Banana Oat Pancakes are a “healthier” pancake that still tastes indulgent. With oats for protein and a banana providing most of the sweetness - they’re pancakes with a healthy twist!
When the temperature begins to drop, and everyone's minds turn to pumpkin spice, mine turns to... oatmeal? Yup. I start craving granola, oatmeal cookies, oatmeal bars, and these delicious Banana Oat Pancakes!
I'm not normally a banana person either, but when I can add one to bring warmth and sweetness to a recipe, like a coffee cake, I'm all in! Together, the bananas and the oatmeal make a fluffy, hearty, and sweet pancake that you won't even suspect is good for you!
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Ingredients
I'm betting you have most of these ingredients in your kitchen right now, but I aIso provide some good substitutions below. Let's go make some pancakes!
(Note: For best results, refrigerated products, such as dairy and eggs, should be at room temperature, so take them out of the fridge about 30 minutes before you start. Go drink some coffee.)
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions
I don't want you to ever feel penned in to specific ingredients unless absolutely necessary. Here are a few easy ingredient swaps you can make if you find yourself missing something.
- Flour - If you are gluten intolerant, try a gluten free flour substitute. I haven't tried it in this recipe, but it has worked well when I have tried it in others.
- Buttermilk - If you don't have buttermilk on hand, you can use an equal amount of plain (not Greek) yogurt. If you only have Greek yogurt, use 1 cup along with ¼ cup of milk. You can also make your own buttermilk substitute by placing 4 teaspoons of lemon juice or vinegar in a measuring cup and adding milk to equal 1 ¼ cups.
- Oats - The recipe calls for quick cooking oats, as they will hydrate quicker in the batter. If you only have regular whole oats, just allow to soak in the liquid ingredients for at least 15 minutes before continuing with the recipe.
- Butter - You can use an equal amount of any fat you prefer; vegetable oil, melted coconut oil, or melted vegan butter are good substitutes.
- Banana - If you really don't like, or don't have a banana, you can replace 1 banana with ½ cup of applesauce.
Variations
Sometimes you get a craving that you just need to satisfy. Add something fun to your Banana Oat Pancakes to curb that craving.
- Nuts - Give your pancakes a Banana Nut vibe by adding chopped toasted walnuts, pecans, or whatever nut you're feeling.
- Dried fruit - Dried cranberries or finely chopped dried apricots would add great flavor and texture to your pancakes.
- Maple - Really bring in the Fall by replacing 2 tablespoons of sugar with 2 tablespoons of maple syrup.
Instructions
Contrary to urban legends, the first pancake doesn't have to be a dud. (unless you want to claim it is so that you get the to eat it! no judgement here.) Following my simple directions, you'll have perfect pancakes. All of them.
1. Using a fork, mash your banana. doing it this way leaves you with some banana texture.
2. Whisk together buttermilk, banana, eggs, vanilla, and nutmeg until well combined.
3. Stir in the oats and allow to soak in the wet ingredients for 5 minutes.
4. Whisk together dry ingredients and combine with wet ingredients until just combined. Let rest for 10 minutes.
5. Heat a nonstick pan over medium-low heat. When ready, add a teaspoon of butter, or other fat, to the pan. Use a measuring cup or large scoop to portion ¼ cup pancake batter into pan.
6. When the bubbles on the edges look dry, around 2 to 3 minutes, use a thin spatula to peek under the pancake. If golden brown, get ready to flip.
7. Slide a pancake spatula under the edge of your pancake. Flip pancake and allow to cook for another 2 to 3 minutes on the other side.
8. Remove pancake to a pancake warmer, or a plate with a bowl turned over top, to keep warm. Repeat with the rest of the batter.
Serve with warm maple syrup and cut fresh fruit, if desired. Enjoy!
Expert tip
The secret to the tallest and fluffiest pancakes is... time. Ideally you will let your batter rest at least 10 minutes. This gives the flour time to fully hydrate, and for the leavening agents to begin doing their job of fluffing things up. If you can, let the batter rest up to 30 minutes.
Recipe FAQ's
Place leftover pancakes on a plate covered with plastic wrap or in a zip top bag for up to 3 days.
Yes! Place leftover pancakes on a parchment lined baking sheet until hard. Transfer to a zip top bag, labelled with the date, and store for up to a month. When storing in the the freezer, I like to stack my pancakes with a piece of parchment in between them, so they won't stick together. When I want pancakes, I can easily remove the number I want, leaving the others frozen.
You can do it one of 2 ways. To reheat in the microwave, place your desired number of pancakes on a plate and microwave for 20 seconds per pancake, so one pancake would take 20 seconds, two would be 40 seconds, etc. To reheat in the oven, Preheat the oven to 350°F and wrap desired number of pancakes in foil. Heat for about 10 minutes. These methods work for both frozen and refrigerated pancakes, though frozen may take a little longer.
You can, I've tried it, but the results can be tricky. You have to watch them very carefully as they can get spots that are darker and crispier than others. I would personally stick to the microwave or oven method.
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Banana Oat Pancakes
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons (42 g) unsalted butter melted
- 1 (120 g) banana ripe and mashed
- 1 ¼ cups (300 g) buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ cup (40 g) quick cook oats
- 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons (36 g) sugar
- 2 teaspoons (8 g) baking powder
- ¼ teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoons salt
Instructions
- Melt 3 tablespoons of butter and set aside to cool.
- Mash the banana with a fork. In a large measuring cup, whisk the buttermilk, banana, eggs, vanilla and nutmeg. Add the cooled, melted butter and whisk until well combined.
- Stir in the oatmeal and allow to soak in the wet ingredients for 5 minutes. If using old-fashioned oats, allow to soak for 15 minutes.
- Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and fold together until combined. Set aside to rest for 10 minutes.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. When warm, add a teaspoon or so of butter and let melt.
- Drop ¼ cup scoops of pancake batter into pan. It will spread out a bit. After 2-3 minutes, bubbles will start to form on the edges and surface of the pancake.
- When the bubbles on the edges look dry and airy, use a thin pancake spatula to gently lift one side and peek underneath. If the pancake is golden brown, flip and cook on the other side for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the bottom of the pancake is golden brown.
- Place cooked pancakes in a pancake or tortilla warmer, or on a plate with a large bowl turned upside down over the top, to keep them warm.
- Serve with warm maple syrup, sliced bananas, or your favorite toppings.
Notes
- You can use a neutral oil, such as canola or melted coconut, in place of the melted butter.
- In place of butter in the pan, feel free to use a light spritz of nonstick spray.
Nutrition
The nutritional and caloric information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It does not assert or suggest that readers should or should not count calories, and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s or doctor’s counseling.
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