This Easy Vegan Buckwheat Pancakes recipe is made with naturally gluten-free buckwheat flour and sweetened with maple syrup!
In need of healthy pancakes? You've come to the right place.
Although the name doesn't sound it, buckwheat flour is naturally gluten-free. Not only that, it boasts a nutritional profile and health benefits that are pretty pleasing as well.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Easy recipe
- Simple ingredients
- Gluten-free pancake recipe
Ingredients and substitutions
Here are a few quick notes about the ingredients in this recipe. You can see a complete ingredient list and instructions in the recipe card below.
Buckwheat's strong flavor usually makes it a good candidate for use with other gluten-free flours, like rice flour. In these healthy buckwheat pancakes, utilizing only buckwheat flour with the other ingredients strikes a nice balance.
Buckwheat flour (light or dark) - This gluten-free flour has a nutty flavor and is the only flour you'll need for this recipe.
Ground flaxseed - Mixed with water, this will create our flax egg to help bind the vegan pancakes, plus give some extra nutrients!
Almond milk - Any unsweetened non-dairy milk or regular milk will work here. Coconut milk, soy milk, etc., choose the plant-based milk you prefer.
Apple cider vinegar - Combined with the almond milk, this will act as our vegan buttermilk. Lemon juice can be easily substituted.
Maple syrup - The natural sweetener keeps this recipe completely free of refined sugar!
Coconut oil or vegan butter - If you opt for coconut oil but don't want a "hint of coconut," use refined coconut oil.
Vanilla extract - This rounds out our flavors and adds sweetness.
Ground cinnamon - Just a hint of the warm spice that pairs nicely with the nutty buckwheat and maple syrup.
Baking powder - The leavener that helps make more fluffy pancakes.
Step-by-step instructions
Before you start: Prepare your flax eggs in a small bowl and set aside. Measure your almond milk in a liquid measuring cup and add the apple cider vinegar. Stir and set aside.
Step 1: In a medium bowl, whisk the dry ingredients—buckwheat flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon—together.
Step 2: Add the wet ingredients—almond milk mixture, flax eggs, maple syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla extract—and whisk until the batter is smooth.
Step 3: Allow the batter to rest for 5-8 minutes while you heat a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat.
Step 4: Spray skillet with cooking spray. Use a fourth cup of batter for each pancake. Allow the pancake to cook for 1-2 minutes on each side. Edges and tops should start turning a golden brown.
Tips
- You want to try not to overmix the batter. This will create more airholes in your pancakes. Tastes the same though!
- Let the batter rest for about five minutes before starting to pour the batter onto the pancake griddle. This allows the batter to absorb some of the liquid making for a more fluffy texture.
Toppings
If you like a little more than syrup on your fluffy stack, here are some of our favorite toppings to add to your breakfast!
- Fresh berries
- Strawberry compote
- Peanut butter
- Blackberry syrup
- Strawberry butter
FAQs
Buckwheat is high in fiber, and protein, and contains all eight amino acids. It also offers a good dose of magnesium, copper, zinc, and manganese. This recipe uses a small amount of maple syrup, but it can be omitted for more natural sweetener toppings like fresh fruit.
Light buckwheat flour is made from hulled buckwheat while the dark variety is unhulled. Its coloring is more similar to sorghum flour. Dark buckwheat flour has a speckled appearance and also contains a higher amount of fiber. Either flour can be used in this recipe, but I prefer the light flour in these pancakes and in other gluten-free baking.
While buckwheat is a naturally gluten-free flour, it depends on the pancake recipe to determine whether or not they are vegan. The recipe for these simple vegan buckwheat pancakes does not use eggs or dairy making the vegan-friendly.
Recipes to serve with pancakes
Love this recipe? Please consider leaving a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating on the recipe card below and let me know what you think in the comments!
📖 Recipe
Easy Vegan Buckwheat Pancakes
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed + 6 tablespoons water
- 1 ¼ cups unsweetened almond milk
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 ½ cups (260g) buckwheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2-3 tablespoons maple syrup room temperature
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil or vegan butter, melted and cooled
- 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Combine ground flaxseed and water in a small bowl and set aside. Measure your almond milk in a liquid measuring cup and add the apple cider vinegar. Stir and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk buckwheat flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon together. Add the almond milk mixture, flax eggs, maple syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla extract. Stir until batter is smooth.
- Allow the batter to rest for 5 minutes while you heat a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat.
- Spray the skillet with cooking spray. Make a small test pancake before using the rest of the batter.Using a ¼ measuring cup, scoop batter and pour onto the skillet. Let the pancake cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until small bubbles appear and the sides have firmed. Flip and cook again for 1-2 minutes. Remove cooked pancakes from skillet and repeat with remaining batter.
- Serve with maple syrup and other optional toppings such as fruit, vegan butter, coconut whipped cream, or chocolate chips.
Notes
- You want to try not to overmix the batter. This will create more airholes in your pancakes. Tastes the same though!
- Let the batter rest for about five minutes before starting to pour the batter onto the non-stick skillet. This allows the batter to absorb some of the liquid making for a more fluffy texture.
Alene
They're great! I am on a fodmap diet to determine whats wrong with me. Everything in this recipe is low fodmap! I used lactose free milk and 2 eggs, just because they were good for my diet. Maybe the batter was a little loose so my pancakes were freeform. I know flax eggs thicken better. That was probably the difference. Thank you!
Tessa
Thank you, Alene!!
Holly
I made these for Easter morning breakfast, served with bananas and blueberry compote. So delicious and guilt-free compared to the last pancakes I made with gluten-free flour! I love that buckwheat has both protein & fiber. These pancakes are my new go-to weekend indulgence!! Thanks for creating such amazing (and simple) recipes :)
Tessa
Thank you so much!!