Who doesn’t love fluffy pancakes served with freshly made Canadian maple syrup? A firm favourite with our kids and perfect for breakfast, lunch and dinner! My dairy free pancake recipe makes 12 large pancakes that can be served straight off the griddle, stacked with fresh fruit or bacon and of course drizzled with lashings of maple syrup. Can it get any more Canadian than that?
Sugar Bush Tour
Spring is finally here and it’s Maple Syrup season in Central Ontario! We recently took a trip to a local sugar bush and I thought it would be fun to share some photos from our visit and show you how maple syrup is made.
We are fortunate to live in an area that is rich in maple trees and it is common to see trees tapped in early Spring when the sap starts flowing. Maple syrup season begins when the overnight temperatures are a few degrees below zero and the daytime temp is a few degrees above. That swing in temp is a sure sign that it’s time to make syrup.
We visited Shaws, which is located just north of Barrie. They have a long history of making maple syrup and have a tubing system set up that runs through most of their 4500 maple trees. It’s a very complex system that helps to collect the gallons of sap that are needed so it can be boiled and turned into lovely maple syrup. On average they collect over 160,000 litres of sap each season and turn it into liquid gold.
The more traditional method of collecting sap is to tap the tree and attach a bucket. It was really interesting to watch the sap drip out into the bucket. Check out the video from our visit to see this up close.
Making the Maple Syrup
When the sap flows from the tree it is completely clear and needs to be boiled at 180 degrees to create the golden amber colour. The sap, which is made up of 2% sugar and 98% water, will go through an evaporation process until it eventually turns a golden colour and becomes maple syrup.
Did you know that it takes 40 gallons of sap to make 1 gallon of maple syrup? You can imagine the amount of trees that a sugar bush needs to keep up with the demand for their maple syrup. Over 75 percent of the world’s maple syrup is made in Canada. Our kids really enjoyed our visit to the local maple syrup sugar bush and I highly recommend taking a trip if you live near one.
Why You Need This Recipe
I strongly believe that everyone needs a great pancake recipe. And this one is allergy-friendly and so easy to make for a quick satisfying treat. Using everyday pantry ingredients, these dairy-free pancakes are perfect for a quick breakfast or even a fun dinner alternative.
Ingredients and Substitutions
To ensure this is a dairy-free recipe we are using plant-based milk. If you are vegan or have other dietary needs, continue reading for my ingredient substitutions and check out my FAQ for more tips.
Dry Ingredients
Flour: I am using all-purpose (plain) flour in our pancakes. You could do a straight substitute with a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour if required.
Sugar: I generally use white sugar. If you want a caramelly flavour, golden sugar works extremely well in pancakes, especially if you are adding cinnamon to the batter as well (drool).
Baking Powder: to ensure our pancakes are light and fluffy, I am adding two teaspoons of baking powder. For thinner pancakes, use one teaspoon.
Salt: salt helps to enhance the flavours.
Wet Ingredients
Egg: the egg is our binding agent and also helps with richness and colour. I usually use large eggs in my baking, which are equivalent to approximately 50g once removed from their shell. You can also use a medium egg in this recipe. You can sub with 50 grams of apple sauce or a mashed banana if you want to make vegan pancakes.
Plant-Based Milk: I prefer using creamier plant-based milk in pancakes, such as oat or almond. You can sub with dairy milk or even buttermilk for an extra tang. Check out my rustic vegan almond blueberry cake recipe for tips on making your own vegan buttermilk.
Oil: I like to use a neutral oil in the pancakes such as canola. You can sub with melted plant-based butter if you prefer.
Toppings
For a true Canadian treat, maple syrup is a must with pancakes. Our kids always like a side of Ontario blueberries with their pancakes as well. We pick a lot of blueberries every Summer from the local berry farm and freeze them so that we can pull out what we need as we go through Winter and Spring.
How to Make Dairy-Free Fluffy Pancakes
Once we got home from the sugar bush, we made dairy-free fluffy pancakes as you can’t beat freshly made maple syrup on pancakes for a truly Canadian treat. A firm favourite with our kids and perfect for breakfast, lunch and dinner as they only take 15 minutes to make! For a quick step-by-step, check out my pancake web story.
Making the batter
This recipe contains basic pantry items that you most likely already have. Ensure that your egg and milk are at room temperature before starting the mix and sift your flour if it is particularly lumpy.
Add all of the batter ingredients into the mixing bowl and mix to combine with a hand mixer. You could also use a spatula or spoon to mix everything together.
Ensure that there are no lumps in your batter then allow it to rest while the griddle heats up.
Cooking the Dairy-Free Fluffy Pancakes
I like to cook pancakes on an electric griddle but you can also make them in a flat frying pan. If your griddle has a temperature gauge, set it to 350°F / 175°C. Once the griddle is warm, add dollops of batter onto the griddle, using an ice cream scoop. They will start to sizzle a bit and puff up as they cook. Once the bubbles start to burst on the pancake, flip the pancake.
When you flip them, the underside should be lightly golden. My griddle is a bit temperamental and runs hotter on the right side so often those pancakes will be a bit darker than the others, but they still taste great. Watch out for uneven heat if you are using an electric griddle. Cook the second side until lightly golden.
Breakfast is served
Add the pancakes to a plate and cover with foil until the entire batch is made. You should get around 12 large pancakes from this recipe. We often double the batch so that we have some for the next day. Serve with maple syrup and fresh blueberries.
Breakfast doesn’t get much better than this!
Recipe Recommendations
Jazz up these pancakes by adding chocolate chips or sprinkles. My 3 Ingredient Blueberry Compote pairs wonderfully with them as well.
Common Questions
This batch makes roughly 12 3-inch pancakes. The yield will depend on the size of the pancakes that you make.
To substitute the egg, I recommend either using a mashed banana or 50 grams of apple sauce.
These pancakes are best enjoyed immediately and served with Canadian maple syrup and fresh berries. They do store well in the fridge though. For best results, store them in the fridge in an airtight container and eat them within 24 hours (they will go soggy if you leave them any longer). Reheat in the microwave before serving.
Yes, simply replace the all-purpose flour with your preferred gluten-free flour alternative.
More Breakfast Ideas
If you are craving more breakfast ideas, check out these favourites:
- Copycat Tim Hortons Blueberry Burst Muffins (Dairy-Free)
- The perfect weekend treat with no yeast – 30-minute Cinnamon Rolls (Vegan)
- Fluffy Hot Cross Buns (Vegan)
- Indulge with our Pain Aux Raisins breakfast pastries (Dairy-Free)
Dairy Free Fluffy Pancakes with Maple Syrup
Ingredients
For the Pancake Batter:
- 120 grams All Purpose Flour (1 US Cup)
- 240 ml Plant Based Milk (1 US Cup)
- 30 ml Canola Oil (2 tbsp)
- 1 Egg (large – see note)
- 20 grams White Sugar (1.5 tbsp)
- 2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1 tsp Salt
Toppings:
- Maple Syrup
- Blueberries
Instructions
Prep:
- Gather all equipment and ingredients. The ingredients need to be at room temperature.
To Make the Pancakes:
- Add all of the batter ingredients in to the mixing bowl and mix to combine. Allow to rest while the griddle heats up. 120 grams All Purpose Flour, 240 ml Plant Based Milk, 30 ml Canola Oil, 1 Egg, 20 grams White Sugar, 2 tsp Baking Powder, 1 tsp Salt.
- If your griddle has a temperature guage, set to 350°F.
- Once the griddle is warm, add dollops of batter on to the griddle, using an ice cream scoop.
- Once the bubbles start to burst on the pancake, flip the pancake. The underside should be lightly golden.
- Cook the second side until lightly golden.
- Add the pancakes to a plate and cover with foil until the entire batch is made.
- Serve with Maple Syrup and fresh Blueberries.Maple Syrup, Blueberries
Video
Notes
- Yield: This batch makes roughly 12 3-inch pancakes. The yield will depend on the size of the pancakes that you make.
- Eggs: I usually use large eggs in my baking, which are equivalent to approximately 50g once removed from their shell. You can also use a medium egg in this recipe.
- Vegan Option: Sub the egg with 50g apple sauce or a mashed banana.
- Gluten Free Option: Sub the all-purpose flour with your preferred gluten free alternative.
- Recommendations: Best enjoyed immediately with Canadian maple syrup and fresh berries.
- Storage: Spare pancakes should be stored in the fridge in an airtight container and eaten within 24 hours (they will go soggy if you leave them any longer).
WOW – 40 gallons of sap to make just 1 gallon of maple syrup?!? That’s incredible – what a process! Thanks for the fun backstory, and also this terrific recipe. I agree with your suggestion that oat milk will be great here – I love how oat milk makes things like cereal taste even more “cereal-y” so I think it’ll be delicious in these pancakes!
You’re so welcome Shelley. I was shocked how much sap they need as well!
Love this, easy and delicious. thanks for sharing
You’re so welcome!
My mouth is watering with that maple syrup, it sounds so good! I only used the one available in the store near me, but that would do since the dairy-free pancakes were also great!
I’m glad you enjoyed them Sharon.
I would have never known these were dairy-free. I gave them a try, and they’re some of the fluffiest pancakes I’ve ever made.
Thanks Beth. Happy to hear that.
I made these pancakes for breakfast this morning and they were delicious! Perfectly fluffy!
Thanks Tayler. They’re my kids favourite too! Glad you enjoyed them.