how to make pancakes from scratch

Image: Stack of pancake with butter

Whether you ran out of milk or just want a recipe for pancakes without milk that uses water, today's recipe and tips will show you how to make fluffy no milk pancakes every time!

This recipe has saved pancake morning at my house on more than one occasion and I'm so happy to be able to share it with you today.

Can You Make Pancakes Without Milk?

Of course, you can make no milk pancakes, that's why we're here today!

Flavor aside, the purpose of milk in a pancake recipe is to dissolve the flour and other ingredients and to provide the liquid structure. This means that any liquid will do the trick.

If you're still weighing your breakfast options for today, you can also make French toast without milk!

Image: Stack of pancakes topped with butter and syrup.

Making Pancakes with Water

Making pancakes with water is as simple as making regular pancakes. The main difference with a water-based pancake recipe and a milk-based recipe will be the flavor of the cooked pancakes.

Whether you use dairy milk or non-dairy milk in a recipe, using "milk" adds a creamy flavor to pancakes. Even pancake mixes that say "just add water" have powdered milk in the ingredients.

So, if you want great tasting pancakes with water, make sure to not skimp on the melted butter, vanilla, and the little bit of sugar that's added to the recipe.

If you try a pancake or two and find them a little bland, add one of the "flavor add-ins" listed below.

No Milk Pancakes Ingredients

To make no milk pancakes, you'll need the following ingredients:

All-purpose flour
Baking powder
Salt
Granulated sugar
Water
Egg
Butter
Vanilla extract

If you have those ingredients, let's keep going!

Pancake Batter Consistency without Milk

The consistency of pancake batter without milk is the same as my milk-based pancake recipe.

Check out this video so you can learn the consistency of good pancake batter. Granted, I add milk to the bowl, but the consistency is the same.

Other Milk Substitutes for Pancakes

Milk adds both flavor and the "liquid" to a pancake recipe. There are other milk substitutes for pancakes and below I share both options: for flavor and liquid texture.

Liquid Milk Substitutes for Pancakes

As a liquid substitute for milk, use equal parts of:

almond milk
oat milk
soy milk
hemp milk
half & half + water (50/50 ratio)
heavy cream + water (50/50 ratio)
cashew milk
rice milk
coconut milk
eggnog (check out this eggnog pancake recipe)
water

Milk Substitutes for Pancakes to add flavor

If you're using water to make a pancake recipe, you'll need to add a little more "flavor." Here are some add-in options:

1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ½ teaspoons almond extract
1 ½ teaspoons maple extract
1 extra tablespoon melted butter
1 cup blueberries, chopped berries
¼ cup jam or jelly
Zest of 1 orange

After you make your traditional pancakes or fluffy gluten-free pancakes be sure to try one of these pancake toppings to make your breakfast complete.

Pancakes without Milk

No milk? No problem! This recipe for pancakes without milk uses water instead and still yields a fluffy and delicious stack.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15-20 minutes
Yield: 10 pancakes 1x
Category: Breakfast

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
3 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ Tablespoons sugar
1 ¼ cups water
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.
Make a well in the middle and pour in the water, egg, butter, and vanilla extract. Mix with a whisk or fork until smooth.
Heat a non-stick griddle or large pan over medium-high heat, I set my griddle at 300-350 F.
Pour or scoop ¼ cup of batter for each pancake. Wait until bubbles form to flip. Continue cooking for an additional minute to cook through, and brown on the other side. Remove from the pan or griddle and serve.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 2 pancakes
Calories: 158
Sugar: 3.9g
Sodium: 239.6mg
Fat: 0.4g
Saturated Fat: 0.1g
Carbohydrates: 35.7g
Fiber: 1.2g
Protein: 3.9g
Cholesterol: 0mg

Keywords: no milk pancakes, milk free pancakes