Date and Cinnamon Skillet Pancake (Vegan and GF)

A light and fluffy baked pancake studded with sticky tender dried dates, lots of warming cinnamon flavours and a protein-packed batter. This baked pancake makes a great alternative to the traditional pancake – and it is naturally vegan and gluten-free.

I have been wanting to make a baked skillet pancake for a long time now. And after buying a mini skillet a few weeks ago, I was running out of excuses not to bake one. I think that sometimes I am put off making things that I am really excited about in case they don’t quite turn out as amazing as I’d hoped. I was slightly worried it wouldn’t bake properly, it wouldn’t be light and fluffy enough or that it would be a flop.

Date and Cinnamon Skillet Pancake (Vegan and GF)

I am delighted to say that this Date and Cinnamon Skillet Pancake fulfilled all my expectations and actually greatly surpassed them! Not only is this pancake incredibly quick and easy to make, but it also requires little to no skill as you don’t need to worry about the pan sticking, flipping the pancakes over or the cooked pancakes going cold as you finish off the batter.

It is only as I write this that it’s dawned on me that this pancake is literally a cake cooked in a pan. I wonder if that is where the name came from. If you have any ideas, let me know below.

Back to the recipe… To start this Date and Cinnamon Skillet Pancake, you make a simple vegan and gluten-free pancake batter. Add lemon juice to plant-based milk to form a vegan “buttermilk” and then add to the dry mixture of oat flour, GF flour, vanilla protein powder (for a delicious vanilla flavour and a boost of protein), some baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and warming cinnamon. As you whisk batter, it starts to thicken and then stir in the chopped dates. Pour this luxurious batter into a greased skillet or ramekin and bake until golden on top, risen and springy.

Date and Cinnamon Skillet Pancake (Vegan and GF)

The key is to take this Date and Cinnamon Skillet Pancake out of the oven just before it is completely cooked through as it continues to cook slightly as it rests for 5 minutes. Then serve your baked pancake with your favourite toppings. I went for figs, coconut yoghurt, peanut butter stuffed dates, more nut butter, syrup and some pomegranate.

This Date and Cinnamon Skillet Pancake is simple and quick to make and is naturally vegan and gluten-free. It is light and spongy, like a moist cake with a delicious crisp topping. It is family and allergy-friendly and can easily be doubled or quadrupled and baked as individual mini skillets.

If you are looking for more exciting breakfast recipes, how about my Berry Buckwheat Chocolate Crepes, Blueberry Vanilla Protein Pancakes, Peanut Butter Granola or Almond and Cinnamon Rice Porridge.

Date and Cinnamon Skillet Pancake (Vegan and GF)

• Servings: 1
• Time: 35 minutes
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

A light and fluffy baked pancake studded with sticky tender dried dates, lots of warming cinnamon flavours and a protein-packed batter. This baked pancake makes a great alternative to the traditional pancake – and it is naturally vegan and gluten-free.

Ingredients

• 180ml oat milk
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 35g oat flour (oats whizzed in a blender to a fine flour)
• 35g GF flour blend
• 20g vanilla protein powder
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp vanilla essence
• 30g pitted dates, chopped

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 160Fan/180*C. Mix the milk and lemon juice together and leave for 5 minutes to curdle.
2. Stir together the oat flour, GF flour, protein powder, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and cinnamon.
3. Pour the wet mix into the dry with the vanilla too and whisk until combined – a few lumps are OK. Stir in the chopped dates.
4. Pour into a lightly greased mini skillet or ramekin dish (about 14 cm diameter) and bake for 25 minutes until golden and risen – or an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
5. Allow to cool slightly as it will continue to cook, before serving with your favourite toppings.

Date and Cinnamon Skillet Pancake (Vegan and GF)

If you make my Date and Cinnamon Skillet Pancake, please leave me know what you think I the comments below and tag me in your bakes – I’m @nourishing.amy on Instagram and use the hashtag #nourishingamy. I’m also on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest  – please say hello!

With skillet pancake love x