Fluffy Ube Pancakes

These fluffy ube pancakes turn an ordinary weekend breakfast into something special. Ube powder adds a soft purple color and a gentle vanilla-nutty flavor, with no food coloring needed.

They're tall, tender and lightly sweet, with crisp golden edges and a pretty lavender crumb inside. The batter comes together in one bowl plus a measuring jug, and you probably have everything except the ube in your pantry right now.

Kids love the color, grown-ups love the flavor, and everyone loves that they freeze beautifully for busy weekday mornings.

Makes: about 8 pancakes (serves 2–3) · Time: 20 minutes · Difficulty: Easy · Diet: Vegetarian (dairy-free option below)

Why this recipe works

• Ube replaces some of the flour. Swapping a few tablespoons of flour for ube powder adds color and flavor without making the pancakes heavy or dense.
• Baking powder only. We skip baking soda on purpose. Ube's natural pigments can turn blue-grey in alkaline batters, and baking powder gives plenty of lift while keeping the color purple.
• A short rest. Five minutes lets the flour and ube powder hydrate, so the batter thickens slightly and the pancakes rise taller.
• Gentle heat. Medium-low heat cooks the centers through before the outsides brown too much, so the purple stays visible.

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups (160 g) all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons (20 g) Ube Daily pure ube powder
• 2 tablespoons (25 g) granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons (8 g) baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 cup (240 ml) milk, at room temperature
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons (28 g) melted butter, plus more for the pan
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract

Notes on key ingredients

• Ube powder: Pure ube powder with no added sugar lets you control the sweetness. If you're curious about what ube actually is, read our beginner's guide to ube.
• Baking powder: Check that it's fresh. Old baking powder is the number one cause of flat pancakes. Drop a pinch into hot water; it should fizz right away.
• Milk: Room-temperature milk keeps the melted butter from seizing into little lumps.
• Vanilla: It doubles down on ube's natural vanilla notes. Coconut extract is a fun swap.

Easy substitutions

• Dairy-free: Use coconut milk or oat milk, and coconut oil or a neutral oil instead of butter.
• Buttermilk: You can use buttermilk for extra tang and tenderness. Recipes often pair it with baking soda, but keep it to baking powder here to protect the color.
• Gluten-free: A good 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend works. Let the batter rest a full 10 minutes.
• Less sugar: Cut the sugar to 1 tablespoon if you'll be adding sweet toppings.

Step-by-step instructions

1. Mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, ube powder, sugar, baking powder and salt until the mixture is an even pale lilac with no darker streaks of ube.
2. Mix the wet ingredients. In a jug or second bowl, whisk the milk, egg, melted butter and vanilla until smooth.
3. Combine gently. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ones and stir with a spatula just until no dry flour is visible. The batter should be thick, slightly lumpy and a soft violet color. Stop as soon as it comes together.
4. Rest the batter. Leave it for 5 minutes. You'll see it puff slightly and a few bubbles appear on the surface.
5. Preheat the pan. Heat a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium-low heat and brush it lightly with butter. It's ready when a drop of water sizzles gently rather than spitting.
6. Cook the first side. Pour about 1/4 cup (60 ml) of batter per pancake. Cook for about 2 minutes, until bubbles pop on the surface and stay open, and the edges look set and slightly matte.
7. Flip and finish. Flip once and cook for about 1 minute more, until the pancake springs back when you press the center lightly.
8. Keep warm and serve. Hold finished pancakes on a baking sheet in a 90°C / 200°F oven while you cook the rest. Stack and top with butter, maple syrup, toasted coconut or a drizzle of condensed milk.

Pro tip: Sacrifice the first pancake. It tells you whether your pan is too hot (dark outside, raw middle) or too cool (pale and flat). Adjust the heat, wipe the pan, and the rest of the batch will come out perfectly purple and golden.

Tips for success

• Don't overmix. Lumps are your friend. Overmixing develops gluten and gives you chewy, rubbery pancakes.
• Keep the heat moderate. High heat browns the outside fast and hides the purple color.
• Use a measuring cup to portion. Even pancakes cook evenly, so every one is done at the same time.
• Flip only once. Pressing or flipping repeatedly knocks out the air that makes them fluffy.
• Wipe the pan between batches. Browned butter bits can speckle the next batch with dark spots.

Common mistakes (and how to fix them)

Problem	Why it happens	How to fix it
Pancakes turned blue-grey or greenish	Alkaline batter, usually from baking soda	Use baking powder only. A teaspoon of lemon juice in the milk can also help keep the color purple.
Flat, dense pancakes	Old baking powder or overmixed batter	Test your baking powder and stir only until just combined.
Brown outside, raw inside	Pan too hot	Turn the heat down to medium-low and give each side a little longer.
Barely any purple color	Too much browning, or too little ube	Cook on gentler heat, or add 1 extra tablespoon of ube powder in place of the same amount of flour.
Batter too thick to pour	Flour measured heavily, or long rest	Stir in milk a tablespoon at a time until it flows slowly off the spoon.

Variations

• Ube coconut pancakes: Use coconut milk in the batter and fold in 1/4 cup toasted shredded coconut.
• Ube white chocolate chip: Scatter a few white chocolate chips onto each pancake right after pouring.
• Ube waffles: Add an extra tablespoon of melted butter and cook in a preheated waffle iron.
• Ube halaya stack: Spread warm ube halaya (ube jam) between the layers for an extra-rich treat.
• Cream cheese drizzle: Whisk softened cream cheese with powdered sugar and a splash of milk, then drizzle over the stack.
• Mini pancake bites: Use 1 tablespoon of batter per pancake for kid-friendly dippers.
• Two-tone swirl: Set aside some batter before adding the ube, then swirl plain and purple batter together in the pan.

Make-ahead & storage

• Dry mix: Combine the dry ingredients in a jar and store in a cool, dry place for up to about 1 month. Just add the wet ingredients on pancake day.
• Batter: Pancake batter is best cooked within 30 minutes. Baking powder loses its lift the longer it sits.
• Fridge: Cool cooked pancakes completely, then store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
• Freezer: Freeze in a single layer on a tray, then transfer to a freezer bag with parchment between layers. They keep well for about 2 months.
• Reheating: Pop them straight from frozen into a toaster, or warm in a 180°C / 350°F oven for 8–10 minutes. Microwaving works in a pinch but can make them a little chewy.

What to serve with it

• A warm ube latte for the full purple brunch.
• An iced coconut ube latte on warmer mornings.
• A small scoop of no-churn ube ice cream for a decadent dessert-for-breakfast moment.
• Fresh berries, sliced mango or banana, and a dollop of Greek yogurt.
• Crispy bacon or eggs if you like a sweet-and-savory plate.

FAQ

Why did my ube pancakes turn green or grey?

Ube's natural pigments are sensitive to pH. Alkaline ingredients like baking soda can shift the color toward blue, green or grey. Stick with baking powder and avoid adding soda.

Can I use fresh or frozen grated ube instead of powder?

You can, but it adds moisture and changes the texture. Powder is far easier to measure, gives consistent color, and keeps in the pantry.

Do ube pancakes taste very different from regular pancakes?

They taste like soft, fluffy pancakes with a gentle vanilla-nutty sweetness in the background. It's subtle and comforting rather than strong.

Can I make the batter the night before?

It's not ideal, because the baking powder loses strength overnight and the pancakes come out flatter. Mix the dry ingredients the night before instead, and the morning-of prep takes just a minute.

How much ube powder should I use for a stronger color?

Try 4 tablespoons (about 27 g) and reduce the flour by 1 tablespoon. Beyond that, the pancakes can start to feel a bit dense.

Ready to flip your first purple stack? Pick up a pouch of Pure Ube Latte Powder: 100% ube with no added sugar, dyes or fillers, perfect for pancakes, lattes and everything in between.