These dairy free blueberry pancakes are light and fluffy ‘buttermilk’ pancakes loaded with fresh blueberries, just like you’re favourite café – maybe better! This recipe uses an at home substitute for buttermilk and taste just as good as the real thing. They are best served stacked sky high with a very generous drizzle of pure maple syrup.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ made these for the family at the weekend – HUGE success!! – gavin
These dairy free blueberry buttermilk pancakes are without a doubt the best pancakes I’ve not only made, but eaten. These are my go to when I want to impress with a breakfast and everyone that I’ve made them for agrees wholeheartedly.
While I tend to prefer a savoury breakfast like smashed avocado on toast, there is something super indulgent about a stack of pancakes on a lazy Sunday morning when you feel like something sweet.
These pancakes are big and fluffy, and so light and delicate. They are filled with blueberries that burst in every bite and everything is brought together with maple syrup. Because I truly don’t believe you can even call them pancakes if they aren’t drenched in maple syrup.
Key Ingredients
Now I know the ingredients list is a little long for pancakes, but trust me, this combination is going to create the best blueberry pancakes you’ve ever had!
Note all ingredients and their quantities are laid out in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Dairy free milk – I use either oat milk or almond milk for this recipe and both work perfectly. You could also use soy milk.
- White vinegar – combined with the dairy free milk, this is going to create our ‘buttermilk’ aka the key for thick, fluffy pancakes.
- Plain flour – also known as all purpose flour in the US.
- Sugar – just a little sugar makes the pancakes sweet but not overly so.
- Baking powder – helps make our pancakes light and fluffy rather than dense.
- Bicarbonate of soda – also known as baking soda in the US, this reacts with the vinegar as the pancakes are cooking causing them to puff up.
- Cinnamon – for a little extra flavour.
- Egg – bind the pancakes together and provides essential structure.
- Coconut oil – always melt the coconut oil first, then measure. You can also substitute with any light tasting oil if needed but I find coconut oil yields the best result in these pancakes.
- Vanilla – for the best flavour, make sure to use vanilla extract not imitation vanilla.
- Blueberries – fresh is best for this recipe. Add as many to each pancake as you wish and serve with extra over the top.
- Toppings – you can top your pancakes with anything you like but I like to keep it simple with a little dairy free Greek yoghurt, some extra berries and of course, lots of maple syrup.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Combine the dairy free milk and vinegar and set aside for 5 to 10 minutes to make your buttermilk. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, bicarb soda, salt and cinnamon. In another bowl, whisk together the egg, coconut oil, vanilla and the buttermilk mixture.
Step 2: Add the wet ingredients to the dry and whisk until you have a thick batter. Let it sit for 10 minutes. It’ll bubble and puff up a little, and that’s exactly what you want for fluffy, even pancakes.
Step 3: Heat a little oil in a pan over medium heat. Pour in about ⅓ cup of batter per pancake, then dot the fresh blueberries evenly over the top.
Step 4: Cook until bubbles start to form, then flip and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Repeat with the rest of the batter, keeping an eye on the heat so they don’t burn.
This recipe makes about 6 pancakes (using ⅓ cup of batter per pancake) which is perfect for 2 really hungry people, or 3 if you’re more into portion control.
Storing and reheating: If you do have left overs, wrap them in plastic wrap and store in either the fridge or freezer. When ready to eat, heat them in the microwave for about 30-60 seconds until warm.
Tips for making blueberry pancakes!
Two things make these pancakes truly the best.
- Let the batter rest for 10 minutes before cooking. It’ll get a little bubbly and foamy, and that reaction is what gives you light, fluffy, even pancakes, so don’t skip it.
- Don’t add the blueberries to the batter. Doing this will cause them to end up unevenly spread. Instead I dot them onto each pancake once the batter’s in the pan, so they’re evenly spaced and you can add as many as you like.
Buttermilk vs regular milk in pancakes
While pancakes are not baked, they still conform to the science of baking. There is a chemical reaction that happens when the acid of the vinegar in the buttermilk reacts with the bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) which kick starts it leading to more lift and rise. This is why buttermilk pancakes are always thicker than pancakes made with regular milk.
The reaction also breaks down the gluten in the flour, making a lighter, more tender crumb. This is the secret to the light and fluffiness that is associated with buttermilk pancakes vs regular pancakes which can sometimes have a ‘chewier’ texture.
The great thing is, this is still achievable when using plant-based milks combined with vinegar so we don’t need dairy to get soft and fluffy pancakes.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! If you’re not a fan of blueberries (like my husband) you can follow the recipe as is but just leave out the blueberries. I promise they are still super delicious!
For this specific recipe, I don’t recommend adapting it for gluten-free or vegan diets just because it’s been specifically developed using egg and a gluten based flour in order to get the correct texture.
Instead, I recommend making my vegan banana pancakes as they have been developed specifically to be both gluten-free and vegan.
If you do make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below! And tag any of your creations on Instagram with @eightforestlane as I would love to see.
More dairy free breakfast recipes:
The BEST Vegan Banana Bread
Blueberry Banana Smoothie
Vanilla Overnight Oats
Vegan Chocolate Pancakes
Dairy Free Blueberry Pancakes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 180 ml (¾ cup) dairy free milk
- 150 grams (1 cup) plain flour/all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda/baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup fresh blueberries plus extra to serve
- Dairy free Greek-style yoghurt optional to serve
- pure maple syrup to serve
Instructions
- In a small bowl, make the 'buttermilk' by mixing the 2 tablespoons white vinegar with the 180 ml dairy free milk. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the 150 grams plain flour/all purpose flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda/baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon and whisk to combine.
- In another bowl, whisk together the 1 egg, 2 tablespoons coconut oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and the milk mixture. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and whisk until a thick batter forms. Set aside to rest for 10 minutes.
- Heat a non-stick frying pan and lightly spray with oil. Add ⅓ cup of batter per pancake to the pan and dot in a few of the 1 cup fresh blueberries. Once bubbles have formed on the surface, flip the pancake and cook for another 1–2 minutes. Repeat with the remaining batter and blueberries, wiping out excess oil with a paper towel between batches.
- Serve the pancakes with Dairy free Greek-style yoghurt, more fresh blueberries and a very generous drizzle of pure maple syrup.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a guide only and is calculated using automated online tools, therefore we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We encourage you to make your own calculations based on the actual ingredients used in your recipe.
This post was originally published on the 5th September 2019 and has been republished to include better instructions, more helpful information and new photos.
Neha says
Can this be made without gluten and egg ?
Sally says
Hi Neha. I have not tried so I cannot say for sure however if was going to try I would replace the egg with a flax-egg and use a 1:1 gluten free flour substitute. Let me know if you try it. Thanks!
Gavin says
Made these for the family at the weekend – HUGE success!!
Sally says
So glad your family loved them!
Alexandra @ It's Not Complicated Recipes says
The perfect way to start the day 🙂 Delicious!
Sally says
The best way!
Andrea says
These pancakes look divine! Can’t wait to try them on Sunday morning.
Sally says
Thanks Andrea, I hope you enjoy them!
Sylvie says
These pancakes look soooo fluffy and delicious! I love the idea of making your own dairy-free buttermilk, Ive gotta try it asap!
Sally says
Thanks Sylvie – its really so easy!