Try the recipe for the best Vegan Banana Pancakes with cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and almond milk for the naturally sweet, light, and fluffy breakfast stack you’ve been waiting for.
Starting your day with pancakes always feels like a special occasion. And these fluffy vegan banana pancakes certainly strike a celebratory note. But the plant-based, clean ingredients mean that you can treat yourself to a short–or tall–stack of these flapjacks on a normal Tuesday!
They’re warming and nutty, thanks to the cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla flavorings. Plus, these pancakes are easy to elevate with your favorite toppings (more on that below, spoiler alert: peanut butter). Hungry? Let’s get to the plant-based goodness!
How to Make Vegan Banana Pancakes
Don’t be intimidated by the word “vegan” in front of this pancake recipe. These banana pancakes are just as easy to make as any other pancake recipe. And you probably already have most, if not all, of the ingredients at home!
Ingredients
Bananas. Use ripe bananas for the sweetest flavor.
Flax egg. One of my favorite ways to replace eggs in vegan baking recipes. Simply mix 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed with 4 tablespoons warm water. This makes 2 flax eggs for the pancake batter.
Agave. This vegan-friendly liquid sweetener is subtly sweet and won’t overpower the cinnamon and banana flavor. You can also sub agave with maple syrup, date syrup, coconut sugar, brown sugar, or pure cane sugar. If you’re not vegan, honey also works.
All-purpose flour. I recommend organic flour from Bob’s Red Mill.
Baking powder. This will lighten your pancakes so they’re fluffy and airy. Make sure your baking powder is fresh (not expired!) for best results.
Cinnamon and nutmeg. These add a warm fall flavor the pancakes that compliments sweet banana nicely.
Almond milk. You can use any dairy-free milk you have on hand.
Vanilla. Another important flavor boost to these decadent banana pancakes.
Vegan butter. I like Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks for the pancake batter and for cooking.
Instructions
Here’s how to put these pancakes together:
First, make a flax egg by combining the flaxseed meal and water in a small bowl. Let this sit for 5 minutes until it becomes gelled.
Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt with a whisk until well combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the mashed bananas, milk, Agave, melted butter, and vanilla, until combined.
Make a small well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Stir gently with a spatula until just combined. NOTE: **DO NOT OVERMIX**
Next, warm a skillet or griddle over medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes. Then, using a paper towel dipped in vegetable oil, lightly grease the bottom of the pan.
Pour 1/3 cup of pancake batter onto the surface of the skillet and cook for 1-2 minutes, until bubbles rise to the surface and pop. Then gently flip the pancake and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
Once cooked and lightly brown on both sides, remove the pancake from heat and repeat with the remaining batter
To serve, stack the cooked pancakes and top with banana slices, warmed peanut butter, your favorite nuts (optional), and lightly drizzle with maple syrup, if desired.
Topping Ideas
If you’re looking to dress up your stack of homemade pancakes, there are my favorite toppings:
Sliced ripe bananas
Peanut butter. I recommend warming it a bit in the microwave until it’s creamy and drizzle-able.
Chopped nuts. Pecans and walnuts are especially nice with these banana pancakes.
Vegan butter
Maple syrup
Coconut cream (for a real special treat in the morning!)
Gluten-Free Vegan Banana Pancakes
You can easily make this recipe gluten-free by substituting the flour for gluten-free flour. This is my favorite option from Bob’s Red Mill. If the batter is too thin, add more gluten-free flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until it’s thick but pourable.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
Before you jump into the kitchen to make these 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.
No Over-mixing, Please!
When making the batter, stop mixing as soon as all ingredients are just combined. A few lumps are totally fine in the batter. Remember, you want airy, fluffy pancakes. They can become chewy from overmixing.
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.
Oil the pan, don’t butter it!
I know. I’m one who loves using butter (including vegan butter ), but when making pancakes it’s best to use some sort of oil (coconut, grapeseed, vegetable oil, etc). Gently wipe the oil onto the pan, you don’t want to drench it. This helps avoid burns and excess smoke.
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.
That’s it! Follow these simple tricks and your vegan banana pancakes will be perfect every time!
More of the Best Vegan Breakfast Recipes
If you love vegan banana pancakes, something tells me these recipes are right up your ally:
Easy Vegan Pumpkin Poppyseed Pancakes. These melt-in-your-mouth pancakes are super light, fluffy, and jam-packed with Fall spices. Pumpkin puree helps make these pancakes tender. Add a warm blend of pumpkin spice, and you have a crowd-pleasing breakfast option on a chilly fall morning. Plus, they’re naturally sweetened and whipped together in only 25 minutes—total.
Superfood Overnight Oats: Maca, Cacao, + Chia Seeds. This recipe is a healthy, satisfying and energizing option for the perfect grab-n-go breakfast. Old-fashioned oats are incredibly creamy and thick, not to mention full of nutrients. Plus Maca powder and Peanut butter add major superfood benefits and everyone’s favorite nutty flavor. Plus this breakfast is fully vegan and gluten-free.
Vegan Chia Seed Maple Banana Bread. This super moist, tasty banana bread is packed with nutrients from superfoods like chia seeds, and 100% delicious! It takes less than 10 minutes to whip together and makes a great healthy alternative for a little sweetness in the morning or even for dessert. All vegan ingredients, entirely kid-friendly, and a gluten-free option available.
Homemade Vegan Apple-Cinnamon Pop Tarts. This breakfast treat is nothing short of flaky, naturally sweet, and bursting with comforting spices, both inside + out. Plus, they’re topped with a beautiful Maple frosting for a complete homage to the classic childhood favorite. These pop tarts are a sure crowd-pleaser, especially for Apple lovers. They’re the perfect bite for breakfast, brunch, or snack. All vegan ingredients and easy to make. Gluten-free version available.
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2cupsAlmond milk(You can use your fave plant-based milk!)
1tspvanilla extract
2-3TbspsAgave(See Notes!)
2Tbspsvegan butter, melted + 1 Tbsp for cooking(I use Earth's Balance; See Notes!)
Optional Toppings:
Sliced Bananas
1/2cupPeanut Butter, warmed
Your fave nuts (pecans, walnuts, etc.)
Instructions
Add the flaxseed meal and water together in a small bow, stirring together until combined and letting it sit for 5 minutes until it becomes "paste-like".
In a large bowl, add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt together and whisk until well combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the mashed bananas, milk, Agave, melted butter, and vanilla, until combined.
Make a small well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients, stirring gently (using a spatula) until just combined. NOTE: **DO NOT OVERMIX**
Next, warm a skillet over medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes. Then, using a paper towel, add vegetable oil and grease the bottom of the pan.
Add 1 Tbsp vegan butter to a heated skillet over medium-high heat and wait until fully melted. Pour 1/3 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 banana slices, warmed peanut butter, your favorite nuts (optional), and lightly drizzle with maple syrup, if desired.
Bon Appetit!
Tips & Tricks
GLUTEN-FREE VERSION: To make these pancakes GF, I recommend using a GF Flour Blend (Bob’s Red Mills has a great version!). **NOTE: If the batter is too ‘thin + runny’, simply add additional GF flour, 1/4 cup at a time.**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.
OIL: Instead of melted vegan butter, you can use vegetable oil or coconut oil, if preferred.
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I made this recipe for my kids and they absolutely loved it! So yummy! Thanks so much for sharing!
I’d love to have these for breakfast every single day .. That’s definitely a good start every morning, simply delicious and easy