best non-dairy milk for pancakes?

[loveandgarbage]

This might sound like an odd question but here goes. I recently found an EXCELLENT pancake recipe and it yields fluffy and I'm told delicious pancakes using cow milk. However I don't eat dairy, so when I want to eat the pancakes too, I wonder if there are better non-dairy milks to use than others? This weekend I used almond milk (trader joe's brand) and whereas the taste was good, the texture was odd and almost gummy. My sister and BIL were here, and my BIL said that in his experience, cow milk yields the fluffiest pancakes and when he's tried to use other milks, the results just aren't the same. Any thoughts ladies? Almond milk is my go-to and what we usually have in the house, but I wonder if soy milk would be better. This thread brought to you by a pregnant lady who is craving pancakes for breakfast everyday. Oh and FYI the recipe does have eggs-- I'm not vegan, just dairy free. But vegan recipes, if anyone wants to share, are more than welcome!

[heatherdeg]

This is one we struggle with a LOT (we've been dairy-free for 8-1/2 years).  I'm finding that I have to do a combination of coconut milk from a carton (the thin stuff) mixed with some of the coconut milk from a can (the thick stuff).  I wish I had a ratio for you, but I just eye it until it looks "thick enough" to mimic cow's milk (not very much of the canned stuff).  The taste is a little sweeter but I don't find it gummy.

Maybe someone else has a better idea.

Originally Posted by loveandgarbage 

This thread brought to you by a pregnant lady who is craving pancakes for breakfast everyday. 

[rach_nz]

I struggled for years to make vegan pancakes so I feel your pain!  Finally we found that rice milk makes the fluffiest, but I do add in an extra 1/2 t of baking powder too and a tablespoon of light olive oil.  My hubby makes them with oat milk and likes that, I don't like the consistency with soy milk though.  Good luck!

[Jenni1894]

My YDD has a milk allergy, and we love pancakes here.   She drinks almond milk.  I've made pancakes for her with the almond milk and I LOVE THEM!!!!!!  

I have my own mix I keep in a canister and add milk to.   If you want the recipe, I can give it, It includes cinnamon in the dry mix.   I add a splash of vanilla with the milk (almond or cow). Now I love almonds, so the pancakes w/a splash of vanilla and the almond milk is so darn good.   I'm not even preggo, and now I am craving some!  lol   They are fluffy and yummy!

[loveandgarbage]

Jenni if you want to post your recipe that would be great!

Thanks for the milk suggestions. The coconut milk idea sounds especially delicious!

[Jenni1894]

I keep this in an air tight canister w/the recipes taped to the side.   ;)

3 c flour.   (I use white and wheat, 1 1/2 cup of each)

2 TBLS sugar

2 TBLS baking powder

4 TBLS cinnamon

1 TSP salt

2 TBLS ground flax seed (optional)

(I also generally triple it to fill my container.  I also use it for waffles.  I've also made just the mix, with water no eggs/milk and they've come out just as yummy, just not quite as fluffy.)

When it's time to make the pancakes, I follow this recipe:

1 cup of dry mix

3/4 cup milk

1 egg

2 TBLS oil

splash of vanilla extract..maybe a teaspoon)

[sassyfirechick]

DH likes almond milk, I'm a coconut milk drinker but will make due with what's in the house.  I find the consistency to be pretty similar to cows milk and I was a big fan of 2% cow milk back in my dairy days!  You can replace eggs in any recepie with a flax seed/water combo - my friend taught me this as she has LO's who can't do eggs.

[jgallagher66]

I use mostly almond milk so I'm not much help but I agree with being generous with the baking powder and flour to avoid the gumminess. Also don't overmix. Sometimes too much stirring can cause that. I mix dry ingredients together separately and wet ingredients separately then pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir very briefly just to mix. Batter is quite lumpy. This may help them be fluffier. Good luck experimenting.

[kellybeth]

i use coconut milk, not the canned kind though. and my vegan belgian waffles & pancakes turn out perfectly.

[loveandgarbage]

Sweet, thanks for the recipe Jenni!

I think I'll definitely do coconut milk the next time pancakes happen. I think I do tend to over-mix so I'll try to make peace with lumpy batter! Thanks ladies.

[tbone_kneegrabber]

yogurt!!!!

I've done it with cow milk yogurt, soy yogurt, almond yogurt and coconut yogurt.  I use yogurt and then thin with whatever milk we have on had.  The acid in the yogurt makes it act more like buttermilk and fluffs them right up!!!

[go_blue]

We use soy milk, and make a delicious version of pumpkin buttermilk pancakes by culturing the soy milk with lemon juice. 

[california_mom]

We use the Joy of Cooking recipe. Substitutions are soy milk (organic Safeway brand) and Egg Replacer. We also use some wheat flour every now and again. They are delish! And also freeze well, so we can pop them (the small pancakes we make just for this) in the toaster for fast breakfasts later in the week.

Now I'm curious about what another poster said. If buttermilk has cultures that make the pancakes fluffy, does normal dairy milk have those same cultures? And if not, what in the dairy milk makes the pancakes fluffy

I'm back. I was reading another forum, and one person says, "use only white flour" and another says to "fold in the eggs" and yet another says to "let the batter sit for 5 minutes before frying." Sigh.

[loveandgarbage]

Maybe I'll try to add a little lemon juice, then. I made pancakes again this weekend and only had almond milk on hand, but I doubled the baking powder and they turned out better. But still a little gummy! Definitely going to try to remember coconut milk the next time I go to the store.

[Katielady]

I find rice milk works best for pancakes and waffles. Soy milk is creamier but doesn't brown well; the pancakes come out all pale and sad looking. Same for almond milk. I like it with lemon added as a PP said but my son doesnt' care for the lemon taste so I go easy on the lemon.
 

[Wildflower]

We're always running out of milk so it's nice to hear about some good substitues! I'm going to try your pancake recipe--it would be great to have a mix premade in a canister, so much quicker in the morning when the kids are hungry and I'm stumbling around waiting for my coffee to kick in so I can measure out correct amounts ...;)

[ilovemygirl]

I know this thread is a month old but I just wanted to add hemp milk since no one brought it up. I usually use soy for pancakes and waffles but whenever I'm looking for a creamy alternative I always use hemp. It's the only one that feels like dairy milk to me. 

[loveandgarbage]

Ooh I'll have to try hemp, too! Thanks.