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Favorite Pancakes (without eggs)

Fast, fresh pancakes made without eggs! Enjoy for breakfast, brunch or any meal. Top with your favorite fruit sauce.
Stack of golden pancakes with a side of blueberries.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Makes: 8 pancakes (4-inch)
Nutrition Facts: View label

Ingredients

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (see notes)
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 Tablespoon sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup nonfat or 1% milk
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
2 Tablespoons water
1 teaspoon vanilla (optional)

Directions

  1. Wash hands with soap and water.
  2. Mix together flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in medium bowl.
  3. Combine milk, oil and water. Add to dry ingredients.
  4. Stir just until moistened.
  5. Lightly spray a large skillet or griddle with non-stick cooking spray or lightly wipe with oil. Heat skillet or griddle over medium-high heat (350 degrees F in an electric skillet). For each pancake, pour about 1/4 cup of batter onto the hot griddle.
  6. Pancakes are ready to turn when tops are bubbly all over, a few bubbles have burst, and the edges begin to appear dry. Use a quick flip with a broad spatula to turn pancakes. Turn only once. Bake until bottoms are brown and dry.
  7. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.

Notes

  • To see if skillet is hot enough, sprinkle with a few drops of water. If drops skitter around, heat is just right.
  • Combine wet ingredients ahead of time. Store in refrigerator up to 2 days.
  • Mix dry ingredients ahead of time and store in a sealed container.
  • Top with applesauce, fresh fruit or yogurt.

Variations:

Whole wheat – use whole wheat pastry flour or replace about half the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour. Add 1 to 2 Tablespoons of water or milk if batter is too thick. 

Oatmeal – replace about half the flour with rolled oats. Soak the rolled oats in the milk for 5 minutes before mixing the batter. 

Corn Cakes - Omit the sugar, replace up to half the flour with cornmeal and add ½ to 1 cup cooked corn.

Buttermilk – replace milk with buttermilk; reduce the baking powder to 2 teaspoons and add ½ teaspoon baking soda.

Apple – Add ½ cup shredded or chopped apple to the liquid ingredients.

Berry  – Try blueberries, raspberries, blackberries or a mix.  After batter is poured on the skillet or griddle, sprinkle the tops with berries. No need to thaw frozen berries.

Pumpkin - Add ½ cup canned pumpkin.

Zucchini - Add ½ cup grated zucchini. Squeeze out some moisture before adding.

Waffles - This batter also works great in waffle makers!

Comments

Like so many others, I never make accounts on these websites but I just had to so I could comment and say HOW GOOD THESE ARE! I was shocked. That's all :) 

Also, you haven't lived if you've never topped your pancakes with peanut butter, strawberry preserves, and a little bit of syrup. Just try it. 

Thanks for the pancake recipe, by reading the ingredients, I guessed the taste of the food. I have not made it in past, so I will surely try it when I have enough time in my hand. Probably on a holiday. I have several skillets and fry pans in my kitchen so it would be very easy to do it.

 

Made a few adjustments and they are wonderful...less baking soda and a large dollop of sour cream (I like thin pancakes).

I was so pleasantly surprised with how perfectly and delicious these pancakes turned out! Not only was I out of eggs, but also vegetable oil. I gave it a shot using EVOO and never noticed the difference. I did use the optional vanilla extract and adorned with baby blueberries. The result -- fantastic! Thank you!

Would this recipe still work if i use baking soda instead of cv powder?

Thanks for asking the question! If you don't have baking powder (which is a mixture of baking soda and an acid), in this recipe you can try substituting the 1 Tablespoon baking powder with 3/4 teaspoon baking soda and 1 Tablespoon lemon juice. Add the baking soda to the dry ingredients and add the lemon juice to the liquid ingredients, then follow the directions as written. Let us know how this works out for you! 

Food Hero team

These came out really dense on the inside for me.
The batter was quite thin, but the middle just never cooked.
I turned down the heat and cooked them for a little longer, I remade the batter, I added more baking powder but no luck.
The only substitution I had made was oat milk but I didn't think that would mess it up.

Thanks for trying our Favorite Pancakes (without eggs), though I’m sorry they didn’t come out the way you had hoped. I don’t think the oat milk substitution was an issue, but it is possible the batter was over-stirred since you described it as “quite thin.” Pancakes are happiest when liquid and dry ingredients are stirred gently, mixing just until the ingredients are combined. By resisting the urge to break up small lumps and create a smooth batter, you allow more air to remain and for lighter pancakes to form when they hit the hot pan. Stirring until smooth also develops the flour’s gluten, which causes pancakes to be chewy rather than light and fluffy. Please let us know how your next batch comes out!

How long can you store the batter in the fridge?

Once the batter is blended together it is best to go ahead and cook the pancakes.  They can be refrigerated after cooking for 2 to 3 days.  Another option is to mix the liquid ingredients and dry ingredients separately.  Store the dry ingredients at room temperature and store the liquid ingredients in the refrigerator for up to a week.  Mix the two together just before cooking.

The Food Hero Team

I made the pancakes smaller and I got more and used whole milk

What a great recipe!! I love pancakes made with lots of eggs but I didn't have any, this is the first recipe I clicked on and I am glad. 

I made some adjustments, omitted the sugar, doubled the vanilla and the baking powder, and added cinnamon. Whisked it all together and let it sit for 5 minutes to let the baking powder do its thing, added an extra 1/4 cup of milk after it sat, and cooked them with coconut oil. 

They were so so good. Had them with the e.d. Smith low sugar syrup, and 1.5 cups of thawed fruit. Had another one with peanut butter. 

 

Thank you for sharing!!!

Can you use 2% milk?

Yes, 2% milk will work fine.  It just increases the calories a little.

The Food Hero Team

Powdered sugar is a great topping 

How about topping pancake with flavour yogurt

Flavored yogurt makes a great topping. Or try our Any Berry Sauce!  It's easy to make and tastes like fresh fruit.

The Food Hero Team

Followed the recipe exactly and put it in the waffle iron. They turned out really good. We have egg allergy so this is perfect for us. Thanks for the recipe. 

This looks great!  My son is allergic to several things, including wheat, oats, and rice, so all purpose flour and gf all purpose flour are not options.  He has passed many ancient grains, though, so I am wondering if you can make suggestions about what might work well here?  So far, he can have sorghum, millet, and tapioca flours, as well as cornmeal.  We will be trying amaranth soon, and I expect him to pass that as well.  I am open to other suggestions for things to try, as well, if you think there is another grain or type of flour that may work well.

You have an amazing challenge.  We do not have the capacity to test all the alternative grains in our recipes but we have come across a reliable website that may have just the information you need.  Try King Arthur Flour - Baking with Ancient Grains  https://www.kingarthurflour.com/guides/baking-with-ancient-grains/

You may still need to combine some flours from different grains to obtain the texture you like but their trials are a really helpful place to start.

Good luck!

The Food Hero Team

I just tried this recipe yesterday, but the outer layer was hard and the inside was dense and moist. What could be the possible causes?

We need a little more information to try to figure this out.  Tell us if you made any ingredient substitutions and describe the final pancake in a little more detail.

The Food Hero Team

The only ingredient I substituted was using goat's milk instead of nonfat milk.

The outer layer of the pancake was hard and dry, the inside was dense and not fluffy at all. Could it be I overmixed the batter? I mixed till there was no lumps to be seen. Should I have left the batter lumpy instead? How much oil should I use to cook the pancake? 

Here are our suggestions.  Overmixing could contribute to less tender, dense pancakes. A very thick batter will also take longer for heat to reach the center.  Try adjusting the heat or thinning the batter with a little more milk or water. Adjust the temperature so a drop of water just sizzles and skips across the pan surface.  If the pan is too hot, the outside overcooks before the inside is heated through. Too much oil on the skillet or griddle could contribute to a hard dry outside.  Try just wiping the skillet or griddle with a little oil on a paper towel. 

The Food Hero Team

Can the sugar in this recipe be replaced with Stevia? 

It probably can but we have not tested it.  Keep in mind that pure stevia is about 200 times more sweet than sugar.  There are different forms and strengths of stevia products available so the first place to check for substitution amounts is the stevia label.  If you have pure stevia powder, you might try 1/4 teaspoon stevia powder to replace 1 Tablespoon sugar. 

The Food Hero Team

Is this recipe suitable for someone with gluten intolerence.

Not sure what flour to use.

Any suggestions welcome x

This recipe is not for someone with gluten intolerence because as written, it contains wheat flour.  Look for something labeled as a gluten-free all-purpose baking flour.  If it is called a baking mix rather than flour, it might already have the leavening added.  Read the package directions but more than likely you will substitute the gluten-free flour in the same amount as given for flour in the recipe.  

The Food Hero Team

I made these w a few slight variations and they were THE BEST pancakes I’ve ever had. I used half all purpose flour, and half coconut flour. I used coconut oil instead of vegetable oil. And I used almond milk, and much more than the recipe called for. The pancakes smelled like custard pie when they were cooking. And they were so light and fluffy when they were done. I topped w fresh strawberry’s and maple syrup. Amazeballs!

These are really good. I make them using rice milk. Son has egg and dairy allergy.  Could you make waffles with this batter?

 

We tested this batter in a waffle maker and it made a nice crispy waffle.  The batter is thin so it spread out but it puffed up nicely to fill out the waffle iron.  Be careful not to add too much batter.

The Food Hero Team

This recipe was amazing when my daughter was allergic to eggs. She outgrew the allergy, but we still use the recipe all the time!

Replacing the all purpose flour completely with whole wheat pastry flour works beautifully.  I have made this with groups ranging from young children to adults and they all love this recipe.  My teenage daughters frequently make these pancakes at home.  My oldest daughter is lactose intolerant; lactose free milk and soy milk work great in this recipe too.  The Food Hero Any Berry Sauce pairs well with the pancakes.

These pancakes are amazing! My in-laws are from India and are vegan. When they visit, they always want to try American food, but so much of it has eggs. I tried this recipe today (with a few blueberries thrown in) and it was amazing!!! I will be sure to make it for them next time they come so they can have an authentic American pancake. Thank you for a great recipe! 

I love this recipe. When my son was a baby, he was allergic to egg, so this recipe was a godsend. He has since outgrown it, but it's still my family's go-to pancake recipe. The only changes I've made is to use white whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose and whole milk instead of low/non-fat. They're perfectly fluffy and a perfect consistency every time, whether I add fruit or not. Thank you!

I’ve made these a few times but they’ve always been a little bitter. Tried again this morning, but used 1/4 cup sugar. They were perfect! 

I've followed this recipe quite a few times. This morning I had no baking powder, so I used self raising flour and it turned out REALLY well, I'm actually going to switch to using self raising flour all the time for this recipe.

I also always add a splash of vanilla extract and an extra tablespoon of sugar.

Good idea if you have self rising flour on hand.  The proportions of baking powder to flour are slightly different but it can be successful.  Self rising flour also contains salt so you might want to omit the salt in the recipe.

The Food Hero Team

A fantastic find. My eldest is allergic to egg. This allowed us to do a family pancake day and are now a favourite weekend treat breakfast.

Do you think the recipe would work for Yorkshire Pudding? 

Also is it possible to translate the recipe in to European with solids being measured in grams and liquids in millilitres?

We're so glad this recipe lets your family enjoy breakfast together! 

Yorkshire Pudding is made from a batter using eggs, flour and milk or water.  It is a very liquid batter and as it bakes, steam from the liquids cause it to puff up.  The protein in the eggs hold it together so it would be difficult to eliminate them.

The recipe could be translated into European measurements but we do not have the resources to do that.  If you have a scale and metric measuring utensils, try measuring out the ingredients as written in the recipe and then weighing or transferring them to metric utensils. 

The Food Hero Team

 

I don't have vegetable oil, can I use butter or olive oil instead ?

Yes you can

Great recipe - added to it, just a bit! I followed this recipe to a T, but the batter came out very runny, so I added about 1/3 cup more of flour to thicken up a bit. Also, I took note of the comments that said the pancakes came out a bit bitter, so I added 1 tbsp more of sugar. The pancakes came out light, fluffy, and my family loved them!!! I had no vanilla extract or eggs at the house at the moment, so this recipe was a life saver for people asking for pancakes that morning!

I followed the recipe perfectly and even used the ¾ wheat, ½ all purpose flour and adding banana suggestion. The pancakes turned out pretty fluffy and light alright, but had a slight bitter taste to them. And I'd use baking powder and not baking soda. I registered just to comment. What went wrong? 

This is kind of a puzzle.  Check your individual ingredients, especially the whole wheat flour.  If it were beginning to turn rancid, it might give a taste that could be described as bitter. 

The Food Hero Team

can i substitute baking powder with baking soda?

We're so glad you asked!  The short answer is no, not as a direct substitution.  Baking powder contains baking soda plus an acid ingredient in balanced amounts.  The easiest formula for making your own baking powder is : 1 teaspoon baking powder = 1/2 teaspoon baking soda + 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar + 1/4 teaspoon cornstarch. The cornstarch helps keep the other ingredients dry until used in a recipe and makes measuring easier.  Baking soda can also be used with acid food ingredients but the amount of a specific ingredient depends on how much acid it contains so the balance is a little more difficult. Too much baking soda gives an unpleasant soapy bitter taste to food and a yellow color.

The Food Hero Team

Had no eggs and had to find a recipe QUICK. This helped me so much, I added some peanut butter protein powder from Quest and they came out SO good! Had to add another bit of water but having too little at first is better than too much!

I'm so excited to try these.  How do you measure your flour?  Spoon it into the measuring cup and level off?  Or dip the cup into the flour?  I saw someone said they came out thin and I know sometimes the measuring technique is the culprit.  Thanks in advance!

You're right. Flour is an ingredient that packs together quite easily so some method is usually used to 'un-pack' the flour and get more consistent results from measurement to measurement.  Sifting before measuring used to be the standard method but today most recipes are developed for stirring to lighten the flour before measuring. 

We generally

  • stir the flour in the storage container to loosen it
  • spoon it lightly into the measuring cup
  • level it with a straight edged utensil. 

Dipping the measuring cup into the flour causes it to pack together more closely as the cup is being filled.  This would cause more flour than the recipe was developed to include.

We hope you enjoy the pancakes!

The Food Hero Team

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