Let’s just get something out of the way: I am not posting this recipe because these pancakes are the easiest-to-flip pancakes in the world. (They’re not.) I’m posting it because they’re some of the more delicious pancakes I’ve ever eaten. (They are.) And with Mothers Day coming up on Sunday, you just might want a special pancake recipe up your sleeve. Sweet with juicy blueberries, a bit of crunch from the cornmeal and crispy edge, lemon zest singing the high note. You can make them even if you’re not brunching with your mom, you know.
A word about vegan pancakes, and vegan baking in general, really: I used to always think in terms of how to “replace” the eggs in recipes, but Isa Chandra Moskowitz & her Post Punk Kitchen empire have changed that for me. I don’t get the science, I just follow the recipes, but hey, they work. (Have you baked out of Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World?) This recipe is from her book Veganomicon.
Back to the pancakes. Give them room, people. The batter is thin, and it spreads quite a bit. If I had a nonstick pan, I would have used it here, but I don’t. Instead, I oiled my seasoned cast iron griddle well and waited until the pancakes were well-browned and released (more) easily with the help of a thin metal spatula. It’s a fine line between well-browned and burnt, however, so keep a close eye as that pivotal moment approaches. And if a pancake buckles as you scoop it up, just flip it and smooth it back out on the other side.
Blueberry Lemon Cornmeal Pancakes: Mix 3/4 c. flour with 1/2 c. cornmeal, 2 tsp. baking powder, and 1/2 tsp. salt. In a separate bowl, combine 1 1/4 c. plain soy milk, 1/3 c. water (I used rice milk in place of both the soy milk and water), 2 Tb. neutral-tasting oil, 1 tsp. vanilla, 2 Tb. maple syrup, and the grated zest of an organic lemon. Stir wet ingredients into dry until just combined, then stir in a cup of fresh blueberries. (I only had frozen so I sprinkled them on top after pouring my pancakes onto the griddle to avoid turning the entire batter purple–which has its own charms, of course.) Bake 2-4 Tbsp. well-spaced scoops on a well-oiled pan over medium heat until the bottoms are brown and bubbles form all the way to the middle of the pancake, about 4 minutes. Flip to brown the second side, then serve with maple syrup and a big cup of coffee. The leftovers were popular with my kids spread with peanut butter and rolled up pinwheel-style.
Emmy Cooks 
Love the combo! And I also love this: “I don’t get the science…” Me either! And thankfully, I don’t have to ;-)!
Now if only you could convince my husband to make these for me on mother’s day ;) Looks so good!
Those look really yummy! Corn meal is always a great thing to sneak into different foods. I like to throw a tablespoon or two into pizza dough for the same reasons: crunch and crispy edge.
These look great! Changes my perspective on vegan pancakes!
These look delicious! I’m not vegan, but I feel no particular commitment to having eggs in my pancakes. I’m going to give them a try!
nom nom nom – these look scrumptious! bet they’d be delicious with lemon curd too :)
These sound good! Plus I think blueberries would go well with the flavor of cornmeal.
these did not turn out nicely at all. the batter was so runny. my fiance (who is a chef) followed your recipe and was not happy with the results. he had to modify it by adding more cornmeal and spelt flour to get it together for a thicker batter. the final modified batter came out much nicer, like a proper pancake batter. You have too much liquid and not enough dry ingredients to compensate.
Sorry to hear these didn’t work well for you as written. When I make these, the batter is thin, which results in a thin, lacy-edged pancake. I do find that sometimes that different varieties of flour and cornmeal absorb different amounts of liquid, so maybe that accounts for some of the difference? In any case, I’m glad to hear that you got some good pancakes in the end. :)