With a vibrant purple hue and sweet, nutty vanilla notes, Ube Pancakes are a fantastic feature of any breakfast or brunch spread. Easily made gluten-free and dairy-free.

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Ube (pronounced “ooh-beh”) pancakes are fluffy and satisfying like the pancakes of your childhood but bring enticing flavor and color with the addition of ube.  Ube adds a delicious flavor that’s both sweet and nutty, and the rich color will have you wanting everyday to be a brunch day. 

Ube powder and ube extract are easy-to-source ingredients so you can experience these Filipino pancakes no matter where you live. Showcasing the purple yam with Asian roots, this recipe is surprisingly easy and brightens up breakfast or is perfect for any celebration.

This may be a new to you ingredient and will have you dreaming of your next ube or Philippino recipe. If you’re already an ube enthusiast after sampling some Trader Joe’s ube ice cream, you’ll love making your own ube-centric dish.

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Why You’ll Love This Ube Pancake Recipe

• Elevate a classic. You’ll love the comfort of a classic pancake with the flavor and color of ube.
• Simple to make. If you’ve ever made pancakes before, this recipe will be a breeze.
• Rich in natural color.  Who doesn’t love a vibrantly colored meal? Purple pancakes will bring delight to your plate and have your family asking for more colorful creations. Plus the color comes from the vibrant ube, not food dyes or food coloring.
• Perfect for your next brunch or event. These eye-catching hotcakes look beautiful and have nearly endless topping possibilities making them perfect for any occasion or palette.
• Pairs well with other breakfast staples.  Serve alone or pair these ube pancakes with any of your favorite breakfast items. They are the perfect entree to couple with eggs, easy baked home fries, fruit salad, or crunchy turmeric granola for a full breakfast spread.

What is Ube?

Ube is a purple yam that originates from the Philippines and often is used in baked goods.  Ube has grown in popularity in North America in the last several years.  Ube delivers a sweet vanilla flavor that is also nutty.

A purple donut or confection with a distinct lavender color showcased in a bakery window is likely relying on ube for the vivid coloring and may even have an ube sauce or ube filling. 

You may only know ube from passing by the Trader Joe’s ube pancakes mix or seeing pictures of beautiful lavender stacks of YogurStory ube pancakes smothered in ube pancake syrup from the Honolulu restaurant. 

Ube is known for its bright purple color and delivers a sweeter taste than orange yams. The use of ube extract and powder in this recipe lets you experience some international flavor without having to boil and mash your own purple yams.  This recipe also uses pantry staples all-purpose and whole-wheat flour instead of the rice flour found in ube mochi pancakes.

Ube extract and ube power can be found at some grocery stores or Asian markets and are easily purchased from many online retailers, including Amazon.

Ingredients

• Buttermilk or sour milk: the perfect moisture and tang.  Make your own dairy or non-dairy sour milk with the addition of vinegar (see my notes below)! 
• Pure vanilla extract: the extract compliments the vanilla notes of ube. For the best flavor, use pure vanilla extract.
• Eggs: add moisture and help bind ingredients together for fluffy hotcakes.
• Coconut oil: this oil compliments the ube flavor and is used in the batter and to grease the skillet or griddle to give the pancakes the perfect crispy outer layer.
• Ube extract: Measures just like vanilla extract and brings the taste of ube to your batter.
• All-purpose flour: The pantry staple, all-purpose flour is the perfect base for letting the ube flavor shine
• Whole wheat flour: A nuttier complement to all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour works well with the nutty notes of ube.
• Baking powder: Provides the lift to give that fluffy texture you expect in pancakes. 
• Baking soda: Works alongside the baking powder and buttermilk to leaven the pancakes.
• Salt: Enhances all the flavors in this recipe. 
• Granulated sugar: Just a touch of sugar makes these pancakes shine.
• Ube powder: Up the ube flavor with this lavender-colored powder that easily stores and keeps in your panty until your next batch of pancakes.

Ingredient substitutions

• Gluten-free flour: Swap 1-to-1 gluten-free flour for all-purpose and whole-wheat flour to make these purple pancakes gluten-free.
• Plant-based milk: Make sour milk using your favorite plant-based milk to make these pancakes dairy-free,

how to make ube pancakes

These pancakes are as easy to make as they are beautiful. Here is how to make them:

For the complete recipe and measurements, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Step 1: In a smaller mixing bowl, whisk together the buttermilk or sour milk, vanilla extract, eggs, melted coconut oil, and ube extract until combined.

Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, granulated sugar, and ube powder until combined.

Step 3: Add the wet ingredients into the large bowl of the dry ingredients and whisk until combined and no streaks of flour remain.

Step 4: Heat a large non-stick skillet or griddle over medium heat. Add 1-2 teaspoons of coconut oil to the pan and heat until melted, stirring the oil around the pan.

Step 5: Add the pancake batter to the skillet by ⅓ cup fulls. Cook for 1-2 minutes on each side, or golden brown and cooked through. 

Step 6: Remove the pancakes from the pan and repeat with the rest of the pancake batter. Enjoy the pancakes hot with your desired pancake toppings.

Recipe pro-tips:

• Make your own sour milk: add 4 teaspoons of vinegar to the bottom of a 2-cup measuring cup. Fill the cup to the 1 ⅔ line with dairy or plant milk. Stir a few times and let the sour milk set for 5 minutes.
• Keep the pancakes warm by placing them on a heat-safe plate or pan and keeping in an oven preheated to 225 degrees until serving (or up to 30 minutes).
• Make ube butter: use ube powder to make butter to top your pancakes or brown butter banana bread. Stir ¼ teaspoon of ube powder to 4 tablespoons of softened butter; add more ube powder to taste.
• Make mini pancakes or silver dollar pancakes for kids or a crowd. 

Pancake Toppings

• Coconut oil or butter: top these Filipino hotcakes with your favorite coconut oil, butter or vegan butter.
• Maple syrup: keep it classic with a maple syrup drizzle. 
• Chopped medjool dates: dates give that extra pop of flavor and layer on the perfect texture to these pancakes. 
• Bananas: sliced banana enriches the presentation with a beautiful color contrast. 
• Fresh fruit or jam: Top with seasonal berries or strawberry jam. 
• Chocolate chips: top your pancakes with milk or dark chocolate chips. Try mini chips on top of silver dollar pancakes.

Serving Suggestions

These ube pancakes are best served hot so plan to prepare them right before serving time or place in a preheated oven until serving. Serve them breakfast meat, eggs, or include on a brunch spread with fruit and nut topping options.

They are fun for everyday eats, brunch, or a breakfast-for-dinner night. Perfect for a baby or bridal shower or when a pop of color will stand out for a party or back your favorite sports team.

Storage Directions

Recipe FAQs:

Tools needed to make this recipe:

• Mixing bowls
• Measuring cups
• Whisk
• Silicone spatula

More breakfast recipes

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• Sweet Potato & Sausage Frittata
• Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole

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• Banana Double Chocolate Chip Pancakes

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