Quick and Fluffy Vegan Protein Pancakes (gluten-free)

These delicious, quick, and fluffy vegan protein pancakes are the perfect breakfast! With simple ingredients, these pancakes are easy to make and have twice as much protein as normal pancakes. Plus, they are super easy to make gluten free, too! 

Each pancake has about 10 grams of protein, making this a powerhouse way to start the day! 

Free from: Dairy, casein, eggs, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, coconut, fish, shellfish, crustaceans, mollusks, celery, corn, sesame, mustard, lupin, sulfites, nightshades, tomatoes, and more 

Optional free from: Wheat/Gluten

Who doesn’t love a tall stack of pancakes for breakfast? Both kids and adults will love these pancakes. You can easily make this recipe gluten free. It’s really easy to mix up in one bowl and it’s nice to know that you’re getting in some sneaky extra protein.

In the mood for more protein packed ideas? Make sure to check out my chocolate vegan protein pancakes, double chocolate vegan protein muffins, or vegan protein blueberry muffins.

Why You’ll Love this Vegan Protein Pancakes Recipe

• Easy to mix up in one bowl
• Light, soft, fluffy, and no weird aftertaste 
• Freezes super well for pancakes anytime 
• Dairy free, Egg free, Nut free, Gluten free recipe

Ingredients 

Here is a quick run down of the ingredients for this recipe. Need an allergy substitution? See the section below for all my tips and tricks! 

• Flour: I used all purpose flour here, you don’t need anything fancy like bread flour. For gluten free options, see the next section. 
• Protein Powder: Use your favorite protein powder. I recommend using either an unflavored or a vanilla flavor. For these pancakes I used a vanilla soy based protein powder. 
• Plant-based Milk: I recommend using soy milk for the best results, but almond milk and oat milk also work. 
• Sugar: A little bit of sugar to keep it sweet. If you are in the US, not all white sugar is vegan so make sure to grab a bag that says organic. You can also swap this for coconut sugar as well. Just know that the color will be slightly darker from the coconut. 
• Oil: A little bit of oil to help them cook in the pan.  This keeps them soft and fluffy. Use a neutral oil like canola or refined coconut oil. 
• Baking Powder + Salt: This helps to make tall fluffy pancakes. 
• Vanilla extract: For extra flavor. 

Allergy Substitutions 

To make these gluten free, you can replace the flour with an equal amount of a 1:1 baking flour blend. I recommend King Arthur Measure for Measure for the best texture.

You can also make this with oat flour, just add an additional 2 to 4 tablespoons of oat flour. 

This recipe won’t work with pure almond flour or coconut flour. 

Want to make these refined sugar free? Replace the sugar with some coconut sugar in an equal amount.

If you are sensitive to corn, make sure that you are using corn free vanilla and baking powder. For my personal favorites, please see my shop page. 

Best Protein Powder to Use 

Depending on your unique allergy and food needs, the best protein powder will look different for you as opposed to other people. For a complete breakdown of my favorite vegan protein powders for the different allergies, see my protein powder article here.

For this recipe, I used Natural Nutra Organic Soy Protein Powder in the Vanilla flavor. It’s a great plant-based protein that is super allergy friendly. If you need a soy free protein powder, a great option is this Naked Sprouted Brown Rice Protein Powder. 

Variations & My Favorite Toppings

• Maple syrup and vegan butter is a classic combination especially when topped with fresh fruit 
• Add chocolate chips, blueberries, or other fresh berries to the batter
• Add a spoonful of peanut butter, almond butter, sun butter or soy butter
• Mash a banana into the batter for some banana protein pancakes
• Sprinkle some coconut flakes or coconut whipped cream on top if you aren’t avoiding coconut
• One of my favorite way to enjoy pancakes is to top them with jam! 

Instructions 

For the full instructions, complete with recipe ingredient measurements, please see the recipe card below. 

If you are new to making pancakes from scratch and not out of a box, you are going to love how easy and simple these pancakes are to mix together! 

First up, mixing the batter! Simply whisk together the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Then, pour the wet ingredients into the middle and gently whisk them together until the batter is just combined. If it is a little lumpy, don’t worry! You don’t want totally smooth batter. Let the batter rest while the pan heats up. 

Tip! Leave the batter lumpy. When  you overmix the pancake batter, the pancakes will end up flatter and not fluffier. Use a whisk and make slow figure 8s until the batter is just combined. 

Next up, preparing the pan. You can make these in a pan on the stove or on a pancake griddle. Spray a little bit of oil to prevent any sticking. Make sure the pan is hot before adding any batter to it. Heat the pan over a good medium heat. 

Now it’s time to make the pancakes. Using a ¼ to a ⅓ cup of batter, pour them onto the sprayed pan. Cook the pancakes until little bubbles form and start popping. If you gently lift a pancake up, it should be a light golden brown. Depending on how thick you’ve made the pancakes, this can take 3 to 5 minutes. If it takes longer, turn the heat up. 

Flip the pancakes over and cook for another few minutes. 

And that’s it! Top the pancakes with your favorite toppings and enjoy. 

How to Store 

One of the best parts about making pancakes is that you can easily make a double batch and save some leftovers for a quick breakfast later. 

Fridge: Allow the pancakes to fully cool. Store leftovers in an airtight container or bag and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. 

Freezer: Allow the pancakes to fully cool. Place any leftovers in a freezer safe container or bag. Store them with little bits of parchment paper in between each pancake so they don’t all stick together. These will keep for up to 3 months. 

To reheat: You can pop these pancakes on a plate and microwave for 30-seconds, place them on a baking tray into the oven or toaster oven, or even pop them into a toaster. Heat until warmed. 

More Pancake Recipes

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Recipe

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