This oat milk pancakes recipe is a simple one-bowl pancake recipe that requires 7 simple ingredients. They are just as light and fluffy as regular pancakes but without any dairy or soy included.
Topped with fresh fruit and maple syrup and served alongside some Oat Milk Hot Chocolate (or Pumpkin Spice Latte) you're all set when it comes to serving a delicious stack of dairy-free pancakes.
You might have seen browsing my site that I'm a big fan of using oat milk as a dairy alternative in breakfast as well as drink and smoothie recipes.
These pancakes are the latest addition to my oat milk recipes. They are super simple to make and don't include dairy whatsoever. The butter is replaced with olive oil and the regular milk is swapped for oat milk.
For more delicious pancake recipes check out Protein Pancakes (no banana), Pancakes without Milk or Pancakes without Baking Powder.
Can you substitute oat milk for regular milk in pancakes?
Absolutely! Besides its delicious taste, oat milk makes a great milk replacement in most sweet recipes, not only pancakes. You can use store-bought or even homemade oat milk for a more budget-friendly option.
Why use oat milk
- Dairy-free. Oat milk is dairy-free and thus is suitable for people who can't have or don't want to consume dairy.
- Nut-free. Perfect for people with nut allergies.
- Soy-free.
- Lower in fat. Unlike regular cow's milk or other milk alternatives such as coconut milk, oat milk is much lower in fat.
- It's super versatile.
Ingredients & substitution notes
- Flour: We used regular white all-purpose flour. Feel free to use whole wheat flour or a gluten-free flour blend to make gluten-free oat milk pancakes instead.
- Oat Milk: To create dairy-free pancakes this recipe calls for unsweetened oat milk instead of regular cow's milk. Even though I personally prefer this recipe with oat milk, it does work with different kinds of milk such as soy milk or almond milk.
- Egg: This recipe calls for 1 egg. It could be replaced with 1 flax egg to create vegan oat milk pancakes.
- Maple Syrup: Works as an additional sweetener in this recipe and adds some additional flavor. Could be replaced with honey, agave syrup or any other sweetener of choice.
- Olive Oil: Adds some nice additional texture and flavors. We used olive oil as a healthy alternative to the butter that's often included in traditional American pancake recipes. Don't worry, the taste of the olive oil won't be noticeable. Can be replaced with other vegetable oils such as coconut oil, sunflower oil or melted vegan butter.
- Baking Powder: The rising agent that helps to create a fluffy texture.
- Salt: The salt is optional but helps to enhance the flavors.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make oat milk pancakes
This pancake recipe is similar to the classic pancake recipe you might know but with a healthy twist. There's no butter included, instead, we use olive oil. Cow milk is replaced with oat milk and regular sugar with maple syrup.
Step 1: Dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt.
Make a well in the center for the wet ingredients.
Step 2: Wet ingredients. Add the egg, maple syrup and olive oil to the center of the bowl.
Start mixing the three ingredients first using a whisk.
Add oat milk and stir with a spatula until well combined and a smooth batter forms.
Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and set it aside to rest for about 10 min. You can skip this step if you're already hungry and in a hurry 😉
STEP 3: Cook pancakes. Heat some olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Measure out about ⅓ cup of the pancake batter and pour it into the pan. Let cook for about 2 minutes until you can see little holes forming (bubbles that have popped).
Flip with a spatula and cook the other side for another minute or so. Add your favorite toppings and enjoy immediately or place them onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and put them in the oven at 200°F (100°C).
Tips for perfect pancakes
- Temperature: The right temperature is key to evenly cooked pancakes. You might see that the first pancake usually turns out less perfect because the pan often isn't as properly heated across its entire surface. Depending on your pan and oven, a temperature between medium-low to medium should work.
- Don't over-mix: It's absolutely ok to have some small lumps left in the batter. There's no need to stir vigorously as this might result in chewy, rubbery pancakes rather than fluffy ones.
- Equal sizes: By using a measuring cup to scoop out the pancake batter you'll ensure that you'll end up with similar-sized pancakes that aren't too big or too small.
- Let rest: Let the batter rest for 10 minutes as it will become a bit thicker.
- Don't flip too early: There's no need to flip as soon as you see one or two bubbles forming. Wait until you can see a lot of bubbles that have actually popped and left a hole (see photo above). Otherwise, the pancake might not be firm enough and still not cooked through.
Optional add-ins
- Vanilla extract: Add ¼ teaspoon of vanilla extract for some delicious subtle vanilla flavors.
- Cocoa Powder: Turn these pancakes into chocolate oat milk pancakes by adding 1 teaspoon of cocoa powder to the pancake mix.
- Chocolate Chips: If the cocoa powder isn't enough, you could add some (vegan) chocolate chips.
- Cinnamon: Feel free to add ½ teaspoon of cinnamon for some warm flavors.
Topping ideas
- Fresh Fruit: Taste amazing as an add-in and are a must as a topping. Fresh berries such as strawberries, raspberries or fresh blueberries, banana slices or apple slices all make amazing pancake toppings. Simply choose your favorite types of fruits!
- Nuts: Such as almonds, pecans or walnuts. Roasted or plain- both taste great.
- Dried Fruit: Such as dates, cranberries or dried goji berries also taste great as a topping and add some additional natural sweetness and fiber.
- Caramel Sauce: Try our Peanut Butter Caramel Sauce as a topping!
- Vegan Whipped Cream: or top with some vegan whipped cream.
- Yogurt: Plain Greek Yogurt tastes amazing as a topping, especially in combination with fresh fruit!
- Maple Syrup: The pancakes themselves are only lightly sweetened because I love to add maple syrup when serving.
Serving suggestions
- Hot Drinks: Some of my favorite cozy drink recipes to pair these oat milk pancakes with are: Matcha Latte, Hot Chocolate, Peanut Butter Coffee or Pumpkin Spice Latte.
- Cold Drinks: For cold coffee variations try this Iced Caramel Macchiato or French Press Cold Brew. OR this Decaf Cold Brew for a caffeine-free version.
Storing
Store leftover pancakes in an airtight container in the fridge and reheat in the microwave on a microwave-safe plate. Alternatively, you could reheat them in the oven at 200°F (100°C) degrees.
FAQs
You might have overmixed the batter or your batter was too thin. You could try stirring in a little bit of extra flour and see if it makes a difference.
For a vegan variation of this recipe, you could replace the egg with 1 flax egg.
Whisk together 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseeds (it's important that they are ground) with 4 tablespoon of water. Set aside for 10 minutes- this will allow the mixture to thicken.
Commercial oat milk is often enriched with vitamins and minerals like calcium, iron, B-vitamins and vitamin A and vitamin D. Therefore, when fortified, it makes a rich source of nutrients. It contains less protein though than soy milk and cow's milk. Also, keep in mind that you won't have these nutritional benefits in homemade oat milk.
More pancake recipes
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📖 Recipe
Oat Milk Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup flour *see notes
- 3 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon olive oil *or other neutral-tasting oil of choice
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 cup + 1 tbsp oat milk
Instructions
- Start by whisking together flour, salt and baking powder in a large mixing bowl.1 ¼ cup flour, ¼ teaspoon salt, 3 teaspoon baking powder
- Make a well in the center and add the egg, olive oil and maple syrup. Keep whisking until they are combined.1 egg, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 tablespoon maple syrup
- Add oat milk and stir again until a smooth batter forms (don't over-mix though).1 cup + 1 tablespoon oat milk
- Heat some olive oil in a non-stick pan or griddle on medium heat.
- Spoon in ⅓ cup of the batter and let cook for about 2 minutes until you can see a lot of bubbles forming.
- Flip with a spatula and cook for another minute or so.
- Add your favorite toppings (see above for some ideas) and enjoy!
Video
Tips & Notes
- Make it vegan: Replace the egg with 1 flax egg.
- Make it gluten-free: Replace the flour 1:1 with a gluten-free flour blend.
- Don't overmix: It's absolutely ok to have some small lumps left in the batter. If you stir too vigorously you might end up with chewy, rubbery rather than fluffy pancakes.
- Toppings: Are essential for pancakes! Add fresh fruit, plain yogurt, more maple syrup, dried fruits, homemade vegan caramel sauce or vegan whipped cream to make them taste more exciting.
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