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Pancakes should not be the exclusive dominion of folks with wheat in their diet. This gluten-free vegan pancakes recipe flips that idea like... well, a golden stack of perfect flapjacks. With a perfectly fine-tuned gluten-free flour blend and ingredients you probably already have, these hotcakes are light, fluffy, and brunchworthy in a hyper-not-lame gluten-embarrassment kind of way.
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Since my dear wife (who is lovable and quite adorable), Joey, has been avoiding gluten for ages, we have gone through a million wheat-free pancake recipes, mostly which sucked beyond belief. From semi-edible paperweights to weirdly gummy, stick-to-your-teeth nightmares made with xanthan gum (oh dear God, please erase my memory of those), we have tried just about everything. And after years of iterations, what you see before you is our family's tried and true brunch banger.
Best part? You get options. I made it so that if you don't have time for the few customized flours, you can also tap them out with your fave pre-made gluten-free flour blend. It's all laid out and tested for you.
Let's fire up your griddle and get cooking!
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🥰Why you'll adore this Gluten-free vegan pancakes recipe
✊ Vegan AF & GF: Like all of my vegan breakfast recipes, this one avoids both dairy, eggs, and anything that would harm animals. And since you hate gluten with all of your heart and soul, and scream every time you have to see a majestic, golden field of wheat, you will be delighted to add this to your collection of vegan gluten-free recipes!
🛋 Lazy Sunday-Approved: No weird gums or binders, no aquafaba, flax egg, or kitchen gadget gymnastics.
🔥 No Compromises on Texture: Fluffy centers, golden edges, and no dry, crumbly sadcakes. Your judgmental dad (who smells) won't know it's gluten-free.
✅ Tested and Approved Worldwide: Like all of my vegan recipes, this one's been pancake-flipped and brunch-tested by a massive team of hundreds of recipe testers. It stacks up.
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🥞Gluten-free dairy-free pancake Ingredients
The Flours
This dreamy gluten-free flour blend brings the best of each flour to your pancake party: oat flour adds sweet softness, cassava flour brings bounce and moisture retention, rice flour locks in structure without weighing things down, and potato starch fluffs it all up with a little steam magic.
Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour (if using a pre-mix)
Don't have oat or cassava flour in your pantry? Using an all-purpose gluten-free flour mix is your fast pass to fluffy success. I really like the Measure for Measure flour from King Arthur the best of all mixes I have tried, but the one from Arrowhead Mills is pretty good too. Steer clear of the nonsense-ass "Cup4Cup Multipurpose Flour" blend, as it contains dairy products in it (FOR. NO. FRIGGIN. REASON).
Cinnamon
Ground cinnamon, which is optional in this recipe, adds a subtle sweet aroma to these pancakes that I think helps them slap pretty hard. You can rock it out with Vietnamese cinnamon, which is what I keep on hand for making my banh flan with.
Plant Milk
Soy milk works best in this recipe for its slightly higher protein content, which helps with browning and texture. Oat milk and almond milk are solid alternatives, too, just make sure they're unsweetened and unflavored to keep the pancakes balanced.
Oil
Use any neutral-tasting oil like canola, refined coconut oil, sunflower oil, or vegetable oil in the batter to keep things moist without overwhelming the flavor.
Vegan Butter
My top choice for cooking these pancakes is Earth Balance Buttery Sticks, they deliver that classic buttery flavor that pancakes really need. Trader Joe's vegan butter is a decent, more affordable backup. If you avoid butter alternatives entirely, you can stick with a neutral oil for the skillet instead.
*See the recipe card at the bottom of the page for exact quantities, nutritional info, and detailed cooking directions.
🤯Variations
Gluten-free Vegan Blueberry Pancakes
Mix fresh or frozen blueberries directly into the batter, and also press a few extra onto each pancake after pouring the batter into the skillet. Using this GF batter, follow the cooking method in my vegan blueberry pancakes recipe to get juicy bursts inside and caramelized berry tops.
Gluten-free Vegan Banana Pancakes
My vegan banana pancakes recipe swaps out half the plant milk with mashed ripe banana to infuse the batter with natural sweetness and moisture. You can do the same thing using this gluten-free recipe! As the pancakes cook on the first side, press a few fresh banana slices right on top of the batter for golden, caramelized bananas dotting the surface of the second side.
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📖How to make vegan gluten-free pancakes
If you're just here for pancakes, scroll to the easy-to-print recipe card and skip the full step-by-step (complete with photos) below.
Step One
Live and Let Dry Ingredients:
In a large bowl, whisk or sift the flour blend with baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon (if using), and salt.
Step Two
Liquid Assets:
In a separate bowl or measuring cup, whisk the plant-based milk, oil, vanilla, and maple syrup until fully combined.
Step Three
Batter Call Saul:
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry. Stir until no dry flour remains. Don't overmix.
Step Four
I Wanna Be Pour-ever Young:
Place a nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium heat. After 2 minutes, grease lightly with vegan butter or oil. Pour ¼ cup (60 mL) of batter per pancake into the skillet. Leave room between each to spread.
Step Five
Flip Out:
Cook for 2-3 minutes until bubbles appear and edges are set. Flip and cook 2 more minutes.
Step Six
Pancake Me Up Before You Go-Go:
Transfer to a warm plate and repeat, re-greasing the pan as needed before adding batter for additional batches.
Step Seven
Stack-uille O'neal:
Serve hot with maple syrup, vegan butter, whipped cream, or fresh fruit.
50+ of my own family's fave recipes. Carefully concocted to win over even your most anti-vegan friends.
💡 Other Gluten-Free Vegan Breakfast Ideas
GF pancakes are a solid go-to for breakfast, no doubt. But they're even better alongside some impossibly soft scrambled tofu, a vegan omelette, a vegan frittata, some homemade scrambled Just Egg, or a dairy-free quiche. Stack it up, mix it up-make the whole spread something worth sitting down for.
👉Top tips
- Don't skip the resting time: If your batter feels too thin, let it sit for 5-6 minutes before frying. Oat flour and potato starch absorb moisture slowly, and resting helps the flour hydrate and the batter stabilize.
- Medium heat is your friend: Too hot and your pancakes will brown before they cook through. Too low and they'll dry out. Medium keeps things golden and fluffy with just the right crisp on the edge.
- Grease between batches: Even with a good skillet, a fresh swipe of vegan butter or oil keeps each pancake flipping clean and tasting like brunch dreams.
- Adjust your pour based on thickness: If your batter thickens as it sits (and it will), add a splash of plant milk to bring it back to pourable. Don't force a thick batter onto the skillet-it won't spread evenly.
🤷♀️ Recipe FAQs
Absolutely. Just increase the oil by 1 tablespoon and cook in a preheated waffle iron until the first side is golden and crisp. Bonus: those crispy edges are even better in waffle form. Want to push it further? Fold in chocolate chips or use flax egg for extra fluff. And for the love of brunch, reheat leftovers in a toaster oven-it's the best way to keep that crunch.
Blame the dry ingredients like oat flour and potato starch. These flours are moisture magnets. As the particles of ground up grain absorb liquid, the batter thickens. If it gets too thick, stir in a splash of non-dairy milk to loosen things up. This is why giving your batter a proper rest is key to nailing the texture.
Heck yeah. Use 1-2 tablespoon of batter per pancake for tiny brunch cuties. These cook fast, so keep an eye out-especially if you're using a smaller non-stick pan or experimenting with different ingredients like almond flour or chia seeds. Great for kids, brunch boards, or serving with fresh strawberries and a drizzle of pure maple syrup.
🧊 Refrigeration:
Allow the pancakes to cool, then stack them with parchment or wax paper between each one. Store them in a sealed, container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Gluten-free pancakes tend to dry out faster than wheat-based ones, so reheating properly is key.
❄️ Freezing and Thawing:
To freeze, arrange cooled pancakes in a single layer on a parchment-lined tray. Once frozen, transfer them to a reusable, freezer-safe container. They'll keep for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or reheat straight from frozen when you're in a rush.
🔥 Stovetop Reheating:
Heat a nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium-low heat. Place the pancakes in the skillet and cover loosely to trap steam. Reheat for 2-3 minutes per side until warmed through and slightly crisp on the outside.
⚡️ Microwave Reheating:
Wrap 1 or 2 pancakes in a clean, damp kitchen towel and microwave on a plate for 20-30 seconds. This method works best if you're after soft and steamy pancakes fast-though the skillet still wins for texture.
✌️You'll love these gluten-free breakfast recipes too
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Gluten-Free Vegan Pancakes
Equipment
Ingredients
If using pre-made gluten-free flour mix:
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose gluten-free flour
If mixing your own flour blend:
- 1 ¼ cup oat flour
- ½ cup cassava flour
- ¼ cup white rice flour
- ¼ cup potato starch
Remaining Dry Ingredients:
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon optional
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients:
- 1 ¾ cup unsweetened plant-based milk
- 3 tablespoons sunflower oil canola oil, or vegetable oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
For Frying and Suggested Accompaniments for Serving:
- Vegan butter or oil for frying
- Vegan whipped cream
- Vegan butter
- Maple syrup
- Fresh berries or fruit
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk or sift together the flour blend with the baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon if using, and salt.
- In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the plant-based milk, oil, vanilla extract, and maple syrup.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix just until a batter forms and no visible pockets of dry flour remain. Do not overmix!
- Set a nonstick or well-seasoned cast iron skillet over medium heat. After 2 minutes when the oil or vegan butter is hot, ladle ¼ cup (60 mL) of batter per pancake into the skillet, leaving space between each to allow for spreading. Depending on the size of your skillet or griddle, it is likely you will cook the pancakes in more than one batch.
- Cook over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the edges look set and bubbles form across the surface. Flip and cook the second side for 2 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through.
- Transfer to a warm plate and repeat with the remaining batter, adding more oil or vegan butter as needed between batches.
- Serve hot with vegan butter, maple syrup, whipped cream, or fresh fruit as desired.
Notes
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Cathy says
I made the pancakes with the "make my own" gluten free flour.
Reshyll says
Made these gluten-free vegan pancakes without saying a word when my friends were visiting, and they didn't suspect anything at all! One of them even asked for the recipe lol
Linda says
Even my husband liked these! You can’t tell they’re gluten-free! Delicious!