Fluffy Vegan Oatmeal Pancakes

Ingredients

• 5 ounces rolled oats
• 5 ounces all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 tablespoons liquid from 1 can of low-sodium chickpeas
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/2 cups almond, rice, or soy milk
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil, plus more for cooking
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons zest from 1 lemon
• 2 teaspoons cider vinegar or distilled white vinegar
• Vegan butter substitute and maple syrup, for serving

Directions

1. Set a medium skillet over medium heat and add the oats. Cook them, stirring and shaking the pan often, until they smell toasty and a bit nutty, about 4 minutes. Scrape them into a food processor bowl, pause briefly so they can cool, then process with 10 to 12 short pulses, stopping when roughly half has turned powdery and some larger flakes are still intact. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, then pulse just to mix.
2. Put the chickpea liquid and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attached. Beat on high until the mixture stands in firm peaks, about 6 minutes. While that runs, stir together the almond milk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and vinegar in a bowl. Tip the dry mixture into the wet ingredients, folding with a rubber spatula only until combined; it should still be lumpy. Gently fold in the whipped chickpea mixture without pressing out too much air.
3. Warm a heavy nonstick skillet with a thick base over medium heat for 5 minutes, or work on an electric griddle. Add a little vegan butter or oil, then wipe it around with a paper towel until the surface no longer looks greased. Turn the heat down to low. Scoop batter with a 1/4-cup dry measure and make 4 pancakes in the pan; cook until the tops begin to bubble and the undersides are golden brown, about 3 minutes. Flip them gently, then cook the second side until the pancakes are golden brown and set all the way through, about 3 minutes longer. Eat them right away, or hold them in a warm oven on a wire rack over a rimmed sheet pan as you finish the remaining 3 batches. Add warm maple syrup and vegan butter at the table.