Ah, pancakes. We all love them. It may be because they remind us of our childhoods – Bisquick mix and giant jugs of “maple” syrup made for the best kind of lazy mornings as a kid. It’s hard to resist a good pancake, especially at restaurants where they’re larger than life and loaded with toppings. So, as I surveyed the breakfast scene for inspiration I asked myself: can pancakes be delicious AND healthy AND intolerance-friendly?
The answer? YES. With some creativity, whole grains, chia seeds, and bananas, anything is possible! These Vegan Banana Chia Pancakes are de-lic-ious. They’re dairy and egg-free and higher in protein and fiber than traditional pancakes. But they still have the moist, fluffy, soak-up-the-syrup texture that we all know and love. I tested, retested, and retested again before arriving at this final recipe, which I am happy to say meet my highest taste and nutrition criteria!
Making Pancakes Without Dairy or Eggs
Vegan baking is a challenge, but a few smart substitutions can make all the difference. Eggs usually function as a binding and leavening (rising) agent in baked goods. Common egg substitutions are “flax eggs” or “chia eggs”, made with mixing ground flaxseed or chia seeds with liquid. The flax and chia seeds thicken and form a gel, which then helps bind your bread/muffin/pancake together. For these pancakes I chose to use chia seeds because they’re high in protein and held up better than the flaxseed in my trial batches.
Dairy substitutions are more straightforward. We can use a milk alternative instead of milk or buttermilk, and oil instead of butter. But, because milk alternatives are lower in fat than regular milk, sometimes achieving the right texture can be tricky. That’s where the banana comes in! It adds a lovely flavor and moisture to the pancakes, keeping them soft rather than rubbery or dry.
I did attempt several gluten-free batches using almond flour and oat flour, but had to admit defeat. Without gluten or eggs the pancakes did not hold together at all despite my best efforts! For a gluten-free substitution I’d suggest trying a gluten-free baking flour instead.
Vegan Banana Chia Pancakes Explained
This Vegan Banana Chia Pancake recipe requires only one bowl and is relatively simple to make. However, I’ve found there are a few keys to a successful batch of pancakes:
- Use a low heat: if you brown the pancakes too quickly the inside will be undercooked. With the chia seeds and banana, these pancakes do take a bit longer to cook through than standard pancakes.
- Don’t skip a step: Make sure to let the chia seeds thicken and the batter rest (as described in the recipe), otherwise you may have thinner pancakes with crunchy chia seeds!
- Keep the pancakes small: I found that using 1/4 cup of batter per pancake is most efficient. If you make your pancakes too big the inside will take much longer to cook.
- If you’re short on time, cover the skillet while the pancakes are cooking or use two skillets simultaneously to speed the cooking process.
The Nutrition Breakdown
These bad boys are nutrition superstars with 6 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber per two-pancake serving. If you top them with a protein food (like chopped nuts, nut butter, or hemp seeds) you’d be looking right at a meal! I enjoyed maple syrup, blueberries, bananas, peanut butter, and walnuts (pictured) but you can choose whatever toppings your heart desires. Using soymilk or a protein-fortified milk alternative would also increase the protein content of the pancakes.
Chia seeds contain omega-3 fatty acids and are high in protein, fiber, calcium, magnesium, and zinc. Thanks to the chia seeds and whole wheat flour, a serving of pancakes gets you 25% of the way to your daily goal of 25 grams of fiber.
The Recipe
I’ve been enjoying these pancakes fresh, the next day, and even defrosted from the freezer. Which is great news for leftovers! The full recipe makes nine 4-inch pancakes, so even if you’re cooking for one or two you’ll be set for breakfast (or dinner) for days. Alternatively, the recipe is easy to split in half to produce four or five pancakes instead.
These Vegan Banana Chia Pancakes are satisfying and nostalgic- like the pancakes of my childhood but better. (Sorry Mom!). Happy breakfasting!
Vegan Banana Chia Pancakes
We're taking classic banana pancakes to a whole new level! The chia seeds and whole wheat flour sneak in plenty of fiber and protein, and you won't even notice that they're dairy and egg-free, too. These pancakes are delicious topped with maple syrup, nut butter, fruit, nuts, or cinnamon.
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup milk substitute
- 1 medium banana, mashed well (about 1/2 cup)
- 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil or canola oil
- 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 teaspoon vinegar (white vinegar or apple cider vinegar)
Dry Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
-
Mix wet ingredients with chia seeds: In a medium bowl mix the almond milk, mashed banana, coconut oil, honey, chia seeds, vanilla, and vinegar together with a whisk. Let sit for 10 minutes. The chia will thicken slightly.
-
Add the dry ingredients: to the same bowl add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Stir well with a fork until all the flour is incorporated. Let the batter rest while the pan heats up. The batter will be thick but should still be spreadable. If necessary, add another splash of milk substitute.
-
In the meantime heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Spray with nonstick cooking spray or brush pan with olive oil. Make sure you let the skillet heat up all the way before cooking your first pancakes.
-
Cook the pancakes: drop 1/4 cup of batter onto the pre-heated skillet and gently spread the batter out into a round shape using the back of a spoon. You don't want the pancakes TOO thick otherwise they won't cook evenly. Your pancake should be slightly bigger than the palm of your hand. Depending on the size of your skillet you may be able to fit 2-3 pancakes per pan.
-
Cook the pancakes for 6-8 minutes or until the edges are bubbly and the top of the pancake looks puffy and dry. Carefully flip with a spatula and cook for another 6-8 minutes on the other side. The pancakes are done when they're golden brown on both sides and springy in the middle.
-
Repeat to use up all the batter. You should have about 9 pancakes total.
-
Serving suggestions: spread with your favorite nut butter and top with maple syrup, fresh banana slices, nuts, berries, and/or cinnamon sugar.
-
These pancakes are best enjoyed fresh, but also keep well stored in the refrigerator in an air-tight container for 2-3 days. Or you can freeze the pancakes in a freezer-safe bag or air-tight container and defrost before serving.
Recipe Notes
- I used unsweetened almond milk for the milk substitute. You could use any milk alternative you enjoy (see this post for ideas), but if you use a sweetened milk your pancakes will be a bit sweeter.
- To make gluten-free you could try substituting a gluten-free flour for the whole wheat flour (but I have not tried this myself).
- Feel free to flavor the batter with your favorite mix-ins such as blueberries or chocolate chips. Peanut butter or butterscotch chips would be delicious too!
- The Nutrition Facts per serving of 2 pancakes are: 240 calories, 8 grams fat, 40 grams carbohydrate, 6 grams fiber, 6 grams protein. Note: calculated using unsweetened almond milk.
These are yummy!!!
Yum! Made gluten free with GF flour, no trouble. So tasty and fluffy!
Mel, I’m so glad you enjoyed them! Thanks for the tip with GF flour 🙂
Excellent recipe, it was my first time making pancakes ever and they were delish. I added some hemp seeds to the mix and melted peanut butter to pour on top, along with dark chocolate chips. Yum!!!
Hi Catherine! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed these pancakes. Your toppings sound delicious!!
My favourite vegan pancake recipe!