Vegan Carrot Cake Pancakes

Vegan carrot cake pancakes are like eating dessert for breakfast! They’re super soft, fluffy, moist, and easy to make. Like classic carrot cake, the batter is filled with shredded carrots, walnuts, raisins, and cinnamon. The one-bowl recipe is also dairy-free, egg-free, and gluten-free friendly. Complete them with cream cheese icing for a delicious breakfast treat!

Spring is here at last! To me, that means it’s the perfect time for carrot cake snacks and treats. You may have already tried my Carrot Cake Truffles and Carrot Cake Overnight Oats, but these Carrot Cake Pancakes will certainly be your favorite.

Now who wouldn’t love an excuse to eat cake for breakfast?! This pancake recipe lets you do just that. They are incredibly soft, moist, and fluffy. Just like classic carrot cake, the batter is filled with shredded carrots, walnuts, and raisins. It’s also flavored with warm spices – including cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. Lastly, it’s topped with sweet cream cheese icing.

You’ll love how easy this recipe is. Not only is it made with one bowl and pantry staples, but it also contains no eggs and no dairy. Plus, you can meal prep the pancakes ahead of time and store them in the refrigerator for later.

Ingredients in healthy carrot pancakes

• Flour: While I recommend using regular flour, you can swap it with gluten-free all purpose flour. The Bob’s Red Mill brand is the best choice.
• Shredded carrots: The carrots must be finely shredded. Peel and grate carrots yourself at home for the best results. Don’t use pre-shredded carrots as they’re usually chopped into quite big pieces. If you use those, they won’t mix into the batter as smoothly or cook as well.
• Coconut milk: Canned lite coconut milk, otherwise known as light coconut milk, is the best choice. It is located in the Asian cuisine section of the grocery store, near the grains and curries.
• Coconut sugar: This sweetener has a caramel flavor that pairs well with the warm spices. Also, it’s refined sugar-free which makes it a bit healthier. Alternatively, you can use regular sugar or brown sugar.
• Ground flaxseed: When it’s combined with water, ground flaxseed creates a “flax egg.” This acts as an egg replacer and helps bind the pancake batter.
• Walnuts: Be sure they are finely chopped before adding them to the batter.
• Raisins: Again, make sure they are chopped before adding them to the pancake batter.
• Lemon juice: When it’s mixed with coconut milk, lemon juice helps create a dairy-free “buttermilk.” Additionally, it helps the pancakes rise while frying.
• Baking powder and baking soda: These two ingredients also help the carrot pancakes rise, giving them a light and fluffy texture.
• Vanilla extract: This adds a subtle vanilla flavor and sweetness.
• Spices: Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves produce a warm, subtle spice. These help mimic the taste of classic carrot cake.
• Salt: Salt enhances the overall flavor.

How to make vegan carrot cake pancakes

For the full ingredient measurements and step-by-step instructions, scroll down to view the recipe card at the bottom of the page.

First, prepare the flax egg by combining 1 tbsp ground flaxseed and 3 tbsp water in a bowl. Peel and shred 2 large carrots, then measure 3/4 cup.

After, prepare the icing by combining powdered sugar, vegan cream cheese, coconut milk, vanilla extract, and salt in a bowl. Whisk together until smooth. Add more or less coconut milk until you reach your desired consistency. Serve pancakes with the cream cheese icing. Enjoy!

Recipe variations

How to make gluten-free carrot cake pancakes: Replace the all-purpose flour with gluten-free all-purpose flour. I recommend the Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 brand.

Spices: The recipe uses ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. This will create the most flavorful pancakes! However, you can omit the spices if you don’t have them in your pantry. I strongly suggest leaving the cinnamon though.

Walnuts and raisins: For the nuts, you can use chopped pecans, almonds, or cashews instead. For the raisins, dried cranberries work just as well.

Toppings: Using the dairy-free cream cheese icing will make it an authentic carrot cake experience! However, other healthier toppings include maple syrup, almond butter, and coconut yogurt.

How to store leftover carrot cake pancakes

If you have leftover pancakes, you can easily store them for later. Keep the carrot cake pancakes inside a tightly-sealed container in the refrigerator. Enjoy within 2-3 days.

To reheat, warm the pancakes inside a microwave, oven, or toaster oven. Serve with your choice of toppings as usual.

If you try these Vegan Carrot Cake Pancakes, please let me know your thoughts by leaving a rating and comment below! Ready for more? Subscribe to my newsletter or follow along on Instagram and YouTube!

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