Fluffy Flourless Banana Smoothie Pancakes (Vegan, Gluten Free, Sugar Free)
These super thick and fluffy flourless banana smoothie pancakes are a filling, healthy, satisfying and easy breakfast recipe! Made with no eggs, butter, oil or flour, these banana smoothie pancakes are naturally gluten free, vegan, dairy free and come with a sugar free option!
Happy Friday, friends!
A new year and we’re back with the epic contributor posts! Kicking things off is the amazing Nat! Expect some fun news later this month but I’m just a little bit excited and I may or may not be eating these pancakes in real life.
BOOM.
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I hate to admit it, but I am that stereotypical blogger type who could drink a ginormous green smoothie for breakfast every morning. I don’t do it because it’s a thing, I do it because it’s delicious and exactly what I crave most of the time. And I also do it because it means I don’t have to worry about eating as many greens for the rest of my day. (Hello ice cream for dinner!) Vegetables and I just drift further and further apart as the day goes on, so I like to start strong.
But lately with the whole fall/winter thing, drinking a big frozen banana smoothie leaves me in dire need of a blanket shroud and fuzzy socks. And you know what is not a good combo? Wearing a blanket and working in the kitchen on recipes…pretty sure that’s a fire hazard. And I have caught on fire one too many dishtowels to make the cloth + oven mistake again. So for practicality sake, it’s time to switch things up.
Luckily switching to a warmer breakfast doesn’t mean I have to leave the bananas and blender behind though because of these Thick and Fluffy Flourless Banana Smoothie Pancakes! There are a few minor ingredient and amount tweaks to transform a smoothie into a soft fluffy pancake stack, but the 3 basic ingredients carry over from smoothie straight to this blender breakfast recipe: banana, non-dairy milk, and oats!
I typically add greens to my smoothies, so for one silly second, I thought about doing the same here. Then I remembered I actually wanted these pancakes to look like edible appetizing food. Green batter + golden-brown color of cooked pancakes…well I’ll just let your imagination finish that one for me. I learned my lesson about green in baked things with the Matcha Cake Experiment of 2015. Google ‘matcha cake’ and I find beautiful photos of grassy gorgeous 3 layer masterpieces. Make matcha cake and I find a hideous color-confused brown/green matcha mess in my oven. So now I keep the matcha to lattes and the greens to cold blender things.
Nothing is more pancake pitiful than a stack with no fluff. You know, those times that you question even calling it a stack. More like a plateau of pancake–wider than it is high. Too thick to be a crepe, too thin to be a proper pancake, just lost in that confusing breakfast food gray zone. That must be avoided.
So here are my tips for making sure that doesn’t happen to your banana smoothie pancakes…
Apple cider vinegar + baking powder. Many pancake recipes just call for the leavening agent and forget the acid, but you will get a lot more rise-factor with a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in the batter to help the baking powder do its job. You can use lemon juice as well, but after testing both I found the apple cider vinegar to work much better.
Thick batter. Having a really thick gloopy batter is important for tall fluffy pancakes because the less it spreads when you pour it in the pan, the more they will bake up not out. Since this batter is made with oats, which as oatmeal has taught us absorbs liquid and thickens with time, letting the batter rest for 10 minutes or so before cooking helps with the fluff factor. The ripeness of your banana can also affect the thickness of the batter, riper banana = thinner batter. So if it seems a little too thin and is spreading too much don’t hesitate to add more oats. If I have to help the batter a bit to spread into a circle in the pan then I know I’m en route to some very fluffy pancakes.
Keep them small. This one is kind of a cheat, but obviously smaller pancakes = more pancakes = taller stack.
Preheat your pan. Just like the thickness of the batter, having an already hot pan keeps them from spreading too much as well. I usually heat up my pan over high heat and then reduce it to a little above medium after it’s nice and hot. Low and slow pancake-cooking fans, do as you please. But mine will be done before yours–just sayin’. I find the first pancake of the batch to always be the least fluffy, it takes me one or two to find my pancake cooking groove. But it will be buried at the bottom of the stack anyways so no one needs to know.
More banana on top is never a bad idea, and blueberries would’ve been a nice touch too. Sprinkle on something crunchy–nuts, seeds, granola, sprinkles. Drench drown drizzle with maple syrup. And dive in! Those last steps are optional of course, top them whichever way you like. As long as you’re happy and the pancakes are fluffy, I’m happy!
Editor’s notes- To keep these sugar free, omit the pure maple syrup and replace it with a liquid sweetener of choice. I don’t recommend switching it out for sugar free maple syrup, as it pretty much resembles water, and loses the sweetness once cooked. Alternatively, you can omit it completely and enjoy the natural sweetness of the banana.
Make these healthy thick and fluffy Flourless Banana Smoothie Pancakes and don’t let the seasons stop you!
Healthy Thick and Fluffy Flourless Banana Smoothie Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 heaping cup rolled oats gluten free, if needed
- 1/4 cup milk of choice non-dairy, if needed
- 1 ripe banana
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp maple syrup*
- Optional: 1 tsp vanilla extract or ½ tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth.
- Allow the batter to rest for 5-10 minutes, giving the oats time to absorb liquid and thicken.
- Preheat a nonstick pan over medium high heat. Once hot, pour in about ¼ cup of batter.
- Cook for 1-2 minutes or until you can easily slide a spatula underneath. Flip. Cook for another 1-2 minutes on the second side.
- Repeat until all the batter is used up.
- Add your toppings of choice and enjoy.
Notes
Cookies and Cream Blender Ice Cream
2 Ingredient Flourless Flatbreads
2 Minute Flourless English Muffin
Thick and Creamy Cinnamon Roll Smoothie
Friends, you’d be doing yourselves a favor by connecting with Natalie not just on her blog, but via social media- She can be found on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube and Pinterest.
Do you enjoy smoothies in winter?
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Is there a way to make it paleo with almond flour or coconut flour? hey look so good, but I can’t eat oatmeal
Hi Mary! I have several low carb pancake recipes on here, they don’t contain bananas, but you can add some on top 🙂
The thickness to fluffiness ratio is soooooooo on-point here! Natalie, these are some EPIC pancakes <3
😀 You said it!
I haven’t made pancakes in ages. I love the idea of them, but I’m super impatient in the kitchen haha. These look totally worth it, though!
Haha, I LOVE The TJ’s boxed pumpkin kind 😉
Mine didn’t come very fluffy and at first I was not happy with them, until I sat down to eat them with a little sugar free syrup. They were delish!
That’s what I like to hear! 🙂
Can’t believe how fluffy these are!! *Cue quote from Despicable Me*: It’s so fluffy I’m gonna dieeeeee <3
😀 YAAAAAAS!!!
These are great! I had to add more almond milk as they were too thick. The taste and smell reminded me of banana bread. They weren’t as fluffy as your pic, but it didn’t matter, still really good! Definitely making again.
YES! It totally does smell and taste like banana bread right? SO GOOD!
Woah! Those bad boys are flourless!? They look so fluffy and amazing. I’d like to order 2 stacks please! Also, I love me some banana bread, so I’m pretty sure I’d love these pancakes. And I’ve been craving pancakes like you wouldn’t believe lately…
These are the best of both worlds- Banana bread AND pancakes in one!
Fabulous fluffyness! You are SO on point about the first pancake never being quite right too! Terrific taste on these (I added the cinnamon). And VERY filling! I had half the batch and was quite satisfied – which made it Weight Watchers points-friendly for me! Woo hoo we have a winner! Love your website, thank you!
😀 So glad to have you here, Kathy! 🙂
Words do not describe my excitement for these pancakes. They are awesome. I did add more almond milk to thin them out a bit and added cinnamon. Will definitely be making these again and again and again!
YES!!!! Thanks so much, Stephanie!
I really liked these. I’m wondering if you need that much baking powder. 1 tablespoon seems like so much for such a small recipe. I know nothing about the hows and why’s of baking powder, so I’m just wondering.
They were quite thick, so next time, I’d add more milk. It was too much to eat all at once, which was great. I froze the remainder, and reheated in the microwave.
Thanks for your fun recipes!
Hi Linda, it is needed for the fluffiness 🙂 So glad you enjoyed them, freezing them is a fantastic idea!
These look and sound amazing, and I love that they’re so healthy!
You said it! Enjoy, Valentina!
Just made these for breakfast and they are BRILLIANT!!!!! I did have to add a little extra almond milk but that’s it!!!! I had mine with a little unsweetened apple sauce on top and my spouse used them as toast to put his fried eggs on!!! We both fell in love 🙂 Thank you so much for the recipe!
I’m thrilled the recipe worked out so well for you. Unfortunately I didn’t have the same experience even with adding more almond milk. I think the bananas I used were not ripe enough. Perhaps very ripe bananas are the key to the recipe. I think I’ll try again and this time use very ripe bananas.
Yes, overripe bananas are key- I’m not sure why it hasn’t worked for you yet!
OMG With fried eggs- What a fantastic idea, Rhonda! You are so welcome!
Made these twice. Wasn’t so sure about them on the first attempt. The second attempt made me a believer. I follow a no flour and no sugar diet and have been looking for something like this to be able to get pancakes back into my menu. These are amazing. With the second attempt, I pulsed all of the ingredients in the blender, minus the banana. When it looked like the oatmeal was very fine, I then added in the banana and pulsed again until it was mixed well. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
😀 That’s what I like to hear! Thank you sO much, Kim!
Can these be flash frozen and reheated for kids on school days? Any tips?
Hi Steph! Absolutely- Simply freeze them individually and then thaw completely before enjoying 🙂
Made these this morning.. They are so light and fluffy… loved them. The only thing different i did was to add a cup of almond milk instead of 1/4 cup.. I dont know if maybe a high powered blender like a vitamix makes a difference or not, i have an old fashioned blender so maybe that is why i had to add more milk? Still they were really good…
Fantastic- Thanks so much for letting me know, Laurie! 🙂
Fat, yes. Fluffy, no way. They are incredibly dense and heavy – which I LOVE since pancakes usually don’t fill me up. Also, I had to ad more almond milk since the batter wouldn’t even move in my blender. Yummy though!
Ahhh thanks for the feedback, Shelly! If your banana isn’t overripe and a little too small, this can happen! Glad you were able to add more milk to it in the end 🙂
Made these this morning and I was pleasantly surprised at how tasty they were. They’re definitely heartier and not nearly as light as a regular pancake, but still yummy in their own right. I added both the vanilla and the cinnamon, which got me to thinking they’d be lovely with some apple pie filling in the fall. I was thinking they’d be tasty with caramel extract, too. Next time! Thanks for the great healthy recipe. 🙂
You are so welcome, Aimee! Stay tuned for more options on it 🙂
This recipe was perfect! My pancakes turned out fluffy and delish. You inspired me to try more of your recipes and making a healthier way of eating. Thank you.
🙂 That means the world, Patty 🙂
I’ve tried to make this recipe twice with quinoa flakes, as I cannot eat oats, and it just hasn’t been working for me! But thismorning I chucked an egg into the mixture and they came out perfect! Thankyou 🙂
That’s great to hear- Thanks, Bec- I hope this is helpful for others who cannot enjoy oats 🙂
thank you for being here to help the people that need these excellent recipes…
You are so welcome, Sara!
these tasted amazing apart from next time im going to half the baking powder as the after taste was too much for me
Glad you enjoyed them, Chloe!
Is the amount of milk ok? I had to add more to my mixture because it was not runny enough to make the pancakes…
Hi Laura! It is- Although you may need less/more depending on how ripe and large your banana is!
I tried this today and the flavor was fantastic! Really loved these! I had one problem. I mixed all the ingredients in my Magic Bullet. When I was unscrewing the lid the contents exploded out all over the place. I realized the apple cider vinegar and baking powder caused this reaction. Next time I will use my blender with ventilation. Thanks again for the great recipe!
Ahh sorry for the kitchen mess- Glad you enjoyed them 🙂
Soundsummy and worth a try – but a full tablespoon of baking powder? Is this correct? It sounds like an awful lot.
Hi Greg! It is, but readers have said it has worked with 1-2 teaspoons instead. I personally prefer the full one for ultimate fluffiness.
Hi! I was wondering if you can substitute millet or quinoa for the oats? Would this provide the same consistency?
Thanks! So excited to try.
Hi Cass! Ground quinoa flakes work beautifully, along with buckwheat flour 🙂
I completely forgot the baking powder, and used 7T of aquafaba plus 1/4 cup more soy milk and they were delicious! I will see what baking powder does next time.
Fantastic- Glad it worked out 🙂
this might be a really stupid question – but did you use oil in the pan for these? just tried them (in a non-stick pan) and they kept sticking to the pan, whenever i thought i’d be able to flip them one side would be burnt while the pancake just wouldn’t flip, all of them kept falling apart…
Hi Masha! I didn’t, but I do use a good quality non-stick pan. 🙂 If it doesn’t stick, add some oil 🙂
Hi! So today I made these today and even thought they tourned out delicious, they were not even near as pretty as the your ones in the pictures. But still it’s my first attempt so I’ll keep trying and I believe I’ll suceed soon! However, do you think that substituting maple syrup for date syrup would make a big difference?
Hmmm it shouldn’t- You can try it out and see 🙂
So yummy. The trick is to let the batter sit for 15 to 20 mins. If you think it’s too thick, just pat them down with the spatula while they are cooking. I like them better than regular pancakes.
YES! It makes them even more fluffy! 🙂
Hey! We love these pancakes. I was wondering if you’ve ever made these or the blueberry version as a bake. Your healthy flourless blueberry breakfast cake is in the oven right now, but I’d like to try this as a bake since it doesn’t have any nut butter in it. Thanks!
Hi Hanna! I’ve never tried it that way but I don’t see why not- Feel free to experiment!
Hi. Would this work with quick oats?
Sure, as long as you blend it 🙂
I take my hat off to all you wonderful women who take the time out to create these AWESOME recipes. The pancakes did not come out fluffy but taste was really good. I will try again. Keep doing wonderful work your doing. I appreciate it very much!! You rock 🙂
Thanks, Janet!
This pancakes are delicious I put cinnamon on mines and I felt in love with them I made them today plus everybody wanted more so next time I’mma have to double the receipt thanks for this amazing receipt love it so much….
LOVE IT! 🙂 Cheers, Yndira!
They were amazingly fluffy but tasted too much of baking powder. Is it really table spoon of baking powdred and not tea spoon here??
Hi Kristina! The full tablespoon is correct, some brands are bitter compared to others: )
Holy fluffiness, these are are good!
🙂 Great to hear it, Christine!
These are sooooo amazing!!!! How have I been living without them????
Hahaha thank you!!!
This is the most ‘pancakey’ vegan pancake I’ve ever had! And to top that, it’s flourless! Of course I had to add a 1/4 cup more of almond milk, maybe due to the size of the banana or so. But overall, amazing! And being so quick to make, this will be my go-to any day of the week! Thanks a ton…
😀 LOVE IT!
These were great! I added just a little more almond milk and the taste is wonderful! I wonder if anyone has made these using pumpkin?
Hi!! 🙂 There is a pumpkin version- https://thebigmansworld.com/2017/09/04/fluffy-flourless-pumpkin-pancakes-vegan-gluten-free-sugar-free/
So so yummy! I Haven’t been able to eat pancake so long! I just had to add a little more milk because my blender isn’t that powerful. Thanks so much for the recipe!
You are so welcome, Lauren!
I’ve been Vegetarian all my life, & have recently decided to go total vegan – I literally made this recipe 20 minutes ago & these came out PERFECTLY! I added half a teaspoon of cinnamon to the blender & love, love, love the result!!
😀 Thank you SO much for the feedback!
I just made the banana pancakes, and they are delicious and fluffy. The texture of the oatmeal paired with the subtle flavor of banana makes these perfect for breakfast or an afternoon snack. I tried one plain, then with maple syrup, both are tasty; I prefer them plain or with a sprinkle of cinnamon and powdered sugar. I will definitely make these again. Thank you for a delicious recipe.
You are so welcome, Astria! 🙂
Hey, do you have the nutrition facts for these panckes?? Thanks
Sure do, check out myfitnesspal and plug in the ingredients, it will provide it for you 🙂
Hi
I was wondering if there is a substitute for apple cider vinegar?
Hi there- lemon or lime juice works great!
I’ve been making these for quite awhile now whenever I needed a quick dinner. So very good and healthy! Yesterday I made some, and since I had some blueberries, I also added them too. Wow! Made a great pancake even better. Yum!
🙂 Thanks, Dee!
What can you used instead of rolled oats? Would coconut flour be ok?
Not for this recipe! Quinoa flakes work!
Is 1/4 cup almond milk correct? Mine wouldn’t even blend with that little liquid. I ended up adding another 1/4 cup so 1/2 cup total.
Hi! It is, but feel free to use more if needed, the banana I used was larger and as such, didn’t need as much 🙂
Substitute for maple syrup? Don’t have liquid sweetener either.
I’ve only tried with that.
These were so delicious! Mine didn’t look as pretty as the photo but they were fluffy and so good!! This is the most practical vegan I have found. My new go to!
😀 That means so much!