I have a very hearty-filled post for you today. It’s packed full of ginger yumminess and my “secret” pancake tips. Can you tell I’ve been on a gingersnap kick lately? My Gingersnap Peppermint Muffins turned out so delicious, I wanted to make some pancakes with that same gingersnap flavor. These taste just like a gingersnap cookie! I honestly can’t get enough of them! And the syrup…oh my heavens….roasted ginger infused syrup takes it over the edge!
I have been making cinnamon pancakes for years, but recently decided to transform them into gingersnap pancakes. I am IN LOVE!
Vegan pancakes, if you’ve ever tried them, have most likely disappointed you. Frankly, any I’ve ever tried have sucked. They are notorious for being mushy, flat and have an undercooked taste to them. The reason is the lack of eggs. Vegan baking works because cakes slowly cook in an oven, but pancakes only get a few minutes, so that’s why it’s hard when not using eggs. However, after too many trials that I care to recount, I have finally come up with some delicious pancakes that don’t taste any less fabulous than my non-vegan days of pancakes. My secret for the non-mushy fluffy pancake? Well, obviously the entire list of ingredients below…but the main ingredients that changed it all for me was adding cornstarch and using coconut milk. I used to use almond milk, but since coconut milk is slightly thicker and contains fat, the pancakes just seem slightly richer. They even taste fabulous the next day. The cornstarch almost continues to fluff the insides as the hours pass.
Successful pancake tips:
One thing I hear so often from people is how their pancakes always turn out flat and still raw in the middle, and their first pancake is always the worst one. This is especially with vegan ones. There are a few possible reasons why this happens…
1. You didn’t let the batter sit long enough to allow the leavening agent to react. Remember, it’s not cooking in an oven.
2. Your pan wasn’t hot enough. You need to let your pan or griddle heat up for several minutes, while the batter is sitting. That way the heat reacts with the leavening agents and vinegar, causing a reaction and fluff. Also, your heat needs to be between low and medium. A pan that is too hot will overcook the outside before the inside cooks.
3. Your flour to liquid ratio was way off. If the batter is too thick, the inside won’t cook. If it’s too thin and runny, they end up flat and lifeless.
4. You flipped them too soon. You need to wait around 3 minutes for the first side to cook and watch for the edges of the pancake to have firmed up and dried out before flipping them over.
5. You overmixed the batter. You need only to stir it until it just combines. If you keep mixing, it can give you a tough, flat pancake.
Please follow all of these steps so your pancakes turn out fluffy and delicious, as this recipe has been tested and tested, so any substitutions can alter the thickness of the batter, therefore I can’t vouch for the results. I love using whole wheat pastry flour because it gives them a nice tender bite.
Thick, fluffy and fabulous. Nothing mushy or wimpy about these vegan pancakes!
Recipe: Makes 6 fat pancakes
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Dry ingredients:
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons organic sugar (use less if you prefer your pancakes less sweet, but it will taste less like a gingersnap)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 heaping teaspoon roasted ginger spice (add more if you want them extra spicy)
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
Wet ingredients:
3/4 cup regular unsweetened coconut milk (carton, do NOT use canned, it is too thick and they will turn to mush!)
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons grapeseed oil
2 tablespoons unsulphered molasses
1 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Nonstick spray for the pan
Directions:
Do not skip any of these steps! First, combine only 1/4 cup of the milk with the flaxseed into a coffee mug or small bowl and whisk very well with a fork. Set aside for at least 5 minutes. This will be your “egg” and it needs to sit to become thick and slightly gel-like. In a separate medium-sized bowl, sift together or pass the remaining dry ingredients through a fine mesh strainer so there are no lumps. Now, after the flaxseed mixture has sat for several minutes, add the remaining wet ingredients (including the remaining 1/2 cup of milk) and whisk very well until combined. Now pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir gently with a spoon until just combined. Set the batter aside for 10 minutes. Set your timer if you have to, but be patient, this will give you fluffy pancakes. At the same time you set the batter aside, place a small pan over heat set between medium and low. After 10 minutes, both your batter and hot pan will be ready.
Lightly spray the heated pan with nonstick spray. Use a 1/3 measuring cup and spoon to pour the batter onto the heated pan. This will give you a nice size, thick pancake. If you prefer them smaller, use a 1/4 cup. I like mine fairly large though. Do NOT overly spread out the batter or flatten it, it will be thick. That’s what you want. Cook around 3 minutes or until the edges have firmed up well, flip over, and cook another 1-2 minutes. Make sure to lightly spray the pan for each pancake. If you notice your pancakes are browning too fast, turn the heat down a bit.
Ginger Syrup:
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1/8 teaspoon ground roasted ginger
Whisk the spices into the syrup and heat and pour over your pancakes. Oh my. Pure ginger heaven. If you really want to go all out…throw some coconut whipped cream on top sprinkled with ground ginger! For this, just place a can of full fat coconut milk (I like Thai brand) in the fridge the night before. It will harden and thicken the “cream” at the top of the can. Scoop it out and spoon over your pancakes or whip it if you like.
ENJOY!!!
Nutrition per fat pancake: 197 calories/ 8.26g fat/ 2.33g protein/ 29 carbs (I eat 2 at breakfast, but my husband is satisfied with one, they are fairly thick and filling) For a significantly less fat version, you can try subbing half the oil for applesauce, but that tends to give a more mushy pancake, so it’s up to you. I definitely do not like the effect of the applesauce in them.
