Vegan chia pancakes

These easy vegan chia pancakes are fluffy, light and oh, so tasty with a delightful touch of vanilla.

When soaked in a little water, chia seeds turn to a protein-rich jelly that makes a perfect substitute for eggs. And by using plant alternatives in place of dairy, we can easily whip up some truly perfect pancakes.

To make the pancake batter, you'll start by sifting self-raising flour, sugar, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda together, then make a well whisk in your favourite plant milk, plant yogurt, vanilla and soaked chia seeds.

Warm a little plant butter or flavourless oil in a pan and your pancakes are ready to fry into tall and fluffy vegan chia pancakes.

This recipe makes 40 pancakes. so you'll have plenty to form into deliciously tall stacks, drizzle with plenty of syrup.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp chia seeds, lightly crushed
• 225 g self-raising flour
• 25g caster sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 150g soya yogurt
• 2500g soya milk
• Plant butter / flavourless oil, to grease

Equipment

• Weighing scales
• Measuring spoons
• Small bowl
• Mixing bowl
• Sieve
• Hand whisk
• Ladle
• Wide nonstick pan
• Spatula / fish slice
• Baking paper (optional)

Instructions

Put the chia seeds in a small bowl with 30ml (2 tbsp) water. Pop in the fridge for 5 minutes.

Sift the self-raising flour, sugar, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl.

Stir together and then make a well in the centre.

Add the soya yogurt, soya milk, vanilla and soaked chia seeds.

Use your whisk to gently incorporate the ingredients until you have a lump-free batter.

Warm a hot frying pan over a medium heat. Add a little plant butter or oil and melt to grease the pan.

Add 1 tbsp dollops of batter to the pan, leaving space between them for the batter to spread. Fry for about 60 seconds until bubbles form on the surface.

Flip and fry for a further 30 seconds until golden on both sides.

Pile onto plates to serve.

They're delicious with a drizzle of golden syrup.

Enjoy!

Pointers, tricks and troubleshooting tips for the perfect Vegan chia seed pancakes

Are Vegan chia pancakes easy to make?

Yes, these Vegan chia pancakes are super easy to make! There are less than 10 ingredients, and the recipe only takes 25 minutes to prepare and cook. 

As for any technical skill, all you need to do is mix the ingredients in one bowl and then fry a spoon full of batter for less than 2 minutes!

If you aren't familiar with vegan cooking, you might be intimidated by unfamiliar ingredients or terms. However, the vegan lifestyle has become much more popular in the last few years, so there are plenty of easy to use dairy and egg alternatives available to make this recipe just as simple as an egg/dairy pancake recipe.

You can even make the pancake batter the night before so that you can have delicious pancakes in less than 2 minutes!

So whether you're looking for a quick weekday breakfast or something for an easy Sunday morning munch, these pancakes are the perfect breakfast for any day of the week!

Will I need any special equipment to make Vegan chia seed pancakes?

You'll only need standard cooking equipment to make these Vegan chia seed pancakes. 

First, you'll need scales and measuring spoons to measure out the right amount of ingredients. Then, the prepared pancake batter ingredients are sifted into a bowl (using a sieve) and mixed with the wet ingredients using a handheld whisk. 

I used a ladle to portion each pancake from the batter to cook the pancakes, but if you don't have a ladle, feel free to use a small cup.

If you're unsure, there's a complete list of suggested equipment on the recipe card below with links to example products, so you'll know exactly what equipment you need.

What are chia seeds? 

Chia seeds are the seeds from a South American plant, and you can use them in various ways to thicken food or drinks. They're small and don't have much flavour, so you can use them in sweet or savoury dishes without impacting the texture or flavour.

Chia seeds are also full of vitamins, minerals and fibre, so they're also an easy way to add more nutrients to your cooking. This makes chia seeds a beneficial ingredient for plant-based diets. 

When you mix chia seeds with liquid, they absorb water, and their shell develops a gel-like membrane to hold the liquid. The gel-like membrane allows the chia seeds to thicken foods and act as an egg replacement and causes the texture of soaked chia seeds to behave similarly to egg whites. 

Where can I buy chia seeds? 

Chia seeds have been a staple food in many South American countries for centuries, and since the early 2000s, they’ve become quite trendy in the US, Europe and Australia. Chia seeds are now a popular ingredient in smoothies, cereals and even trail mixes, so they’re pretty easy to find in most supermarkets or health food stores. 

You can usually find chia seeds on supermarket shelves with the dried nuts and seeds, or sometimes they might be on the baking aisle. Chia seeds are affordable, and they usually cost less than £5 for 200g. If you don’t live near a larger supermarket, you can also buy them online from Amazon, Whole Foods, or health food stores.

Do I need to crush my chia seeds?

Chia seeds are tiny (around 1mm diameter), so unlike other seeds, they won't affect the texture of your pancakes if you don't crush them. 

Flax seeds are another popular seed that you can use as a vegan egg replacement. However, flax seeds are bigger and have a thicker shell than chia seeds, so you have to crush them so that they absorb water. 

Chia seeds have a much thinner shell than flax or other seeds, so they will begin to absorb water and thicken as soon as you add them to liquid, meaning you don't need to crush them. 

However, if you don't want whole chia seeds, it's OK to crush them down a little. Chia seeds are similar in size and texture to mustard seeds, so you can crush them in a pestle and mortar or use a blender to break them down.

I can’t find chia seeds. What can I use instead of chia seeds? 

As I said above, flax seeds behave similarly to chia seeds. So if you can’t find any chia seeds in-store or online, you could replace the chia seeds with the same amount of ground flax seeds.

Flax seeds have a bigger and thicker shell, so they’re a little harder and need to be broken down before they start to react with water. So if you use flax seeds, make sure that you crush them well in a pestle and mortar or a power blender.

Much like chia seeds, flax seeds are used for baking, cereals, smoothies and vegan cooking. So you will usually find them in most supermarkets on the baking aisle, with the dried nuts or sometimes with nuts on the fresh fruit aisle. Sometimes you’ll even find ‘milled flax seeds’ which are pre-ground so that you can use them straight away.

If you can’t find them in your supermarket, you can find flax seeds in health food stores, online grocery retailers or Amazon. Flaxseed is sometimes called ‘Linseed’, so look out for that if you don’t see any chia or flax.

What type of plant milk should I use for Vegan chia pancakes?

I used soya milk to make these Vegan chia seed pancakes, but feel free to use your favourite plant-based milk. There are so many plant-based kinds of milk available in supermarkets now, and most of them behave in the same way when cooked, so it's really your choice.

I generally find that soya and oat milk are the best for cooking, as they have the most neutral flavour and are stable in cooking. Though almond, coconut and rice milk are also very popular, feel free to try them!

Sometimes soya milk or oat milk contains sweetener, so it's best to use a brand that doesn't add sweeteners or sugar if you don't want super sweet pancakes. Unsweetened oat milk (Oatly, Minor Figures) has a naturally mild sweetness and tastes much nicer than unsweetened soy milk, so oat milk would work well here.

Are Vegan chia pancakes suitable for vegetarians?

Yes, these Vegan chia seed pancakes contain no meat, fish or animal-derived ingredients at all. So they’re entirely vegan and vegetarian. 

If you’re planning to serve these pancakes with any yoghurt or sauces, make sure you choose something suitable for vegetarians/vegans. 

Some sweet sauces can contain thickening or colouring agents that contain animal-derived ingredients like gelatin - so make sure you double-check all of your ingredient labels!

Are Vegan chia pancakes gluten-free?

This recipe isn't gluten-free because it contains wheat flour. However, it would be really easy to adapt this for a gluten-free diet, as gluten-free flour works really well in pancake batter.

This recipe calls for self-raising flour, so if you want to substitute the flour for a gluten-free alternative, you could try using something like this flour by Dove Farm. You should also make sure that the baking powder you use is gluten-free, as sometimes it can contain wheat. 

You could also use buckwheat flour in this recipe for a deeper, nutty flavour. Buckwheat flour looks sort of like wholemeal flour and has a subtle nutty flavour, so it's great for both sweet and savoury dishes. 

Despite the name, buckwheat contains no wheat. Instead, buckwheat flour is made from the seed of the Buckwheat plant, a 'pseudocereal' that looks like a grain but is more closely related to rhubarb than wheat! 

You can usually find gluten-free flours and baking powders in your local supermarket's baking or 'Free From' aisle. But don't worry if you can't find any in-store; there are plenty of gluten-free baking ingredients available on Amazon.

I haven't tried making these pancakes with gluten-free ingredients, so let me know how you get on! I love seeing pictures of your bakes and experiments, so please send me a photo if your gluten-free, vegan pancakes are a success!

Double-check all of your ingredients labels to ensure that they are gluten-free. Also, don't forget to check anything extra that you intend to serve with your pancakes.

Are Vegan chia pancakes keto-friendly?

This recipe contains sugar and flour, which aren’t suitable for a ketogenic diet. Because of the sugar and flour, these pancakes have 7g of carbohydrates in each serving, so they aren’t the best for a ketogenic diet which restricts you to 20g carbs a day. 

Are Vegan chia pancakes healthy?

Health is a relative term. 

While these pancakes are vegan, the recipe still contains 25g of sugar. So to someone on a keto diet, they aren’t healthy, but to someone trying to cut down on dairy, they’re a good alternative.

There are only 57kcal per pancake, so they’re definitely on the lower end of calorific breakfast options if you go by calories. 

The chia seeds in this recipe are a good source of fibre and nutrients so if you’re interested, feel free to read up on the benefits of eating chia seeds.

Remember, a healthy and balanced diet needs to suit your health needs, not the current food trends. So find what works for you so you can stay happy and healthy, including the occasional treat!

Are Vegan chia pancakes safe to eat while pregnant?

Yes, these pancakes are perfectly safe for someone pregnant. Dairy and egg are common foods that can pose a risk (E Coli, Salmonella, Listeria) to people in vulnerable groups, but this recipe has neither, so it’s much safer to prepare than a dairy pancake recipe.

However, even though this recipe has less risk, you should still make sure that all of your ingredients are in good condition and that you prepare your pancakes safely and hygienically.

A Mummy Too does not offer medical advice. Please seek help from a medical professional if you need further information or have any concerns.

What goes well with Vegan chia pancakes?

These Vegan chia seed pancakes are delicately flavoured with vanilla, so they're a perfect blank slate for anything sweet. 

I love pancakes with a dollop of vegan yoghurt and some chopped up strawberries or other fruit, and you could add chopped nuts too if you fancy.

Or, if you're making these pancakes for a birthday, why don't you try something special? For example, you could top them with vegan whipping cream or spray cream and even add some vegan birthday sprinkles!

How should I store Vegan chia pancakes?

These pancakes will be best eaten fresh from the pan, but if you want, you can still make them ahead and store them.

It’s best to let them cool after cooking and store them in the fridge for up to 5 days. Or even better, store them in the freezer in a sealed container for up to 3 months. 

How long will Vegan chia pancakes keep?

The pancakes will be safe to eat for up to 5 days after cooking, but they’ll be at their best if you eat them within 2 days. I’d recommend reheating them in the pan before eating them, as they might become a little soggy in the fridge.

If you freeze your pancakes they should last for up to 3 months in the freezer.

Can I leave Vegan chia pancakes out on the counter?

You can keep your pancakes in a sealed container on the counter once they’re cooked and cooled. However, I find it’s best to freeze or refrigerate your pancakes as it will make them last longer and stop them from turning stale.

Can I make Vegan chia pancakes ahead?

Yes, you can make these pancakes ahead and store them in a couple of ways and reheat them. 

The best way to make them ahead of time is to freeze them as they can go soggy when kept in the fridge. These pancakes should turn out quite thick, which means they would even be suitable to reheat in the toaster.

Or, you could make Vegan chia pancakes a day or two ahead and keep them in the refrigerator. Then all you need to do is reheat them in the pan when you want to serve them. but they’re best freshly made. 

If you’re making these pancakes for your family or a group of people, you can preheat your oven to around 90 C and keep the pancakes warm on a baking pan in the oven while you make the rest.

Some pancake recipes state that you can make the batter ahead of time and refrigerate it. However, I wouldn’t advise doing that with this recipe for a couple of reasons. First, the raising agent will lose its effectiveness over time, so the longer you leave the batter after mixing, the flatter your pancakes will turn out. 

However, the main issue with leaving this batter is the chia seeds. Chia seeds can absorb up to 10 times their own weight in water, so the longer you leave the batter the more water the seeds will soak up. This could leave you with a very thick, almost rice pudding-like pancake batter which would be very hard to cook.

Can I keep Vegan chia pancakes in the refrigerator?

Yes, you can keep your cooked Vegan chia pancakes in the fridge in a sealed container. 

However, as with most pancakes, they’ll probably end up soggy if kept in the fridge for more than a day. So it’s best to enjoy your pancakes fresh from the pan, or freeze them and reheat them as directed below.

Can I freeze Vegan chia pancakes?

Yes! These pancakes will freeze really well. Once the pancakes have cooked and cooled, just pop them into a container or a sandwich bag in layers – with baking parchment between each layer to stop them from sticking together.

What is the best way to defrost Vegan chia pancakes?

This recipe should produce pancakes that are quite thick, so if you freeze them you can either reheat them straight from the freezer by popping them into the toaster. 

Or you could let them defrost in the fridge overnight and then heat them through in a saucepan pan.

Can I make these Vegan chia pancakes in a different quantity?

Yes, if you want to make more or fewer pancakes, then it’s super easy to change the serving size for this recipe.

All you need to do is scroll down to the recipe card below where you'll see a serving amount near the top left. To change this to the number of pancakes you want to make, just click on the number and a little slider will pop up. Then you just have to move the slider up or down to get the amount you want to make.

All the ingredient quantities will update automatically for you so that everything is in the right ratios. Simple!

Can I make Vegan chia pancakes in a stand mixer such as a KitchenAid or Kenwood Mixer?

Yes, you can use a stand mixer to mix your Vegan chia pancake batter if you want to, but it’s just as easy to mix the batter in a bowl as it’s such a quick and simple recipe.

You only need to gently whisk your batter until the ingredients are mixed. So it probably only takes around 45 seconds to get everything mixed together properly. 

If you use a stand mixer, you run the risk of overmixing your batter (– and ending up with more washing up to do). Overmixing your batter can cause your pancakes to become chewy and tough, so you make sure you only mix your batter gently and stop once there are no lumps.

Can I make Vegan chia pancakes with a food processor?

No, a food processor would be too powerful to mix this recipe. Using a food processor or power blender to mix your batter would quickly overmix your batter, making it gluey and leaving you with chewy pancakes.

How can I make sure my Vegan chia pancakes turn out perfectly?

To make sure you get perfect Vegan chia pancakes, you need to make sure you start with a perfect batter. Here are a few key points to watch out for:

It’s important to read the recipe before you begin cooking, so you know what each step is working towards. Reading the entire recipe ahead also lets you know which ingredients or equipment you’ll need to have access to.

I find it useful to get out all of my equipment and weigh/ measure out all of my ingredients before I begin cooking, so I don’t have to worry about juggling mixing and weighing or having any mix-ups.

The batter consistency depends on getting the right ratio of ingredients, so weighing the ingredients out ahead of cooking will reduce the chance of any mistakes here.

Once you begin making the recipe, make sure you add your ingredients to the bowl in the right order. The recipe gives you an order for a reason so that the raising agents don’t react with the wet ingredients too early and to make sure that you don’t overmix the flour. 

If you add your raising agent or flour too soon, you can end up with tough, flat pancakes which have had all the air knocked out of them.

Luckily, this recipe only has a few ingredients and they don’t need mixing for longer than a minute, so there aren’t many places where you could make a mistake!

When you cook your pancakes, make sure that the pan isn’t too hot. Otherwise, you’ll end up with pancakes that are burnt on the outside and raw in the middle. Equally, make sure you don’t add the pancake batter to a cold pan – or the batter will become oily and the pancakes will spread out. 

These pancakes only need 60 seconds of cooking on each side, so it’s best to cook the pancakes on a medium heat. 

Why did my Vegan chia pancakes turn out dry/crumbly?

It will be hard to dry these pancakes out from overcooking before they burn, as they contain both plant milk and yoghurt. So if your Vegan chia pancakes are dry then it sounds like you forgot to add the plant milk or yoghurt.

The vegan yoghurt should make these pancakes super creamy and moist, and it also acts as a binding agent along with the chia seeds. So it’s essential you add yoghurt and plant milk. 

As I said above, it’s best to measure out all of your ingredients before you begin cooking, and have them out in front of you as you cook. That way you’ll be able to notice if you’ve forgotten to add something to the batter.

Why did my Vegan chia pancakes turn out wet/dense?

If your pancakes are too wet or dense, then there are a couple of possible explanations. 

First, if they’re too wet then there’s probably too much milk or yoghurt, or you didn’t add enough flour. Again, make sure you have all of your ingredients weighed out in bowls/ jugs before you begin cooking, so you know exactly how much to add. 

If your pancakes aren’t very wet, but they’re really dense, then it could be due to the flour being overmixed or the chia seeds absorbing too much liquid. 

When you overmix wheat flour, the gluten in the flour starts to form bonds which make batter glue-like. These gluten bonds are ideal for bread to give it a chewy texture, but it’s not what you want for cakes or pancakes. 

So make sure you only gently whisk your batter until the ingredients are incorporated and there are no lumps. Once the batter has come together smoothly, stop mixing. 

Once your batter is made, make sure to cook it as soon as possible. If you let it sit for too long, the air bubbles formed by the raising agents will collapse and the chia seeds will absorb too much liquid from the batter, both resulting in dense pancakes.

Why didn’t my Vegan chia pancakes rise?

If your pancakes didn’t rise, then it may be because your self-raising flour, bicarbonate of soda or baking powder are old. When raising agents get old, they lose their potency or become unstable, resulting in inconsistent bakes. 

Self-raising flour and raising agents can go bad before their expiration date if they’re stored incorrectly. Expiration dates are calculated with the storage method considered. So if the packet advises your baking ingredients are stored in sealed containers at a certain temperature, make sure that’s how you store it. 

To avoid inconsistent results, it’s always best to use fresh or correctly stored raising agents and self-raising flour. 

How can I add/change the flavours in these Vegan chia seed pancakes?

These Vegan chia pancakes are delicately flavoured with vanilla, making them the perfect canvas for any topping or sauce you want to eat with your pancakes. So, if you want to add flavours to your pancakes, feel free to experiment! 

An easy way to add flavour is to season the batter with some spices, like nutmeg or cinnamon. Or you could go with citrus flavours and add some orange or lemon zest. You could try lime zest for a fresher flavour, I can imagine lime zest pancakes would go perfectly with a dollop of dairy-free yoghurt. 

You could add a handful of dried fruit or even vegan chocolate buttons to the batter and it shouldn't affect the cooking too much. 

Where do chia seeds come from?

Chia seeds are the seeds of a plant native to South America. They’ve been eaten for thousands of years, with evidence suggesting the Aztecs cultivated it as a main food supply. In recent years, Chia seeds have become increasingly popular around the world. Chia seeds are now used in a lot of vegan cooking to replace eggs because they behave similarly, or they’re added to smoothies as a good source of fibre. 

Print this vegan chia pancakes recipe

Pin this vegan chia pancakes recipe

More vegan treats to try