Trader Joe’s Pancake Bread Recipe Made Vegan! (2024)

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A vegan and gluten-free take on Trader Joe’s Pancake Bread, a sweet loaf with notes of maple and a sugary crumble topping. This recipe is not only vegan and gluten-free but also refined sugar-free, oil-free, and much healthier!

What is Pancake Bread?

Trader Joe’s pancake bread combines the flavors of pancakes into delicious, sliceable bread, creating a moist loaf that is made with a blend of wheat and corn flour, buttermilk, and real maple syrup. It is sweet, with a subtle maple flavor reminiscent of pancakes.

The bread is typically studded with small pieces of pancake-like batter throughout, adding texture and extra bursts of flavor. It’s enjoyed as a delicious breakfast or snack option and can be served as is or toasted and topped with butter, syrup, or other desired accompaniments.

However, it is definitely not vegan and doesn’t have the best ingredients list: Enriched Wheat Flour, Sugar, Water, Canola Oil, Eggs, Buttermilk, Maple Syrup, Corn Flour, Baking Soda, Salt, and Natural Flavor.

So, your girl created a vegan, gluten-free, and oil-free version of this tasty bread, and I’m so excited to share it with you!

What Makes This Recipe Great

Trader Joe’s comes out with original products every now and then that are really creative and tend to amass a sort of cult following + excitement. Some examples include the Everything But The Bagel seasoning and Cauliflower Gnocchi that fly off the shelves and become so difficult to find in stores due to demand.

Part of that might be social media, with pages dedicated to TJ finds and also the health and wellness foodies on the platform, but I have to give it up to them because some of these products are really very unique. The most recent product that caught my eye was Trader Joe’s Pancake Bread, and while the majority of their products tend to be accidentally vegan-friendly, this loaf was sadly not.

That being said, I thought the concept was absolutely genius, and I love a good loaf (e.g., my Fluffy Banana Bread), so I set out to re-create a home Vegan Pancake Bread with a healthier twist!

But how could I recreate this Pancake Bread without having tried it first myself? Well, I employed a team of expert taste testers (AKA non-vegan friends of mine) to eat it and describe the textures and flavours. I also searched the internet and discovered several TJ fan blogs that described the loaf in great detail. From my research, I gathered that the loaf was similar to a pound cake in many ways but not as maple-y as you’d think. More of an aftertaste of sorts. The loaf also had a malty flavour, and of course, a crunchy crumble to top, but overall, it wasn’t overwhelmingly sweet.

This recipe is easy to make and is a great alternative for anyone who feels a little bit left out of the Pancake Bread world right now!

Ingredient Notes

Dry Ingredients

• fine oat flour: You can also use a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend.
• baking soda
• baking powder
• salt
• cinnamon: You’ll need just a ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon for this recipe.

Wet Ingredients

• vegan milk + apple cider vinegar
• pure maple syrup
• flax eggs: To make flax eggs, you’ll need 2 tablespoon flax eggs + 6 tbsp warm water)
• pure vanilla extract

Crumb Topping

• coconut butter
• coconut sugar
• oat flour
• vanilla extract

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees while you prep the batter. You’ll need a lined rectangular baking dish or loaf pan for this.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together dry ingredients and break down any clumps. Create an opening in the center of the bowl and add wet ingredients. Using a spatula, stir to combine until a smooth batter forms.
3. Transfer the batter to a lined baking dish or loaf pan.
4. In a small bowl, use your hands to combine coconut butter, coconut sugar, and oat flour. Use a pinching motion until a crumbly texture forms. Sprinkle this on top of the loaf.
5. Bake the loaf for about 30-45 minutes or until golden brown on top and cooked through. Use a toothpick to check that the center is cooked through.
6. Wait until completely cooled to cut slices. Enjoy!

Expert Tips

• Crumble Topping: If you’re going for more accurately similar results in flavour, I’d skip the coconut butter and consider vegan unsalted butter only because the coconut butter will add a very mild coconut flavour.
• Equipment: I made this recipe with a large bowl and a whisk, which I found to be just fine. If you prefer to use a standing mixer with the whisk attachment, you can also do that.

Serving Tips

• This pancake bread should be served in thick slices, toasted before eating, and drizzled with additional maple syrup and a little bit of vegan butter.
• It’s the perfect brunch dish that your friends and family will love!

Storage Tips

• Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
• You can wrap the pancake bread loaf in plastic wrap and store it in a freezer-safe ziptop bag for up to 3 months.
• You can also store the sliced loaf in a freezer-safe, airtight container if preferred.

Recipe FAQs

More Brunchy Vegan Favorites!

Gluten-Free Vegan Banana Bread

Apple Pie French Toast

Matcha Spinach Pancakes

Oat Milk Vegan French Toast

Hot Cross Bun Baked Oatmeal

If you make this recipe, be sure to let me know what you think with a star rating and comment below! Follow me on Instagram for more delicious recipes!

Love & loaves,