These vegan protein pancakes are made with a combination of almond flour, oat flour, and flax giving these pancakes added protein and they just happen to be gluten-free too!
Pancakes are one of my all-time favorite plant-based breakfast ideas! They remind me of lazy Saturday mornings, where we don’t get out of our PJs until noon.
Pancakes are also a family favorite. Everyone can get around pancakes and they never turn them down. The kids also love to help me make them.
It’s the perfect kid recipe. They mix and stir, and I do the stovetop flipping.
The whole family then customizes their pancakes to their liking by adding fruit, or even chocolate chips.
While my family and I love my vegan chocolate chip pancakes I decided to try something new and create a protein-packed pancake that was not only vegan but also gluten-free.
Each ingredient was added with the idea of protein in mind. But I didn’t want to do a typical protein pancake using protein powder because my kids were going to eat these. Instead I created something wonderful using all-natural whole-food plant-based ingredients, and each pancake is packed with 7 grams of protein!
If you’re looking for an easy make-ahead breakfast give this Protein Overnight Oats recipe a try!
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💗 Why You’ll Love these Fluffy Vegan Protein Pancakes
- Vegan and Gluten-Free
- No oil in the pancakes ( I used 1 teaspoon in the pan so they wouldn’t stick).
- Hearty and Filling
- They freeze well!
- 7 grams of protein per pancake
- High in Fiber
- Easy and fast to make
- Simple ingredients
🥣 Ingredients and Notes
Blanched Almond Flour: Almond flour is a great alternative to regular flour in many types of recipes. It is high in protein because it is made from almonds. Be sure to use blanched almond flour, and not almond meal.
Oat Flour: This gluten-free flour is another high-protein and high-fiber flour.
Coconut Sugar: Instead of cane sugar, coconut sugar provides a natural sweetness to your pancakes.
Baking Powder and Salt: These ingredients allow your pancakes to fluff and rise.
Ground Flax and Water: Flax is another good source of protein, when whisked together with water it becomes a good egg alternative.
Non-Dairy Milk: You may use any type of non-dairy milk you choose. I suggest using soy milk because it is a better protein source.
Vanilla Extract: This helps to bring all the flavors together and allow them to shine.
📋 How to Make Vegan Protein Pancakes – Step by Step
Step 1: In a small bowl combine ground flax with water. Whisk to combine and let it sit for 5 minutes.
Step 2: Whisk together the almond flour, oat flour, coconut sugar, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl.
Step 3: Add the flax egg, soy milk, and vanilla extract to the bowl of flour. Stir to combine.
Step 4: Heat the skillet over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon of coconut oil to a pan. Swirl to spread the oil evenly. Add about ¼-1/3 of a cup of batter per pancake. You may need to gently spread the batter with the back of a spoon or measuring cup.
Step 5: Cook until the batter bubbles, then flip. About 3-4 minutes per side depending on the heat of your pan. Serve with fresh fruit and maple syrup!
💭 Expert Tips
- When using almond flour the batter of the pancakes is much more delicate. As a result, it can be a bit trickier to flip the pancakes. Cook 1-2 pancakes in a pan at a time so that you have enough room to gently lift and flip the pancake without it falling apart.
- If you don’t have oat flour, use your food processor to grind your rolled oats into flour.
- If you buy oat flour and have gluten sensitivity be sure that your oats are certified gluten-free.
- You need more baking powder than you do when making pancakes with regular flour because there is no gluten. This will help the pancakes rise and make them fluffy.
❓ Recipe FAQS
Yes, these protein pancakes are healthy.
High in Protein-Each pancake has 6 grams of protein. The average pancake has about half the amount of protein, so you’re getting double the protein per pancake!
High in Fiber-With oat flour, and flax these pancakes have 4 grams of fiber per serving. That’s ⅕ of your recommended fiber in each pancake.
Low in Calories-These pancakes contain no added oil. Although I use a little to keep them from sticking to the pan, if you have a good non-stick skillet you don’t necessarily need the 1 teaspoon of coconut oil. As a result of limiting the oil in these pancakes they are lower in calories, and much more nutrient dense.
Low in Sugar-Without adding maple syrup these pancakes have only 2 grams of sugar per serving. Much less than the average pancake since these are made with whole grains and almond flour instead of bleached white flour with added white sugar.
Yes, you can put protein powder in your pancakes. If you choose to do so, be sure to use a vegan protein powder. My favorite protein powder to use is Future Kind Vanilla Protein Powder.
Soy Milk-Soy milk has more protein than other dairy-free milk.
Almond Flour-Almond flour is made from blanched and finely ground almonds which is why it is a good substitute for flour to increase protein.
Oat Flour-Oats also contain more protein than your average white or whole wheat flour. One cup of whole-grain oat flour adds 21 grams of protein to this recipe.
Ground Flax or Ground Chia: Ground flax and chia not only act as a binder but also add an additional 2 grams of protein.
🍽 How to Serve
- Maple Syrup
- Fresh Blueberries
- Chopped Bananas
- Sliced Apples
- Peanut Butter or Almond Butter (for extra protein)
- Chocolate Chips
- Applesauce (instead of maple syrup)
❄️ How to Store and Keep
Store leftover pancakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave.
😋 More Vegan Pancake Recipes!
Please comment below if you found this article helpful or have any additional questions. You can also follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook for more family-friendly vegan recipes!
Recipe
Vegan Protein Pancakes
Ingredients
- ½ cup blanched almond flour
- 1 cup oat flour
- 1 tablespoon coconut sugar
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon flax
- 2 tablespoon water
- ¾ cup unsweetened soy milk or dairy free milk of choice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
Instructions
- In a small bowl combine ground flax with water. Whisk to combine and let sit for 5 minutes.
- Combine almond flour, oat flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder in a medium size bowl.
- Add flax egg, soy milk, and vanilla extract to dry ingredients. Stir to combine.
- Heat skillet on medium. Add 1 teaspoon of coconut oil to pan. Swirl to spread oil evenly. Add about ¼-1/3 of a cup of batter per pancake. You may need to gently spread the batter with the back of a spoon or measuring cup.
- Cook until batter begins to bubble, then flip. About 3-4 minutes per side depending on the heat of your pan.
Video
Notes
- Nutrition facts calculated without maple syrup.
- When using almond flour the batter of the pancakes is much more delicate. As a result, it can be a bit trickier to flip the pancakes. Cook 1-2 pancakes in a pan at a time so that you have enough room to gently lift and flip the pancake without it falling apart.
- If you don’t have oat flour, use your food processor to grind your rolled oats into flour.
- If you buy oat flour and have gluten sensitivity be sure that your oats are certified gluten-free.
- You need more baking powder than you do when making pancakes with regular flour because there is no gluten. This will help the pancakes rise and make them fluffy.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave.
Heather
Thank you for a great recipe. Always looking for whole food recipes with extra protein. My very picky kids loved these pancakes!
Jenn
I love that these pancakes are higher in protein and with extra fiber. Going to try them this weekend!
Tammy
Now here are pancakes I can feel good about devouring! They look hearty and wholesome and I love the golden flecked texture! Looks so delicious ^_^
Rebecca
I love using flax in my pancakes! Your recipe looks delicious & easy
Shadi Hasanzadenemati
This is absolutely delicious! I love that it’s such a crowd pleaser for the whole family