double batch on the weekend and freeze the leftovers. With only 5 minutes of prep time, I’ve got pancakes on plates in minutes!
Plus, unsweetened almond milk tends to be a bit healthier than regular milk because it’s lower in calories (30 calories for a cup vs. 120 calories for low fat milk), and lower in sugar (1 gram for almond milk, 12 grams of naturally occurring lactose for regular milk) (source).
These pancakes made with almond milk are a great option for those looking to cut down on calories and sugar intake, and I appreciate that I can add on a bunch of tasty toppings to this healthy base.
I also love how versatile this recipe is. Not only is it easy to switch up the toppings, it’s really easy to make this recipe completely vegan with just two simple swaps. I make these swaps often when I don’t have eggs on hand, or want a 100% plant based version.
All in all, this is my favorite pancake recipe using almond milk and I know it will become your favorite too. While I love to add a hefty drizzle of maple syrup, any of your favorite additions will make this recipe feel like your own. Kids can have fun topping their pancakes just the way they like them, intriguing them to eat up every last bite of their special breakfast!
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🥘 Ingredients
I make these fluffy almond milk pancakes with only a few pantry staples found at my local grocery store. Here is what you will need to gather:
All-Purpose Flour: All-purpose regular flour is essential in any pancake recipe and creates a light texture and structure. For more whole grains, I replace 1/2 cup of the flour with whole wheat flour. I avoid using almond flour though, as the ratio of flour to milk will be different. To make gluten-free pancakes, I replace the all-purpose flour with 1-to-1 gluten-free flour or oat flour.
Baking Powder: A classic leavening agent for all homemade pancake recipes, allowing them to rise and spread.
Sugar: I add just a touch of granulated sugar for a mellow sweetness to the pancakes. I’ve also used coconut sugar, raw sugar, or packed light brown sugar, and all work well.
Almond Milk: Almond milk in pancakes provides the same soft, moist texture that regular milk will, and unsweetened almond milk has the added benefit of less sugar and calories than regular milk! Though I love almond milk, any plant-based milk works in this easy recipe. A few great options are oat milk, soy milk, coconut milk, and cashew milk. Sweetened almond milk could also work, although you will want to cut the amount of granulated sugar in half.
Eggs Or Flax Eggs: I make these almond milk pancakes with egg when I’m making this recipe for vegetarians, as eggs provide structure and a rich flavor for these pancakes. To keep this recipe vegan, I use flax eggs – which work just as well. Alternatively, applesauce could work to bind the other ingredients.
Vanilla Extract: For a sweet vanilla essence! For the best flavor, use pure vanilla extract.
Butter Or Vegan Butter: Butter (or vegan butter) creates moist pancakes with an airy texture. A light oil like olive oil, coconut oil or even vegetable oil can also be used in its place to keep this recipe vegan-friendly.
🔪 How To Make Almond Milk Pancakes
Learn how to make my homemade pancakes with almond milk in just a few easy steps! For more detailed instructions and nutritional information, see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Blend Pancake Ingredients: I add all the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth! If I’m not using a blender, I’ll whisk together the dry ingredients, then stir in the wet ingredients.
Let Batter Rest: I don’t recommend skipping this step! I always let the pancake batter rest for 10 minutes before cooking. This allows the baking powder to work its magic and gives the pancakes that light and fluffy texture I love so much!
Pour & Cook Pancakes: Using a ¼ cup measuring cup I pour the batter into a large non-stick skillet or griddle that has been heated over medium heat. I allow each pancake to cook until small bubbles appear around the edges and in the middle.
Flip Pancakes: Then, I flip the pancakes and cook for 3-4 more minutes, or until they are cooked through. The bottoms should be golden brown.
Serve: Serving pancakes hot is my love language! I stack these up and serve with fresh fruit, a drizzle of maple syrup, and lots of butter!
💭 Expert Tips
My #1 Secret Tip for this dairy-free pancake recipe is to use a non-stick skillet to prevent sticking, and to ensure the skillet or griddle is preheated before adding batter, and adjust the heat accordingly.
It’s really easy to get carried away and overcook the outsides of the pancakes. As I cook each batch, I’ll lower the heat slightly as the pan will continue to heat up. Sometimes, I notice that as the heat increases, the pancakes will brown too quickly on the outside and undercook in the middle.
Plus, the higher the heat, the more likely cooking spray is to burn and leave behind an aftertaste and dark color.
Other Tips To Keep In Mind:
- Flip Easily: I like to use an extra wide, thin rubber spatula that can slide right under the pancake with ease. It is also important to use a quick flip of the wrist to avoid splattering or spreading of the pancake batter.
- Blender Alternative Method: If you don’t have a blender, just whisk the ingredients together thoroughly in a large mixing bowl. Alternatively, you can blend up the batter using an immersion blender.
- Uniform Pancakes: I use a ¼ cup measuring cup to ladle the batter into the skillet. I don’t measure it perfectly, but this ensures that the pancakes are somewhat uniform in size and cook at the same rate.
- Be Patient! Sometimes I find it hard to wait until the edges are bubbling before flipping, but I’ve learned patience is key. Flipping too early will result in undercooked pancakes and uneven cooking. Additionally, make sure to let your batter rest before beginning to make your pancakes. Baking powder activates once it’s mixed with wet ingredients. Rested batter will create fluffier pancakes.
- Keep Warm: To keep the pancakes warm, I place the freshly cooked pancakes on a baking sheet or plate and keep in an oven preheated to 200 degrees Fahrenheit until I am ready to serve. This way I can serve the pancakes hot all at once!
📖 Variations
Since these are such a hit, I’ve come up with several different flavors and variations that I mix in when serving different friends and family members. Adding customizations to pancakes is my favorite! Here are a few tasty options to try:
Dairy-Free Pancakes: These pancakes are already 100% dairy-free as long as you use vegan butter, coconut oil or olive oil as a 1:1 substitution for regular butter.
Gluten Free: Use gluten free all purpose flour (I recommend Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 All-Purpose Gluten-Free Flour), or oat flour as a 1:1 substitute for the all purpose flour, for a GF option. To make gluten-free dairy-free pancakes, make this substitution with the dairy-free substitution above. Delish!
Vegan Almond Milk Pancakes Recipe: It’s so easy to make vegan pancakes with almond milk and no egg! Just use 1 flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons of water) instead of the egg, and vegan butter as a 1:1 substitute for the regular butter.
Chocolate Chip Pancakes: I stir 1/3 cup of mini chocolate chips or dairy-free chocolate chips into the almond milk pancake batter for a chocolate-y twist!
Double Chocolate Chip: To make double chocolate pancakes, I blend 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder with the rest of the pancake ingredients and stir in 1/3 cup of mini chocolate chips for an extra chocolate kick!
Blueberry: I sprinkle fresh or frozen blueberries onto the pancake batter after pouring it onto the skillet. The fruity burst of flavor is irresistible!
Add Protein: When I want protein pancakes, I’ll add a scoop of protein powder to the batter for a boost that keeps me fuller longer.
Mini Pancakes: I love to serve these in a smaller size for a fun brunch spread or for smaller hands! You can also try out my mini pancakes which are seasoned with cinnamon, sugar, and vanilla.
🍽 Serving Suggestions
My easy pancake recipe with almond milk can be enjoyed in its simplest form or paired with other breakfast foods, smoothies, and lots of toppings! Here are some of my favorites:
Breakfast: These pancakes are delicious with my silken tofu scramble for extra protein, hash browns, fresh breakfast fruit salad, and any other favorite breakfast foods for a complete breakfast.
Smoothies: If I need to boost my fruits and veggies, I’ll add a delicious dragon fruit smoothie, pineapple cucumber smoothies, or another fruit and vegetable smoothie along with my pancakes.
Pancake Toppings
Spreads & Drizzles: I’ll pack on all the toppings like chocolate chips, vegan whipped cream, homemade strawberry chia jam, maple syrup, vegan honey, strawberry simple syrup, blackberry simple syrup, peach simple syrup, or vegan nutella for a decadent treat.
Crunchy Toppings: Sprinkle on some low calorie granola or high protein granola, chopped nuts, or pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds.
Nut Butters: Try peanut butter, regular butter, almond butter, pumpkin seed butter, or this white chocolate hazelnut spread.
Fresh Toppings: I love adding fresh berries or other fresh fruits, chopped dates, sliced bananas, shredded coconut, or even fresh fruit compote (like fresh blueberry compote, apple curd, or pear compote) would all taste great.
🧊 Storing And ♨️ Reheating
One of the best things about my recipe is that the batter or the pancakes can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge or freezer until I’m ready to use them. Knowing I have a batch of pancakes ready to reheat makes breakfasts and meal prep a breeze! I always bring them to room temperature before storing the cooked pancakes.
Refrigeration: I store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. For busy mornings, I like to make the pancake batter ahead of time – up to 24 hours! I whip the batter up and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator until I’m ready to cook.
Freezing: I freeze these pancakes in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. I don’t recommend freezing the batter as the ingredients will separate and will not come back together.
Reheating: For best results, I reheat these until warmed through in the toaster, a toaster oven, or even in the air fryer! I’ve also warmed them up on a non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. Though these pancakes can technically also be warmed up in the microwave, I recommend against it as they can become soggy and chewy.
❓ Recipe FAQs
What do I do if my batter is too thick or too thin? How do I fix it?
If the batter is too thick, I add a little more almond milk or whatever milk alternative I’m using. If it’s too thin, I add a bit more flour until it reaches the desired consistency.
WHY ARE MY PANCAKES NOT FLUFFY?
I only mix the batter until it’s combined to avoid the dense texture that occurs from overmixing. A few lumps in the batter are expected. Also, I always make sure to use fresh baking powder for the best leavening effect. It is also a good idea to let the batter rest after mixing so that the baking powder can activate.
WHY ARE MY PANCAKES STICKING TO THE GRIDDLE?
These almond milk pancakes might stick to the skillet or griddle for a few reasons. First, I recommend testing if your griddle is hot enough before adding batter to it. Carefully flick a few water drops on the griddle to see if it sizzles. If it does, then you can go ahead and pour the batter. Additionally, allow the pancakes to cook long enough. I always wait until I see bubbles forming before flipping. Pancakes should easily come off the pan with a spatula. If they do not, it is likely that they need more time cooking.
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📋 Recipe Card
🎥 Watch How to Make It
Fluffy Almond Milk Pancakes (Dairy-Free!)
My homemade almond milk pancakes are a quick and easy breakfast treat, ideal for anyone looking for a delicious dairy-free option. With just a few simple ingredients and no buttermilk needed, these fluffy pancakes are always a family favorite thanks to their light, airy texture and subtle sweetness. I'll walk you through the steps to create these delightful pancakes, offering tips, fun variations, and a vegan and gluten-free option too!
Servings: 10 pancakes
Calories: 129kcal
Ingredients
- 1¼ cups (150g) all-purpose flour use a gluten-free flour blend or oat flour for a gf option
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ¼ cup coconut sugar
- 1 cup (237ml) unsweetened almond milk
- 1 room temperature egg can use a flax egg for a vegan option
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (57g) butter, melted can use vegan butter for a vegan option
- toppings maple syrup, butter, berries, chocolate chips, nut butter, whipped coconut cream, crushed nuts, chopped dates, etc.
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a high-speed blender and blend until smooth.
- Remove and allow the batter to rest for 10 minutes.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat, drop ¼ cup of batter into the skillet and cook until small bubbles appear.
- Flip and continue to cook for another 3-4 minutes.
- Remove and repeat until all batter has been used up. The batter makes about 10 pancakes.
- Serve pancakes with your favorite pancake toppings.
Notes
- Make sure your egg is at room temperature – this prevents the batter from tasting too eggy.
- To make these pancakes gluten-free, substitute 1-to-1 gluten-free flour for the all-purpose flour.
- To make these pancakes dairy-free, replace the butter with a light oil, vegan butter, or coconut oil.
- To make these pancakes vegan-friendly substitute a flax egg for the egg, and replace the butter with light oil, vegan butter, or coconut oil.
- Pancake batter can be made up to 24 hours ahead of time. Once mixed up, store it in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Once cooked, pancakes can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Serving: 1pancake | Calories: 129kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 76mg | Potassium: 106mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g
These pancakes were so light and fluffy. 10/10.
Awesome! Thanks Dannii!
These were so delicious and so easy to make too with a lovely flavour.
Yay! So happy to hear that Amanda!
Love the idea as almond milk does get a bit lagging at home and pancakes will be a fabulous way to use them up.
Yes!! And you really can’t tell it’s dairy free instead of regular milk!
These pancakes are so delicious and easy to make; everyone loved them and didn’t miss the dairy!
Aw I’m so happy to hear that Emily! Thanks for letting me know!
Love that you gave vegan options. So yummy!
Thanks! Enjoy!
Excellent pancake recipe! We loved them. We substituted the butter for a vegan butter. Turned out well.
Thank you so much Andrea!
These were perfect! We had some almond milk to use so we had these pancakes as a breakfast for supper kind of day. Yum! Thanks.
Woohoo! I love breakfast for dinner – so good!
Hubby cannot tolerate dairy so these almond-milk pancakes are just the perfect alternative for him. He loves his pancakes topped with fresh berries – yum!
Aw so happy to hear you all liked this recipe Gail!
I love how you made these pancakes with almond milk! They look absolutely fantastic, especially with that light and fluffy texture.
They are super fluffy for sure! You will love them!
These pancakes are fantastic! So light and fluffy, love a good dairy free recipe!
Aw yay! I’m so glad you liked these pancakes Caitlin!