Oat Milk Pancakes

These fluffy pancakes are just like the classic, old fashioned pancakes that everyone loves! They are so good, you’ll probably want to eat them before adding any toppings! 

This is a very easy breakfast to make from scratch and with all plant based, easy-to-find ingredients. The taste and texture is amazing when eaten fresh but also great as a make-ahead meal. I actually tend to snack on them throughout the week, straight from the refrigerator!

Oat milk is such a great addition to pancake batter! It has a lovely cozy taste to it, is dairy-free, nut-free, and quite nutritious! The rich and creamy consistency makes it the perfect milk replacement.

Warm vanilla flavor and a hint of sweetness complement the oat milk in such a tasty way! Applesauce locks in moisture while serving as an excellent binder to keep these pancakes eggless. 

I found plant-based butter to be such a perfect ingredient for flavor, extra moisture, and the airy structure. No dense or dryness here! 

A major secret to making the best pancakes is to have the ingredients come close to room temperature before combining them. So you’ll want to take your plant milk and applesauce out of the refrigerator a few minutes beforehand, and make sure to give your melted butter some time to cool.

To make them, simply whisk the dry ingredients together and then fold in the wet ones. Just a few turns are all that’s needed to keep the pancakes incredibly tender. Melt butter on your hot pan and ladle away!

Our family loves these pancakes so much as well as my Vegan Buttermilk Pancakes, Vegan Just Egg French Toast, and Protein Waffles that it’s hard to decide which ones to whip up because they are all so good!

If you like to use creamy oat milk in recipes, be sure to check out my Oat Milk Chia Pudding and Oat Milk Hot Chocolate!

Reasons To Love This Recipe

• So thick and fluffy!
• Great for meal-prep
• They are light as air
• Dairy-free and no eggs
• Quick and easy to whip up
• Irresistible flavor makes breakfast a win
• Only need a handful of simple ingredients
• The pancakes hold together well while being ultra tender
• These pancakes are soft and sponge-like, rather than rubbery or chewy

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Ingredients and Substitutions

• Butter – Use your favorite plant-based butter. I like the buttery flavor in lends, but you can use coconut oil or any light tasting oil instead.
• Flour – All-purpose flour tends to yield the best results for a soft and moist bite.
• Cane Sugar – A little organic sugar is used to sweeten the pancakes. 
• Leaveners – A combination of baking powder and baking soda help make the pancakes thick and fluffy! The baking soda also helps with the browning of the pancakes.
• Salt – A little salt helps enhance all the lovely flavors.
• Oat Milk – It’s the best substitute for milk in pancakes! Stick to one that is full-fat and has a taste that you like. It can be sweet or unsweet and can also have vanilla flavoring, or not. Your choice! My favorite brands are Silk, Oatly, and Chobani. Of course, you can certainly swap this for other milks such as almond or soy.
• Applesauce – Helps to hold the batter together as well as holds in moisture.
• Vanilla – Use a generous amount of pure vanilla extract because of how well it goes with the oat milk flavor.

Step-By-Step Instructions

Here are some quick visual steps. Find the full recipe with exact measurements on the recipe card below.

Melt the butter in the microwave for about 30 seconds or over the stove top. Set it aside to cool down for a few minutes. Additionally, take the oat milk and applesauce out of the refrigerator so that they start to come to room temperature.

Whisk the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt) together in a large bowl.

Combine the wet ingredients (oat milk, melted butter, applesauce, and vanilla extract) in a small bowl.

Gently stir the batter together only until you don’t see any streaks of flour. Lumps in the batter are okay as they will dissipate with time. 

Since the consistency of oat milk can vary, you may need to add a little more of it if the batter is too thick and hard to stir through. If you find the batter to be on the thin and runny side, simply mix in some more flour.

Heat a nonstick pan or griddle to just below medium heat. This way the pancakes fully cook through without burning yet are still able to rise nicely.

Coat the pan with a thin layer of plant based butter when the pan is fully heated.

Once the butter has melted, pour ⅓ cup of the pancake batter onto the pan. Add more mounds to the pan if space permits. 

Let them cook for 3-4 minutes. Flip the pancakes with a very thin turner once you see bubbles coming to the surface and popping. Cook them for another 1-2 minutes and then move them over to a cooling rack or serving plates.

Add a little bit more butter to the pan and repeat these steps until you’ve used up all of the pancake batter. You may need to lower the heat as you go because the pan can get hotter over time.

Tips For Success 

Our house LOVES pancakes! Here are my tried and true tips for the best pancakes…

• Room temperature butter, oat milk, and applesauce will create a smoother batter. Ingredients that are similar in temperature come to getter better and prevent the butter from solidifying. 
• When measuring the flour, spoon it into the measuring cup and then scrape the top off to prevent packing in too much.
• Your pan or griddle will probably get even hotter over time. Turn the heat down a bit when you see the butter sizzling too fast or the pancakes start to turn a darker hue at a faster rate than expected.
• At the same time, only add the batter to the pan when it’s fully heated. If the pan is too cool, the batter may spread to much.
• Use a measuring scoop to pour the batter to ensure the pancakes are all around the same size.
• Leave enough room in the pan to be able to flip each pancake. Also, try to only flip the pancakes once to keep them nice and fluffy.

Serve These With …

These homemade pancakes made with oat milk would go really well with 

• Blue Spirulina Smoothie Bowls on the side
• Fresh fruit and plant based whipped topping
• Savory options such as Just Egg Bites or Just Egg Casserole
• Maple syrup, agave nectar, nut butters, or vegan chocolate chips

Storage & Reheating

Store leftover pancakes in the refrigerator or freezer, in a covered dish. It helps to separate them with parchment paper for easy removal. Reheat them in the microwave at 30 second intervals until heated through, toast them in a toaster oven, or on a hot pan.

Variation Ideas

• Add ½ tsp cinnamon or ¼ tsp nutmeg for more of a cozy warm flavor.
• Drop in berries, bananas, chocolate chips or nuts once you pour the batter onto the griddle! 

I hope you loved this recipe! If you try it, please let me know what you think with a rating and comment below. Your feedback really supports my blog and is helpful to other readers! 🙂 You can stay updated on my latest recipes by following me on Pinterest and joining my Email List.