Simple Dairy Free Pancakes

These simple dairy-free pancakes are light, fluffy, and absolutely delicious. Made with your choice of two berry sauces, mini or regular-sized, and a make-ahead option, these pancakes are so tasty, that you won’t miss the dairy!

Dairy Free Pancakes

This is my go-to recipe for making pancakes at home. Recently, we discovered that our children may have a mild dairy allergy,  causing some gut and digestive issues. So I’ve been cutting dairy out of all of my recipes and replacing it with non-dairy options so they can still enjoy classic breakfast recipes like this one.

Originally I cooked my pancakes on a flat cast iron skillet with some melted butter. Now I just use cooking spray on the warm skillet and to my surprise nothing is lost in the flavor! Also, in my original post, I topped my pancakes with a strawberry & whiskey sauce. Life is much simpler for us these days and I now make a simple fruity strawberry sauce to top pancakes (see below for how I make it) or I just use fresh fruit!

Want to try Guyanese pancakes? Check out my recipe for Malasadas.

Why You’ll Love This Dairy Free Pancakes Recipe

• Family-Friendly Breakfast: This recipe makes enough to feed a family of 5. And the recipe is simple enough to have the little ones help with the measuring, pouring, and mixing.
• Better Than Premade Pancake Batter: Homemade pancakes taste better than the boxed stuff you find at the grocery store. Plus, they’re just as convenient as a Bisquick mix because you can make them in advance and store them for later.
• So Versatile: This recipe includes two berry sauce options (a kid-friendly version, and a boozy variety for the adults). You can also make traditional pancakes or mini pancakes instead.

Ingredients for Dairy Free Pancakes

This recipe includes options for dairy-free pancakes as well as traditional pancakes.

• Melted coconut oil: This enriches the batter in the same way as butter would.
• Coconut milk: Use this or regular milk to add moisture to the batter.
• Eggs: This acts as a binding ingredient. If you prefer dairy free pancakes with no eggs, combine water with flaxseed or chia seeds as an egg substitute.
• All Purpose Flour: This provides the main structure and bulk of the pancakes. Alternatively, use gluten free flour (Measure for Measure GF Flour).
• Salt: This prevents the pancakes from tasting flat.
• Granulated sugar: This gives the pancakes their sweet taste.
• Baking powder: Make sure your baking powder is fresh. This is crucial for achieving the right amount of leavening and fluffiness in your pancakes.
• Vanilla extract and orange zest: These enhance the overall flavor of the pancakes.
• Cooking spray: For the skillet or griddle. If using dairy, then butter will suffice.

Simple Fruity Strawberry Sauce

• Strawberries
• Granulated sugar
• Apple juice
• Pineapple juice

Boozy Strawberries Syrup

• Strawberries
• Water
• Granulated sugar
• Rum or bourbon

See recipe card for quantities.

How to Make Dairy Free Pancakes

Making the perfect pancake batter

For the batter, I combine the wet ingredients (melted coconut oil, coconut milk, eggs, vanilla essence, and some orange zest) and then add them to the dry ingredients. It is pretty basic.

Mixing the batter with a whisk is the best way to go. Most pancake recipes say leave some lumps in the batter. I mix my batter until it is silky smooth, like the premade Bisquick pancake batter. This is way better than that by the way!

After I am done mixing up this simple pancake batter,  I let it rest for at least 10 minutes before making the pancakes.

Making Pancakes with the Family

Want to get the whole family involved with making breakfast? Here’s a great tip for making mini pancakes: I add the batter to a sauce/condiment bottle, cut off the tip for a wider, smoother pour and I let my kids (carefully supervised) pour the batter onto the skillet. I do all of the flipping but they love making their own pancakes.

This recipe makes about 30 mini pancakes depending on the size. Don’t have a sauce or condiment bottle, use an empty plastic ketchup or mustard bottle. Two to three squirts of batter is all you need for mini pancakes.

Make Ahead and Freeze for Later

Whenever I am making pancakes on Saturday or Sunday morning, I make two batches of the batter and I use one batch to make mini pancakes. After the pancakes cool completely, wrap them in plastic cling wrap, either individually or in the portions your family will enjoy, then freeze.

When anyone is in the mood for pancakes we grab a portion of the frozen dairy free pancakes and “nuke em” in the microwave in 30 second increments until they are perfectly hot. This is really great for weekday breakfast when I am trying to get my son on the school bus.

Tips for the Best Dairy Free Pancakes

• Let the pancake batter rest after mixing it. This step has been a real game-changer in my pancake-making skills. During the resting period, the batter becomes very aerated and fluffy, making a much softer and fluffier pancake than if you didn’t let it rest.
• Mix the batter until it’s just combined. Overmixing can result in dense pancakes. Small lumps are okay; they will dissolve during cooking.

Pancake Toppings

The sky’s the limit with how you top your dairy free pancakes, but these are my favorite ways:

• Simple Fruity Strawberry Sauce (recipe below)
• Boozy Berry Sauce (recipe below)
• Fresh berries
• Fresh bananas
• Warm maple syrup
• Nut butter for a protein packed breakfast

Frequently Asked Questions

Save this Simple (Dairy Free) Pancake Recipe for later!

Dairy Free Pancakes

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These simple dairy-free pancakes are light, fluffy, and absolutely delicious. Made with your choice of two berry sauces, mini or regular-sized, and a make-ahead option, these pancakes are so tasty, that you won't miss the dairy!

Print Recipe SaveSaved!

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 5

Calories 544

Course Breakfast

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Equipment

• ▢
  Skillet

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

Pancakes

• ▢ 4 tablespoons melted coconut oil can use butter
• ▢ 1 1/2 cups of coconut milk can use milk
• ▢ 4 eggs
• ▢ 2 cups All Purpose Flour for gluten free use a Measure for Measure GF Flour
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• ▢ 2 tablespoons baking powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 teaspoon orange zest
• ▢ Cooking spray for the skillet or griddle or butter if you are using dairy

Simple Fruity Strawberry Sauce

• ▢ 2 cups Strawberry stems removed and cut into halves
• ▢ 2 tablespoons granulated sugar or 1/4 cup maple syrup
• ▢ 1/2 cup apple juice
• ▢ 1/2 cup pineapple juice

Boozy Strawberries Syrup

• ▢ 2 cups strawberries
• ▢ 1 cup water
• ▢ ½ cup granulated sugar
• ▢ ¼ cup rum or bourbon

Instructions 

Pancakes:

• First, prepare the wet ingredients by adding, melted coconut oil, coconut milk, vanilla extract and eggs to a small mixing bowl and whisking together until fully combined
• Then add the orange zest and mix together then set aside
• Next prepare your dry ingredients by adding flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt to a large mixing bowl
• Mix together well then add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and combine to form a smooth batter
• Let the batter rest for at least 10 minutes
• Then place a [url href=”https://amzn.to/3cIE468″]flat skillet[/url] or [url href=”https://amzn.to/3bEE72P”]griddle[/url] or frying pan on medium heat and bring up to temperature
• When hot spray with cooking spray or rub with butter
• Next ladle about 1/2 cup of batter onto the pan (you may use a measuring cup for this)
• Cook on each side for about 2 minutes or until air bubbles form on top of the pancake
• Flip and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes
• Then remove from heat and serve with your favorite toppings

Fruity Strawberry Sauce:

• Add sugar or maple syrup, pineapple and apple juice to a small saucepan
• Bring to a boil stirring until the sugar dissolves (if using)
• Then continue to cook until the liquids reduce to half the volume
• Next add your strawberries and continue to cook for about 2 minutes, then remove from the heat and let cool before serving. The sauce will thicken when cooled. I like my strawberries crunchy so I don’t let it cook for too long in the sauce. If you like a more tender strawberry continue to cook until the strawberries are tender

Boozy Berry Sauce:

• Add granulated sugar and water to a small saucepan on medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves.
• Then bring to a boil and continue to cook until it reduces to half its volume.
• Add the berries and rum then cook for 3 to 5 minutes until the berries are soft and a thick sauce forms, keeping in mind that as it cools it will become thicker.
• Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

Notes

This recipe makes 8-10 regular sized pancakes or 30 mini pancakes.

Nutrition

Calories: 544kcalCarbohydrates: 62gProtein: 11gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 23gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 131mgSodium: 803mgPotassium: 398mgFiber: 3gSugar: 18gVitamin A: 200IUVitamin C: 38mgCalcium: 337mgIron: 6mg

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Keywords: dairy free pancakes, no dairy pancakes, pancakes with no dairy

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The information listed in the recipe card is an estimate provided by an online nutrition tool. The tool evaluates ingredient names and amounts then makes calculations based on the number of servings listed for the recipe. It is provided as a general guideline and not as a precise calculation. For precise nutrition information please feel free to add the ingredients to your preferred nutrition calculator or consult a doctor or licensed nutritionist.

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