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 tsp baking powder
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp sticky sweetener of choice
- 1 tsp 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
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 🙂