Start your morning with a stack of these thick and fluffy vegan cassava flour pancakes — a wholesome twist on a breakfast classic. Egg-free, dairy-free, gluten-free and free of refined sugar, they’re a feel-good option everyone can enjoy. Serve them warm with fresh berries, banana slices, and a generous drizzle of maple syrup for the perfect finishing touch.
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🧡 Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Vegan & gluten-free – These pancakes are completely plant-based and made without any gluten, so they’re perfect for a wide range of dietary needs.
- Thick & fluffy – Thanks to cassava flour, mashed banana, and baking powder, these pancakes rise beautifully and have a satisfying, fluffy texture, even though they are egg-free.
- Naturally sweet & flavourful – The mix of ripe banana, maple syrup, nut butter, and vanilla gives them a warm, rich flavour with a hint of sweetness in every bite.
- No weird aftertaste – If you’ve had less-than-great experiences with cassava flour in the past, don’t worry. This recipe balances the flavour beautifully.
- Customisable toppings – Stack them high and finish with fresh berries, sliced banana, maple syrup, melted white chocolate, or a sprinkle of powdered sugar for a breakfast that looks as good as it tastes.
What Is Cassava Flour?
Cassava, also known as yuca, is a root vegetable, native to South America. It’s naturally gluten-free and grain-free, with a very similar consistency to traditional wheat flour. Due to its almost too-good-to-be-true profile, it’s quickly becoming the go-to substitute for wheat flour among the gluten-free, nut-free and paleo population.
On top of this, cassava flour is also a great source of vitamin C and manganese.
Are Cassava and Tapioca Flour the Same Thing?
No! While the terms are sometimes used interchangeably, cassava flour and tapioca are not the same thing. Tapioca is a starch extracted from the cassava root, while cassava flour is the whole root, peeled, dried and ground.
Just as cornstarch is not the same as corn flour and potato starch is not the same as potatoes.
🥣 Ingredients and Substitutions
- Cassava flour – This is the main flour in the recipe. It’s gluten-free, grain-free, and nut-free, with a texture very close to wheat flour, which makes it a great alternative.
- Coconut flour – Adds structure and a bit of sweetness, but it absorbs a lot of liquid. If you’re measuring by cups, don’t pack it down. Every brand is a little different, so you might need to adjust the amount of milk slightly to get the batter just right. It should be thick but pourable.
- Baking powder – Gives the pancakes a nice rise and makes them extra fluffy. Make sure it’s fresh for the best results.
- Maple syrup – Adds natural sweetness. You can swap it out for agave syrup or honey (if not vegan) without affecting the texture.
- Vanilla extract – Adds flavour and warmth. Optional, but highly recommended!
- Nut butter – Makes the pancakes creamy, rich, and more filling. Peanut butter is my go-to, but almond or cashew butter work beautifully too. You can leave it out if you want a lighter or a nut-free version, though the pancakes won’t be quite as tender or flavourful.
- Mashed banana – Adds natural sweetness and helps keep these vegan cassava flour pancakes moist. Use an overripe banana for the best flavour and texture.
- Plant-based milk – I like to use unsweetened almond milk, but any non-dairy milk or regular milk will do. Add a bit more if the batter feels too thick.
🗒️ Step-by-Step Instructions
Step One – Prepare the Batter
In a large bowl whisk together cassava flour, coconut flour, and baking soda; set aside. In a separate medium bowl, mix together maple syrup, vanilla extract, nut butter, mashed banana and milk.
Add wet ingredients to the flour mixture and whisk until no lumps remain. For extra smooth and creamy batter, you can also blend it in a high-speed blender. The batter should resemble a thick brownie batter. If it’s too thin, add a tablespoon of cassava flour. If it’s too thick, add a tablespoon or two of milk.
Step Two – Cook the Pancakes
Lightly coat a large nonstick skillet or griddle with coconut oil and place over medium low heat. Drop about 3 tablespoons of the batter onto the skillet; you may need to use a spoon to spread out the batter just a tiny bit. It’s important not to place more than 3 tablespoons of batter at a time. Coconut flour is sensitive to burning so make sure you keep an eye on these the whole time.
Flip the pancakes and cook until golden brown on the underside, for about 2 minutes. If you find that the pancakes are browning too quickly, you might need to lower your skillet heat. Wipe the skillet clean and repeat with a teaspoon more of coconut oil and remaining batter.
🍓 Serving Suggestions
These pancakes taste amazing topped with banana slices, fresh berries, such as strawberries, blueberries or raspberries, drizzled with maple syrup or melted white chocolate, and a light dusting of powdered sugar.
Storing Tips
As they’re made without any dairy or eggs, these pancakes will stay fresh when refrigerated for up to 5 days.
Here’s how to keep them fresh for longer:
- Allow the pancakes to cool to room temperature before storing. It’s best to let them cool on a wire rack, as this will prevent condensation.
- Stack the pancakes in an airtight storage container, placing a piece of wax paper between each pancake. The paper should be as large as the pancake.
- Store the pancakes in the fridge for up to 5 days.
💬 Cassava Pancakes FAQs
Yes! The recipe calls for cassava flour and coconut flour, which are both naturally gluten free.
For a sweet breakfast, these pancakes are quite healthy. They’re made without any refined sugar, sweetened naturally with maple syrup and banana, dairy free, egg free, gluten free, and cooked with a minimum amount of coconut oil.
If you’re using about 3 tablespoons of batter per pancake, you should end up with 6 pancakes.
Cassava flour pancakes will stay fresh when refrigerated for up to 5 days (see details above).
🥞 More Pancake Recipes to Try
If you love pancakes for breakfast, make sure to give these a try:
- Buckwheat Pancakes
- Buttermilk Pancakes
- Coconut Flour Pancakes
- Matcha Pancakes with Caramelised Banana
- Blueberry Pancakes
- Chocolate Pancakes
- Banana Pancakes
- Apple Pancakes
Cassava Flour Pancakes Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup (120 g) cassava flour
- ¼ cup (30 g) coconut flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon nut butter of choice
- ½ medium very ripe banana, mashed
- 1 ¼ cup (300 g) plant-based milk
Instructions
- In a large bowl whisk together cassava flour, coconut flour, and baking soda; set aside.
- In a separate medium bowl, mix together maple syrup, vanilla extract, nut butter, mashed banana and milk.
- Add wet ingredients to the flour mixture and whisk until no lumps remain. For extra smooth and creamy batter, you can also blend it in a high-speed blender. If you find the batter is way too thick, you can add a couple more tablespoons of milk. Mix until the batter is smooth but still very thick. It should resemble a thick brownie batter.
- Lightly coat a large nonstick skillet or griddle with coconut oil and place over medium low heat.
- Drop about 3 tablespoons of the batter onto the skillet; you may need to use a spoon to spread out the batter just a tiny bit. It's important not to place more than 3 tablespoons of batter at a time. Coconut flour is sensitive to burning so make sure you keep an eye on these the whole time.
- Flip the pancakes and cook until golden brown on the underside, for about 2 minutes. If you find that the pancakes are browning too quickly, then you might need to lower your skillet heat to low. Wipe the skillet clean and repeat with a teaspoon more of coconut oil and remaining batter.
Notes
- Allow the pancakes to cool to room temperature before storing. It’s best to let them cool on a wire rack, as this will prevent condensation.
- Stack the pancakes in an airtight storage container, placing a piece of wax paper between each pancake. The paper should be as large as the pancake.
- Store the pancakes in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Anonymous says
Followed the recipe exactly, and it turned out amazing!