Gingerbread Pancakes Recipe

One of my favorite things about the holiday season is the smell — the cozy mix of cinnamon, ginger, and other spices drifting from the kitchen. When your house smells like that, you know gingerbread season has officially arrived!

These soft, fluffy vegan gingerbread pancakes fit right in with the festive vibes. Whether you’re cooking up a slow Sunday breakfast or planning your family’s Christmas morning menu, these pancakes bring pure holiday joy to the table.

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Why You’ll Love These Vegan Gingerbread Pancakes

We’re big believers that comfort food doesn’t need eggs or dairy to taste amazing — and these pancakes are proof. Here’s why they’re a holiday must:

• Perfectly spiced Ground ginger, cinnamon, and cloves bring classic gingerbread vibes.
• Fluffy and tender Thanks to baking powder, plus a splash of apple cider vinegar added to plant milk to make vegan “buttermilk”.
• Simple to make Pantry staples and no fancy equipment.
• Customizable Make them gluten-free, add chocolate chips, or use whole-grain flour for extra heartiness.
• Festive and cozy Ideal for Christmas breakfasts or any chilly morning that needs a little extra warmth.

Ingredients You’ll Need

All of these are easy-to-find store cupboard ingredients, and many are likely already in your pantry.

Dry ingredients

• all-purpose flour (or a gluten-free flour blend)
• baking powder
• ground ginger
• ground cinnamon
• ground cloves
• Pinch of salt

Wet ingredients

• non-dairy milk (like unsweetened vanilla almond milk)
• apple cider vinegar
• molasses
• maple syrup or coconut sugar
• melted vegan butter or coconut oil
• vanilla extract

Optional add-ins

• chocolate chips
• candied ginger
• ginger preserves

How to Make Vegan Gingerbread Pancakes

You’ll be amazed by how quickly these come together.

1. Make the vegan “buttermilk.”
   Add the apple cider vinegar (or use white vinegar or lemon juice) to the plant milk. Let sit while you combine the dry ingredients.
2. Combine the dry ingredients.
   In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt.
3. Combine the wet ingredients.
   In a separate bowl, mix the vegan buttermilk, molasses, maple syrup, melted vegan butter, and vanilla.
4. Make the batter.
   Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Stir gently until just combined. Don’t overmix or your pancakes will be tough. A few lumps are okay.
5. Heat your pan.
   Heat a nonstick pan, griddle pan, or non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Lightly coat with cooking spray, vegetable oil, or coconut oil.
6. Cook the pancakes.
   Pour about ¼ cup batter per pancake. Cook until bubbles form on top (2–3 minutes), then flip and cook another 1–2 minutes until golden brown.
7. Keep warm.
   Place cooked pancakes on a plate and cover with a towel or keep in a low oven while finishing the batch.

Serving and Topping Ideas

Here’s where the fun starts — pile your pancakes high and get creative with the toppings!

• coconut whipped cream or coconut cream
• ginger maple syrup
• pomegranate seeds
• vegan butter and pure maple syrup
• dust of cocoa powder for a chocolatey twist

These pair beautifully with a hot cup of coffee or Vegan Hot Chocolate (another cozy favorite!).

Tips for the Fluffiest Vegan Pancakes

• Let the batter rest for 5 minutes before cooking.
• Use apple cider vinegar + almond milk for the perfect vegan buttermilk texture.
• Cook on medium heat to avoid the outsides browning too quickly, before the insides can cook completely.
• For extra lift, sift your flour and baking powder first.
• To freeze: layer cooled pancakes with parchment and store in an airtight container.

These Vegan Gingerbread Pancakes are everything we love about the holidays — warm, spiced, and made with compassion. They’re a sweet reminder that festive comfort food can be kind, simple, and satisfying for everyone at the table.

If you give them a try, share your pancake stack in our closed Facebook group, The Peas and Carrots Society — we’d love to see your cozy creations!

For more delicious vegan pancakes, check out our recipes for:

• Vegan Buttermilk Pancakes
• Cinnamon Roll Pancakes
• Vegan Chocolate Chip Pancakes
• Vegan Blueberry Pancakes
• Vegan Pumpkin Pancakes
• Vegan Banana Pancakes
• High Protein Pancakes

Print

Vegan Gingerbread Pancakes

These soft, fluffy Vegan Gingerbread Pancakes are packed with cozy holiday flavor. Spiced with cinnamon, ginger, and cloves, they’re the perfect way to start a slow winter morning or add warmth to your family’s Christmas breakfast.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Active Time15 minutes mins

Total Time25 minutes mins

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Keyword: dairy-free, egg-free, pancakes, vegan

Yield: 8 Pancakes

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour blend
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground cloves
• Pinch of salt

Wet Ingredients

• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk or other non-dairy milk
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar for vegan buttermilk
• 2 tbsp molasses
• 2 tbsp maple syrup or coconut sugar
• 2 tbsp melted vegan butter or coconut oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Optional Add-Ins

• 2 tbsp chocolate chips
• 1 tbsp candied ginger (yum!) finely chopped
• 1 tbsp ginger preserves swirled into the batter

Optional Toppings

• Coconut whipped cream I love this! Try Organic Heavy Coconut Cream
• Ginger maple syrup or pure maple syrup
• Holiday sprinkles or pomegranate seeds

Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

• Add the apple cider vinegar (or use white vinegar or lemon juice) to the plant milk. Let sit while you combine the dry ingredients.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt.
• In a separate bowl, mix the vegan buttermilk, molasses, maple syrup, melted vegan butter, and vanilla.
• Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture. Stir gently until just combined — a few small lumps are fine. Overmixing can make the pancakes dense.
• Heat a nonstick pan or griddle over medium heat and lightly coat with cooking spray, coconut oil, or vegan butter.
• Pour ¼ cup of batter for each pancake. Cook until bubbles form on the surface (2–3 minutes), then flip and cook another 1–2 minutes until golden.
• Stack pancakes on a plate, top with whipped coconut cream and syrup, and sprinkle with festive toppings. Enjoy while warm and cozy!

Notes

Tips

• Let the batter rest for 5 minutes before cooking — it helps activate the baking powder for fluffier pancakes.
• Adjust spices to your taste — add a little nutmeg or gingerbread spice mix for extra depth.
• Keep cooked pancakes warm in a low oven (200°F / 93°C) while finishing the batch.
• To freeze, stack cooled pancakes between parchment layers and store in an airtight container.

FAQs