Everybody deserves to have a little chocolate for breakfast once in a while. These pancakes got five-star reviews from all of my testers. This recipe requires a nonstick skillet to keep the pancakes from sticking. Serve with whatever fresh fruit you like—we enjoy them with strawberries, raspberries, bananas, or a combination of all three.
By Somer McCowan, Mar 28, 2016
INGREDIENTS
- 1¼ cups whole-grain gluten-free flour (see Notes)
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
- 1 tablespoon vegan mini chocolate chips (optional; see Notes)
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup unsweetened, unflavored almond milk
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup or ¼ teaspoon stevia powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
INSTRUCTIONS
- Combine the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, flax, chocolate chips, and salt) in a medium bowl. Whisk until fully combined.
- Combine the wet ingredients (almond milk, maple syrup, vanilla, and vinegar) in a small bowl, and whisk well. This will create a vegan buttermilk for your pancakes.
- Add the vegan buttermilk and the applesauce to the flour mixture, and stir until the batter is just combined.
- Let the batter stand for 10 minutes while it rises and thickens as the flaxseeds soak; it may nearly double in size.
- Heat a nonstick skillet or electric skillet griddle over medium heat and mist with a tiny bit of nonstick spray, if desired. (If you have a large skillet, you can cook multiple pancakes at once.) Scoop the batter into 3-inch rounds. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until the bubbles have burst in each of the pancakes and the tops start to appear dry. Flip the pancakes and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more. You should get 12 pancakes total.
Notes:
Flour – You can use any other whole-grain flour if you prefer.
Chocolate chips – Two brands of vegan mini chocolate chips I like are Enjoy Life and Lily’s (stevia-sweetened).