Gluten-Free Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes (Vegan)

Sweet and zesty Gluten-Free Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes! These light and fluffy vegan pancakes are allergy-free, full of bright and fresh lemon zest and nutty poppy seeds! Topped with a simple glaze, no syrup needed, this quick and easy healthy stack of pancakes is perfect for a spring or summertime breakfast or brunch!

When springtime rolls around, the bright and beautiful fruity combos start taking the food spotlight again! From carrot cakes to strawberry shortcakes, and of course, lemon poppy seed! Fresh and tangy lemon paired with the nuttiness of poppy seeds, sweet but not too sweet, makes a perfect flavor combination for a stack of moist and fluffy pancakes! A fruity and comforting breakfast that will bring the sunshine right to your plate! Gluten-free and vegan without the need for added sugar, these pancakes will be a hit with everyone!

Healthy Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes

You will love these light and fluffy pancakes! They're moist, full of fresh lemon flavor, and poppy seed crunch! Eggless and naturally sweet thanks to applesauce these vegan pancakes don't need any syrup! Make them richer with some dairy-free yogurt or sour cream, these hotcakes are perfect for everyone! This recipe is:

• Gluten-Free
• Vegan
• Allergy-free (Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free, Peanut-Free, Wheat-Free, Sesame-Free, Corn-Free)
• Low in Sugar or Sugar-Free
• Oil-Free
• Kid-Friendly
• Quick & Easy
• 10 Simple Ingredients Total
• Make-Ahead & Freezer-Friendly
• Healthy Breakfast or Brunch

Ingredients You Need

• Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour: Your favorite gluten-free all-purpose flour is the base of these lemony pancakes.
• Baking Powder + Baking Soda: Baking powder gives the pancakes their fluffiness, while the baking soda reacts with the acidic lemon to create extra pockets of fluff.
• Granulated Sweetener: Add just enough sweetener to balance the tang of the lemon. If you are using applesauce you'll need less, but if you opt for rich vegan sour cream, you may need more. I always use sugar-free Swerve to keep these free of added sugars.
• Applesauce: Unsweetened applesauce acts are the vegan egg binder, provides moisture without the need for oil, and a natural sweetness to the pancakes.
• Non-Dairy Milk + Lemon Juice: Your favorite unsweetened non-dairy milk mixed with the lemon juice acts as rich vegan buttermilk for these moist and fluffy pancakes!
• Lemon Zest: Freshly grated lemon zest in the pancake batter is key! So much bright lemon flavor; these pancakes taste like citrus bliss!
• Poppy Seeds: Load in the poppy seeds! This tiny little seed provides a delicious nuttiness and slight crunch to the texture of the pancakes. You can add as much as you want to make these gluten-free pancakes super speckled!
• Vanilla Extract: A small splash of vanilla extract ties everything together!

Applesauce or Vegan Sour Cream

Sour cream is a common addition to lemon poppy seed baked goods. It helps keep the baked good moist and works well with the flavor profile or zesty and not-too-sweet. It provides a richness that keeps the baked good from being too sour. You can use my simple homemade vegan sour cream, unsweetened plain coconut yogurt, or applesauce for this simple vegan pancake recipe. Applesauce adds a wonderful sweetness that's great for a breakfast pancake!

Ingredients For The Lemon Glaze

• Powdered Sweetener + Lemon Juice: The simple glaze is made from powdered sugar (or sugar-free sweetener) and lemon juice. You only need just enough juice to make the glaze slightly drippy, like a thick cookie icing.
• Lemon Zest + Poppy Seeds: Extra fresh lemon zest and poppy seeds are used to sprinkle over your pancakes to finish them off and make them look even prettier!

Other Topping Ideas

• Maple Syrup still works as a classic pancake topping
• Fresh Berries like blueberries or sliced strawberries would be beautiful
• Powdered Sugar works as a simple if you like "dry" pancakes
• Fruit jams, jellies, or even eggless lemon curd
• Plain Vegan Yogurt would be fantastic as a topping, maybe even sprinkle on some gluten-free granola too

How To Make Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes

1. Whish together the gluten-free flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sweetener.
2. Add in the applesauce (or sour cream), vegan buttermilk mixture, and vanilla.
3. Mix the batter together; it should be slightly thick with a few lumps left.
4. Gently fold in the fresh lemon zest and poppy seeds until incorporated (*forgot to snap a photo of the final batter).

5. Heat a skillet on the stove and spoon ¼ cup of batter on the hot skillet, cooking for 3-4 minutes before flipping and cooking another 2-3 minutes.
6. Place finished pancake batches on a wire rack to cool completely and not get soggy if you plan on freezing them for later.

Extra Tips & Tricks

• This recipe makes about 4-5 pancakes, enough for 2 servings. You can easily double or triple the recipe for more servings.
• Be careful when zesting the lemon. Lightly zest the outer yellow rind. Don't zest too much in one spot once the area becomes white. Zesting the white inner rind will lead to bitter-tasting zest. That's why it's important to have a good quality zester, aka, Microplane!
• Make sure you rest the pancake batter after folding in the lemon zest and poppy seeds. While it's resting preheat your lightly greased skillet so it's hot and ready to go!
• If your batter is too thick, add a teaspoon of extra milk until it has some movement. If your batter is too thin and runny, sprinkle in a little more gluten-free flour.

How To Store & Freeze

• You can store leftover lemon poppy seed pancakes in the fridge after they've cooled. Loosely wrap them in a paper towel and store them in a container for up to 5 days.
• If you want to batch and freeze the pancakes, let them cool completely on a wire rack, then wrap each pancake individually in wax paper and store them flat and stacked in a freezer bag with as much air squeezed out as possible, in your freezer for 5-6 months.
• When reheating leftover pancakes, you can pop them in the microwave if you're short on time or you can heat them in a toaster oven (or regular oven) at 350°F and allow the pancakes to evenly warm and edges to crisp up; about 4-5 minutes.

No lies, these are pretty delicious slightly warmed with a smear of vegan cream cheese and sandwiched together...just a thought! Add some jam or lemon curd and you have the most grown-up PBJ (CCJ) ever!

More Lemon Poppy Seed Recipes:

• Lemon Poppy Seed Bread
• Lemon Poppy Seed Doughnuts
• Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
• Lemon Poppy Seed Quinoa Flakes

Print

Warm, super fluffy, perfectly moist, and full of bright zesty flavor! These lemon poppy seed pancakes will be a hit with everyone!

So tell me:

+ How would you top these pancakes?

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