Healthy Vegan Flourless Apple Pancakes

These Healthy Vegan Flourless Apple Pancakes are light, fluffy, and full of warming flavors from rolled oats, caramelized apples, cinnamon, nutmeg, and almond butter. Start your mornings off on the right note with a tall stack of these kid-approved, family-friendly ‘Apple pie flavored' pancakes. Even the pickiest of eaters won't notice these pancakes are Dairy-free, Gluten-free, and Vegan!

In my home, a pile of pancakes for breakfast is always a special occasion. Whether it's waking up the house to the delightful aroma of sweet blueberry pancakes in the middle of summer or the warming scent of cinnamon and apples on a chilly fall day, pancakes are a welcome sight all year long. 

These Healthy Vegan Flourless Apple Pancakes are a new favorite breakfast. They're naturally sweetened with caramelized apples and agave and incredibly moist and satisfying thanks to creamy almond butter and rolled oats. It essentially tastes like a healthy version of the classic apple pie we all know and love.

While many pancake recipes are made with refined flours and sugars, you can bet these will keep you and the family full and satisfied well through the morning, thanks to their wholesome natural ingredients. Plus, this recipe is 100% plant-based and gluten-free. 

This vegan pancake recipe requires only the bare minimum of effort and time, and it uses only the most basic of ingredients you likely have in the pantry already. When combined, these ingredients create the lightest, airiest pancakes imaginable.

How to Make Healthy Vegan Flourless Apple Pancakes

Despite being dairy-free, egg-free, and gluten-free, these pancakes are just as easy to make as any other homemade pancake recipe and don't worry, it doesn't compromise on flavor. You'll need a few ingredients, a hot griddle, and a mixing bowl to whip up a fluffy batch of your new favorite healthy breakfast.

Ingredients

Starting with the ingredients, here's what you need to make Healthy Vegan Flourless Apple Pancakes for breakfast today:

• Caramelized Apples. Find my recipe for sweet, soft and tender caramelized apples here.
• Almond Milk + Apple Cider Vinegar. You can use any plant-based milk for this. The vinegar adds a touch of acid for an easy two-ingredient vegan buttermilk. It adds a delightful tang to these pancakes. You can substitute ACV with white vinegar if that's what you have.
• Vanilla. This adds a nice warming flavor to highlight the apples and cinnamon.
• Agave. Use more sweetener if you prefer sweeter breakfasts. You can also use honey or maple syrup instead of agave.
• Almond butter. I love Justin's creamy almond butter for this, and all of my gluten-free baking projects. You can use peanut butter or pecan butter instead if you like. Any smooth nut butter works as long as it’s vegan-approved!
• Gluten-free rolled oats. I use Bob's Red Mill thick-rolled oats, but if you use another brand, just double-check that the oats are certified gluten-free if that's a concern for you. Old-fashioned oats will also work well.
• Baking powder and baking soda. Together, these two leaveners lighten the pancakes as they cook, creating thick and fluffy flapjacks.
• Cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. These three dried spices are the perfect warming accompaniment to sweet apples and vanilla.

Recipe Instructions

Ready to get cooking? Follow these simple steps to make a fresh batch of healthy vegan flourless apple pancakes:

Serving Suggestions

These apple pancakes speak for themselves. But if you like to top your stack of flapjacks with some extra flavor, I love fresh adding pomegranate arils and more caramelized apples. You can also go a more traditional route with these favorite pancake toppings:

• A drizzle of maple syrup
• A pat of vegan butter
• A dollop of coconut cream
• Dairy-free yogurt
• Creamy nut butter
• Vegan caramel sauce (for a decadent treat!)
• Chopped nuts or fresh fruit
• Vegan Ice cream

Can I Freeze Pancakes?

Yes, you can certainly freeze your healthy vegan flourless apple pancakes. Simply let them cool fully to room temperature, then place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place the sheet in the freezer for two hours. When the pancakes are frozen solid, transfer them to a large zip-top bag and store them for up to 3 months. You can defrost the pancakes on the counter or in the fridge and reheat them in the oven or on the stovetop to serve.

To store leftover pancakes for up to two days, place them in an airtight container or bag in the fridge. Reheat pancakes in a 400°F oven until warmed through.

Meal Prep

An apple pancake a day keeps the doc away, right? Make a triple or quadruple batch if you want to have pancakes every day, because why not? If you have any leftover pancakes, just freeze them and thaw them the night before for a convenient breakfast on the go. Keep the kids happy and add some to the lunchbox with these kid-friendly healthy vegan pancakes.

Okay, so I will stop gushing over how versatile they are, but seriously these vegan pancake leftovers make great midday snacks, but you can take them one step further.. Yup, I'm talking dessert. Enjoy a short stack with a serving of vegan ice cream (My favorite at the moment is Oatly Vanilla Ice cream).

Keepin' Them Toasty

Simply turn your oven on low heat, then add the already cooked pancakes to an oven-safe plate and place them in the oven to keep warm and toasty until ready to serve. This is great if you are cooking big batches for the family and want to keep them hot to serve.

Recipe Tips & Tricks

Before you jump into the kitchen to make these Healthy Vegan Flourless Pancakes, these are my best tips and tricks to perfect the recipe:

• Low + slow is BEST.

When it comes to cooking pancakes, keep your heat on low. This ensures that your pancakes fully cook through without burning on the outside.

• Make sure your leaveners aren’t expired.

Before adding them, check that your leavener (baking powder) isn’t expired. This ensures that your pancakes will rise to their highest heights.

• Use the correct pan!

I find that using a flat cast-iron griddle works best for cooking vegan pancakes. Unfortunately, a regular sauté pan with sloped sides isn’t flat enough and the sides can make it difficult to flip the pancakes.

• Don’t flip those pancakes just yet!

I’ve been guilty of this in the past. Don’t flip your pancakes when a little crust forms on the bottom. Nope. Only flip them when the bubbles on the surface have ‘popped’ and opened into holes. This is the signal that the bottom is fully cooked and ready for flipping.

Need some more help pancake troubleshooting? Check out my Tips For Making The Perfect Pancakes

More Fluffy Pancake Recipes

On a pancake kick after trying these Healthy Vegan Flourless Apple Pancakes? You'll love these other easy and delicious pancake recipes:

• One-Bowl Fluffy Vegan Oreo Pancakes
• Healthy Vegan Banana Bread Pancakes
• Fluffy Vegan Banana Chocolate Chip Pancakes
• Healthy Fluffy Protein Pancakes
• Fluffy Vegan Banana Pancakes

MADE OUR RECIPE(S)?

If you choose to make these Healthy Vegan Flourless Apple Pancakes or any other recipe from us, be sure to tag us on Instagram at #Orchidsandsweettea so that we can share the love!

Healthy Vegan Flourless Apple Pancakes

March 2, 2021 •

By Shanika

5 from 1 vote

These Healthy Vegan Flourless Apple Pancakes are the undisputed king of the breakfast food hill. They're thick, pillowy, fluffy, and perfect for piling high, dousing in syrup, and diving right into! Even the pickiest of eaters won't notice these pancakes are Dairy-free, Gluten-free, and Vegan!

Prep Time: 5 minutes mins

Cook Time: 20 minutes mins

Total Time: 25 minutes mins

Serves: 6 pancakes

Units:

US Customary|Metric

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Ingredients

WET INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup caramelized apples (See Notes for Recipe!)
• 1 ½ cups Almond milk + 1 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar  (You can use your fave plant-based milk!)
• 2 tsps vanilla extract
• 3-4 Tbsps Agave (Add an additional tablespoon if more sweetness is needed!)
• 2 Tbsps Almond butter (I use Justin’s)

DRY INGREDIENTS:

• 4 cups Gluten-free Rolled Oats (I use Bob's Red Mill)
• 2 tsps baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 Tbsps ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• pinch of all spice
• ½ teaspoon sea salt

OPTIONAL TOPPINGS:

• Pomegranate arils
• Caramelized apples (See Notes for Recipe!)

Instructions

TO MAKE THE PANCAKES:

• In a measuring cup or small bowl, add the Almond milk and apple cider vinegar, whisking them together and letting it sit for 5 minutes or so.
• Now, add the ingredients to your blender, ensuring that all WET INGREDIENTS (including milk-apple cider vinegar mixture) are placed on the BOTTOM and then the DRY INGREDIENTS on TOP. NOTE: Putting the ingredients in this order allows everything to blend well and become nice and smooth.
• Blend on high speed using a high-powered blender for a few seconds (15-20 to be exact!) until batter is smooth.
• Add 1 tablespoon vegan butter to a heated skillet over medium-high heat and wait until fully melted. Pour ⅓ cup of pancake batter unto the surface of the skillet and cook for about 1-2 minutes (until batter begins to bubble) and gently flip pancake to it’s opposite side, cooking another 1-2 minutes. NOTE: Be sure to gently press down on pancake to ensure that center cooks through.
• Once cooked and lightly brown on both sides, remove pancake from heat and repeat steps until all batter is used.
• To serve, stack pancakes onto one another and top with caramelized apples, pomegranate arils, and lightly drizzle with maple syrup, if desired.
• Bon Appetit!

Tips & Tricks

• CARAMELIZED APPLES: Use this recipe for easy caramelized apples. 
• STORAGE: Leftovers can be tightly sealed in a zip loc bag (once fully cooled) and either refrigerated for a few days or frozen.To serve, reheat pancakes in the oven on 400 degrees for a few minutes until warmed through.
• FREEZE PANCAKES: To store pancakes for longer periods, simply add them unto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and place in the freezer for 2 hours. Once fully frozen, remove and store them in a zip loc and freeze for up to 3 months.
• SWEETENER: If you choose to opt out of Agave, you can always substitute with pure maple syrup, date syrup, coconut sugar, brown sugar, or pure cane sugar.
• TOPPINGS: Instead of using pomegranate arils or apples, you can always top pancakes with CocoWhip, Dairy-Free Yogurt, Nut Butter, Vegan Caramel Sauce, Nuts, etc.
• NUT BUTTER OPTIONS: You can use Peanut Butter or Pecan Butter instead of Almond Butter if desired. Any smooth nut butter works as long as it’s Vegan-approved!
• OATS: Ensure that your oats are certified GF (Gluten-Free). I used Thick Rolled Oats, but you can also use Old Fashion if preferred.

Nutrition

Calories: 302kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 603mg | Potassium: 273mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 20IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 229mg | Iron: 3mg

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