These Fluffy Banana Oatmeal Pancakes are what happens when one very ripe banana and a few simple ingredients decide to stop feeling like "I forgot to grocery shop" and start looking like breakfast. They are soft and tender like classic pancakes, with just enough oats and protein to keep you satisfied until lunch. Made in either a bowl or a blender, they are ready in about 30 minutes.
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Banana Oatmeal Pancakes can go in a few different directions. Some are made entirely in a blender with only oats, banana, and eggs, and those can be great, but they can also lean a little flat or dense. I wanted a banana oat pancakes recipe that still felt like pancakes. Crispy edges, tender centers, a little maple sweetness, and without too many ripe bananas that can make pancakes taste like warm baby food.
My version uses yogurt for tenderness, quick oats for texture, and a flour to keep everything light and pancake-y. You can mix everything in one bowl or use a blender for a smoother batter, but either way, the secret is giving the oats a short rest so they can soften and thicken the batter, then adding a little milk to loosen the batter before cooking.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Easy - You only need one ripe banana, a bowl, and basic breakfast ingredients to make a full batch of soft, fluffy pancakes.
- Fluffy - Flour, yogurt, baking powder, and baking soda work together so these banana oat pancakes cook up tender instead of heavy.
- Flexible - Make them in a bowl for more oat texture or in a blender for smoother banana oatmeal pancakes.
- Cozy - Banana, maple syrup, vanilla, oats, and a tiny bit of nutmeg give these pancakes a warm, breakfast-all-day kind of flavor.
- Make-ahead friendly - Leftover pancakes keep well in the refrigerator or freezer, so future you gets breakfast without doing present-you's dishes.
These banana oatmeal pancakes are quick, delicious, and fluffy, with enough banana-oat flavor to make one ripe banana feel like a full breakfast plan.
Ingredients & Substitutions
The photo below shows everything you need to make these banana oatmeal pancakes. I will walk you through the major ingredients and how to substitute them if needed.
- Banana - Use one very ripe banana with plenty of brown spots. The riper the banana, the sweeter and more flavorful your pancakes will be. If your banana is under ripe, your pancakes will have a more starchy, less sweet flavor.
- Greek yogurt - Yogurt makes the pancakes tender and adds a little extra body to the batter. Plain or vanilla yogurt both work, but if you use vanilla yogurt, you may want to reduce the maple syrup slightly.
- Milk - Milk loosens the batter so the pancakes are scoopable instead of thick and heavy. Whole milk gives the best texture, but 2 percent milk or your favorite unsweetened nondairy milk will work.
- Maple syrup - Maple syrup lightly sweetens the batter and works beautifully with the banana and oats. Honey can work in a pinch, but maple syrup is the better flavor match here.
- Quick oats - Quick oats soften faster than old-fashioned oats, which helps the pancakes cook evenly. If you only have old-fashioned oats, pulse them a few times in a blender or food processor first or let them soak in the wet ingredients for at least 10 minutes before proceeding with the recipe.
- Oats, etc. - Whole oats are highly susceptible to cross contamination during harvesting or process processing. If you have celiac disease, or are highly gluten sensitive, make sure that your oats are certified gluten-free oats.
- All-purpose flour - Flour keeps these pancakes lighter and fluffier than many all-oat banana pancakes. I have not tested this recipe with gluten-free flour, but a 1:1 baking blend would be the best place to start.
- Nutmeg - A tiny bit of nutmeg adds warmth without making the pancakes taste like banana bread. You can use cinnamon instead, but I prefer nutmeg here because it lets the banana flavor stay front and center.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Have leftover greek yogurt? Try an Any Fruit Yogurt Smoothie! It's also a great way to use up extra bananas.
Variations
Once you have the basic banana oatmeal pancake batter down, you can take it in a few very breakfast-friendly directions.
- Banana nut - Fold chopped toasted walnuts or pecans into the batter along with a teaspoon cinnamon for banana bread flavor without having to wait for a loaf to bake.
- Chocolate chip - Add mini chocolate chips right before cooking for pancakes that will make everyone at the table act like you invented joy.
- Blueberry banana - Scatter fresh fruit over each pancake right after the batter hits the pan instead of stirring them into the bowl.
- Peanut butter - Warm a spoonful of peanut butter (or almond butter) with maple syrup and drizzle it over the finished pancakes.
Cynthia's Recipe Review
These are the banana pancakes I want when I have one banana looking deeply dramatic on the counter and I know I have to use it NOW. They are soft, fluffy, a little oat-y, and absolutely not giving "sad blender pancake."
Quick Recipe Video
Step-by-Step Instructions
These banana oatmeal pancakes come together quickly, but let the batter rest before cooking. That short rest gives the oats time to soften and helps the pancakes cook up tender and fluffy.
- Step 1: Melt the butter and set it aside to cool slightly while you mix the batter.
Step 2: Add banana and Greek yogurt into a large mixing bowl. Use a fork to mash the banana.
Step 3: Add an egg, maple syrup, vanilla extract, the melted butter, and half of your milk. Whisk thoroughly to mix and break up the banana to your desired consistency.
Step 4: Sprinkle oats on top and mix in. If using whole oats, let sit for at least 10 minutes to get them started on hydrating.
Step 5: Add baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, nutmeg, and all-purpose flour and mix and just until the last of the dry ingredients disappears. Let rest for at least 15 minutes to allow the oats and the flour to hydrate.
Step 6: Preheat a non-stick pan over medium low heat. (medium heat can be too high) Check the consistency of your pancake batter. If you would like it to be a little bit thinner, add the rest of your milk.
Step 7: Add about a teaspoon of oil or butter to your pan. I like to use a paper towel to spread it around and wipe away the excess. Portion about ¼ cup of pancake batter to your preheated pan
Step 8: Let cook for one to two minutes on the first side, using a small silicone spatula to peak underneath. When your pancake is golden brown, use a pancake spatula to flip.
Step 9: Cook for another couple of minutes on the other side. Place in a pancake warmer or on a plate with a bowl turned upside down on top to keep them warm while you make the rest of the pancakes.
Finish: Top with a pat of butter and some more banana slices. Drizzle the top with warm maple syrup.
Cynthia's Helpful Tips
- Rest - Let the batter sit for at least 15 minutes before cooking so the oats can hydrate and the pancakes cook up tender instead of gritty.
- Heat - Keep the pan at medium-low heat because banana and maple syrup can brown faster than plain pancake batter.
- Flip - Wait until the edges look set and the bubbles on top start to stay open before flipping.
- Texture - For more oat texture, make the batter in a bowl. For smoother banana oatmeal pancakes, blend the batter until mostly smooth.
- Thickness - If the batter gets too thick as it rests, stir in a tablespoon of milk at a time until it is scoopable but not runny.
Recipe FAQs
Greek yogurt makes a thicker batter than buttermilk or even milk. A thicker batter makes for a thicker and fluffier pancake and when the thickness comes from a thicker liquid, you end up with a more moist pancake.
Yes. Add the wet ingredients to the blender first, then add the dry ingredients. Blend just until smooth, then let the batter rest for 10 to 15 minutes before cooking. The blender method gives you a smoother pancake with less oat texture.
The heat may be too high, which browns the outside before the inside has time to cook. Lower the heat to medium-low and give each pancake 2 to 3 minutes per side. Also make sure the batter rests long enough for the oats to hydrate.
Let the pancakes cool completely, then store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheat refrigerated pancakes in the toaster, toaster oven, or microwave. until warmed through.
Did you try this recipe?
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I appreciate it so much!
-Cynthia
📖 Recipe
Fluffy Banana Oatmeal Pancakes
Recommended Equipment
- Blender optional
Ingredients
Start with these ingredients
- 3 tablespoons (42 g) unsalted butter melted and cooled slightly
- 1 (118 g) banana very ripe
- 1 large
egg
- 1 cup (200 g) Greek yogurt vanilla or plain (can use blended cottage cheese)
- ½ cup milk add half, then save the rest
- 3 tablespoons (60 g) maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup (45 g) quick oats
Then add these ingredients
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅕ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour
- The rest of your milk if needed
- Butter or nonstick spray for the pan
Instructions
Bowl method
- Melt the butter and set it aside to cool slightly.
- In a large mixing bowl, mash the banana with a fork until mostly smooth. A few small lumps are fine.
- Add the egg, yogurt, half of the milk, maple syrup, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Whisk until well combined.
- Add the all-purpose flour, quick oats, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, and nutmeg.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients with a silicone spatula until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Let the batter rest for 15 minutes so the oats can soften and the batter can thicken.
- After resting, add the rest of your milk if you would like your batter to be thinner.
Blender method
- Add the banana, egg, yogurt, milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and melted butter to the blender.
- Add the flour, quick oats, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, and nutmeg.
- Blend on low, then increase to medium, blending just until the batter is smooth. Do not overblend.
- Let the batter rest for 10 to 15 minutes before cooking.
- After resting, add the rest of your milk if you would like your batter to be thinner.
Cooking the pancakes
- Heat a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium-low heat.
- Lightly grease the pan with butter or nonstick spray if needed.
- Scoop about ¼ cup of batter into the pan for each pancake.
- Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the edges look set, the tops begin to bubble, and the bottoms are golden brown.
- Flip and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, or until the second side is golden brown and the pancakes are cooked through.
- Transfer the cooked pancakes to a plate and cover with an upside-down bowl to keep warm while you cook the remaining batter.
- Serve warm with maple syrup, sliced bananas, berries, yogurt, or your favorite toppings.
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Video
Notes
- Quick oats work best here because they soften quickly. If using old-fashioned oats, pulse them a few times in a blender or food processor first.
- For smoother pancakes, use the blender method.
- For more oat texture, use the bowl method.
- For the fluffiest pancakes, let the batter rest before cooking. This gives the oats time to soften and helps the batter thicken. If the batter becomes too thick after resting, stir in 1 tablespoon of milk at a time until it is scoopable but not runny.
- Keep the heat at medium-low. Banana and maple syrup can make the pancakes brown faster than plain pancake batter.
- Storage: Let leftover pancakes cool completely, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Reheating: Reheat refrigerated pancakes in the toaster, toaster oven, or microwave.
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