Vegan Lemon Pancakes

5 from 3 votes

Every single time I make these vegan lemon pancakes, I tell myself I am going to save a few for later. But that never happens because they are just so delicious. Luckily, it takes just 25 minutes to whip up a fresh batch. I use oat flour, fresh lemon juice, and creamy almond ricotta to create these thick and fluffy pancakes with crisp edges and a bright citrus flavor.

Prep Time15

Cook Time10

Total Time25

Course: 30 Minutes or Less, Breakfast, Brunch

Cuisine: American, Vegan, vegetarian

Diet: , ,

Servings: pancakes

Calories: 131kcal

Author: Anjali Shah

Equipment

Ingredients

For The Pancakes:

1¼ cup oat flour
3 tablespoons potato starch
1 tablespoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon sea salt , divided
¾ cup blanched slivered almonds
½ cup almond milk or other dairy free milk , divided into 2 and 6 tablespoons
6 tablespoons maple syrup , divided
¼ cup fresh lemon juice , divided
2 tablespoons lemon zest (Meyer lemons work best)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Optional Lemon Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar (see note)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon lemon zest (Meyer lemons work best)

You can also top with powdered sugar, fruit, nuts or maple syrup if you prefer.

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Turn up the heat on your griddle, you want it nice and hot for cooking the pancakes. You know it’s ready when you spray some water on it and you hear it sizzle. Also if it is not non stick you should use a spray oil to avoid the pancakes sticking.
Put the oat flour, potato starch, baking powder and 1/8 teaspoon salt into a bowl and mix well.
Put almonds into a food processor and blend until they are finely ground.
Add 2 tablespoons milk, 3 tablespoons maple syrup, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, vanilla extract and the other 1/8 teaspoon salt. Blend until combined. This is the "ricotta."
Dig a small well in the flour mixture and add the "ricotta" mixture into the well. Next add the 6 tablespoons left of milk, the other 3 tablespoons of maple syrup, the other 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and the lemon zest.
Slowly mix until well combined, do not overmix but make sure there are no clumps. Allow to settle a few minutes so the mixture can fully combine.
Drop spoonfuls (about ¼ cup each) onto the griddle. Cook about 4-5 minutes on each side. They should be slightly brown when ready and come off the griddle easily.
While the pancakes are cooking, make the lemon glaze if using. Whisk powdered sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest in a bowl until smooth.
Allow the pancakes to cool a bit before eating, this lets the texture settle and fully develop. Drizzle with lemon glaze, maple syrup or anything else you prefer and devour!

Notes

My #1 Secret Tip for this vegan lemon pancake recipe is to cook them over medium to medium-low heat instead of rushing the process. The batter is thicker than standard pancake batter, so slower cooking helps the centers cook through properly while the outside develops a golden crust.
Rest batter: I always let the batter sit for a few minutes before cooking, so the oat flour has a chance to hydrate and thicken up the batter.
Zest lemons first: It seems small, but zesting lemons before juicing them makes everything easier. I have a harder time getting a decent amount of zest when the fruit is no longer intact.
Use fresh lemons: I never use bottled juice for this recipe, as fresh lemon juice and zest provide a truer flavor.
Blend almonds finely: I process the almonds thoroughly so the vegan ricotta mixture turns creamy instead of gritty.
Flip carefully: These pancakes might be hearty, but they are still delicate while cooking. I use a thin, but wide spatula, and make sure there is enough space in the pan for me to flip, without disturbing the other pancakes.

Nutrition