Oat Milk Pancakes {Allergy Friendly!}

Looking for a dairy free pancake recipe? Then you’ll definitely want to try these easy oat milk pancakes! They’re fluffy, cakey, and delicious but without the dairy and other common allergens like wheat/gluten, eggs, and soy.

Jump to:

• Why choose oat milk for pancakes?
• Ingredients and equipment
• How to make oat milk pancakes
• Recipe tips and variations
• Breakfast sides
• Related recipes
• 📖 Recipe

Making pancakes is a weekend ritual at our house. My kids never seem to get tired of them.  Now that they've gotten older, they can even whip up a batch of these cakes on their own.

Why choose oat milk for pancakes?

The main reason we use oat milk for pancakes is my son is allergic to dairy. Whether you have a dairy allergy, lactose intolerance, follow a vegan diet, or just prefer not to consume cow’s milk, oat milk is a very good dairy-free milk substitute.

One of the reasons I love oat milk is that it has a nice, creamy texture. I also like that it has a fairly neutral flavor (as long as you use an unflavored variety). That means I can use it in sweet and savory dishes without throwing off the flavor.

Nutritionally speaking, oat milk has less protein than soy, pea, and cow's milk. It does have similar amounts of vitamin D and calcium as other milk substitutes. With that said, none of that makes much of a difference when using it to make pancakes.

In most recipes, you can substitute the same amount of oat milk for cow’s milk or any non-dairy milk substitute. That goes for pancake mixes, too! But why buy a mix when you can make your own oat milk pancakes from scratch?

Is oat milk gluten free?

Oats can be a source of gluten due to cross-contact in manufacturing. Most oat milk options that you see at the grocery store, however, are labeled as gluten-free. That means that the manufacturer is testing to make sure the product has less than 20 parts per million (ppm) gluten. 

Some brands that are labeled as gluten-free include: 

• Good and Gather (Target)
• Oatly (in the US)
• Chobani
• Planet Oat
• Silk

Ingredients and equipment

These pancakes are non-dairy as well as gluten free, egg free, soy free, and nut free. You will only need a few ingredients outside of normal baking essentials to make them.

• All-purpose gluten free flour - I use Bob’s Red Mill Gluten free Baking Mix. If you can have wheat, feel free to substitute regular all-purpose flour. 
• Granulated sugar
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Salt
• Cooking oil - I use canola oil but you could use grapeseed oil or even melted dairy free margarine instead.
• Oat milk - I used the Good and Gather brand from Target but any oat milk will work.

See the recipe card for quantities.

For equipment, you’ll just need a non-stick frying or griddle pan. I like to use our electric griddle because I can make a lot of pancakes fast!

If you're making pancakes for one, you might like this little Dash pancake maker.

How to make oat milk pancakes

Making these pancakes is quick and easy! 

Step 1: Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl.

Step 2: Measure out the oat milk in a glass measuring cup. Add the cooking oil and whisk together.

Step 3: Add the milk and oil to the dry ingredients and mix until the flour is fully incorporated.

Step 4: Add a small amount of oil to the frying pan and preheat over medium heat. If using a griddle, set the temperature to 325° F. 

Step 5: Pour about ¼ cup of batter into the pan or onto the griddle. If you're adding any mix-ins, add them now (see recipe tips below). Watch for the batter to bubble. When the bubbles have popped, flip the pancake and cook for another minute or two. Do not flip too soon - this will lead to doughy pancakes.

Step 6: Serve with real maple syrup or other toppings of your choice (see below for ideas!)

Recipe tips and variations

Make the batter ahead of time

Sometimes, it’s handy to have the batter mixed up ahead of time. I have done this for camping trips and it works great! Just mix the batter up, pour it into a sealable bottle, and put it in the cooler until you’re ready to eat.

This also works great if you want to make pancakes for one! Just make as many pancakes as you want, then store the remaining batter in the fridge for up to 2-3 days.

Alternatively, you can mix just the dry ingredients, put them in a ziplock bag, and add the milk when you’re ready to make the pancakes. 

Batter mix-ins 

Plain pancakes are great but I like to add some extras once in a while to jazz them up. Here are a few ideas:

• Bananas
• Mini chocolate chips (my boys’ favorite)
• Sliced strawberries
• Berries

Feel free to mix them up and combine any of these. My favorite is banana and chocolate chip. So good!

Toppings

The absolute best topping for oat milk pancakes (or any pancake for that matter) is pure maple syrup! I really wouldn’t have pancakes without it. 

Another topping that might be less common is applesauce. Have you tried it? It’s so good!

Berries, bananas, chocolate chips, and dairy free whipped cream make great toppings as well.

Storing the leftovers

These pancakes are best hot off the griddle but they will last in the fridge for a day or two. Just put them in an airtight container in the fridge. 

If you want to keep them longer, the freezer is your best bet!

Breakfast sides

To make a balanced meal, pair these oat milk pancakes with some fruit and protein. Here are a few protein options to try:

• Fruit smoothie with protein powder
• Seeds or seed butter (I like this nut free chocolate spread on pancakes!)
• Breakfast sausage
• Nuts (if you can have them)
• Eggs (if you can have them)

Related recipes

📖 Recipe

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