These simple vegan cacao pancakes are a perfect weekend breakfast treat. They’re fluffy thanks to light splet flour, chocolatey thanks to raw cacao powder, and a little bit nutty thanks to the addition of almond flour and hazelnut butter to the batter. They can be served alone with a drizzle of maple syrup and some crushed hazelnuts, or with fresh fruits like strawberries or bananas.

Adding nut flours and butter to pancake batter gives them moiture and richness from a chemical standpoint. From a nutritional standpoint, it adds a kick of healthy fats, protein and fiber that slows the absorption of carbohydrates (aka glucose) into the bloodstream.

Of course, a pancake is still a pancake, and if you drown it in maple syrup, it’s still sugar laden, but it’s a treat, and not something you’re likely eating every day or in large quantities and as long your pancake intake is managed within a well balanced diet rich in whole foods and plenty of colourful plants, high quality proteins, healthy fats and fiber, you should be able to enjoy pancakes for a weekend breakfast.

Simple Vegan Cacao Pancakes

Author Nissrine Boufawaz @ HolisticNiss.com

Time 30 minutes
Difficulty Easy
Servings 8
Diet vegan
Category Breakfast, Brunch

Ingredients:

1 C (140g) Light Spelt Flour
1/2 C (50g) Fine Almond Flour
2 Tbsp (15g) Raw Cacao Powder
1 Tbsp Baking Powder
1/4 Tsp Vanilla Bean Powder
Pinch of Fine Sea Salt
1 Tbsp Hazelnut Butter (or other nut butter)
1 Tbsp Maple Syrup
1 C (236ml/268g) Oat Milk (or other plant milk)
1 Tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
Coconut Oil or Ghee for the pan
Maple syrup, crushed hazelnuts or other nuts and fresh fruit for serving

Method:

Add the first 6 ingredients to a large bowl and stir to combine well.
In a separate bowl, add the nut butter, maple syrup and plant milk and stir to combine well
Sift the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, one half at a time, with a folding motion. Don't overmix the batter. It's ok if there are some clumps.
Fold in the apple cider vinegar. This will have an instant reaction with the baking powder,giving the batter some lift and will help them cook up nice and fluffy.
The batter should be thick and fluid so that it spreads to a 1/4 inch thickness when poured onto the pan or griddle. If it's too runny, they will spread too much and be on the flatter side like a crepe. If the batter is too thick, they won't spread enough or cook properly on the inside.
Place the pan on the stovetop over medium heat and let it warm up, until it's nice and hot. Brush the pan with coconut oil or ghee, ladle the batter into the center of the pan and let it cook for about 3 minutes, until bubbles form and burst and the sides/edges are dry to the touch. Carefully and quickly flip the pancake using a flat wide spatula and let it cook an additional 1 or 2 minutes.

Notes/Tips

The pan should be well heated when you begin. Medium heat is perfect, as it allows the pancakes to cook and rise properly, while allowing the outside to brown slightly. If the heat is too high, they will burn before they rise and cook. If the heat is too low, they will take too long to rise and won't cook properly.
I like to cook my pancakes one at a time in the center of the pan because I find they cook unevenly when too many are crowded into the pan. If you have a large griddle that distributes heat evenly, you can cook multiple pancakes at once.
To keep the pancakes warm: Place a tray in your oven and preheat it to the lowest setting. Place the pancakes on the tray to keep them warm while you make the whole batch.