Pancake Day 2019: Five best pancake recipes for vegans and gluten-free diets

Pancake Day can be a trying time for recent converts to veganism or those with Coeliac disease. An evening flipping pancakes with friends can quickly become a test of willpower or worse – one that results in fielding numerous questions about your life choices.

With lashings of cream, melted chocolate and decorative flour, it can feel easier to escape the day entirely rather than attempt to join in.

But in an age when specific dietary requirements are ten a penny there’s really no need to feel left out. Most shops boast a myriad of vegan and gluten free alternatives and there are endless recipes that cater for a range of needs.

We’ve hand-picked the best gluten-free and vegan recipes around so you can enjoy all the trappings of Shrove Tuesday.

Rhiannon Lambert’s chocolate protein pancakes (gluten-free)

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 1 small banana

• 140ml milk of choice 1 tsp honey (optional) 20g chocolate

• protein powder 20g buckwheat flour

• 1 tbsp 100% unsweetened cocoa powder or raw cacao powder

• 1 tsp baking powder

• coconut or olive oil, for frying

• Yoghurt, berries, nut butter, maple syrup, honey, chopped nuts or chocolate sauce to serve

Method

1. Put the banana into a bowl and mash with a fork. Whisk in the milk and honey, if using. Then add all the dry ingredients and whisk again. (Alternatively you can just whizz everything together in a blender.)

2. Warm a large frying pan over a medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil and swirl it around the pan. Dollop in around 1 heaped tablespoon of the batter mixture to make an American-style thicker pancake, then continue to add 2 or 3 to the pan (don’t overcrowd the pan as it makes them difficult to flip). Cook for 2–3 minutes each side, only flipping when the underside is browned and has formed a light crust. Remove from the pan when done on both sides and continue with the rest of the batter.

3. Plate the pancakes up in a stack and serve with your favourite toppings.

Melissa Hemsley’s perfect pancakes (gluten-free)

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 2 ripe bananas (total 200g), peeled

• 100g quinoa flakes

• 180ml any milk

• 1 egg

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

• 1½ teaspoons baking powder

• A tiny pinch of sea salt

• 2 teaspoons maple syrup

• 1½–2 tablespoons coconut oil, for frying

Method

1. Place all the ingredients for the pancakes (except the oil) in a blender or food processor and whizz for about 30 seconds. Alternatively, mash the bananas with a fork and mix in a jug with all the remaining ingredients.

2. Melt a little of the coconut oil in a large frying pan on a high heat.

3. Spoon about 3 tablespoons of the batter into the pan and use the back of the spoon to swirl into a rough circle about 1cm thick and 8cm wide. Repeat to make another two to three pancakes, depending on the size of your pan. Reduce the heat to medium and leave the pancakes to set for 1½ minutes. When they start to bubble, flip each one over and cook for 1 minute on the other side.

4. Remove from the pan and repeat with the rest of the batter, using a little more of the coconut oil each time, until you have made eight pancakes. Place the pancakes on a plate in a low oven to keep warm while you make the rest.

5. Serve as is or add your favourite toppings.

Ella Mills’ (AKA Deliciously Ella’s) pancakes (vegan)

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon chia seeds

• 1 tablespoon maple syrup

• 400ml almond milk

• 300g plain flour (I use gluten free)

• 50g bircher muesli (or porridge oats)

• 30g coconut oil, plus more for frying

• Pinch sea salt flakes

• To serve: coconut yogurt (or any plain yogurt you like), handful of roughly chopped pecans, handful of coconut chips

Method

1. Mix all of the pancake ingredients together to form a smooth batter.

2. Now make the pancakes. Warm a tablespoon of coconut oil in a pan over a medium heat, once the pan is hot and the oil has melted, spoon in a large tablespoon of pancake batter, using a wooden spoon to spread out the mix.

3. Cook on one side for 4 minutes before turning and cooking the other side for 2-3 minutes until cooked through. Remove and repeat until all of the batter is finished.

4. Serve the pancakes warm with a dollop of coconut yogurt and a sprinkle of chopped pecans and coconut chips.

Madeleine Shaw’s oat and banana pancakes with strawberry and lemon compote (vegan)

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 100g oats

• 1 tsp baking powder

• Pinch of salt

• ½ tsp ground cinnamon

• 1 ripe banana

• 150ml almond milk

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• Coconut oil or butter, for cooking

• Maple syrup, for serving (optional)

• 200g strawberries

• Grated zest and juice of ½ lemon

• 1 tbsp runny maple syrup

Method

1. Grind the oats down to a flour in the food processor then tip into a bowl and mix with the baking powder, salt and cinnamon.

2. Place the banana, milk and vanilla in the food processor and blend until smooth. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir until fully combined. Let this sit in the fridge while you make the strawberry compote.

3. Roughly chop the strawberries and place them in a small pan with the lemon zest and juice and honey and let it simmer for 10 minutes.

4. About 5 minutes before the strawberries are done, heat 1 tablespoon of coconut oil or butter in a frying pan. Grab a few tablespoons of the batter and fry in the pan for a few minutes, then flip over and cook for a further minute until cooked through. Repeat with the rest of the mixture.

5. Serve the pancake with a dollop of compote and extra honey or maple syrup, if needed.

Olivia Wollenberg’s (AKA Livia’s Kitchen) chocolate chip pancakes (gluten-free and vegan)

Serves 1

Ingredients

• 140g almond butter

• ½ tsp vanilla powder

• 130g oat flour

• 350ml almond milk

• 40g cacao powder

• 8 tbsp maple syrup

• 40g ground almonds

• 105g raw chocolate

• Coconut oil for frying

Method

1. Add the almond butter, vanilla, oat flour, almond milk, maple syrup and ground almonds to a food processor and blitz until you have a smooth pancake batter.

2. Split the mixture into two, leaving half in the food processor. Add the cacao powder to this Heat a frying pan over a medium to high heat and then add the coconut oil.

3. Add enough mix to make your desired size pancake to the middle of the pan. Place a few pieces of chocolate on top of the mixture. When you can see bubbles on the surface of the pancake, use a spatula to flip it over and cook for another minute or two on the other side until golden.

4. Move the pancake to a plate and repeat until you have finished with both, the plain mixture and the chocolate mix.

5. We love these topped with a warm chocolate sauce and lots of berries.

Dig in.