Vegan cinnamon roll pancakes made special with a yeasted, whole grain batter. Just 8 ingredients to fluffy, sweet, cinnamony pancakes that are the perfect cozy breakfast on cold winter mornings.
Batter: In a large mixing bowl in the microwave heat the almond milk and vegan butter in 30 second increments, until warm and melted, never reaching boiling. Alternatively, heat the ingredients in a saucepan over medium-low heat.
Let mixture cool to 110 degrees F (43 C), or the temperature of bath water. It should be warm but not too hot or it will kill the yeast.
Sprinkle on yeast. Let activate for 10 minutes. Then add sugar and the salt and stir.
Next add in flour 1/4 cup at a time, stirring as you go. If there's a lot of lumps, use a whisk but so do gently and not vigorously. The batter will become sticky but it shouldn't be like a dough. 1 1/2 cups should be the ideal amount (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size), but add more if it appears too runny. It will resemble normal pancake batter. Thick but pourable.
Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise for at least 1 hour if not 2, or until doubled in size. The batter will proof more quickly if you use rapid rise, but active dry works well too. It just takes a bit longer.
Cinnamon Swirl: Once risen, gently scoop out 2 1/2 Tbsp of your batter and add 1 Tbsp melted vegan butter, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, and 3 Tbsp brown sugar (amounts as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size). Thin it with almond milk if it's too thick to pour. Whisk until well combined and add to a sandwich bag (which you'll snip the corner off of) or a plastic squeeze bottle.
Preheat a griddle or large skillet to medium heat and lightly grease surface. Scoop on 1/4 cup measurements of batter and then swirl on the cinnamon sugar filling in a circle starting at the center and traveling out. It doesn't have to be perfect - you could even make other shapes/designs.
Flip when bubbles form on top and the edges appear dry. Cook for 1-2 minutes more and transfer to a large plate or serving dish. Keep warm in a 200 degree oven until serving.
Optional but recommended: Frost with dairy-free cream cheese frosting or a mixture of 2 cups powdered sugar, 1 Tbsp melted vegan butter and 1-2 Tbsp almond milk (amounts as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size). I prefer a thicker glaze but make it as thin as you prefer. Or just top with maple syrup.
Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to a few days. Move to the freezer in a freezer safe bag or container for longer term storage. These should reheat well in the microwave or toaster.
Notes
*The batter will proof more quickly if you use rapid rise yeast, but active dry works well too. It just takes a bit longer. *Recipe loosely adapted from Martha Stewart. *Yields 8 large pancakes (as recipe is written). *Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without glaze.