Gluten-free Pancake Day cooks
Check the soya drink, flour and other ingredients together. Coeliac UK also advises keeping gluten-free ingredients and preparation separate from gluten-containing food.
Who is this for?
Cooks choosing the batter’s sweetness
Alpro’s Soya No Sugars lists 0.0 g sugars per 100 ml, while Soya Original lists 2.5 g. The difference matters when deciding how much sweetness to add through toppings.
People avoiding dairy who can consume soya
Alpro describes both drinks as dairy-free and lactose-free. They still contain soya, so they are not suitable for someone with a soya allergy.
What to check before choosing
Start with the gluten-free claim on the exact drink, then check the rest of the recipe before comparing sugar values or other nutrition information.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free pancakes | Check the current carton for a gluten-free claim and use gluten-free flour. Coeliac UK advises cleaning shared equipment and keeping ingredients separate to avoid cross-contact. | I need the whole pancake recipe, not just the drink, to be suitable for a gluten-free diet. |
| Sugar in the drink | Compare the exact variant’s per 100 ml value: Alpro UK lists 0.0 g sugars for Soya No Sugars and 2.5 g for Soya Original. | If toppings will add sweetness, I may prefer No Sugars; if I want sugar in the drink itself, I can consider Original. |
| Soya allergen | Read the allergen information on the exact product. The Food Standards Agency identifies soya as an allergen; a gluten-free claim does not address soya. | For someone with a soya allergy, I need a suitable non-soya ingredient instead. |
| Dairy replacement | If protein or added nutrients matter to your choice, compare cartons rather than assuming soya drinks have the same values. Alpro UK lists 3.3 g protein per 100 ml for both named variants. | I want to compare the exact dairy-free drinks I might use in the batter. |
Pancake Day checks people can miss
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Assuming plant-based means gluten free
Being made from soya does not establish that a particular drink carries a gluten-free claim.
Read the current label for the exact variant rather than relying on dairy-free, vegan or unsweetened wording.
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Checking the drink but not the batter
A gluten-free drink does not make pancakes gluten free if another ingredient contains gluten or preparation causes cross-contact.
Use gluten-free flour and follow Coeliac UK’s advice to clean shared pans and utensils and keep ingredients separate.
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Overlooking a soya allergy
Gluten-free status does not change the presence of soya in a soya drink.
For someone with a soya allergy, choose a suitable non-soya alternative after checking its own allergen and gluten-free information.
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Treating Original and No Sugars as equivalent
Alpro UK lists 2.5 g sugars per 100 ml for Soya Original and 0.0 g for Soya No Sugars.
Choose the drink alongside your planned recipe and toppings, rather than relying on the word “soya” to indicate its sugar value.
Relevant brand and retailer references
Alpro
Alpro UK provides product information for Soya Original and Soya No Sugars.
- Alpro describes both named drinks as gluten free and dairy free, and lists 3.3 g protein per 100 ml for each.
- They contain soya. Their gluten-free claims do not establish that the remaining pancake ingredients are gluten free.
Tesco
Tesco’s listing for Alpro Soya Original describes that exact drink as gluten free and suitable for coeliacs.
- The listing gives an additional product-specific label reference for Alpro Soya Original.
- That description does not establish the gluten-free status of other soya drinks sold by Tesco.
Sainsbury's
Sainsbury's lists Alpro Soya No Sugars and an own-label Unsweetened Soya Drink.
- Its Alpro listing describes that product as gluten free; the own-label listing gives a sugar value of less than 0.5 g per 100 ml.
- Do not transfer the Alpro gluten-free claim to the own-label drink. Check that drink’s current carton if gluten-free suitability is needed.
M&S
M&S describes its Unsweetened Soya Drink as fortified with calcium, iodine, vitamin D and vitamin B12.
- The named added nutrients give shoppers specific carton details to compare.
- Check the current label for a gluten-free claim before using this drink in gluten-free batter.
Soya drinks on Joybuy
These Alpro soya drinks are options to consider for Pancake Day batter. Check the current carton of the exact variant for a gluten-free claim, particularly where the drink differs from Alpro’s named No Sugars and Original products.
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Alpro Soya No Sugars Long Life Drink, 8 × 1 L
For batter where you plan to add sweetness through toppings, Alpro UK lists 0.0 g sugars per 100 ml and describes Soya No Sugars as gluten free. Check the current cartons for this multipack; eight 1 L cartons may be more than one pancake-making occasion requires. Contains soya.
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Alpro Soya Drink OG (6)
For Pancake Day batter, check this organic variant’s current carton for its gluten-free wording and sugar value before choosing it. It contains soya; a suitable drink still needs to be paired with gluten-free flour and careful preparation.
Frequently asked questions
Does gluten-free soya drink make the finished pancakes gluten free?
No. Coeliac UK’s pancake recipe uses gluten-free self-raising flour, and its cooking advice calls for keeping gluten-free ingredients and preparation separate from gluten-containing food.
What does “gluten free” mean on a UK soya-drink label?
The Food Standards Agency states that the UK labelling condition for “gluten free” is no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten in the food as sold to the final consumer. Check the claim on the exact drink you intend to use.
Should I use Original or No Sugars soya drink for batter?
Choose according to the sugar you want from the drink and your planned toppings. Alpro UK lists 0.0 g sugars per 100 ml for Soya No Sugars and 2.5 g for Soya Original, and describes both named drinks as gluten free.
Is gluten-free soya drink suitable for someone with a soya allergy?
No. A gluten-free claim concerns gluten, not soya. The Food Standards Agency identifies soya as an allergen; check a suitable non-soya alternative’s own allergen and gluten-free information instead.