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These easy fluffy Dairy Free Buttermilk Pancakes are so delicious--no one will miss the dairy. A simple trick with almond milk makes buttermilk! You can still have simple fluffy pancakes for breakfast without the dairy!
This post was originally published in September 2017. Process photos and additional copy were added in April 2020.
Dairy free pancakes with buttermilk? That seems impossible, right?
It's not, at least not entirely. It is possible to get the same fluffiness of a Buttermilk pancake, but without the dairy. How do I know? It all started on a day I needed to make Buttermilk pancakes, and conveniently didn't have any around. And THAT'S when I turned to the internet.
How do you make dairy free Buttermilk?
Did you know that if you combine vinegar and almond milk or dairy free milk, you can make a substitute for buttermilk? Well you can! The combination has the same result that adding buttermilk would have. So there, problem solved.
I was so pleasantly surprised by this solution. Now you can have fluffy buttermilk pancakes even if you don't have actual buttermilk!
Ingredients and Substitutions:
- I have only used almond milk to make these dairy free pancakes to date. I did use a coconut almond milk at one point because I didn't realize that's what I had. The difference was very subtle. I plan to test cashew milk next.
- You can use white vinegar or apple cider vinegar to make the buttermilk. I have also seen that lemon juice can be used to make the buttermilk substitute but that one I have yet to try.
- I like my pancakes a bit on the sweet side. 3-4 Tablespoons of sugar may be too much for you and that's fine, you can lighten it up a touch if desired.
Clearly you are ready for a big, delicious stack. It is pancake making time!
Step-by-Step Instructions:
- First up, make the dairy free buttermilk. It is so simple. Mix together the vinegar and almond or dairy free milk. Allow it to sit for about 3-5 minutes. It will start to curdle which is what you are looking for. You can slightly see the texture in step 2. You now have your "buttermilk" for your pancakes. (steps 1 and 2)
- In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, "buttermilk," and vanilla. Whisk to combine. (steps 3 and 4)
- Whisk together dry ingredients: flour, sea salt baking powder and baking soda. Just a reminder: make sure both your baking powder and baking soda are both fresh. If not, you will not have the most fluffy pancakes. (steps 5 and 6)
- Slowly add in the dry ingredients into the wet. Stir to combine, but don't over stir. Lumps are okay in this better. This dairy free pancake batter is pretty thick. If it seems too thick, stir in an extra 1-3 Tablespoons of milk until it is to your liking. Pour them on the griddle and cook these hot cakes up! (steps 7 and 8)
Expert Tips:
- When measuring the flour for these pancakes, make sure to stir the flour to aerate it before serving. Then spoon the flour into the measuring cup and then level. Do not scoop the measuring cup directly into the flour or you may end up with too much flour.
- For EXTRA fluffy pancakes, you can beat the eggs until light and fluffy before adding into the recipe.
- Freeze these dairy free pancakes in a freezer safe bag or container. They will stay fresh for about 3 months.
How to serve these dairy free pancakes:
- You can never ever ever go wrong with classic maple syrup. That is always my topping but that doesn't mean I don't sway from the norm.
- A dash of cinnamon and pecans stirred right into the batter.
- Any and all berries and chocolate chips tossed into the batter are also great.
- A big smear of a fresh jam or some sort of compote is a fun way to change up the typical stack.
- Sprinkle your favorite granola and a big dollop of dairy free yogurt on top with some fresh berries
Other pancake recipes:
- Whole Wheat Blueberry Flax Pancakes
- Gluten Free Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes
- Zucchini Oat Pancakes
- Super Fluffy Pancakes
- Banana Oat Blender Pancakes
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Fluffy Dairy Free Buttermilk Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 c milk of choice I used unsweetened almond milk
- 1 T apple cider vinegar white vinegar will work as well
- 1 ¾ c unbleached flour gluten free all purpose flour will work as well
- 2 eggs
- 3-4 T sugar or desired sweetener
- 2 T oil (I use canola)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
Instructions
- Combine milk and vinegar and whisk. Allow to sit for about 3-5 minutes.
- Whisk eggs, vanilla, canola oil, sugar, and 'buttermilk.' (vinegar milk combination.)
- In another bowl, whisk dry ingredients together.
- Slowly stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Try not to over stir. There will still be lumps.
- Oil a skillet and heat desired size pancakes until edges begin to bubble around the edges.
- Flip and heat several minutes until browned to the desired level.
- Serve with your favorite pancake toppings.
Notes
- When measuring the flour for these pancakes, make sure to stir the flour to aerate it before serving. Then spoon the flour into the measuring cup and then level. Do not scoop the measuring cup directly into the flour or you may end up with too much flour.
- For EXTRA fluffy pancakes, you can beat the eggs until light and fluffy before adding into the recipe.
- Freeze these dairy free pancakes in a freezer safe bag or container. They will stay fresh for about 3 months.
Our family enjoys these. We're still trying to tweak it to get the right level of sweetness though. It has worked well with almond milk and oat milk to make it dairy free. Living at high altitude using XL eggs have helped the most.
High altitude is so hard--one of my friends has the same issue!
Made this today and I feel like the batter was just a bit too thick to ladle out...I followed the recipe exactly and I even let my batter rest for 10 min before making them. How runny is the batter that you make?
Hi Lauren! It’s definitely on the thicker side. You can certainly add more almond milk if it seems to be way too thick. A touch too much flour could also be the issue—measuring flour is rather tedious.
Super tasty! I used oat milk because that’s what I had at home. It didn’t look like it curdled but must have worked because the pancakes turned out amazing 🙂
So happy you loved them! I’m sure different mills react differently but if they worked then that is what matters right?!
these are my all time favorite pancakes I used them for a pancake competition and I got first place it was a gamble but it worked AMAZING!!!!
Oh wow!! This made my day! Thanks so much for sharing and so glad you love them, Brendan!
Is the nutrition value based on 1 pancake?
Hi! It’s based on serving which is 2-3 pancakes, depending on the size you make them!