Surprisingly flavourful and light, these vegan multigrain buckwheat pancakes will make for a nutritious and satisfying breakfast any day of the week. Made with spelt, oat and buckwheat flour and naturally sweetened with maple syrup; serve them with fresh berries or yogurt or additional maple syrup.
Whole grains flours also add additional flavour to pancakes and waffles; you can find other recipes featuring spelt, oats and whole wheat flours in the breakfast category. My gluten free oat and quinoa waffles and fluffy spelt pancakes are some of the more popular recipes in that category.
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Why you'll love this recipe
You would never guess that these super fluffy pancakes are somewhat nutritious—they taste just like conventional diner-style flapjacks. They're also very simple to make. Mot only is this recipe vegan and dairy-free, it's naturally sweetened, and contains fiber and plant protein. My vegan multigrain pancakes are light, flavourful and make for a satisfying breakfast for the weekend or any day of the week.
For those of you that may not appreciate the flavour of buckwheat, know that it's pretty much undetectable in this recipe. Its flavour can be described as somewhat nutty and even a bit "hoppy", but blended with the other grains and sweetener, it's pretty well hidden—I am one of those people who doesn't enjoy the flavour of straight buckwheat, but I do enjoy these pancakes. I chose to include buckwheat because it adds nutrition, plant-protein and fiber.
Ingredients & Substitutions
The ingredient list for this recipe is fairly simple and I've included substitutions as well. For the full list of ingredients and amounts of each, please see the recipe card below.
Sprouted spelt flour: you could also use whole wheat flour, although I prefer the taste of spelt in this recipe.
Oat flour: homemade or store-bought will work here. While oats do not naturally contain gluten, cross contamination with other gluten containing grains is possible, so use certified gluten free oats/oat flour if necessary.
Buckwheat flour: buckwheat is often sold as flour or as whole and hulled groats. You can make homemade buckwheat flour from the groats if you can't source the flour (see below on how I do that). Buckwheat isn't a grain (or related to wheat, for that matter), it is a grain-like seed or pseudocereal that is commonly used just like a grain. And while buckwheat does not contain gluten, cross contamination with other gluten containing grains is possible; use certified gluten free buckwheat if needed.
Baking powder: this will help the pancakes rise and stay light and fluffy.
Unsweetened almond milk: or use any unsweetened plant-based milk you like, however, I would avoid full fat coconut milk as this will make the pancakes rather dense.
Olive oil: I use extra virgin olive oil, but any neutral flavoured vegetable oil will work.
Maple syrup: or liquid honey or agave syrup will work in equal measure.
Apple cider vinegar: this helps activate the baking powder to get lift and fluffiness in the pancakes.
Vanilla extract: for flavour
How to Make Oat and Buckwheat Flour
Oat flour and buckwheat flour can be purchased at most local grocers, however, they're also very easy to make a home. Simply add whole rolled oats or buckwheat groats to a high powered blender and blend on high until you have a fine, flour-like consistency (about 15-20 seconds). You may need to stop the blender and scrape down the sides to ensure all the grains are incorporated and blended evenly. You can either blend them separately or together save on time.
Store the each flour in an airtight container at room temperature. I make oat or buckwheat flour just prior to making a recipe that calls for them to ensure its fresh—this tends to produce better flavour in my experience.
Step by Step Instructions
For the full detailed instructions, please see the recipe card.
STEP 1: In a large bowl sift together the flours, baking powder and salt and make a well in the center.
STEP 2: In a medium bowl, combine the almond milk, olive oil, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar and vanilla and whisk until well incorporated.
STEP 3: Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture and stir just until combined. Let the batter rest for 10 minutes.
STEP 4: Preheat a skillet over medium heat, add olive oil, then drop some of the batter onto the hot skillet.
STEP 5: Cook for about 2-3 minutes or until the edges start to turn golden and several bubbles break on the surface.
STEP 6: Flip and cook another minute or until golden. Serve right away with desired toppings.
Helpful Tips
Don't over mix the batter: a few lump in the final mixture are fine. Over-mixing will make the batter gummy and result in less than stellar pancakes.
Use fresh flours: flours can go rancid after time because of their natural oils; be sure to use fresh flour. I have listed instructions below if you want to make your own buckwheat or oat flour.
Drop the batter into a hot skillet: this will help the pancakes rise and stay fluffy.
Storage and Make Ahead
Freezing: These pancakes are best served warm right after cooking, however, you can freeze them. I regularly make a double batch of these pancakes and freeze half. I like to place a square of parchment paper in between each pancake so they don't freeze together. To defrost, simply pop the pancakes in toaster or toaster oven until heated evenly throughout and the tops are toasted.
Make Ahead: if you want to make your own buckwheat and oat flour, you can prepare these in advance and keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days before proceeding with the rest of the recipe.
More Recipes
Vegan and Gluten-free Oat and Quinoa Waffles
Vegan apple spice baked oatmeal
Or top it with a nice dollop of my European-style vegan butter
If you made my Vegan Multigrain Buckwheat Pancakes please leave me a comment below with a star rating; it really helps others who are interested in making the recipe. For more from The Simple Green, follow me on Instagram, Facebook or Pinterest. Consider becoming a subscriber to receive emails of new recipes and posts.
Vegan Multigrain Buckwheat Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 cup sprouted spelt flour
- ½ cup oat flour*
- ½ cup buckwheat flour*
- 3 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups unsweetened almond milk
- 2 tablespoon olive oil , + more for cooking
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large bowl sift together the flours, baking powder and salt and make a well in the center of the mixture. In a medium bowl, combine the almond milk, olive oil, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar and vanilla extract and whisk until well incorporated. Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture and stir just until combined. Let the batter rest for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and heat for a few seconds, then drop ¼ cup of the batter onto the hot skillet. The batter should sizzle when it hits the pan and spread quite evenly on it's own, however I usually help it along with a back of spoon so it forms a nice round.
- Cook for about 2-3 minutes or until the edges start to turn golden and several bubbles break on the surface. Flip and cook another minute or until golden. Serve right away with desired toppings.
Notes
Nutrition
This is an approximation of the nutrition offered in this recipe, and is created using a nutrition calculator. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee accuracy. If your health depends on nutrition information, please calculate again with your preferred calculator.
Disclaimer
all recipes on The Simple Green are developed and tested in a Canadian kitchen, at normal elevation, using electric appliances and ingredients available in Canada. Results may vary.