One-bowl lemon pancakes are the way to go if you love fluffy, American style pancakes but want a slightly lighter way to start the morning. They won’t bog you down or leave you feeling sluggish, as they’re egg-free, made with spelt, and have minimal added sugar and oil.
These are even easier to make than normal egg and butter pancakes, with no beating of eggs or melting the butter. Just whisk it up, cook, and serve! If you can have two pans on the go you’ll be done in a few minutes.
I topped with winter citrus fruits as they’re currently in season, but at other times of year I recommend strawberries or raspberries. Alternatively, quickly cook some frozen blueberries and make a warm blueberry compote – or go for classic plain maple syrup.
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Spelt Flour: light or white spelt for the lightest pancakes, but whole grain works just as well (just slightly less fluffy). Regular wheat flour can be used 1:1 in place of spelt, either white, whole wheat, or whole wheat pastry flour. I haven’t tried making these gluten-free but I think a good GF blend would work. There is a recipe for gluten free banana pancakes on OE.
- Arrowroot Flour: this helps to bind the pancakes and improves the texture. Sub cornstarch or tapioca flour.
- Baking Soda: lemon juice and baking soda create a reaction that increases lift, so you get particularly light pancakes.
- Milk: I always use oat milk but any type will work. If you don’t need the pancakes to be vegan, regular whole milk can be used.
- Lemon: both zest and juice, so try to get organic, unwaxed lemons for zesting.
Method
This is truly the easiest way to make pancakes, all in one bowl, and no special tools needed. Making a well in the middle of your dry ingredients helps to mix the wet ingredients in more effectively.
1. Mix dry ingredients: add the all the dry ingredients a large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine and break up any lumps.
2. Add remaining ingredients: Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture and add the wet ingredients.
3. Combine: stir until just combined, but don’t over mix.
4. Cook: preheat a frying pan and cook the pancakes over medium heat.
Recipe Notes
This recipe makes about two dozen pancakes, so it’s a pretty big batch – if you don’t want to make so many, or don’t have a group to feed, the recipe can easily be halved.
This is a thick batter, and should be flipped more quickly than a thinner batter would be. At medium heat for me it’s about 30 seconds. Don’t wait for bubbles, but flip as soon as you can get a spatula beneath the pancake.
How to Store
Storage: these will keep well for a day or two in a sealed container at room temperature.
Freezing: freeze and store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to a month. Either thaw and eat at room temperature, or toast on the lowest setting until warm.
Sign up for email updates!
Expert Tips
- Oil lightly: I recommend brushing a small amount of oil over the base of the pan with a heat-safe brush rather than using a lot of oil, which causes uneven cooking.
- Don’t pop those bubbles: this is a fairly thick batter, similar to drop pancakes, and if you wait for the bubbles to burst before flipping, the pancake will be overcooked and won’t puff up properly on the second side.
- Mix it up: these would make great chocolate chip pancakes – just add in a handful of dark chocolate chips once the batter is mixed. Try mixing some cardamom or nutmeg into the dry ingredients, or add orange zest along with the lemon.
More Lemon Recipes
Lemon Elderflower Cake
Honey Lemon Curd
Elderflower Lemonade
Lemon Rhubarb Cake
Lemon Ice Cream
If you make these Lemon Pancakes or any other vegetarian breakfast recipes on Occasionally Eggs, please take a moment to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It’s such a help to others who want to try the recipe. For more OE, follow along on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest, purchase the Occasionally Eggs cookbook, or subscribe for new posts via email.
Lemon Pancakes
Ingredients
- 300 grams spelt flour*
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 400 ml non-dairy milk
- 3 tablespoons neutral tasting oil
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
- Zest of two lemons
- Juice of a lemon ~3 tablespoons
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Add the flour, arrowroot, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to a large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine and break up any lumps.300 grams spelt flour*, 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture and add the milk, oil, maple syrup, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla. Stir until just combined and no streaks of flour remain. Set aside.400 ml non-dairy milk, 3 tablespoons neutral tasting oil, 2 tablespoons maple syrup, Zest of two lemons, Juice of a lemon, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Heat a frying pan over medium heat with a little coconut oil. I recommend brushing a small amount of oil over the base of the pan with a heat-safe brush.
- Once the pan is hot, start to cook the pancakes. Mine are 3-4 tablespoons of batter per pancake.
- Cook the first side for about 30 seconds, or until golden, before flipping and cooking another 45-60 seconds. Don’t wait for bubbles to pop before flipping.
- Continue until all of the batter has been used, brushing a small amount of coconut oil onto the pan each time. Serve hot.
Notes
* For American cup measurements, please click the pink link text above the ingredient list that says ‘American’.
Nutrition
Nutrition is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. If this information is important to you, please have it verified independently.
This recipe was originally published in April 2018. It has been updated most recently as of January 2023.
Tam says
The text mentions that the recipe uses arrowroot/tapioca/cornstarch but this does not appear on the ingredients list (or in the instructions). How much should be used?
Alexandra Daum says
Hi Tam, the recipe needs a tablespoon of arrowroot powder.
Katerina | Once a Foodie says
These pancakes look and sound absolutely stunning – your photos are mouthwatering!
Alex says
This is just the prettiest breakfast! I’ve personally never found a need for additional starch in vegan pancakes. Have you tried using flax eggs instead of regular eggs? Flax is the perfect binder in pancakes.