A recent trip to South America enabled me to meet the only (!!!!) other Colombian food blogger I know – Julian from Historias del Ciervo. We’d been instagram friends for a few years during which I gleefully watched his following grow exponentially and rejoiced when he was nominated for the Saveur Blog Awards in 2016. He is – to date, as far as I’m aware – the only South American blogger EVER to be nominated by Saveur. Can you imagine how inspiring that is? HUGELY!
It was lovely we had a chance to hang out during my travels and I was utterly grateful that Julian made time for me and my family, advising us on where in Medellin we should go during our short pit stop there. Needless to say we also spent lots of time geeking out about blogging and photography, which was totally awesome.
I was delighted to be able to reciprocate the gesture and offer Julian advice on where to go and what to do when he came to London a few weeks ago. We also had enough time to hang out and create a recipe together and after some back and forth quickly decided on making these vegan pancakes with blood orange zest. SO GOOD! You can find his take on the day by clicking here. Do have a look because his photography skills are amazing!
Back to pancakes… This is my go-to, work-every-single-time, just-use-basic-corner-shop-ingredients pancake recipe, which I adapted from a recipe I found in Gena Hamshaw’s book VEGAN. Making 1/3 of the batter green with matcha power and 1/3 of the batter brown with cacao powder is LOVELY, but totally optional, so no worries if you don’t have either to hand. So hope you enjoy these as much as Julian and I did…
Click here for the blood orange syrup recipe.
Vegan Blood Orange Pancakes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: About 18 small pancakes (6 servings) 1x
Description
Fluffy vegan pancakes get a vibrant citrus twist with blood orange syrup. Three flavor variations make this brunch a crowd-pleaser.
Ingredients
For the Pancakes:
- 2 1/4 cups (530 ml) plant-based milk (almond milk works well)
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 3 tbsp melted coconut oil, plus more for frying
- Zest of 1 blood orange
- 2 cups (250 g) plain white flour
- 2 tbsp golden caster sugar
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp cacao powder (optional, for chocolate batter)
- 1 tbsp matcha powder (optional, for green batter)
For the Blood Orange Syrup:
- Juice of 3-4 blood oranges (about 1/2 cup / 120 ml)
- 2 tbsp golden caster sugar
Instructions
- Place the wet ingredients (plant-based milk, apple cider vinegar, blood orange zest, and melted coconut oil) in a large bowl. Set aside.
- In another large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt until combined.
- Combine the wet ingredients with the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Divide the batter into 3 roughly equal portions (about 1 cup each). Keep one plain, stir 2 tbsp cacao powder into the second, and stir 1 tbsp matcha powder into the third.
- Heat a small pancake pan (about 12 cm / 5 inches) over medium heat and add a little coconut oil. Pour about 60 ml (1/4 cup) of batter into the pan. Cook until bubbles form on the surface and the underside is golden brown, then flip and cook the other side. Repeat with all three batters.
- While the pancakes cook, make the blood orange syrup: pour the blood orange juice and sugar into a small saucepan over low to medium heat. Stir gently and reduce until it reaches the consistency of a loose syrup, about 10 minutes. Set aside.
- Serve the pancakes immediately, topped with the blood orange syrup.
Notes
The three-batter trick (plain, matcha, chocolate) is totally optional — the plain batter alone is delicious. Use the cacao and matcha batches to make a striking stack if you have both on hand. Serve the pancakes straight from the pan for best texture.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Breakfast
- Cuisine: Vegan
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I substitute blood orange zest with another citrus zest?
Yes, you can substitute blood orange zest with regular orange or lemon zest, but the flavor will be slightly different.
What type of flour works best for these vegan pancakes?
All-purpose flour works best for this recipe, but you can also use whole wheat flour for a healthier option.
How can I achieve the green and brown batter effect mentioned in the recipe?
To create the green batter, mix in matcha powder, and for the brown batter, incorporate cocoa powder into the pancake mixture.
