Vegan Apple Pancakes
Vegan apple pancakes are your plant-based answer to light and fluffy flapjacks! Made with self-rising flour, crisp apples, and a hint of cinnamon, you’d never know they aren’t made with dairy or eggs!
Whether you’re new to a plant-based lifestyle or are just looking to switch things up a bit this weekend, you’ve chosen the perfect recipe. It’s never a bad idea to try something new! If you’re worried about missing out on what makes a pancake a pancake, don’t be. This one does not miss a beat! If you’re not new to vegan eating, you’ll love these too! You’ll also love our traditional vegan pancakes and blueberry vegan pancakes.
About these vegan apple pancakes
These vegan pancakes are quick and easy and require nothing fancy. They are a healthier alternative to your everyday pancakes but don’t require any ingredients you need to search high and low for.
A simple combination of almond milk and apple cider vinegar creates a vegan buttermilk (seriously, it’s true!) which can be used in all kinds of baking. Vegan buttermilk pancakes are just the beginning!
They are actually quite customizable. Swap out the self-rising flour for a Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free all-purpose flour for a gluten-free option (you will want to add 1 tablespoons of baking powder if you make this swap). Play around with the toppings, and additional fun fillings for the kids!
Flavors such as sweet apple and cinnamon, which are an obvious match made in heaven, make these the perfect fall pancake recipe. With the additional nutrient-dense ingredients, it’s the perfect way to start the day!
This recipe comes with an easy vegan apple compote topping, but they’re also great with maple cinnamon butter (which could be made with a vegan butter as well) or vegan caramel sauce.
What’s in this recipe?
- Almond milk
- Apple cider vinegar
- Canola oil
- Self-rising flour
- Red apple, shredded
- Ground cinnamon
- Granulated sugar
For the topping
- Agave nectar (or honey if not vegan)
- Ground cinnamon
- Apples, cut into cubes
- Lemon juice
- Vegan butter
How to make apple cinnamon pancakes
Prep the vegan buttermilk in a medium bowl by mixing the milk and apple cider vinegar together. Let sit for 2 minutes.
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, apple, cinnamon, and sugar.
Make a well in the middle and pour the buttermilk mixture into the flour.
Mix until batter is smooth and mostly lump-free. Let the batter rest for 10 minutes.
Heat a non-stick skillet on low-medium heat. Grease skillet with a bit of butter and pour ⅓ cup of batter per pancake. Cook pancakes until bubbles form on the surface then flip to cook on the other side until golden brown. Repeat until there is no batter left.
Prepare the topping: In a medium bowl, mix agave nectar, cinnamon, apple, and lemon. Heat a medium pan with vegan butter and caramelize the apple until your desired texture is achieved. Stir occasionally.
Serve pancakes with apple topping and vegan butter. Enjoy!
How to make these pancakes your own
- Cashew milk is another nut milk option.
- If you don’t have any apple cider vinegar on hand, you can substitute for white vinegar or lemon juice.
- For oil-free pancakes, omit the oil and add extra milk. Keep in mind, this will have an effect on the texture of the pancakes.
- If you are not aiming for vegan but are looking for a healthier alternative to butter, try ghee. It’s clarified butter has a deep taste and is high in antioxidants.
- To make your own almond milk, soak almonds overnight. Add water and soaked almonds to a high-speed blender. Put the mixture in a milk bag or a fine-mesh sleeve and squeeze out as much liquid as you can get into a jar. Voila! Of course, you can add vanilla, cinnamon, or your sweetener of choice if you’d like.
- Add some apple pie spice and have yourself some dutch apple pie pancakes!
- If you choose to use regular all-purpose flour, just remember to add 1 tablespoon baking powder because it won’t be self-rising.
Make Ahead Ideas
Although you want the batter to sit a little bit before you make the pancakes you don’t want it sitting for too long. Therefore it is not recommended you make the batter ahead of time. It will definitely lose a lot of its ability to create a fluffy pancake.
Storage Suggestions
Leftover pancakes store very well for up to 5 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. It’s possible to freeze the pancakes but they will lose their taste and texture over time.
Reheating Tips
The way to get a little softness back is to use the microwave. You can also use the toaster on low to heat through.
Pair with
Pair these with an apple cider mimosa or a pumpkin spice latte for a festive fall feast!
FAQs
Almond milk is just one option for these delicious vegan pancakes. Try oat milk or soy milk. Both work well in creating a buttermilk as well!
Get the Recipe: Vegan Apple Pancakes
Ingredients
- 2 cups unsweetened almond milk
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 2 ¼ cups self-rising flour
- 1 medium red apple shredded
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, mix milk, vinegar and apple cider together. Let set for 2 minutes.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, apple, cinnamon and sugar.
- Make a well in the middle and pour milk mixture into the flour.
- Mix until batter is smooth and mostly free of lumps. Let the batter rest for 10 minutes.
- Heat a non-stick skillet on low-medium heat. Grease skillet with a bit of butter and pour ⅓ cup of batter per pancake. Cook pancakes until bubbles form on the surface then flip to cook on the other side until golden brown. Repeat until no batter is left.
- Prepare topping: In a medium bowl, mix agave nectar, cinnamon, apple and lemon. Heat a medium pan with butter and caramelize the apple as you desired. I left mine for 1 minutes by stirring occasionally.
- Serve pancakes with apple topping and vegan butter.
Notes
- Recipe makes about 12 4-inch pancakes.
- No self-rising flour? You can use all-purpose flour but add 1 tablespoon baking powder to the dry ingredients.
- Gluten-free? Substitute a 1:1 gluten-free flour and add 1 tablespoon baking powder.