Buttermilk Pancakes (Dairy Free)

Last Updated on January 29, 2020 by Annie

Classic buttermilk pancakes make the perfect breakfast for any day of the week. These light and fluffy dairy free pancakes keep you full and focused throughout the morning.

No secret to many of you, breakfast happens to be my favorite meal. From cinnamon rolls to kolaches, pancakes, and breakfast tacos, I just can’t get enough of this meal! Which explains why just about every morning, I make a full breakfast for my little family.

Even visiting family, I feel called to make a delicious breakfast. It is just how I express love to those around me. So one morning, at my husband’s family’s home I went on a quest to make pancakes. I wasn’t sure which kitchen staples filled their pantry so I shied away from my usual oatmeal pancakes.

Keeping it simple, I found Mom on a Timeout’s Buttermilk Pancake recipe. The recipe seemed simple and straight forward so I pressed on to make it dairy free. While on a mission to make a wonderful and delicious breakfast, I also happened to be working to prove a point that dairy free food can be just as delicious as regular food.

A stack of fresh buttermilk pancakes with a small square of vegan butter on top, on a blue plate on a white and pink striped dish towel wit a silver fork to the right and a blue coffee mug in the back right on a wooden table.

How to Make Buttermilk Pancakes (Dairy-Free)

Begin by making your non-dairy buttermilk. Stir 1 3/4 cup of non-dairy milk with 1 tsp of apple cider vinegar. Set aside for 5-10 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients.

In a large bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, salt, and sugar.

When the buttermilk is ready, whisk the buttermilk into the flour mixture along with the eggs and vanilla. Set aside.

Prepare a non-stick skillet by heating on medium-low heat and melting vegan butter or spraying non-stick spray into the pan. Scoop 1/4 cup of batter into the pan and cook for 2 minutes, or until bubbles form on the top. Flip and cook an additional 2 minutes.

Set your oven to warm and place an oven safe dish or baking sheet in the oven. Remove cooked pancakes and place on the oven safe dish or the baking sheet in the oven.

Serve pancakes warm and with vegan butter and maple syrup.

A stack of fresh buttermilk pancakes with a small square of vegan butter on top, on a blue plate on a white and pink striped dish towel wit a silver fork to the right on a wooden table.

Commonly asked questions:

Why did my pancakes not rise?

The best reason pancakes fail to rise involves old baking soda. Generally baking soda, stored in an air tight container, should last about 6 months. While after 6 months, the baking soda is completely safe to eat it might not result in the fluffy pancakes, biscuits, or cookies you were hoping for.

Why should you store baking soda in an air tight container?

Many people commonly use baking soda to clean out the unwanted smells in their refrigerator. The same way baking soda absorbs the odor in the refrigerator, it also soaks up the smells of the space it is stored. For this reason, keeping it in an air tight container prevents your pastries from tasting like onion, garlic, or even banana. (Unless of course that was the intended flavor)

Two blue plates with fresh stacks of buttermilk pancakes on a blue and white striped dish towel with a small bowl of maple syrup and a silver fork to the right on a blue and white striped dish towel on a wooden table.

Dairy Free Changes to Buttermilk Pancakes

-Use a non-dairy milk to make your own “buttermilk”
-Use a plant based butter or a non-stick spray to cover the skillet.

Did you make these fluffy, mouth-watering pancakes? Share them on Instagram by tagging @mylifeafterdairy so I can share your life after dairy adventures!

Dairy Free ways to start your day

Double Chocolate Chip Pancakes– These decadent pancakes make the perfect breakfast or brunch recipe!
Breakfast Tacos- These savory breakfast tacos packed with scrambled eggs, refried beans, guacamole, and cilantro make a Tex-Mex twist to your breakfast.
Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls– These seasonal cinnamon rolls start a fall morning off deliciously!

Buttermilk Pancakes

A dairy free take on the classic buttermilk pancake with just a pinch of cinnamon to flavor your day.

Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Keyword Brunch, Buttermilk, Pancakes

Ingredients

  • 2 c. Flour
  • 2 tsp. Baking soda
  • ½ tsp. Salt
  • 2 Tbsp. Sugar
  • c. Buttermilk
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1 tsp. Vanilla
  • tsp. Cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Make buttermilk by combining 1¾ cup of non-dairy milk with 1 tsp of apple cider vinegar. let sit for 5 to 10 minutes.

  2. In a medium sized bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, salt, sugar, and cinnamon.

  3. Whisk buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla into the bowl until smooth.

  4. In a greased skillet on medium low heat, scoop ¼ c of batter. Let sit for 2 minutes or until bubbles form on the top. Flip and cook for another 2 minutes.

  5. Place finished pancakes in the oven on a cookie sheet or oven safe plate on warm until you are ready to serve.

Recipe Notes

Grease the pan with non-stick spray or plant based butter.

If your oven does not have a warm setting, preheat the oven to 200°F then turn it off before placing the food in. 

Recipe adapted from Mom on Timeout