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These healthy banana pancakes are perfectly thick and fluffy and come together in minutes! Made with oats and naturally sweetened, these are naturally vegan and gluten free.
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Why you’ll love this healthy banana pancakes recipe
I have already shared some delicious healthy pancake recipes, including cinnamon roll and zucchini pancakes. This time around, I got inspired by my favorite banana smoothie and came up with these flourless banana pancakes that don’t contain flour, dairy, eggs, or added sugar.
- No flour and eggs. Like in banana protein pancakes or protein pancakes, this recipe uses oats as a flour substitute and bananas as a binding agent. Made with dairy-free milk and no flour, these pancakes are great for vegan and gluten-free diets.
- Perfectly fluffy. Despite being made with no eggs, these banana pancakes turn out thick and fluffy. The secret is using a combination of apple cider vinegar and baking powder.
- Freezer-friendly. If you enjoy having pancakes for breakfast, double or triple this recipe and freeze part of the pancakes for later.
- Guilt-free. Like healthy oatmeal pancakes, these make a filling and wholesome breakfast idea.
Ingredients needed
You don’t need any special ingredients to make these flourless pancakes. You most likely already have all ingredients at home.
- Bananas. For this recipe, I recommend you avoid using overripe bananas. Overripe bananas result in a thinner batter which is not what we are aiming for in this recipe.
- Rolled oats. Thanks to their coarser texture, rolled oats work better for this pancake batter. Check the packaging to make sure the oats are gluten-free.
- Milk. Use any milk you like. To keep these pancakes vegan, I opted for almond milk.
- Baking powder. It helps the pancakes rise.
- Apple cider vinegar. Baking powder reacts with the vinegar and provides a better rise for the pancakes.
- Sweetener. Use a tablespoon of your favorite sticky sweetener. We only use a small amount as the pancakes are sweetened with bananas. Maple syrup, honey agave, or even honey are all fantastic options.
- Vanilla extract. To deepen the flavor of the pancakes.
How to make healthy banana pancakes
Just like any other pancake recipe, these flourless pancakes are very easy to make. Here’s how you make them in just two simple steps.
Step 1 – Combine all ingredients
Add all ingredients to a blender. Blend until a smooth mixture remains. Allow the batter to sit for 5 to 10 minutes. In the meantime, preheat a non-stick pan over medium-high heat.
Step 2 – Cook the pancakes
Once the pan is hot and the batter has thickened, pour ¼ cup of batter into the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes per side. Repeat until all batter is used up.
Serve these healthy pancakes with the toppings of your choice.
Flavor variations
You can change up the flavor of these pancakes while keeping them healthy and sugar-free. Here are a few flavor variations ideas.
- Fold dark chocolate chips into the pancake batter once you have blended it.
- Add cinnamon to these banana pancakes to highlight the winning combination of this warm spice and bananas.
- Add a few tablespoons of cocoa powder to make chocolate banana pancakes (a cross between chocolate and chocolate chip pancakes!). As the cocoa powder has thickening properties, you’ll need to use less oats.
Storage instructions
To store. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
To freeze. Freeze these pancakes for up to 6 months. Store the pancakes in an airtight container or bag to prevent them from freezer burn. Put layers of parchment paper in between the pancakes so that they don’t stick to each other.
To reheat. Warm up these pancakes in the microwave or on the stove over medium heat.
Recipe tips and tricks
- If you don’t have apple cider vinegar at hand, substitute it with lemon juice. While vinegar provides better results, lemon juice is better than nothing.
- Let the batter sit for around 10 minutes before you start cooking the pancakes. The batter will thicken as the oats soak up more liquid.
- Don’t be afraid of the thickness of the batter. A thick batter doesn’t spread too much in the pan, resulting in fluffier pancakes.
- If overripe bananas were all you had and you have ended up with a thinner batter, just add more oats until you reach the desired thickness.
- Make sure the pan is properly heated. This is another key step that prevents the pancakes from spreading too much.
More pancake recipes to try
- Almond flour pancakes
- Chocolate chip pancakes
- Coconut flour pancakes
- Oat flour pancakes
- Chocolate pancakes
- Sweet potato pancakes
- Cottage cheese pancakes
Frequently asked questions
Banana pancakes shouldn’t be mushy inside. Cooking the pancakes on high heat is the main reason why they remain undercooked and mushy in the middle.
Banana pancakes tend to fall apart when there are large chunks of banana in the batter. Use a blender or a food processor to achieve a smooth batter.
It is recommended to make this pancake 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.
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 all the ingredients in a blender. 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 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.
Ok Here’s what I did. I used honey for my sticky sweetener. I had to add a little more milk, about 1 or 2 TBS. I used a very ripe, almost completely brown skin banana (more flavor!).
I cooked these on a cast iron circle flat pan, and YES I lightly greased it before cooking the pancakes.
These cooked beautifully, dense but not crepes! The oat flavor definitely comes through, but so does the banana (very strongly).
I am GF, so used GF oats. I am not supposed to have grains though, so I may try these with almond flour. I do not like coconut flour because sometimes it tastes like soap (rancid). These made 6 4-inch pancakes.
hahahaha like soap. Some brands are like that unfortunately! Yes, try almond flour as a potential substitute for it 🙂
Those were fantastic! Just finished making a batch. I’m not vegan or vegetarian but I do eat clean! I just didn’t have an egg and am staying away from gluten products. Stumbled upon your pancake recipe and decided to give them a go! I will try adding cinnamon….maybe chocolate chips for my boys…blueberries would work great….AND I will definitely check out your other recipes! Thanks!
Karen 🇨🇦
😀 LOVE IT!
These turned out perfectly! I made these for my husbands birthday (he was a skeptic at first) and he loved them – his exact words were “I could eat another 5 of those”. Next time I’m making a double batch! I increased the almond milk to 1/4 cup and added 1 tsp cinnamon & nutmeg spice mix.
Topped it with sliced bananas, maple syrup and a small dollop of SunButter. I’m on a new diet of dairy/soy/egg/peanut free because of my daughters intolerances, and I’m so happy to be able to enjoy pancakes again :).
🙂 I love this!!! Thanks for the feedback and the recipe addition suggestions!
I dont typically write comments on recipes I’ve tried, but I just have to for these! I can’t rave enough about this recipe! Seriously, I share them with all of my groups (gluten free, healthy eating, mommy groups, etc) and with all my family and friends! I was told to cut out gluten and dairly a year ago and it has been a struggle to stay strict, but these pancakes always come in clutch! I’m super picky about textures, and these I have NO issues, they are so good and fluffy! Even my 3 yr old can eat regular pancakes one day and these the next and doesnt notice a difference! I’m actually trying to brainstorm how I could use this batter in other ways bc I havent been able to find anything gluten free with a good, fluffy, not grainy texture!
As for the thickness of the batter, that’s key for the fluffiness! I probably use 1/3 of almond milk, but it’s still fairly thick. Just scoop it out with a 1/4 measuring cup and dollop it into the pan and smooth down with the bottom of the cup. I like to add all different toppings from blueberries to peanut butter and bananas. The only topping that seemed to cause issues was chocolate chips, but the only reason I can think for that is Devine intervention because, do I really need the extra sugar? 😅 I then add more batter to the top so the toppings are covered. Mine turn out just like the picture, as long as I use a GOOD non stick pan on med high heat, with nothing added except MAYBE the tiniest brushing of oil. And lastly, I think I perfected it all today by using 1 small semi-ripe (mostly yellow with faint brown spots starting) banana and half a frozen SUPER ripe banana. I get the yummy banana sweetness, but still holds together well. And I add a 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon as well. Sorry for the length, this is why I never comment because I could just go on and on about good food ❤
This means so much, thank you!!
Hi, what’s the nutritional info for these?
I haven’t calculated it but check out myfitnesspal and plug in the ingredients.
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!
Substitute for maple syrup? Don’t have liquid sweetener either.
I’ve only tried with that.
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 🙂
What can you used instead of rolled oats? Would coconut flour be ok?
Not for this recipe! Quinoa flakes work!
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!
Hi
I was wondering if there is a substitute for apple cider vinegar?
Hi there- lemon or lime juice works great!
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 🙂
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! 🙂