4-6tablespoonswaterto thin your caramel to the desired consistency
Instructions
Add the soy milk and apple cider vinegar to a medium bowl and set it aside for 5 minutes to let it thicken and curdle.
Preheat your nonstick griddle over medium heat.
Meanwhile, add the oats and chia seeds to your blender and process until it resembles a flour consistency. (Don't worry if there are a few chunkier pieces.) Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl along with the baking powder and whisk to combine.
Add the peanut butter and applesauce to the bowl of your curdled milk and mix well. Then pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients and mix until combined, without overmixing. Some lumps are perfectly okay.
Ladle the batter onto your hot griddle, making the pancakes roughly 3-4 inches in diameter. You may gently press the pancake down to help it spread a little if needed. (The batter should not be very runny.) Don't spread too much as these pancakes taste best thick and fluffy.
Cook for 4-5 minutes until golden and then flip them, and cook for another 3-4 more minutes until cooked through.
While the pancakes are cooking, add all the caramel ingredients, starting with 4 tablespoons of water to a blender, and process until smooth. Add more water to reach desired consistency and set aside.
Serve your pancakes with sliced bananas, chopped walnuts, chocolate chips, and/or the homemade caramel sauce.
Notes
Make sure your griddle is hot before cookingyour pancakes to prevent sticking and to avoid greasing your pan. You can test this by splashing the griddle with a sprinkle of water to see if it sizzles.
If you don't have a strong blender, soak your dates for 15-30 minutes in boiling hot water and then drain them, before making your peanut butter caramel.
Make sure to use ACTIVE baking powder. Once your baking powder is open and sitting in the pantry for 6+ months, it may start to lose its rising power.
Leftover pancakes keep refrigerated for 3-4 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Reheat in the toaster for quick make-ahead breakfasts.
Leftover caramel keeps in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
The nutritional information does not include the optional caramel sauce. There are 65 calories for one-tenth of the sauce, which is approximately 2-3 tablespoons, depending on the amount of water added to thin the sauce.