Pancakes without milk are light, fluffy and flavorful homemade pancakes made without milk. Learn how to make these quick and easy no milk pancakes using simple pantry ingredients and water as a substitute for milk. A stack of these from scratch pancakes makes the perfect cozy breakfast everyone will love, even if you don’t have milk.
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Why Should You Make This Recipe
I love quick and easy breakfast recipes such as a stack of warm, buttery pancakes. My Oat Flour Pancakes, Mini Pancakes and Lemon Pancakes are a few pancakes recipes that I absolutely adore. This simple no milk pancake recipe is just as delicious and easy to make. I know you will love just as much as I do because:
- You love pancakes: These pancakes without milk use all the same ingredients as regular pancakes, except for the milk. In fact, they are so fluffy and delicious, you may find your self making these homemade pancakes without milk even if you do have milk!
- You just ran out of milk: You’re craving pancakes and have no milk. No worries! This recipe for homemade pancakes uses water as a substitute for milk. The result are wonderfully light and fluffy pancakes that taste just as delicious as ones made with milk.
Ingredients
This pancakes recipe without milk requires only a handful of basic pantry ingredients which makes them as perfect for busy mornings as easy weekend brunches. Here’s what you will need to make them.
- Dry Ingredients: Gather all purpose flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
- Wet Ingredients: Gather melted butter, eggs, vanilla extract and water.
Substitutions
Here are my recommended substitutions to make these easy no milk pancakes if you need them.
- All purpose flour: To make these light and fluffy pancakes gluten free, use a good 1-1 gluten free flour or oat flour. Replace the amount of flour based on weight rather (240 g) than cups.
- Baking Powder: There is slightly over a tablespoon of baking powder in this homemade pancake recipe. Yes, this much is needed to create light and fluffy pancakes.
- Granulated Sugar: This almost dairy free pancake recipe calls for granulated sugar, but maple sugar would also work well to make the pancakes refined sugar free as well.
- Eggs: This recipe has not been tested without eggs.
- Melted Butter: Feel free to use an equal amount of salted butter in place of the unsalted butter. Just make sure to omit the added salt. Vegan butter or plant based can also be used in place of regular unsalted butter to make these no milk pancakes into dairy free pancakes.
- Vanilla Extract: This is optional, but highly recommended for another layer of flavor.
- Water: This is the substitute for milk in these from scratch pancakes. To keep this recipe as technically “without milk,” you should use water, but plant based milk also works well in this recipe.
Variations
- No Milk, No Egg Pancakes: To make these pancakes without eggs, decrease the amount of flour to 1 ½ cups (180 g) and follow the rest of the recipe as written.
- Mix-ins: Add any fruit such as strawberries, raspberries, blueberries or blackberries into the pancake batter. Add chopped nuts or even chocolate chips into the pancake batter.
How To Make
Learn how to make pancakes without milk in a few easy steps.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together until well combined. Set aside.
- In another bowl, whisk the eggs until smooth. Whisk in the melted butter, vanilla extract and water together until smooth and well combined. Whisk in the wet ingredients with the dry until just combined with some lumps. Do not overmix the pancake batter. If you want to add mixins like mini chocolate chips, do so now.
- Heat a non stick skillet or griddle to low- medium heat while the batter rests for a few minutes. For the best pancakes, rest the batter for about 30 minutes. Drop a small amount of pancake batter onto the preheated skillet to test if the skillet is ready. In a preheated non stick skillet or griddle, melt some butter, coconut oil or other oil on the skillet. Using a ¼ cup (59 ml) measuring cup, drop the fluffy oat pancake batter onto the hot skillet. When bubbles start to form, pop and stay on surface of the pancake, it’s time to flip. This takes about 3 - 4 minutes. Flip the pancakes and cook for an additional 2 -3 minutes.
4. Transfer the pancakes to a cooling rack or plate. Continue cooking the pancakes until all the batter is used. Serve as soon as possible. I like topping my fluffy homemade pancakes with fresh fruit and maple syrup.
How To Serve, Store, Freeze and Thaw
- Serve: Pancakes are the perfect dish to use any toppings you like. They would be especially delicious with Strawberry Glaze or fresh fruit and maple syrup.
- Store: Place the pancakes in an airtight container for up to 1 week in the fridge. Although, these pancakes are best enjoyed the same day or kept frozen to enjoy at a later date.
- Freeze: Make sure the pancakes are completely cooled to room temperature. Lay them in a single layer on a baking sheet and flash freeze them for about 20 minutes. Transfer them to an airtight and freezer safe container like a ziplock bag. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Thaw: The easiest and fastest way to thaw the pancakes is to lay 1 - 2 on a microwave safe plate. Heat in the microwave for about 45-60 seconds, flipping them halfway through the reheating time.
M’s Expert Tips
- Bring cold ingredients to room temperature: This allows the ingredients to mix together more evenly which requires less mixing, resulting in soft and fluffy pancakes.
- Use a ¼ cup measuring cup: This is the easiest, quickest and cleanest way to get perfectly sized lemon pancakes.
- Add butter or coconut oil: Melt some butter on the warm skillet or griddle after each batch of pancakes. This simple step makes these the best pancakes without milk.
- Use low-medium heat: It’s easy to increase the heat, but takes more time to reduce an over heated pan. Cook these pancakes over low-medium heat to ensure they don’t burn before they’re finished cooking.
- Look for bubbles: Bubbles should form, pop and stay open on the surface of the pancake when it is finished cooking and is ready to be flipped.
FAQs
Yes, using water instead of milk is a very easy substitute that actually works every well. Typically the water can replace the milk at a 1:1 ratio. Keep in mind, that milk does contribute more flavor to pancakes, so when using water instead of milk in homemade pancakes, it’s a good idea to add flavor by using ingredients such as vanilla extract.
Yes, it’s a good idea to let pancake batter rest for about 30 minutes. By resting the batter, the flour absorbs more liquid and the gluten in the flour relaxes. The result is lighter and fluffier pancakes.
Place them on a lined baking sheet in a warm (200 F/ 93 C) oven until ready to serve.
Other Easy Breakfast Recipes to Try
If you try this Pancakes without Milk recipe please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Doing so helps other readers decide if this is a great recipe to make. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using @olivesnthyme so I can see what you’re baking!
Pancakes without Milk Recipe
Equipment
- 1 non stick skillet or griddle
- 1 whisk
- 1 ¼ cup measuring cup optional
Ingredients
- 2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour
- 3½ teaspoons baking powder
- 3 tablespoons (38 g) granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 3 tablespoons (42 g) unsalted butter, melted plus more for greasing the pan as needed
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract
- 1½ cups (296 ml) water, room temperature
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together until well combined. Set aside.2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour, 3½ teaspoons baking powder, 3 tablespoons (38 g) granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon salt
- In another bowl, whisk the eggs until smooth. Whisk in the melted butter, vanilla extract and water into the eggs until smooth and well combined.2 large eggs, room temperature, 3 tablespoons (42 g) unsalted butter, melted, 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract , 1½ cups (296 ml) water, room temperature
- Whisk in the wet ingredients with the dry until just combined with some lumps. Do not overmix the pancake batter. If you want to add mixins like mini chocolate chips, do so now.
- Heat a non stick skillet or griddle to low- medium heat while the batter rests for a few minutes. For the best pancakes, rest the batter for about 30 minutes. Drop a small amount of pancake batter onto the preheated skillet to test if the skillet is ready.
- In a preheated non stick skillet or griddle, melt some butter, coconut oil or other oil on the skillet. Using a ¼ cup (59 ml) measuring cup, drop the fluffy pancake batter onto the hot skillet. When bubbles start to form, pop and stay on surface of the pancake, it’s time to flip. This takes about 3 - 4 minutes. Flip the pancakes and cook for an additional 2 -3 minutes.
- Transfer the pancakes to a cooling rack or plate. Continue cooking the pancakes until all the batter is used. Serve as soon as possible. I like topping my fluffy homemade pancakes with fresh fruit and maple syrup.
Sandy Phillips says
Just think! I never again have to worry about not being able to make pancakes for breakfast because someone DRANK ALL THE MILK! Water, melted butter, vanilla, and eggs. Who needs milk! These pancakes were fluffy and delicious! My go-to recipe now and forever!
Megan says
Hi Sandy, I am so happy to know how much you love this recipe! Now you can have delicious pancakes anytime!