Vegan Oat Milk Pancakes

These vegan oat milk pancakes are the food hug you need no matter the occasion. The insanely easy, quick and FLUFFY recipe for these oat flour pancakes will leave all your sweet cravings fulfilled. With DOUBLE the amount of oat (they contain both oat MILK and oat FLOUR), they're your ultimate healthy treat.

5 reasons why to make these

Never made pancakes with oat milk before? Here's why you totally should!

• 1. They stay good for DAYS. That is, if you keep them refrigerated in an airtight container. I personally LOVE doing this. Most weeks, I will whip up an enormous batch of these pancakes on a Sunday morning. This way I have a huge stash ready for the rest of the week. Although to be honest I usually finish them all within 2 days. Oops.

• 2. They’re a HEALTHIER ALTERNATIVE. I used very little sugar, unsweetened milk, wholemeal flour, and NO oil. Well, except for the tiniest drizzle just to grease the pan. If you’re looking to make it even healthier, why not top up with tons of fruit, chia seeds, flaxseeds, and cacao nibs. Did I hear you say yummm?

• 3. THAT TEXTURE. You won’t be able to get over this texture in a million years. They’re so soft and pillowy, like a beautiful cloud of vegan goodness. Moreover, they’re beautifully fluffy, but not so delicate they would fall apart easily. 

• 4. NO-FAIL RECIPE THAT WORKS. Contrary to popular belief, I actually think pancakes are tricky to make! That is if you want to make them AMAZING. This recipe isn’t an attempt to make just another average morning pancake. Oh no. It’s the one you need when you want nothing short of perfection. 

• 5. ONE BOWL ONLY. I don’t want any of my recipes to be difficult. Short, easy and sweet is my motto. All you need for these pancakes is just 1 bowl and bam, your batter is ready. No fuss, super simple and fail-proof. 

Oh and did I mention you’ll be getting step-by-step photos to help you along the way? If that doesn't convince you, I don't know what will!

Whether you're a long-time vegan or just someone looking for a new milk substitute for pancakes, this will be your new go-to recipe!

P.S. - Lover of all things oat milk? Don't miss out my delicious oat milk hot chocolate!

Ingredients

This is what you’ll need to put on your groceries shopping list:

• Oat flour (this is just oats blended until smooth!) 
• Plain flour
• Baking soda
• Baking powder
• Salt
• Oat milk (I used Alpro oat milk, but any oat milk will do)
• Brown sugar

Even though this list is longer than some, believe me that all ingredients are there for a good reason. They will all come together to make the Ultimate Vegan Pancake. Plus, I’m damn sure you already have some of these in your kitchen cupboard. 

Don’t worry about not being able to find oat flour in your local shop - you can simply make it yourself in 30 seconds. Just add oats to a blender and blend until smooth. You might need to shake your blender or turn it off and use a spatula to scrape off the sides from time to time.

Step-by-step Process

Let’s go through all our steps! This is a visual guide through the pancake making process. All measurements can be found in the recipe card below.

1. COMBINE YOUR DRY INGREDIENTS

Combine all your dry ingredients - flour (white and oat), baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt. Mix well.

2. ADD YOUR LIQUIDS

Now it’s time to add your liquids, or shall I say liquid! We’ll be slowly pouring oat milk over your dry mixture and mixing it well until few lumps remain. 

3. GREASE THE PAN

Grab a non-stick pan and spread ½ tsp of light olive oil over the surface. You can do so by simply pouring the ½ tsp of oil into your pan and then using a kitchen brush to spread it equally along the pan.

I definitely recommend using this tiny amount of oil to grease the pan. Even if you’re using a non-stick pan, this will help you flip the pancakes more easily. 

4. COOK YOUR PANCAKES

Warm up your pan. Once it’s warm, use a ¼ cup measuring cup to pour the batter onto your pan. Use the flat side of your measuring cup to press down on the pancake batter a little, making them more even in size. This will also help cook them faster.

Cook your pancakes for about 90 seconds on each side (I leave the pan on medium heat, between 4 and 5). Use a FLAT spatula (like this) to turn your pancakes. I usually cook 3 pancakes at a time, but this will depend on the size of your pan. 

Do keep in mind that cooking any pancakes is never an exact science. There are various factors that come into play to influence your cooking time (factors like heat, size of the pan, how long you’ve let your batter stand, etc)

What would I suggest? Don’t worry too much and just keep practising! The first batch you’ve made when you’ve just greased the pan is usually the worst, so don’t worry, your next one will be better!

See? Super easy, really quick and, may I add, incredibly delicious. 

If I kick-start your pancake addiction, don’t blame me! 

Expert Tips

Wondering how to turn these into a success? All you need to do is follow these tips.

1. Always use a mix of PLAIN WHITE flour with your oat flour. I’ve made this mistake before. I tried to make my pancakes healthier by completely omitting white flour. What happened was that the batter just didn't stick together and my pancakes were falling apart. 
2. Don’t over-mix your batter. This is a classic beginner’s mistake and one I have made a million times before. You might be thinking that mixing the batter super well, really getting out all those annoying lumps, will make your pancakes better. Wrong! What it will do is make your pancakes tough, hard, not fluffy. They will basically end up like bread and we don’t want that.
3. Pour your oat milk gradually. This will ensure you’re left with a SMOOTH batter with few lumps. If you pour all of the milk over your dry ingredients in one go without whisking at all, it will be hard to avoid lumps. Having said that, do keep in mind that a couple of lumps here and there are always better than over-mixing your batter!
4. Finally, wait before turning them! Turning your pancakes is much easier if you’re using the right tools. Using a flat silicone spatula like this one, will make all the difference. Another important factor is to wait for the right moment to turn them. I recommend 90 seconds, but this might vary. Use a flat spatula to very gently try lifting one side of the pancake. If it sticks to your spatula & the pan, it’s definitely NOT ready for turning. Wait until it doesn't stick to the pan anymore and then flip over carefully.

FAQ + Troubleshooting

Before carrying out with reading the troubleshooting part, make sure you’ve read and followed the tips above. 

If anything is still causing you any issues, let’s check what could be the reason below: 

HOW TO FIX BATTER THAT IS TOO THICK

Simple! Just gradually add more oat milk. Make sure to do that slowly and keep whisking your batter as you pour. You don’t want to pour too much and end up with a batter that’s super runny. Why? Runny batter will make your pancakes flatter.

HOW TO FIX BATTER THAT IS TOO RUNNY

Simply just add in some more flour and mix well. I would recommend adding white flour as this usually helps the batter stick together better (wow, that’s quite a tongue-twister!).

MY PANCAKES ARE FALLING APART AND I CAN’T TURN THEM!

This usually happens when there’s too much oat flour in the mix. If that’s the case, there’s not much you can do than to make another batch. Do not use a ratio of more than 50% of oat flour (say for example a ratio of 60% oat flour to 40% white flour won’t work). 

ARE OATS VEGAN AND OTHER COMMON FACTS

Since oats are definitely the star ingredient of this recipe, let's take a closer look at them.

You might think this is obvious, but an increasing number of Google searches is after this fact. The answer? YES, oats most certainly are vegan. They are also GLUTEN FREE, however, they do often get contaminated with gluten during the production process.

We mentioned above this is a healthier alternative to your usual pancake recipe and here's why.

Oats are:

• Rich in fibre, phosphorus, thiamine, magnesium and zinc (source).
• Contain considerable amounts of beta glucan, a type of fibre that has been consistently linked to healthier cholesterol scores (source).
• Linked to a reduced risk of coronary heart disease (source).

Serving Ideas

We've established that this is a healthier pancake alternative. It will serve as the perfect base, but DO make sure to add your toppings! Since we're only using 1 tbsp of sugar in this entire recipe, you will want to make up for that elsewhere.

My top recommendations are:

• DEFINITELY add a liquid! Something like agave syrup, maple syrup or chocolate sauce all work well. A liquid element will make your pancake even better.
• ADD SOMETHING CRUNCHY. It doesn't have to be nuts or seeds if that's not your thing (although chia and hemp seeds are a DELICIOUS topping). Even just crunchy fresh strawberries will do.
• LOAD UP ON FRESH PRODUCE. I can't stress how important and delicious this is. Top off with all your favourite fruit for the perfect vegan breakfast.

For more delicious vegan breakfast and dessert ideas like this, make sure to check out my: 

• Oat Milk Hot Chocolate
• The Best Vegan Waffles
• Vegan Shortbread Biscuits with Chocolate
• Orange Cardamom Knot Buns
• Full English Vegan Breakfast

This just about wraps up my oat milk pancakes recipe! As always, if you have any trouble making this recipe, simply comment down below or message me directly on Instagram. I’ll be sure to help you out in case you get stuck! 

Tried out my oat milk pancakes recipe? Make sure to share and tag @myveganminimalist so that I can see and comment on your creation! 

THIS RECIPE SERVES 2 PEOPLE, MAKING BETWEEN 8-10 PANCAKES, DEPENDING ON THE SIZE.