A healthier and lighter take on pancakes, these banana oatmeal pancakes have no added sugar and are topped with a simple toasted oat and nut topping for extra texture.
What Makes These Pancakes “Healthier”
This recipe is inspired by my go-to weekday breakfast of banana oatmeal with berries. I wanted to adapt that into pancake form for the days that I’m just a little tired of oatmeal! As opposed to regular pancakes that usually add some sugar or use buttermilk, these get their sweetness and creaminess from the mashed banana. There’s no milk, either, just an egg and some oats and oat flour (or flour of your preference). If you’re looking for some middle ground in terms of pancakes and want something less indulgent, then these are the pancakes for you Added bonus? They can easily be made gluten free using GF flour and oats. PS: If you’re looking for some traditional buttermilk pancakes, then try this recipe for apple chai spice pancakes!
Key Ingredients
Banana
This recipe will work with any level of ripeness. Ideally, very ripe bananas work best because they are sweeter, but even if you have a banana with some green on it, it will still work. You might just need to work a little harder to mash them. And that’s the key: the banana needs to be mashed up really well for this (i.e. no big chunks).
Oats
I use old-fashioned oats in this, but gluten free oats would work just as well. The oats help give the pancake a bit more structure and they also help to keep you fuller longer!
Flour
In this recipe, I like to use oat flour because it makes for a lighter pancake, but I’ve also made these with regular flour. If you’re making them gluten free then feel free to use GF flour in this.
Variations
These pancakes are very customizable, but here are some possible ideas if you’re looking to change things up:
- Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Pancakes: Simply add 1 tablespoon of peanut butter (or nut butter of your choosing) into the batter.
- Coconut Banana Oatmeal Pancakes: Adding in 2 tablespoons of unsweetened shredded coconut or coconut flakes will add a slight hint of coconut to these.
- Chocolate Chip Banana Oatmeal Pancakes: Add in 1-2 tablespoons of chocolate chips to amp up these pancakes.
Toppings
These pancakes taste great as they are, but I like to make a simple and quick oat and nut topping for added crunch. Simply add oats, finely chopped nuts (any kind will do), and some coconut oil (or oil of your choice) and toast in the oven for 10 minutes. You can also add coconut flakes or honey to this, as well.
If you’re short on time, then topping these with some berries, honey, or maple syrup will work great. But again, they are just as good plain if you’re conscious about sugar intake!
Banana Oatmeal Pancakes
Ingredients
- 2 bananas
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
- 4 tbsp oat flour
- 4 tbsp oats
- 1 tsp cinnamon (optional)
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- 1-2 tbsp butter or oil of your choice
Optional Toasted Oat and Nut Topping
- ⅓ tbsp melted coconut oil or oil of your choice
- 2 tbsp finely chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts, almonds, etc.)
- 2 tbsp oats
- ½ tbsp honey (optional)
Instructions
- Peel and mash the bananas in a medium bowl. Add the egg and whisk with a fork until combined.
- Add in the vanilla extract as well as the rest of the ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Grease a pan with butter or oil and heat the pan to medium-high heat.
- Use a 1/4 scoop to pour the batter into the pan. Cook for about 2-3 minutes until you start to see some bubbles forming at the top. Flip over and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.
- Repeat until all batter is used. Top with optional oat and nut topping and/or with maple syrup and fruit.
Toasted Oat and Nut Topping
- Preheat oven to 350°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mix all the ingredients so the oil is incorporated. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes.