Fluffy Pancakes Without Milk (Easy No Milk Pancake Recipe)

I'd put this no-milk pancake recipe up against any traditional pancakes. I swap the milk for water and a little melted butter, and the rest of this recipe is all simple pantry staple ingredients. The result is unbelievably soft and fluffy pancakes, with just the right amount of sweetness and buttery flavor in every bite. I’ve already perfected recipes for waffles without milk and French toast without milk, and both have become reader favorites. So trust me when I say this pancakes without milk recipe is just as good—if not better—than the classic version.

Why I Love These Pancakes Without Milk

Since I was a little kid, pancakes have always been my favorite breakfast food. My mom made them almost every weekend, so they’ve always been a nostalgic comfort food for me. To this day, I still whip up a batch nearly every weekend as a way to carry on that tradition and remind me of her.

One morning, I went to make pancakes and realized I didn’t have milk. I decided to experiment by swapping in water and butter, and that’s how this pancake recipe with no milk was born. To my surprise, I discovered you don’t need milk at all to make a perfect stack of soft and fluffy pancakes!

These no milk pancakes are just as easy as the boxed kind, but they have a way better texture and flavor. The pancakes are light and airy inside, with buttery golden edges and a hint of vanilla sweetness. They’re the kind of pancakes you can’t stop eating—I always find myself going back for “just one more" even after I'm stuffed. I can honestly eat a whole stack of these pancakes without milk and still want to make another batch!

And while I love all the pancake recipes on my blog, this one holds a special place in my heart since the pancakes are the closest to the ones my mom used to make. She'd always whip up bacon or sausage on the side, so I like to make this million dollar bacon or this Jimmy Dean breakfast sausage to complete the breakfast spread. 

Ingredients

Another thing I love about these no milk pancakes is that they're made with such simple and common baking ingredients. I always have them on hand, and I have a feeling you will too!

Here's what you'll need to make pancakes without milk:

• 1 ¼ Cup All Purpose Flour 
• 3 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1 Pinch of Salt
• 1 tablespoon Sugar
• 1 Cup Water
• 2 tablespoon Butter, melted
• ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• Fresh Berries and Maple Syrup, to serve

By the way, if you have all of these ingredients, then you have almost everything you need to make this crepe cake. So, if you're in the mood for more delicious sweet breakfast recipes, give that a try next!

Oh, and if you want to make pancakes without baking powder or pancakes without eggs, check out this pancake recipe without baking powder and these eggless pancakes!

How To Make Pancakes Without Milk

These milk free pancakes are about as easy to make as boxed pancakes. The hardest part is just getting out the ingredients. All you really have to do is mix the ingredients to make the pancake batter, then the rest is cooking them into perfectly fluffy, golden pancakes. It's that simple, so let's not waste any more time and get cooking!

Step 1: Make The Pancake Batter

First things first, you're going to make the pancake batter. So, to do that, you'll want to take out a large bowl and add the all-purpose flour (or wheat flour), baking powder, salt, and sugar to it and give everything a mix to combine. 

Then, make a well in the center of the dry ingredient mixture and pour in the water, melted butter, and vanilla extract. (Pro Tip: Add more flour if the batter is too thin and you want extra-thick pancakes.)

Whisk the dry and wet ingredients together just until a smooth pancake batter. Make sure you just mix until there are no lumps remaining; you don't want to over-mix the pancake batter. 

Step 2: Cook The Pancakes

Now that the pancake batter is ready, it's time to cook the pancakes!

First, take out a large frying pan, skillet, or griddle and put it over medium-high heat. A large frying pan - or skillet - works great if you want to focus on cooking one or two pancakes at a time, but if you want to cook a bunch, a griddle is the way to go. 

Anyway, once the frying pan is hot, grease the surface with cooking spray or butter and pour ¼ cup of the pancake batter for each pancake onto the surface. Now cook the pancakes for a few minutes until bubbles appear on the surface, and the first bubble pops.

Then, with a pancake spatula, gently lift the pancake and check to see if it's golden on the bottom side. If it is, you can flip the pancake and cook it for 1-2 more minutes until it's cooked through. Then, once it is, you can transfer it to a plate. And, of course, if you're cooking one pancake at a time you'll want to repeat this process until you've made pancakes with all of your pancake batter.

Step 3: Serve

Before serving, if you want to keep the pancakes warm while you're cooking the others, place them on a baking sheet and keep them pancakes in the oven at 185°F. 

Then, finally, once all of your no milk, no egg pancakes are cooked to perfection, you can add a little butter to the top of them along with a drizzle of pure maple syrup on top. Enjoy!

Recipe Variations To Try

These fluffy pancakes without milk taste amazing as-is, but they’re also easy to customize with a few simple swaps. Here are some ideas to fit your needs and preferences:

• Make them fully dairy-free. This recipe uses water in place of milk, but it still calls for butter. To turn it into a truly dairy free pancake recipe, swap the butter for vegan butter, coconut oil, or margarine. These alternatives add richness while keeping the pancakes fluffy.
• Use dairy-free milk instead of water. Even though this is a no milk pancake recipe, you can substitute the water for plant-based milks like almond, soy, oat, or coconut milk. This adds a little extra creaminess and flavor while still keeping the recipe dairy-free.
• Add mix-ins for more flavor. Elevate this recipe and stir in chocolate chips, blueberries, or diced bananas into the batter for a fun twist. These mix-ins bring bursts of sweetness and make your pancake recipe with no milk feel extra indulgent.
• Switch up the toppings. Maple syrup is classic, but you can top these pancakes with chopped nuts, peanut butter, caramel sauce, whipped cream, or fresh fruit for more variety and texture.

With these easy variations, you can adapt this recipe into the best no milk pancakes to fit any mood you're in—whether you want them completely dairy-free, packed with flavor, or dressed up with your favorite toppings.

How To Store Pancakes Without Milk

This recipe for pancakes without milk will make about eight pancakes. It usually makes the perfect amount for my family breakfast. With that said, you can totally make more if you want! Just simply double or triple the number of ingredients. Then, if you have any leftovers, they're easily stored!

To store your leftover pancakes, just let them cool completely and then transfer them to either an airtight container or a Ziploc bag. Stored either of these ways, they'll last in the fridge for about 2-3 days.

Also, for what it's worth, I like to make a big batch of these no milk pancakes and then freeze them. They make an awesome quick and easy grab-and-go breakfast. So, to freeze the pancakes, you'll just want to let them cool down completely, and then you'll want to place them on a baking sheet in the freezer until solid. Then, you can transfer the pancakes to an airtight container - or freezer-safe bag - and you can store them for about 3 months. 

How To Reheat Pancakes

Once you're ready to enjoy these delicious pancakes again, you'll definitely want to reheat them. The quickest way to reheat your refrigerated - or frozen pancakes - is to pop them in the microwave in about 10-second increments, flipping them between each one until they're warmed through. 

If you want to reheat more than one pancake at a time, the best is to use the oven. Just place the pancakes on a wire rack on top of a baking sheet and heat 'em in the oven at 325°F for about 5 minutes.

FAQS About This Pancake Recipe Without Milk

Can you make pancakes without milk?

Yes! You don’t need milk to make perfect pancakes. This pancake recipe without milk uses water plus a little melted butter to create a light, airy texture and buttery flavor. The result tastes just as good—if not better—than traditional milk-based pancakes.

Can I use water instead of milk in pancakes?

Absolutely. Water works great as a substitute for milk in pancakes. To boost flavor, add melted butter or oil to the batter. In this recipe, water and butter combine to make fluffy no milk pancakes that cook up golden on the outside and tender in the middle.

Can you substitute oil for milk in pancakes?

Not exactly. Milk is a liquid ingredient, while oil adds richness. If you’re out of milk, use water in place of milk and then add a tablespoon or two of oil (or butter) for moisture and flavor. Butter is preferred for the best flavor, but oil works too.

What can I substitute for milk in pancakes?

Besides water, there are plenty of alternatives. Try almond milk, soy milk, oat milk, or coconut milk for dairy-free pancakes, or even fruit juice (like orange juice) for a fun flavor twist. Each option slightly changes the flavor, but they all work in this no milk pancake recipe.

Do pancakes without milk taste different?

They taste very similar to regular pancakes. The biggest difference is in richness—milk adds a subtle creaminess, but using water with butter keeps the pancakes fluffy and flavorful. Most people can’t even tell the difference.

Can I make pancakes without milk and eggs?

Yes! For a dairy-free and egg-free pancake recipe, use water or plant-based milk in place of milk, and swap the egg for ¼ cup applesauce, mashed banana, or a flax egg. The pancakes will be slightly softer, but they will still be delicious.

My Final Thoughts

Well, that's how to make pancakes without milk! I don't think there's really anything better than making pancakes on the weekend, especially if you're making ones as good as these. Even though these great tasting pancakes don't contain milk, they have a fluffy inside that's just so sweet and spongy, and the outside is cooked to perfection as well. 

Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if your family requests these every Sunday morning! I mean, my family's obsessed with them, and they're tough to please when it comes to pancakes.

Anyway, I hope your family loves them as much as I do! As always, if you give this recipe a try, I'd love to know how it went in the comments below. And make sure to leave a review!

More Breakfast Recipes

If you're looking for some more delicious breakfast recipes to try next, we have a ton on the blog that you have to check out!

Here are some of our most popular ones:

• Pancakes for one
• French toast without milk
• Pioneer Woman French toast
• Cinnamon roll casserole
• Sourdough French toast
• Bananas foster pancakes
• Crescent roll breakfast casserole
• McDonald's McGriddle recipe
• Mini pancakes

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