Oat Flour Pancakes

Ingredient notes and substitutions

Oat flour ~ Oat flour is made from finely ground oats. It doesn’t contain any gluten, however oats are often processed on equipment that also processes wheat, so choose certified gluten-free oat flour to ensure it is gluten-free.

I generally use store-bought oat flour for convenience, but it’s actually easy to make your own at home.

Use the spoon and level method of measuring flour (see recipe card notes for specifics). Scooping straight from the container with the measuring cup may result in too much flour.

What to do with extra oat flour? Make these vegan oat flour chocolate chip cookies with pretzels!

Flaxmeal ~ Flax expands when mixed with liquid and helps to bind these pancakes together making a great substitute for eggs. You will sometimes see this referred to as a “flax egg” in recipes.

You don’t need to mix the flax with liquid separately before adding it to the batter. The batter needs to sits for at least 5 minutes before making the pancakes and it will thicken up considerably during this time.

If you don’t have flaxmeal, you can make your own by grinding flax seeds in a small coffee grinder.

Baking powder ~ This is going to give lift to the pancakes and make them fluffy.

To ensure fluffy pancakes, make sure your baking powder is fresh. If it’s been sitting in your pantry for more than 6 months, it’s probably time to buy a new container. Old baking powder won’t give as much lift as fresh.

Coconut sugar ~ Coconut sugar is less processed than regular sugar and it has a lovely caramel-like flavor, similar to brown sugar. I use just 2 tablespoons, but if you like a sweeter pancake, you can use 3 or 4 tablespoons.

Cane sugar, brown sugar, or even pure maple syrup can be used instead. If using cane sugar or brown sugar, be sure to choose organic or read the label carefully to ensure it is vegan.

Oat milk ~ Your favorite non-dairy milk can be subbed for the oat milk, like almond milk or soy milk. Choose an unsweetened, plain variety so it doesn’t affect the flavor of the pancakes. Just like oat flour, make sure to look for certified gluten free if you need.

These easy oat flour pancakes can be made in just one bowl.

Place the flour in a large mixing bowl (1), add the flaxmeal, coconut sugar, baking powder, and salt (2) and whisk well until combined (3).

Add the oat milk, lemon juice, and pure maple syrup (4) to the dry ingredients and whisk until just combined (5).

If you really want to, you can use a blender to blend the ingredients, but it’s just as easy with a large bowl and whisk.

Let the pancake batter sit for 5 to 10 minutes until it’s a thick, pourable consistency (6).

After the batter has rested and thickened up, heat up the griddle pan (or non-stick skillet) over medium heat. You may need to spray the griddle lightly with cooking spray or melt some vegan butter.

Using a ¼ cup measuring cup, scoop the batter from the bowl and pour onto the hot griddle. Repeat with another ¼ cup of batter and pour onto the griddle at least an inch or two away from the first pancake (7).

Repeat until the griddle is full, making sure there is plenty of room in between each pancake. You may need to work in batches.

Bubbles will start to appear on the top of the pancakes (8). Once those bubbles burst and the edges of the pancakes start to firm up and pull away from the griddle, it’s time to flip. This should only take about 3 to 4 minutes.

A thin wide spatula should slip easily under the pancakes (9). If the dough starts to stick to the spatula as you slide it under the pancake, it’s not ready yet. Let the batter cook a bit longer before attempting to flip again.

Flip the pancake over (10) and continue to cook on the 2nd side for another 2 to 3 minutes until browned.

You may need to adjust the heat as you go. If the pancakes are browning too quickly, turn the heat down. If it’s taking more than 5 minutes to cook the 1st side, you can increase the heat just a bit.

Storage and freezing

Fridge: Store leftover pancakes in an air-tight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. Be sure to let them cool completely before transferring to a storage container.

Freezer: You can also freeze these oat flour pancakes. Cool them completely and transfer them to a large plate or cookie sheet in a single layer. Place in the freezer for 1 to 2 hours, or until frozen.

Once frozen, you can transfer them to a freezer-safe plastic bag or container with pieces of parchment paper in between each one. They should keep well for up to 3 months.

To reheat, you can warm them in the microwave for 15 to 20 seconds (or more, if needed) or you can pop them in the toaster.

You can also reheat a big batch in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Cover them with foil and then warm in a pre-heated 350°F oven for about 10 minutes.

Pro Tips and tricks

~ Use the spoon and level method of measuring flour. Scooping straight from the container with the measuring cup may be result in too much flour.

~ Be sure to look for certified gluten-free oat flour and oat milk if you have a gluten allergy or intolerance.

~ Let the pancake batter sit for 5 to 10 minutes until it thickens up. Resist the urge to add more flour! I promise it will thicken as it rests.

~ Make sure the griddle (or non-stick skillet) is hot before adding batter.

~ Use a little cooking spray or vegan butter to ensure the pancakes don’t stick.

~ It can help to cook one test pancake before pouring more batter to ensure the temperature is correct.

~ Do not crowd the pan. Allow at least 1 to 2 inches between each pancake.

~ Spray additional cooking spray on the griddle before each new batch, if needed.

~ Adjust the temperature as needed with each batch.

~ Top the finished pancakes with fresh fruit, cinnamon apples, or chocolate chips and a drizzle of pure maple syrup.

FAQs

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