Vegan Sweet Potato Pancakes
These vegan sweet potato pancakes are soft, warmly spiced little pancakes made from blended oats and sweet potato puree, sweetened with maple syrup instead of refined sugar. They come together in one blender, cook up in a few minutes, and work equally well as a cozy breakfast or a light dessert. If you want something sweet that still feels nourishing, this is the batter to reach for.
The reason I keep coming back to this recipe is simple: traditional American pancake batter usually contains a lot of sugar, which, I’m sure you know, is not that great for you. Here, the sweetness comes almost entirely from the sweet potato itself plus a little maple syrup, so you get that comforting pancake feeling without the sugar crash afterwards.
Why sweet potato belongs in pancake batter
The sweet potato is a starchy, sweet-tasting root vegetable, and it does two jobs at once here. Its natural sweetness means you need far less added syrup, and its moisture keeps the pancakes tender rather than dry. Sweet potatoes are a good source of fiber and they carry plenty of vitamins and minerals, including the antioxidant beta-carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A. If you want to see more ways to use this root, I’ve gathered a whole collection of vegan sweet potato recipes worth browsing.
The ingredients that make the batter work
Everything here earns its place. Oats are blended into a fine flour, which is what makes these pancakes naturally wheat-free and gives them a soft, hearty body. Sweet potato puree (canned or freshly cooked and mashed) brings sweetness, color, and moisture. Baking powder and baking soda together with a splash of apple cider vinegar give lift, since the vinegar reacts with the soda to create the little bubbles that lighten the batter. Maple syrup handles the added sweetness, coconut oil adds richness, and the trio of ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg gives that warm, autumnal spice you expect from anything sweet-potato based.
To keep the batter vegan, the recipe uses nut milk and psyllium husks as the binder. If you prefer a vegetarian version, you can swap in regular milk and one egg instead. Either way the method stays exactly the same.
Tips for pancakes that hold together and cook evenly
A few small things make the difference between tidy pancakes and a sticky mess. Let the binder (the psyllium or egg mixture) sit for a couple of minutes before blending so it can gel and do its job of holding everything together. Blend the batter only until smooth, then let it rest briefly; oats absorb liquid quickly, and a short rest lets the batter thicken to a scoopable consistency.
Cook these low and slow rather than hot and fast. Keep the skillet on medium heat, scoop about 1½ tablespoons of batter per pancake, and give them 2 to 3 minutes on the first side before flipping. You’ll know they’re ready to turn when the edges look set and the surface loses its wet shine. After the flip, one more minute is usually all they need. Because there’s no egg white to firm them up quickly, patience on that first side is what keeps them from tearing.
What to serve with sweet potato pancakes
I like to serve these topped with fresh fruit and a scatter of nuts, with a little extra maple syrup drizzled over the top. The warm spice pairs beautifully with sliced banana, berries, or a spoonful of nut butter. If you’re building a bigger weekend brunch spread, they sit happily alongside more of my gluten-free vegan pancakes, and for anyone who loves a savory-sweet contrast, my sweet zucchini fritters make a lovely companion on the same plate.
Making them ahead and storing leftovers
These keep well, which makes them a smart thing to batch on a Sunday. Once cooled, store the pancakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three or four days, and reheat them in a dry skillet or toaster so the edges crisp back up. They also freeze nicely: layer them with parchment between each pancake so they don’t stick, freeze flat, and warm straight from frozen when you want them. If you’re the type who likes to prep sweet things in advance, you might also enjoy my vegan whole grain cookies for another make-ahead treat, or a batch of vegan chocolate muffins to round out your snack stash.
If you make these, I’d love to know how they turned out for you. Leave a star rating and drop a comment telling me what you topped yours with, or whether you went with the psyllium or the egg version. Your notes always help other readers too.
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Vegan Sweet Potato Pancakes
Ingredients
- 200 g oats
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 250 ml nut milk or regular milk, for the vegetarian version
- 200 g sweet potato puree fresh or canned
- 2 Tbsp flaxseed meal or 1 egg, for the vegetarian version
- 3 Tbsp maple syrup
- 2 Tbsp coconut oil
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp ginger powder
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- 2 Tbsp coconut oil for frying
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix the flaxseed meal with water to make the flax egg. Set aside to thicken.
- Add the oats, baking powder, baking soda and salt to a blender and blend until you get a fine oat flour.
- Add the nut milk, sweet potato puree, flax egg, maple syrup, coconut oil, apple cider vinegar, vanilla extract, ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Blend for a few seconds, until the batter is smooth.
- Set a skillet over medium heat.
- Add a little of the coconut oil reserved for frying.
- Once hot, scoop about 1 ½ Tbsp of batter into the skillet for each pancake.
- Cook for about 2-3 minutes, then flip the pancake over and cook for 1 more minute.
- Repeat with the rest of the batter, adding more coconut oil to the skillet as needed.
- Serve warm with fresh fruit and nuts, and add a drizzle of maple syrup if you wish.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
As written, they are fully vegan. The batter uses nut milk and psyllium husks (as an egg-free binder), maple syrup, and coconut oil, all of which are plant-based. The card also offers a vegetarian version where you can swap in regular milk and one egg instead, but the default recipe contains no animal products.
Yes. You need 200 g of sweet potato puree, and either canned or fresh works. To make it fresh, cook the sweet potato until very soft (roast, boil, or steam), then mash or blend it smooth before measuring. Roasting concentrates the sweetness a little more, which is nice if you want an extra-sweet pancake.
The recipe uses 2 tablespoons of psyllium husks to bind the egg-free batter. If you make the vegetarian version, one egg replaces the psyllium. A flax egg (ground flaxseed mixed with water and left to gel) is another common egg-free option that works in a similar way. Whichever you use, let the binder sit a minute or two before blending so it can thicken.
They are naturally wheat-free because they are made from blended oats rather than wheat flour, and there is no other gluten-containing ingredient in the recipe. If you need them to be strictly gluten-free, use certified gluten-free oats, since standard oats can be cross-contaminated with gluten during processing.
Usually it means they were flipped too early or the batter was too loose. Since there is no egg white to set them quickly, give the first side a full 2 to 3 minutes on medium heat and wait until the edges look set and the surface is no longer wet before turning. Letting the batter rest a few minutes after blending also helps the oats absorb liquid and firm up.
Cool them completely, then keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for three to four days. Reheat in a dry skillet or toaster so the edges crisp again. To freeze, layer parchment between each pancake, freeze them flat, and reheat straight from frozen when you want them.
Looks and sounds amazing! I wonder if the oats can be replaced with almond or a similar flour, that’s still not wheat? If yes, which would you recommend?? Excited to try these this weekend! xx
Haven’t tried this with other types of flour, but I think coconut or even rice flour should work.
I already made this recipe 3 times and I love these pancakes more and more each time. One of my favorite recipes in the world! Can’t wait for your next recipe, Gourmandelle!
Awesome! Let me know what other recipes you’ll try. Good to hear your feedback!