Prepare this recipe for traditional vegan Scotch pancakes to easily and quickly whip up an amazing stack of soft, fluffy and light pancakes that are incredibly delicious.
Ingredients are just your everyday staple food stuff so chances are you have everything to hand to create a pile of yummy vegan pancakes especially for Pancake Day or Shrove Tuesday.
My family love these pancakes for breakfast, brunch, light lunch, supper, or as a dessert with a cheeky scoop of vegan ice-cream!
Looking for a vegan chocolate chip pancake recipe?
Do pop over to our chocolate pancake post, they are super delish!
The Secret To Amazing Fluffy Vegan Pancakes
Amazingly these vegan pancakes taste just like ordinary traditional pancakes.
The secret to fluffy vegan pancakes is whisking to a smooth batter before allowing the batter to rest in the fridge for at least 20 minutes before cooking.
Its so easy and only takes 5 minutes to whip up the batter. Save even more time by preparing the batter the night before.
Origin of pancakes
Pancakes are truly a traditional food with a long history.
Pancakes were popular during medieval times with one of the first pancake recipes dating to a recipe book from 1439.
However there is evidence of pancakes going further back to the Neolithic era 5,300 years ago. Otzi the Iceman was unburied from the Italian alps in 1991. Researchers found remains of food within Otzi's stomach that suggested he had eaten something akin to a cooked pancake.
Pancake Day/Shrove Tuesday
Shrove Tuesday, is a Christian day for feasting that occurs before the beginning of the 40 days of Lent that leads up to Easter. Lent is a time for giving things up and fasting. Preparing pancakes on Shrove Tuesday ensured that eggs and fats were not wasted during the fasting of Lent.
Pancake day is said to have originated in 1445 when an English woman was preparing pancakes and forget about attending church until she heard the bells ringing. Scurrying to get to church in time but concerned about her pancakes over cooking, she grabbed the pan and flipped the pancake all the way to church!
This story may have inspired an old English custom of having a pancake race on Shrove Tuesday. With the most popular the Olney woman pancake race still going strong today! Although the 2021 race was cancelled due to the current pandemic.
Traditional Vegan Scotch Pancakes Recipe Notes
How do I store leftover pancakes?
Leftover pancakes can be stored in the fridge, covered, for up to 4 days. A piece of parchment placed between each pancake can be used to prevent sticking, but is not essential.
Or freeze cooked pancakes for up to 4 months. Wrap up well with food-grade wrap, and place a piece of parchment between each pancake to prevent freezing together. This will also make it easier to remove one or two pancakes at a time.
Can I prepare pancake batter in advance?
Yes. This batter can be prepared the night before or even a day or two in advance. Place in the fridge, covered, and whisk well before use. Add a tablepsoon of plant milk to loosen the batter slightly if necessary.
Prepping the batter is a great idea as then pancakes are ready quicker and one or two can be cooked whenever anyone takes a pancake notion!
What can I serve with pancakes?
In Scotland Scotch pancakes are traditionally served cold with butter and jam. Pancakes are delicious at room temperature or even chilled from the fridge. Although pancakes are equally as tasty hot from the pan.
For breakfast serve with:
- fresh or frozen berries
- berry coulis/sauce
- fruit jam/jelly
- sugar-free quick blueberry chia jam
- any fresh fruit
- dried fruit
- stewed fruit
- nuts or seeds
- trail mix
- granola
- vegan yogurt
- vegan soft cheese and avocado slices, sprinkle of sunflower seeds
- peanut/almond/cashew butter
- seed butter such as sunflower/pumpkin
- apple sauce
- marmite
- dash of cinnamon, mixed spice/pumpkin spice, nutmeg, allspice, ginger
- glass of chilled oat milk
For lunch/brunch/light dinner:
(Half the amount of sugar contained with the pancake recipe)
- veggie sausages/vegan bacon
- baked beans
- scrambled chickpeas
- roast tomatoes/mushrooms/asparagus
- mixed roast or steamed veggies
- fresh salad leaves/spinach
- mixed salad
- vegan soft cheese
- salsa
- guacamole
- avocado slices
- hummus
- vegan refried beans (quick and easy no-oil/fat recipe)
- chopped fresh herbs
For dessert/pudding:
Invent your own favourite combos!
- vegan ice-cream
- vegan whipped cream
- vegan single pouring cream
- peanut butter
- fruit jam/jelly
- apple sauce
- vegan chocolate spread
- vegan chocolate pudding (whipped silken tofu)
- chocolate custard pudding (or prepare the custard pudding thinner to achieve a pouring sauce)
- grated/shaved vegan chocolate
- vegan chocolate drops/buttons
- drizzle of golden syrup/date syrup/agave/rice syrup
- fresh berries
- pineapple/melon chunks/mango/banana pieces/ grapes, any fruit
- stewed fruit
- lemon wedges
- flaked almonds, chopped nuts
- coconut shreds/pieces or a sprinkle of desiccated coconut
- mincemeat for Christmas themed pancakes (sweet variety that is found in jars around the festive period)
- sprinkle of spices such as cinnamon, mixed spice. pumpkin spice, nutmeg, ginger
Can I add any extra flavours to these Traditional Scotch pancakes?
Yes.
A few suggestions:
- Add a handful of vegan chocolate drops/buttons to the pancake mix. Or sprinkle the drops over the pancake immediately after the first flip.
- Add some fine diced apple pieces.
- fresh blueberries or raspberries, either mixed through batter or popped on each pancake, after the first flip
- lemon or orange essence instead of vanilla
- mix through some grated lemon/orange/grapefruit/lime zest
- sprinkle some cinnamon, mixed spice, pumpkin spice, ginger, allspice, nutmeg through the mix for delicious autumn/fall and festive flavours.
- For birthday pancakes sprinkle some vegan cake sprinkles or hundreds and thousands over each pancake as its flipped.
More Delicious Vegan Desserts To Discover:
Old School Chocolate Sponge pudding (serve with hot custard or chilled cream. Yum!)
Old School Jam And Coconut Sponge Traybake
Traditional Scottish Smiddy Dumpling (similar to a Scottish clootie dumpling but less fussy as this dumpling fruit cake is baked and not steamed!
Crunchy Cornflake, Coconut And Chocolate Traybake
Vegan Traditional Scotch Pancakes
Ingredients
- 230 grams self-raising flour sieved, or plain/all-purpose flour with an extra teaspoon of baking powder
- 2 tablespoon granulated sugar or caster sugar/your usual sweetener.
- 375 millilitres plant milk such as oat or soya
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon white distilled vinegar
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
To cook
- vegetable oil optional. If using a pancake maker/non-stick hotplate oil is likely not necessary.
Instructions
- Place all dry ingredients into a mixing bowl and stir.
- Add wet ingredients and whisk well. If your batter is too thick add an extra 1-2 tablespoon of plant milk.Although this recipe does create a thick batter so don't make your batter too runny.
- Leave in the fridge for at least 20 minutes.
- Heat your non-stick frying pan over a medium heat.Use oil if necessary.If using a pancake maker set the hotplate to a medium-high temperature.
- Pour 60ml (¼ cup) of batter per pancake. Flip the pancakes when lots of bubbles have appeared over the surface.
- Cook on the other side for a minute or two until golden.
- Depending on your pan a little more oil may be necessary to prevent sticking.
- If you want to keep pancakes warm lay each cooked pancake between parchment paper and keep warm on a low temperature in the oven.Or cool to enjoy at room temperature.
Notes
- Nutritional information is for guidance only and is not a strict analysis as ingredients vary.
- Vegetable oil has not been included within the analysis.
- Leftover pancakes can be kept in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. Cover with food-grade wrap.
- Or freeze the pancakes for up to 4 months. Wrap well to avoid freezer crystals. And its recommended to add a small piece of kitchen parchment between each pancake, as it will prevent freezing together and removal of single pancakes will be much simpler.
- Pancake batter can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days. Mix well before use, and add a tablespoon of plant milk if mix really thick.
- Serve your pancakes with fresh or frozen berries, grapes, bananas, pineapple chunks, orange segments, kiwi slices, etc.
- A scoop of plain or vanilla vegan yogurt is a tasty addition.
Biana
Yum! These look like perfect pancakes for brunch!
I agree! These pancakes are ideal for brunch especially with a tasty fruit salad and plant-based yogurt 🙂
Fiona Maclean
These look amazing. I'm a huge pancake fan so I will definitely be trying them. I thought you'd end up with some kind of egg substitute, but it looks like that's unecessary!
Thanks! I know most people think that special egg replacers are needed for vegan pancakes and cakes. But surprisingly everyday ingredients can do the job just as well. Hope you enjoy the pancakes 🙂
Lillie
The timing of this recipe is perfect because I was craving breakfast for dinner!
I love having breakfast for dinner! Especially after a busy day 🙂
Carrie
Not being a vegan but thought i would give these a try....absolutely delicious....very light in texture....we demolished them all! Everyone.... should try these!
Thanks so much! Glad you all enjoyed them!
Kevin Foodie
Always good to see vegan recipes. It's interesting that you used distilled vinegar in the recipe. Is it because of the type of baking powder used? The 🥞look great. Will be interested to know how they 😋
Yes the distilled vinegar interacts with the baking powder and helps the pancakes rise! But there is no vinegar after taste. Just yummy pancakes!