Double Chocolate Protein Pancakes (vegan + gluten free)
Fluffy and delicious vegan chocolate protein pancakes are a great healthy indulgence! With simple ingredients, these pancakes are easy to make and have extra protein. Dairy free + egg free recipe!
I love these chocolate protein pancakes. They are a super way to start the day, especially on special occasions. It’s easy to mix up in one bowl and it’s nice to know that you’re adding in a few extra grams of protein.
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In the mood for more protein packed breakfasts? Make sure to check out my vegan protein pancakes, vegan blueberry protein muffins, or vegan peanut butter protein shake!
Ingredients
Here is a quick run down of the ingredients for these vegan chocolate protein pancakes.
- Flour: I use all purpose flour here. If you use self-rising you can omit the baking powder. To make these pancakes gluten free, replace the all purpose flour with an equal amount of a good 1:1 baking flour blend. I always get the best results from King Arthur Measure for Measure gluten free flour.
- Protein Powder: Use your favorite protein powder. I recommend using either an unflavored powder, a vanilla powder, or a chocolate flavored powder. For these pancakes, I used a chocolate pumpkin seed based protein powder (see my favorite products page!).
- Cocoa Powder: A little bit extra for that chocolate flavor! I recommend Dutch Processed cocoa powder since it is sweeter and has a richer flavor.
- Plant-based Milk: I recommend either soy milk, oat milk or almond milk for the best results.
- Sugar: A little bit of sugar to keep it sweet. If you are in the US, not all sugar is vegan so make sure to grab a bag that says vegan or organic. You can also replace this sugar with coconut sugar to keep it refined sugar free!
- Oil: A little bit of oil to help them with the fluffy texture. Use a neutral oil like canola or refined coconut oil.
- Baking Powder + Salt: This helps to make tall and fluffy pancakes.
- Vanilla extract: For the extra flavor.
Instructions
Make sure to check out the recipe card below for the full recipe and ingredient list.
If you are new to making pancakes from scratch and not out of a box, you are going to love how easy these are to mix up!
First up, making the batter. Simply whisk together the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Then, pour the wet ingredients into the middle one by one before gently whisking them together until the batter is just combined. If it is a little lumpy, don’t worry! Let the batter rest while you heat up your pan or griddle.
Next up, preparing the cooking surface. You can make these in a pan on the stove or on an electric griddle.
Spray a little bit of oil to prevent any sticking and make sure the pan is hot before adding any batter to it.
Now it’s time to make the pancakes. Using a quarter-cup or a third-cup measure, pour the batter onto the prepared pan. Cook the pancakes until little bubbles form and start popping. Depending on how thick you’ve made the pancakes, this can take 3 to 5 minutes. If it takes longer, turn the heat up.
Flip the pancakes over and cook for another few minutes on this side.
And that’s it! Top the pancakes with your favorite toppings and enjoy.
What to Serve with Chocolate Pancakes
- Dairy free butter and maple syrup is a classic combo on chocolate pancakes just as much as plain pancakes. But I also love them with some simple chocolate sauce.
- Sprinkle some chocolate chips into the batter before making them.
- Add a spoonful of peanut butter, almond butter, sunflower seed butter, or soy butter on top for a super delicious combo!
- Sprinkle some coconut flakes or whipped coconut cream on top is amazing.
How to Store
Fridge: Allow the pancakes to fully cool and store any leftovers in an airtight container or bag for up to 5 days.
Freezer: Allow the pancakes to fully cool and place any leftovers in a freezer safe container or bag. Store them with pieces of parchment paper in between each pancake so they don’t all stick together. These will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To Reheat: Pop these pancakes in the microwave on a heat safe plate for 30 seconds, or place them on a baking tray into the oven or toaster oven. Heat until warmed through, about 5 minutes.
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Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- mixing spoon
- measuring cup
- Measuring spoons
- Whisk
- Spatula
- Pan or electric griddle
Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour can swap for gluten free 1:1 baking mix
- ½ cup protein powder
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder natural or Dutch processed
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup soy milk or dairy free milk of choice
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- ⅓ cup water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Mix the batter. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, protein powder, cocoa powder, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Make a small well in the center and pour in the dairy free milk of choice, vanilla, oil, and water. Making figure 8s, whisk until the batter is just combined. Set aside while the pan warms up.
- Prepare the pan. On a large flat bottomed pan or on a griddle top, heat to a medium heat. Spray a light coating of cooking spray before each round of pancakes to help prevent sticking.
- Cook. pour about ¼ to ⅓ cup of batter per pancake onto the griddle of the pan. Cook for a few minutes on the first side until bubbles start to form and pop. Then, flip the pancake over and let cook for a few more minutes on the other side.
- Serve and enjoy! Plate the pancakes, top with your favorite toppings, and enjoy!
Notes
- How to Store
- Fridge: Allow the pancakes to fully cool and store any leftovers in an airtight container or bag for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: Allow the pancakes to fully cool and place any leftovers in a freezer safe container or bag. Store them with pieces of parchment paper in between each pancake so they don’t all stick together. These will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- To Reheat: Pop these pancakes in the microwave on a heat safe plate for 30 seconds, or place them on a baking tray into the oven or toaster oven. Heat until warmed through, about 5 minutes.
I’ve made these a few times now and want to love them so bad, but each time it seems like the pancakes never fully cook on the inside no matter how long I leave them on, even after the outsides are crisp. Am I doing something wrong?
Oh no! Raw pancakes are never fun. Let’s see if any of these ideas help.
Raw on the inside generally means that there is a temperature problem in the pan while they are cooking to make them look done on the outside but the insides are still not done.
First, are you cooking them on an electric griddle or in a pan on the stove? You want the temperature for pancakes to be around 400F/195C. If you have a griddle, this is easy to set. If you are using a pan on the stove, one of those laser thermometers can give you a good idea. But generally, this is about a medium heat on the stove. You want to make sure that the pan gets hot before you start cooking the pancakes.
For the oil that you are cooking them in, you don’t need a whole lot. I just use a quick spray of cooking oil. If you use vegan butter, that has a lower smoke point and can cause the pancakes to start to burn on the outside before the insides are done.
A thick-bottomed and flat pan is the best for making pancakes on the stove. A thin pan can also cause the pancakes to cook too quickly on the outside and not on the inside.
I do all my pancake cooking on an electric griddle as I find they cook better this way and I can more easily control the temperature. However, I know not everyone has one, so a good thick pan is the next best thing.
One more note about pans, what is the stove that you are using to cook if you are making them on the stovetop? A gas or induction gives you better control over the heat than an electric stove top. Electric stoves have an inconsistent heating and cooling while cooking. That’s just how they work which is why I hate mine, haha. Hence why I use a griddle.
You can do a quick test of the pan by dropping in some water drops. If they dance around for a second before they sizzle and evaporate, then the pan is ready. If they just sit there, the pan still needs time to warm up.
Second, when you see the bubbles on the pancakes, let them cook for another minute or two until the bubbles all pop. This helps the pancake cook.
Oh! On that note, you might want to try making the pancakes a little thinner in the pan. That can help.
Third, don’t flip the pancakes several times. Try to only flip them once, again wait until the bubbles have all popped and then flip them.
I hope this helps! Please let me know how the next batch turns out.