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My healthy banana pancake recipe is so simple that my family is obsessed with it! They’re made in one blender and yield thick and fluffy pancakes every time.
Need more healthy breakfast recipes? Try my healthy breakfast muffins, overnight steel cut oats, or cottage cheese eggs next.
Table of Contents
I make pancakes for my family at least once or twice a week, and when I need a tried-and-true recipe, I make my classic banana pancakes.
But they’re not just ANY banana pancakes. Rather, they’re made with a shortlist of wholesome and healthy ingredients, though you’d never guess by how fluffy they are and how sweet they taste!
Why I love this recipe
- Diet-friendly. They’re naturally free of gluten, eggs, AND dairy.
- The perfect texture. They’re light, fluffy, and golden brown, with a subtle bite and caramelized banana flavor.
- Make a bunch at once. I usually double or triple my recipe so I can have backup pancakes in the freezer ready to go.
Key Ingredients
- Ripe bananas. Normally, I suggest overripe bananas, but for this recipe, I suggest you avoid them. I tested overripe bananas and found they made the batter too thin. Stick to relatively firm, spotty bananas.
- Rolled oats. Thanks to their coarser texture, rolled oats work better for this pancake batter. Use gluten-free oats if necessary.
- Milk. I used almond milk to keep this recipe dairy-free, but any milk will do.
- Baking powder. It helps the pancakes rise.
- Apple cider vinegar. Baking powder reacts with the vinegar and provides a better rise for the pancakes. Lemon juice also works.
- Sweetener. I used a drizzle of maple syrup, but any granulated or liquid sweetener will work. Alternatively, you can skip the sweetener altogether and rely on the bananas’ natural sweetness.
- Vanilla extract. To deepen the flavor of the pancakes.
How to make healthy banana pancakes
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Blend. Combine all dry ingredients and wet ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Let the batter rest briefly.
Cook. Pour the pancake batter into a skillet over medium heat and cook for several minutes. Flip, then continue cooking until golden brown.
Repeat. Continue cooking the pancakes until all of the batter is used up.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Know when to flip. Look for bubbles on the surface of the pancake to know when to flip. The spatula should easily slide under the pancake, too.
- Cover the pancakes. This is my (not-so) secret trick to guarantee fluffy pancakes every time. Covering the pan traps in all the heat which forces the pancakes to rise considerably.
- Adjust the consistency. The batter should be slightly thicker than regular batter, but it should still be pourable. If it’s too thin, add extra oats and blend. If it’s too thick, add a splash of milk.
- Make sure the pan is hot. If the pan isn’t preheated, the batter is more likely to stick to it.
Frequently asked questions
It depends. Banana pancakes can still have plenty of sugar and other less healthy ingredients, which is why I prefer actual healthy pancake recipes–like this one!
Banana pancakes tend to fall apart when there are large chunks of banana in the batter. This is why I suggest using a blender or a food processor to achieve a smooth batter.
I recommend making the batter right before making the pancakes. The baking powder will become less effective as the batter sits in the fridge. Additionally, the oats may absorb too much liquid.
More healthy banana recipes
Healthy Banana Pancakes
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup rolled oats gluten free, if needed
- 1/4 cup milk I used almond milk
- 1 large banana
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Combine the oats, milk, banana, baking powder, vinegar, maple syrup, and vanilla in a blender and blend until smooth.
- Allow the batter to rest for five 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 covered. Flip and Cook for another 1-2 minutes on the second side.
- Repeat until all the batter is used up.
Notes
- Mix-ins. Add ¼ cup of chocolate chips or a few tablespoons of peanut butter or almond butter.
- Don’t blend the bananas. I prefer having the banana flavor blended into the batter, but if you prefer chunks of banana slices, reserve half to gently whisk into the batter.
- Spices. Add a dash of cinnamon or nutmeg to bring out the warming banana flavor.
- Garnish. Top the pancakes with fresh berries or a dollop of Greek yogurt for a more satisfying breakfast.
- To store: Store leftover pancakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- To freeze: Let the pancakes cool completely, then freeze them in a freezer bag for 3 months. I like to separate the pancakes with squares of parchment paper to keep them from sticking.
- To reheat: Microwave 1-2 pancakes for 15-20 seconds, or reheat multiple in a toaster oven at 350F for 8-10 minutes.
Nutrition
Originally updated March 2023, updated and republished December 2024
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 🙂
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 🙂
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 🙂
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 🙂
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.
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 🙂
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!
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!
thank you for being here to help the people that need these excellent recipes…
You are so welcome, Sara!
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 🙂
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 🙂
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 🙂
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 🙂