What can I substitute in high protein vegan pumpkin pancakes with silken tofu and hemp hearts?

Use half all-purpose flour and half whole wheat flour — lighter, fluffier pancakes with a milder wheat flavor.. Use pumpkin pie spice (2 1/2 tsp) instead of the cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg — quicker to measure, with a similar warm spice profile that has a little clove in it.. Use ground flaxseed instead of hemp hearts — slightly denser, nuttier pancakes. flax also helps bind the batter.. Use oat milk instead of soy milk — works the same in the batter but tastes a bit sweeter, and the pancakes will have less protein..

High Protein Vegan Pumpkin Pancakes with Silken Tofu and Hemp Hearts

Fluffy whole wheat pumpkin pancakes made with blended silken tofu, soy milk and hemp hearts, warmly spiced with cinnamon and ginger and finished with maple syrup.

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 20 min
Rest: 10 min
Serves: 4

High Protein Vegan Pumpkin Pancakes with Silken Tofu and Hemp Hearts — Fluffy whole wheat pumpkin pancakes made with blended silken tofu, soy milk and hemp hearts, warmly spiced wi — Illustration generated by AI · SDXL

High Protein Vegan Pumpkin Pancakes with Silken Tofu and Hemp Hearts is a vegan breakfast recipe made with silken tofu, pumpkin puree (not pie filling), unsweetened soy milk. It takes 30 minutes of hands-on time, plus 10 minutes resting, serves 4, and each serving has 380 calories, 14 g of protein and 7 g of fiber.

Blending silken tofu with pumpkin and soy milk gives a smooth, rich batter that binds well without eggs, and the tofu and hemp hearts add protein. A splash of vinegar reacts with baking soda for extra lift, which whole wheat flour needs. A 10-minute rest lets the bran soak up liquid so the pancakes come out tender instead of gritty. Pumpkin batter browns quickly, so cooking over medium-low heat is what keeps the centers from going gummy.

Ingredients

4 servings

Batter

6 ozsilken tofu, drained
¾ cuppumpkin puree (not pie filling)
1 cupunsweetened soy milk
2 tbspmaple syrup
2 tbspneutral oil
1 tspapple cider vinegar
1 tspvanilla extract
1½ cupswhole wheat flour (white whole wheat works well)
3 tbsphemp hearts
2½ tspbaking powder
½ tspbaking soda
2 tspground cinnamon
½ tspground ginger
¼ tspground nutmeg
½ tspfine salt

To cook and serve

2 tspneutral oil, for the pan
¼ cupmaple syrup, for serving (optional)
1 tbsphemp hearts, for sprinkling (optional)
¼ cuptoasted pecans, chopped (optional)

Kit: blender, large mixing bowl, nonstick skillet or griddle, 1/4-cup measure, spatula

Tips

Pumpkin and maple both brown fast, so medium-low heat is key. The first side needs a full 3–4 minutes to set through.
Blend the tofu mixture until it's fully smooth. Leftover bits of tofu turn into white flecks in the cooked pancakes.
Use the rest of the tofu block in a smoothie or scramble. Refrigerate it covered in water for up to 3 days.

Swap ideas

Use half all-purpose flour and half whole wheat flour: Lighter, fluffier pancakes with a milder wheat flavor.
Use pumpkin pie spice (2 1/2 tsp) instead of the cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg: Quicker to measure, with a similar warm spice profile that has a little clove in it.
Use ground flaxseed instead of hemp hearts: Slightly denser, nuttier pancakes. Flax also helps bind the batter.
Use oat milk instead of soy milk: Works the same in the batter but tastes a bit sweeter, and the pancakes will have less protein.

The numbers

380kcal per serving

Protein13.5 g

27% DV

Fiber7.4 g

26% DV

Carbs49.2 g

18% DV

Fat16.8 g

22% DV

Everything else · 4 servings per recipe

Saturated fat: 1.7 g 9%
Sugars: 10.6 g
Sodium: 790 mg 34%
Potassium: 507 mg 11%
Calcium: 348 mg 27%
Iron: 4.1 mg 23%
Vitamin C: 2 mg 2%
Vitamin B12: 0.52 µg 22%

% Daily Value on a 2,000 calorie diet. Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient; optional ingredients are excluded. Estimates vary with brands and portions.

Sources: Tofu, soft, prepared with calcium sulfate and magnesium chloride (nigari), Pumpkin, canned, without salt, Soymilk, original and vanilla, with added calcium, vitamins A and D, Syrups, maple, Oil, canola, Vinegar, cider, Vanilla extract, Wheat flour, whole-grain (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program), Seeds, hemp seed, hulled, Leavening agents, baking powder, double-acting, sodium aluminum sulfate, Leavening agents, baking soda, Spices, cinnamon, ground, Spices, ginger, ground, Spices, nutmeg, ground, Salt, table

Method

Add the silken tofu, pumpkin puree, soy milk, 2 tbsp maple syrup, 2 tbsp oil, vinegar and vanilla to a blender. Blend until completely smooth with no tofu specks, about 30 seconds.
In a large bowl, whisk together the whole wheat flour, 3 tbsp hemp hearts, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt.
Pour the pumpkin mixture into the dry ingredients and fold with a spatula just until no dry flour remains. A few small lumps are fine. Do not overmix.
Let the batter rest for 10 minutes so the flour hydrates and the batter thickens and turns slightly puffy. If it's too thick to spread a little when poured, stir in 1–2 tbsp more soy milk.
Meanwhile, heat a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium-low heat for 2–3 minutes and brush lightly with oil. A drop of water should sizzle gently, not spit.
Scoop 1/4 cup of batter per pancake into the pan and gently spread each into a 4-inch round. Cook until the edges look dry and set and bubbles appear on the surface, 3–4 minutes.
Flip and cook the second side until deep golden and the center springs back when pressed, 2–3 minutes more. Turn the heat down if they brown before the middle sets.
Keep finished pancakes warm on a baking sheet in a 200°F oven while you cook the rest, oiling the pan lightly between batches. Serve with maple syrup, extra hemp hearts and pecans.

Storage: Cool completely, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days, or freeze with parchment between the layers for up to 2 months. Reheat in a toaster or a dry skillet until hot and slightly crisp.

Questions

How much protein is in high protein vegan pumpkin pancakes with silken tofu and hemp hearts?: Each of the 4 servings has 14 g of protein, 7 g of fiber and 380 calories, calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for every ingredient.
Is high protein vegan pumpkin pancakes with silken tofu and hemp hearts vegan?: Yes. It contains no dairy, eggs, honey or other animal products.
How long does high protein vegan pumpkin pancakes with silken tofu and hemp hearts take to make?: 10 minutes of prep and 20 minutes of cooking, so 30 minutes of hands-on time, plus 10 minutes of unattended resting.
Can you make high protein vegan pumpkin pancakes with silken tofu and hemp hearts ahead?: Cool completely, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days, or freeze with parchment between the layers for up to 2 months. Reheat in a toaster or a dry skillet until hot and slightly crisp.
What can I substitute in high protein vegan pumpkin pancakes with silken tofu and hemp hearts?: Use half all-purpose flour and half whole wheat flour — lighter, fluffier pancakes with a milder wheat flavor.. Use pumpkin pie spice (2 1/2 tsp) instead of the cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg — quicker to measure, with a similar warm spice profile that has a little clove in it.. Use ground flaxseed instead of hemp hearts — slightly denser, nuttier pancakes. flax also helps bind the batter.. Use oat milk instead of soy milk — works the same in the batter but tastes a bit sweeter, and the pancakes will have less protein..
Does high protein vegan pumpkin pancakes with silken tofu and hemp hearts contain gluten or tree nuts?: Yes — the ingredient list includes gluten and tree nuts, in some cases as an optional ingredient you can leave out. Check the labels on the products you buy if you're cooking for an allergy.

Nutrition is calculated from USDA data for every ingredient — how we work it out.

Published October 1, 2026 ·American