Grain-Free Vegan Muffin Tin Pancakes

Easy grain-free vegan pancakes baked in a muffin tin. Made with chickpea flour, coconut flour, and maple syrup—fluffy, gluten-free, and no flipping needed.

If you’ve ever wanted pancakes without the stovetop—or without the grains—these muffin tin pancakes quietly solve both.

Made with a blend of chickpea flour and coconut flour, they bake up surprisingly light and fluffy, with just enough structure to hold together beautifully. A touch of maple syrup adds gentle sweetness, while keeping the ingredient list simple and whole-food focused.

They’re the kind of recipe that feels almost too easy for how well they turn out—no flipping, no babysitting the pan, just a tray of golden, tender pancakes ready all at once.

Picky children and skeptical spouses think they are pretty great, too.

Also, while I designed these to be portable (maple syrup built into the pancake), you can certainly eat these at home, reheated, stacked, and drizzled with additional syrup.

Why You’ll Love these Grain-Free Vegan Muffin Tin Pancakes

Muffin tin pancakes are fast favorites because they are:

• Vegan (egg-free and dairy-free)
• Grain-free
• Gluten-free
• Can be made oil-free
• Nut-free
• Soy-free
• No starches or gums
• Mixes together in minutes
• Bakes in under 10 minutes

Ingredients for the Muffin Tin Pancakes

The exact amounts of each ingredient are indicated in the recipe card at the end of the post. Toggle between US Customary (volume) and Metric (weights) for preferred measurement option.

• chickpea flour (also known as garbanzo bean flour or besan)
• coconut flour
• baking powder, certified gluten-free, as needed
• salt
• nondairy milk (e.g., almond milk, hemp milk, soy milk, cashew milk)
• maple syrup
• vanilla extract
• coconut oil, melted (see notes for options)

How to Make Grain-Free Vegan Muffin Tin Pancakes

Note that the complete directions are also in the recipe card below.

• Preheat oven to 400F (200C). Spray all 12 cups of a standard muffin tin.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the chickpea flour, coconut flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the milk, maple syrup, and vanilla, whisking until smooth, then whisk in the coconut oil until blended.
• Divide the batter evenly among the 12 prepared cups (about 1.5 tbablespoons per cup). If desired, add optional fruit or nuts/seeds.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 6 to 8 minutes until set at the centers and edges are golden brown.
• Transfer to a wire rack and cool in tin for 20 minutes. Using a butter knife, carefully remove the pucks from the cups. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Texture & Flavor

These vegan gluten-free muffin tin pancakes are light and fluffy with have a soft, tender crumb similar to coffee cake. The combination of maple syrup, vanilla, and nondairy milk creates a lightly sweet pancake with no chickpea flavor at all.

How to Serve Grain-Free Vegan Muffin Tin Pancakes

Try the pancakes:

• For breakfast, with an extra drizzle of maple syrup
• As a healthy snack (spread with peanut butter, almond butter, or other nut or seed butter)
• As a sweet treat with coffee or tea
• As the cake in strawberry shortcake or other lightly sweetened cake desserts

How to Store Grain-Free Vegan Muffin Tin Pancakes

Store the cooled muffin tin pancakes in an airtight container:

• At cool room temperature for 1 day,
• In the refrigerator for 1 week
• In the freezer for up to six months.

Ingredient Substitutions

• Can I use different gluten-free flours instead of chickpea flour and/or coconut flour? No, I do not recommend substituting the either. Chickpea flour acts as both flour and an egg substitute in this recipe, and coconut flour adds fluff and lightness. In addition, the ratio of wet to dry ingredients is formulated specifically for this combination of chickpea flour and coconut flour; other gluten-free flours or blends will alter the texture and structure. 
• Can I make these oil-free? Yes. Replace the oil with an extra tablespoon of nondairy milk.
• Can I use another variety of sweetener? Yes. You can replace the maple syrup with an equal amount of the liquid sweetener of your choice, such as brown rice syrup, agave nectar or date syrup. You can also use honey if you do not follow a vegan diet. You can also use an equal amount of granular sweetener, such as coconut sugar, cane sugar or brown sugar plus 2 teaspoons (10 mL) water, or extra nondairy milk.

Expert Tips for the Best Grain-Free Vegan Muffin Tin Pancakes

• Whisk the batter well. Chickpea flour and coconut benefit from thorough mixing to remove any lumps.
• Do not overbake. Remove the pancakes when the center just sets to keep them tender.
• Serve while warm. Serve while the pnackes are still warm, or gently reheat before eating.
• Portion evenly. Add the same amount of batter to each muffin cup for even baking.

Flavor Variations

You can vary the flavor of these vegan muffin tin pancakes in several ways:

• Extracts & Zests: Swap the vanilla for an equal amount of almond extract or add up to 2 teaspoons of finely grated lemon zest or orange zest to the batter.
• Berries: Gently press 1 to 3 raspberries, blueberries, or small blackberries into each cup of batter before baking. I do not recommend using strawberries (due to high water content).
• Fruits: Gently press a tablespoon of chopped apples, apricots or bananas into each cup of batter before baking.
• Warm Spices. Add 1 to 1-1/2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon, cardamom, pumpkin pie spice, allspice or ground ginger to the batter. 
• Seeds & Nuts. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of chopped nuts or seeds into each cup of batter before baking. Walnuts, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, sesame seeds, almonds, and pecans all work well.

Related Recipes

• Vegan Coconut Flour Pumpkin Pancakes (Oil-free, Grain-Free)
• Vegan Oat Blender Pancakes (Gluten-Free, No Bananas)
• Vegan Sheet Pan Pancake {gluten-free, 5 ingredients)
• Fluffy Millet Pancakes (Oil-free, Vegan, GF)
• Blueberry Maple Baked Pancake (Vegan, Grain-free)