healthy flourless banana pancakes (gluten free, vegan)
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!
Vegan Gluten Free Banana Pancakes
Thick, fluffy and packed with protein, these healthy banana pancakes are a delicious vegan and gluten-free breakfast!
The combination of bananas, dairy-free milk and oats are combined to produce these flourless pancakes. Made without eggs, you’d be surprised to see just how fluffy these eggless pancakes are!
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.
How to make vegan pancakes fluffy
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.
Have a 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.
Avoid using overripe bananas
The ripeness of your banana can also affect the thickness of the batter, as a riper banana yields a thinner batter. If the batter seems a little too thin and is spreading too much don’t hesitate to add more oats. These banana pancakes have no flour, so don’t be afraid to add more oats if needed.
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 the healthy banana pancakes 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.
How to make the best vegan oatmeal pancakes sugar free
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.
Storing leftover banana oatmeal pancakes
Leftover pancakes should be stored in the fridge and will keep for at least 5 days.
Pancakes are freezer friendly and freeze beautifully. Ensure the pancakes are wrapped in parchment paper and stored in a ziplock bag or shallow container.
More healthy pancake recipes
- Cinnamon Roll Pancakes
- Blueberry Pancakes
- Pumpkin Pancakes
- Chocolate Chip Pancakes
- Zucchini Bread Pancakes
Healthy Vegan Gluten Free Flourless Banana Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 cup gluten free rolled oats
- 1/4 cup milk of choice
- 1 banana
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sticky sweetener of choice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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
Nutrition
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! 🙂