My favorite buttermilk pancakes are tall, fluffy, buttery show-offs. I make them on the weekend because my mom always made pancakes on the weekend and it feels as weekend-y as cake for breakfast should. But does Thursday morning deserve a pancake, just for being Thursday? I realized recently that a weekday pancake is different to me — fork-mixed, one-bowl, and fairly nutrient-packed, something I could make the kids before school and feel like I was sending them out armed with essentials — and also that my existing recipes left me short. Even these very beloved oatmeal pancakes require you to have or to make oatmeal before you begin, and then use two different flours and two different sugars. I love them… it’s just not happening on a weekday. [See also: complex thoughts or even a bare modicum of functioning before 9 am; alas, I live with two charges who disagree.]
I found what I was looking for in an old recipe from Gourmet that uses only whole wheat flour plus quick oats, but it somehow not dry or heavy or even overly wholesome-tasting. From there, despite that, the whittling began. I made them with thinned yogurt instead of buttermilk, which I figure more people keep around, and they were great, but then, on a whim, I decided to replace the yogurt in part, and then in full, with mashed bananas and was delighted with the results; the resulting pancakes no longer needed sugar or melted butter to work. I nixed the nutmeg, because: laziness. And, as promised, mixed the whole thing in one bowl with a fork. Sometimes with help, I mean, “help.”
You can make these pancakes as thick or thin as you want. With less milk (dairy or non-), I’ve made them as thick as crumpets. With more, they spill out in the pan and cook up thinner. It’s only a few spoonfuls of milk apart. The main thing, though, is that they’re great with whatever toppings you like — almond butter and honey, yogurt and pomegranate, dried fruit or toasted coconut chips, or your favorite syrup — or just gnawed on plain in your stroller on the way to school after you insisted you didn’t want pancakes and then changed your mind because you’re 2.5 years old. They also reheat well, and make a really good afternoon snack with a schmear of Nutella on them, but maybe don’t tell my kids that part.
Previously
One year ago: Chocolate Dutch Baby and The SK FN Digital Series
Two years ago: Cabbage and Sausage Casserole and Leek Ham Cheese and Egg Bake
Three years ago: Mushroom Marsala Pasta Bake, Key Lime Pie and Make Your Own Vanilla Extract
Four years ago: Pear and Hazelnut Muffins and Warm Lentil and Potato Salad
Five years ago: Lentil Soup with Sausage, Garlic and Chard
Six years ago: Buttermilk Roast Chicken
Seven years ago: Baked Potato Soup and Chocolate Peanut Spread
Eight years ago: Poppy Seed Lemon Cake, Black Bean Soup with Toasted Cumin Seed Crema and Cranberry Syrup and an Intensely Almond Cake
Nine years ago: Light Wheat Bread, Clementine Cake and Mushroom Bourguignon
Ten years ago: Fried Chicken and Leek and Swiss Chard Tart
Eleven years ago: Grapefruit Yogurt Cake and Sweet and Spicy Candied Pecans
And for the other side of the world:
Six Months Ago: Hummus Heaped with Tomatoes and Cucumbers
1.5 Years Ago: Blackberry Cheesecake Galette
2.5 Years Ago: Tomato and Fried Provolone Sandwich
3.5 Years Ago: Easiest Fridge Dill Pickles and Grilled Peach Splits
4.5 Years Ago: Hot Fudge Sundae Cake and Avocado-Shrimp Salsa
Banana Oat Weekday Pancakes
- 2 large, very ripe bananas (will yield 1 to 1 1/4 cups mashed)
- 3/4 cup (80 grams) quick-cooking oats
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 3/4 cup (95 grams) whole-wheat flour
- Milk, dairy or non-dairy, as needed (about 3 to 5 tablespoons)
- Butter or oil, to fry pancakes
Use fork to stir in cinnamon and egg, then baking powder until thoroughly combined. Stir in flour, then add milk as needed; I found 3 to 4 tablespoons just right (but thickness of batter will vary with banana size, so for medium bananas, more liquid will be needed) to create a thick but not cookie-dough like batter.
Heat griddle or frying pan over medium-low. Once hot, add a good pat of butter or drizzle of oil, and add pancakes in 1/4-cup mounds. You can flatten them a bit if they’re particularly thick. Cook until lightly browned underneath and bubbles appear in pancake surface, flip, and cook on the second side. Lower heat is better on these pancakes; they brown fast and cooking them more slowly ensures the centers are set when the edges are the right color. Repeat with remaining batter. Eat immediately.
First! Just have to post because this is a rare privilege!
These look great, and I think the right to change your mind and gnaw on a pancake in your stroller should not be restricted to the 2.5 year old set.
I love the idea of using a banana in the batter – eager to try!
Abby
Ok to use Quick steel cut oats?
I haven’t cooked with them but consider that if they don’t cook in a minute or two, they won’t cook in the pan.
I tried these this morning with old fashioned oats and cooked them for a few minutes at a low heat in half of the buttermilk to let them soften. To cool them down adn keep the egg from cooking when I added the oats, I added the rest of the buttermilk.
They turned out great!
Was just wondering if old fashioned would work… thanks!
Same here, thanks for the information!
I only had one banana, so I added 3/4 cup drinkable honey vanilla yogurt. I didn’t have any quick oats except for maple and brown sugar instant oats (from Trader Joe’s) so I added 2 packets… it all worked out. These were delicious!
Quick cooking oats are just old fashioned oats cut down smaller–an alternative would be to blend/food process your old fashioned oats first, and then you could make the whole thing in the blender too!
What if I make the batter the night before? Would it drastically affect the next morning results?
You could with a couple caveats: it’s probably going to get very thick overnight and need more liquid to loosen. And you might want to add the baking powder mixing it really, really well, before cooking.
I did exactly this (adding more milk and the other half of the baking powder in the AM) and it really improved the texture. In my case, I don’t think the oats cooked quite fast enough without the overnight rest.
oooo my, these look so good!!! question… do these freeze // keep as well as regular pancakes? ie. if i stock up on a sunday, would they do well with just a little toasting for weekday breakfasts?
I haven’t frozen them but would expect them to freeze well. I just keep them in the fridge for the week.
thank you!
Yes. They freeze brilliantly.
Could these be made with all purpose flour instead?
Probably, but I haven’t tested them with it.
I just made them with all purpose flour and they were absolutely delicious! They needed slightly less milk I think.
My kids arent fans of pancakes. I make amazing not especially healthy buttermilk white flour pancakes and they each eat a half…but today i made tgese and they each ate 3! (They r 2 and 4) yay!! Always exciting when they like a healthy breakfast thats easy and with ingredients we always have…
Oh man, my 2.5 year old would take one look at these and ask if we had Nutella in the house. Sugar monster, that one. A quick assurance? Did it take longer to clean the pomegranate than it did to put these together? (And that video you shared last week. Mind. Blown.)
I only cleaned half so probably it broke even. :)
This is genius! https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AccHJalXp08
Deb – where can we find the video you shared last week? Instagram? FB? Here?
Which one, about the pomegranates? You can see it right here.
That’s an awesome video!
Is there anyway to adapt these to be made with the rolled oats already in the pantry? I have the rolled oats from your AMAZING granola biscotti, but I am more likely to have time to make these than to make the biscotti in the near future.
I was wondering the same thing — I almost always have regular rolled oats on hand, but not quick oats.
My experience with similar recipes has convinced me the answer to that question depends on how much you mind the extra chew of rolled mostly raw oats, since they won’t have time to cook in a pancake batter. I like it, so I always substitute rolled for quick oats, even in raw applications like no bake peanut butter bars, but it is a preference thing. You will have a smoother more uniform final product with quick oats because they have time to cook, but to me that also means you don’t get enough “oat” character. If you are worried about it, you could just food process your rolled oats a bit to make the pieces smaller. :-)
Thanks! I quite like things like overnight oats where you get that chewy semi-raw oat texture, so it sounds like it would work for me.
These were wonderful! They reheated perfectly in the toaster; (only two left though!) Love the recipe’s flexibility – sweet potatoes or other fruit in place of the bananas, adjusting the amount milk, etc. Nice to have another use for over-the -hill bananas.
I once put old-fashioned oats in a food
processor to make them more ‘quick’
oats.
This is what I did (twice! I have now made this twice.) and it’s perfect.
I just recently found out that the only difference between old fashion oats and quick oats is that the quick oats have been chopped up more. So, you can throw some in a food processor or blender for a couple of seconds, and voilà!
I know this is 3 years later, but just in case anyone else is wondering the same thing: I use rolled oats and pulse them a couple of times in a blender first to break them down (I believe that’s all quick oats are after all). It worked fine!
Probably but they’re going to be more coarse and chunky here. You could measure 1/2 cup from them and grind them a little in a FP or Vitamix (just a little) to get them closer to quick-cooking. Or you could soak, warm them longer, just make sure the banana-oat mixture isn’t so hot that it would cook the egg. Glad you’re enjoying the biscotti.
You could also use whole grain oat flour [usually sold at Whole Foods type places or Amazon]… I know it’s adding another thing to the pantry, but ‘more different'(?) than posessing both rolled and quick oats. I subsitute 50-50 whole wheat and oat flours for all-purpose in most recipes.
I’d love to know where the recipe is for the ‘granola biscotti’ you refer to here….can’t find it in a search of Deb’s recipes!?
Will definitely be making these pancakes!
It’s in my second cookbook, Smitten Kitchen Every Day.
I made these last night with just plain rolled oats with success. No pulsing needed. Gave the bananas and oats a full ten minute rest, and then continued on with the recipe. Also- I used one ripe banana and one banana from the freezer- also turned out fine. Glad to have a new way to use ripe bananas bc I hate eating them plain! Put them in the fridge to reheat in the mornings for breakfast, and it feels the right amount of healthy and a treat for a weekday. Thanks Deb!
I appreciate the flexibility here — almost more an idea than a recipe! These do in fact sound like plausible creations even for my always-rushed weekday routine. Thanks :)
Okay, but how do you make a 2.5 year old with perfect red curls?!
(P.S. the pancakes look adorable, too)
waffle iron!
Thats what I was wondering too! I’m going to try it.
Did either of you end up trying these in a waffle iron?
We always do Saturday-morning pancakes! Love your idea for mashed banana in these.
My family’s favorite recipe is an overnight oat one that is 100% whole grain and very easy to put together – the overnight soak of the oats in thinned yogurt makes the pancakes indescribably light and delicious. Recipe here: http://thriftathome.blogspot.com/2012/11/hearty-oatmeal-pancakes-using-whey.html
Thought you might be interested in another weekday morning recipe :)
Thanks Deb! I have to limit saturated fat, so I’m excited to try this! I think my banana-loving 13.5 month old daughter will like them too!
I’m making these tomorrow. They look promising enough to add to my weekday pancake list. My other contender is a cottage cheese pancake I tore out of a copy of an old Martha Stewart magazine back when magazines were a thing. :) It sounds weird, but cottage cheese makes a fine, fine pancake.
Quick cooking oats? Could I use the packets of Pumpkin spice oatmeal that I have??
Probably! Although it of course has sugar and more in it, not that it would taste bad here.
This recipe popped up in my feed just as I was getting hungry for lunch and I happened to have all these ingredients! Just whipped up a half batch and they were delicious, as usual.
I made mine pretty large and they rose a lot, so make ’em small unless you really like having a gooey middle!
Pancakes for weekday breakfast is very unusual here in the Netherlands – pancakes are usually eaten at childrens parties. My kids would hug me to the ground if I made those on a weekday morning. Something to keep in mind, then, in case I have to make something up to them ;-) Anyway, they look delicious!
Bumping this comment to say that this is a wonderfully sweet and surprising observation.
These look divine! And healthy too! Do you ever make gluten free pancakes/are they even possible?
I’d expect this recipe to work well with a gluten-free flour mix.
I made these with gluten free quick oats and Tradee Joe’s gluten free flour. I didn’t alter the proportions in any way. I fried the pancakes in coconut oil to keep them dairy free. The recipe came out perfectly!!! So delicious, it’s hard to believe how healthy they are. I also did add chopped up strawberries to the batter which was both pretty and yummy. A perfect Thursday night dinner :) Thank you for such a flexible recipe.
These look amazing. Do you think it would be possible to substitute canned pumpkin for the banana, if that’s what I have available?
I think so!
I’ve made lots of gluten free pancakes, I’m planning to try this recipe subbing the whole wheat flour with either oat flour (just rolled oats whizzed in the blender) or millet four or buckwheat flour. I find that when I make gluten free pancakes, they are best made on the small side otherwise they tend to fall apart when flipped. For a pancake alternative, here is my recipe for gluten free crepes https://sweetgreenkitchen.com/2016/04/02/buckwheat-and-millet-gluten-free-crepes/
Hi – I’ve been meaning to use up some oat flour and may do so with this recipe. Are any adjustments necessary, or can I simply swap the oat flour for the whole wheat flour? Thanks!
I made this recipe subbing the flour for King Arthur Measure-for-Measure GF flour – came out great. Probably the best GF pancakes I’ve made to date, and definitely the easiest recipe.
Hi! These look like a total winner! Question: Do the oats have to be quick oats? or will regular thick oats due?
Thank you!
They’re going to have a more coarse texture. You can let them stand in the banana for longer to soften, or grind them (slightly!) in a FP or blender to get them closer to quick oats.
I don’t have whole wheat flour. Can I just use oats?
I haven’t tested this with all oats or all oat flour, but you can probably use all-purpose, or a mix of all-purpose and oat flour.
Oh, that Anna pic is killing me with cuteness!!
I also made a cooked oatmeal version similar to your oatmeal pancakes but written by Mark Bittman. His were good (I mean, the older I get, the more I like anything that resembles a pancake from a latke to a blintz to a crepe, etc…you get the idea!) but a little stodgy. It is, I would think, a bit hard to hit the right note between light as air (which whole wheat pancakes are not meant to be) and hearty. Do you think these banana whole wheater’s hit that sweet spot? How do they compare to your own oatmeal pancakes on this site?
These are a little heartier, because of the whole wheat flour. The lightest, fluffiest version of them that I made used all buttermilk, no bananas. Bananas will always be heavier.
I am so glad you shared this recipe! Are quick cooking oats the same as instant oatmeal in a packet? If not, can I substitute them? Thank you!
Yes, or thereabout. Rolled oats usually come sold as “old-fashioned” (i.e. the flattened oats look fairly intact, like oval discs), “quick-cooking” (usually 1-minute, the same oats, just broken up more so they cook faster, although my husband always notes that they’re never done in just a minute; I use 1-minute oats here) and “instant” (the stuff that’s in packets, just further broken up so it cooks even faster). The last two should work fine here. Old-fashioned oats will too, but they’ll have a coarser texture if not: 1. Pulsed a few times in a food processor or blender, 2. Given more time to soak/soften in the banana. It doesn’t mean they’ll taste bad here, however, if you don’t do either.
Thank you very much! I’m so excited to try this recipe!
I make a similar recipe (I’m going to try yours) with rolled oats and run the oats through a blender, food processor or blade coffee grinder, depending on what appliance is available. They all work really well.
Hi Deb, I must confess that i visit your site for your fantastic writing skills and photos of your two kids. The tasty recipes also help :). As someone your age, and hoping to be a mom someday, your kids photos leave me with a sense of joy and longing. Thank you!
I made these for dinner this evening and I was amazed how quickly they came together – one bowl, one fork, and one pan. For a pancake with no added fat or sugar and made with whole wheat flour and oats, they were surprisingly fluffy! I will definitely be adding these to my regular rotation.
My bananas were on the greener side of ripe, so I added a small drizzle of honey to the batter, and the sweetness level was perfect (i.e. just barely). I followed the suggestion to microwave the banana-oat mixture for 30 seconds and I think it helped keep the texture lighter. I also couldn’t resist adding some frozen peach slices and blueberries while they cooked. The resulting pancakes were almost, dare I say… healthy-ish? I’m going to choose to believe that anyway, as the person who just ate pancakes for dinner.
I have trouble keeping bananas around that are the right stage of ripeness for cooking, especially because I like to devour them when they’re just barely ripe. The supermarket isn’t far away…but these are supposed to be easy and convenient pancakes, so I ought to be able to make them before getting dressed to go out in the cold.
I freeze overripe bananas. Either mashed in plastic bags, or thickly sliced. It looks like they’d be good for these, which are scheduled to be Friday morning pancakes.
I made these with (thawed) frozen bananas and it worked great. A little bit of peanut butter and some more sliced bananas on top, à la Elvis. Easy, healthy, and tasty – thanks Deb! I vote for more weekday morning ideas, especially ones involving protein.
I am a banana hater. Could use canned pumpkin???
I haven’t tried it but I bet it would work. It might need more sweetness.
I will try it and let you know. Also, your recipes and writing rock!
I made these with canned pumpkin (the kind without added sugar) today plus 3 tablespoons of sugar and it turned out great!
Yaaaaas! You must have seen my terrible attempt at these weird “high protein” (ahem, TOO MANY EGG WHITES) banana-oat pancakes last week; these look much tastier and I bet that they will not stick like super glue to my pan at 6:30am, on a Monday, either. Saved!
I hate cooked bananas (except for in banana bread), but these pancakes look worth trying them one more time… alternatively I’ll try the buttermilk version, which I have in the fridge almost all the time. I think this is genius for people who are trying to reduce their processed sugar consumption, but still want to eat something ‘sweet’ once in a while. Thanks for the idea.
I made them with buttermilk and a teaspoon of oil and it was lovely, even without the egg (forgot it). No sugar added even though I did it without the banana, just used a tiny pinch of salt; I put some curd and fresh banana on top and it was so yummy! So yummy in fact I made it two days in a row because the bf who scorns weekday breakfast needed to try them on Saturday. We both enjoyed them immensely! I put in the egg the second time, but they were not that much worse without – so if eggs are out, this will still work. Thanks for this wonderful pancake recipe. (Oh and by the way, I used “normal” rolled oats and it was fine!)
Made these this morning before school – they were delicious! In fact, I’ve just had the leftover cold ones now, smeared with honey. Thanks Deb!
For another school-morning pancake tip, I have been making this King Arthur Whole Grain Pancake Mix for years. Perfect if you don’t ‘do’ measuring spoons at 7 a.m. (I don’t!!). Just throw an egg and some yogurt/milk in a big measuring up, stir it up, add a cup of mix, stir, and good to go! Seriously we are bummed when we run out! https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/homemade-whole-grain-pancake-mix-recipe
Hey there these look fantastic and I really want to try them. But I need to ask if you could post a calorie estimation per pancake?
According to this recipe calculator, 79 calories, not including the butter you’d fry it in: https://www.verywell.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4129594
Awesome! I thank you so much!
I also use that calculator but I find it hard to get accuracy sometimes
I’m sure this is true for most. It’s all, at best, educated guesswork. This is why I don’t include calories in my recipes.
These came out delicious. The night before I mixed the banana, milk, egg and thick rolled oats so they soften. I added the remaining ingredients in the morning just before cooking them. Everyone topped them with their choice of nut butters or Kaya jam.
Made these this morning and my 3yo’s reaction was, “I LOVE this!” I used whole rolled oats (because that’s what I had) and pulsed them quickly in the food processor to make quick cooking, added hemp seeds as well to sneak in extra nutrition and served with some jam and maple syrup. They’re a hit!
Debbie,
recipe is great, but your curly haired helper is even more delicious. Will try the pancakes this weekend.As always-many thanks.
Gina
Thursday morning pancakes are just what we needed! Home with a kid recovering from tonsillectomy. Had two medium very ripe bananas that I needed to use or freeze today. (I think you could use frozen bananas here with no issues.) My canister of quick oats has a 1/2 cup weighing in at 40g but I went with your measurement (80g for 3/4 cup) and it worked great. I did let the banana/oat/salt mixture sit for 10 minutes. I started with 3 TBSP milk (oat milk) and added a TBSP at a time until I reached the correct consistency; I needed 6 TBSP. I made 6 large pancakes. They take a bit to cook through on the med/low heat but it was worth the wait. We loved them even more than your Oatmeal Pancakes.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the pancakes. One day I will bore you guys about all the conversations I had about the weights of oats when writing my last book. In short: like coconut chips, no two measurements are the same. The 40 grams on the canister is the top-of-the-canister stuff: mostly intact oats. At the bottom, it’s heavier. There was a lot of pulling my hair out. I went with 80 grams here because that’s what mine clocked in as.
Yes, frozen bananas work great!
These look delicious, and your daughter’s hair is EVERYTHING!!
Is there anywhere to store our favorite recipes of yours? I know food network and tasty kitchen does that. It’s nice to be able to go directly to my favorites. Like this pancake recipe
Thanks — not at this time. Those are far more robust enterprise sites than this one, with a staff of one (me). :(
There is a great website for storing all your recipes like this! Check out usespatula.com or check out Spatula in the Android or iOS App Store.
Pinterest :)
I use an app called Paprika. It will also calculate conversions for halving, doubling, etc., which I love as I am sometimes fractions-challenged.
This looks good, homey. But I can’t get these things I just discovered called rice cooker pancakes out of my mind. Have you tried them?
I love this, especially the banana and the oats. Both are perfectly breakfast to me, and much needed to survive until lunch.
FYI, anyone looking for a thick rolled oats recipe, I love the classic Marion Cunningham buttermilk soaked oat pancakes (http://orangette.net/2010/01/the-very-definition/). Soak the oats overnight in buttermilk, add the other ingredients, cook. They’re sturdy enough to eat with your hand. My favorite topping combo is passion fruit (syrup or curd) + blueberries.
that sounds delicious thank you for sharing!
I was planning to make these this morning until I had to get my daughter up and dressed (instead of my husband). I’m going to make tomorrow morning, but don’t have quick oats so I’m thinking of mashing the bananas into the oats tonight to soften them up. Will report back!
These were delicious! I refrigerated my banana/oat mixture overnight and the oats were nice and soft. I was surprised at how light these were given how dense the batter seemed.
I made these for breakfast today and they were fantastic. I added a handful of milk chocolate chips to the batter. I ended up having to use a bit more than 5 tablespoons of milk since my bananas were on the smaller side. I will definitely be making these again.
I made almost the same thing as Banana Oat Cakes last week; left out flour. Baked up to 12 mini muffins. Great minds!
Were the ingredients the same? How long did you bake for? I’d love to adapt these for baking, since the time suck in the morning is standing over the stove when I should be getting dressed.
I am a banana-hating person. I’m guessing that applesauce might work here as well, perhaps with a little less liquid overall since applesauce is runnier than mashed banana. Or perhaps mashed sweet potato, which I actually like. If I experiment, I’ll let you know. Your strawberry cornmeal pancakes are my partner’s favorite pancakes in the world and I generally like your recipes.
I am so excited to try these! I wonder how my 14 mo old will feel about them!
Thanks Deb! This recipe is a terrific base for all kids of breakfast creativity. I’ve been making pancakes just like these since my son was an infant and I wanted to do something with his leftover oatmeal. Nowadays I make some instant oatmeal in the microwave – 1 part oats to 1 part milk for 30 seconds or a minute. I add in whole wheat flour, egg and baking powder, as you suggest, and a whole range of mashed up fruits and veggies, depending on what’s in the house. They freeze great and they’re the handiest breakfast food I’ve found, not to mention my kids’ hands-down favorite. They’re extremely forgiving – I’ve never measured anything, always eyeballing the oatmeal/whole wheat flour/eggs to get a good consistency, and I’ve never made a batch he refused. If I fry one and if it’s too soft, I just add more flour. In place of (or addition to) bananas, roasted sweet potatoes are a favorite (I always have some of both in the freezer). I’ve also puréed leftover spinach to mix in for green pancakes and roasted beats for pink ones, which they love. Flaked coconut and raisins are other frequent add-ins. Apple sauce. Berries. Roasted carrots. Butternut squash. Avocado. Whatever I have in the fridge or freezer. If you get a tasty combo, sugar is totally unnecessary. My kids even like the savory ones.
Hey there, how do you reheat straight from the freezer? Microwave, oven, frying pan? I made a batch of these this morning (34 weeks pregnant and prepping future breakfasts in advance!) and am wondering what the best technique is.
Whatever works for you. I usually throw things in the oven at 325 or 350.
I’m looking for something for my son. It’s great because I found it here, thanks for sharing
I haven’t had a banana pancake yet that I’ve liked, but I do love to read your writing, and I too have more “help” than I’d like when making pancakes!
I went to bed crabby last night. Weekday pancakes sounded perfect this morning. I don’t keep quick oats, so ground up regular ones and pre-heated with a little juice + banana. Weekday happiness. My husband prefers crepe-like pancakes & can detect & reject whole wheat from a mile away. But he ate these without hesitation.
Wow! What a great post! Thank you for sharing. I’m a proud mother of two and I often think about the foods that I should cook for my children. I often look at recipe books, watch cooking shows and go through cooking blogs, but I haven’t found the perfect cooking recipes that I want for my family. What I wanted was a delicious and healthy cookbook that I can refer to. I started researching and then I found this thing that has 1000 paleo recipes. I didn’t know what paleo recipes were until I googled it. It is pretty much a cookbook that is based on Paleo Diet, a diet that is based on the foods that are presumed to be the only foods available or consumed during the Paleolithic era. To put it in simple words, it is pretty much a healthy diet without using processed ingredients. Fast forward, I decided to get the cookbook and it is AMAZING! They even have an e-Book version if you wanna use your smartphones and tablets! If you have a moment to spare, you can check it out:
https://goo.gl/RELgDF
It really helped me and the foods taste great. Trust me it’s worth it and your families and friends will love it!
Tried it .. its absolutely lovely :)
do you think only certain age group can have pancakes
Yes, 0 to 150!! LOL
A first time commenter here! Thank you for transforming our-morning routine!
I made these for breakfast today and they were absolutely delicious. The four of us (adults + two kids) gobbled them up. I couldn’t believe how quick and easy they were to make and how tasty they were to eat. We ate them with a variety of toppings – maple syrup, nutella, butter. All were delicious!
I omitted the cinnamon, used three medium sized ripe bananas and plain flour (which is all purpose flour without a rising agent). Other than that, I followed the instructions and they turned out fantastically well.
Wait whaaat…how is it possible your your daughter is already 2.5yrs old? Time is flying…it seems like yesterday you were announcing she was born!
Can’t wait to try these delicious pancakes :)
These look delicious but mine tastes a little strongly of baking powder…is it really a tablespoon of baking powder? That seemed like a lot but i wanted to try it as written…
I’m allergic to bananas, so I made these with mashed, roasted butternut squash instead. SO DELICIOUS!
You should try Molly’s oatmeal pancakes – more oats and they only require an overnight soak of the oats in buttermilk. They’re fabulous and even good cold:
http://orangette.net/2010/01/the-very-definition/
I made these for breakfast yesterday morning, and they were great. For the record, I also only had regular rolled oats on hand, which I compensated for by mixing the batter (but without the baking powder or the flour) the previous night so the oats could soak and soften in the liquids. When I was ready to cook breakfast, I added the flour with baking powder sprinkled on top for easy incorporation, and presto: wonderfully hearty, moist pancakes with delicious oat flavor.
Also, Deb, might I suggest you add this recipe to “freezer friendly”? I actually made quite a large batch and froze a bunch, for after my baby’s born. Hurray–and thank you–for freezer-friendly breakfast foods!
Thanks — will do!
Made them this morning. I had only one banana, so I added some leftover hommade yogurt and some milk. Had only white flower, so I mixed it with fiber flakes (it’s my life-hack, but I don’t know if fiber flakes exist anywhere besides Russia). Pancakes turned out great!
Made these yesterday. Only had one banana, so used 3/4 c homemade yogurt (actually Finnish viilia) with little brown sugar and butter as you suggested.
Quick, delicious breakfast (though I’ll use maple syrup today with the leftover ones as opposed to passionfruit syrup from yesterday). Wonderfully easy clean-up, who wants to start the day with having to take care of a sinkful of dishes?
Husband, who is not a big whole wheat fan, loved them, too! Thank you!!
I made this with old fashioned rolled oats (365 brand) and did the microwave for 30 seconds step. I did not find them overly chewy or toothsome or dry. For reference, a 1 year old with 4 teeth had no problem eating them. Delicious!
I made these this morning. I was going to make half a batch but actually made more like 3/4’s of a batch using 1/2 cup of flour, etc. I got 8 pancakes in all (but I have a tendency to pour them small). I used regular rolled oats and as suggested did the microwave and sit thing. My wheat flour is a bit coarser than most because I grind it myself. I also used just homemade plain yogurt instead of milk. I used cooking spray on the griddle instead of butter. All in all a very forgiving and yummy recipe. On the griddle, I cooked them at 300 degrees, and then turned down to 275 to make sure then cooked through and were not, as my husband says- cream puffs! It was good to have a pancake that is a bit more stick to the ribs. Really, when you think about it (which you have) they are very healthy and can be done with no added sugar or fat (although I used butter and syrup on them, of course!).
Just made these and thought they were great. I used regular rolled oats and all-purpose flour. For the oats, I mixed them with the bananas, microwaved them for a minute, and then let them sit for 5ish minutes, so they were soft.
My 2 year old had a blast helping make these. They tasted great too!
Just made these this morning, using Greek yogurt and milk (and a tablespoon of white sugar) in place of banana. I also used rolled oats, not quick, and didn’t bother processing them because I am a lazy, lazy human being. I did give the milk-yogurt-oat-salt mixture 30 seconds in the microwave, then probably 45 minutes on the counter. I also used white flour since it’s what I had, and with a tablespoon of oil I didn’t need any extra milk to loosen the batter. They came out great, but you were not kidding about cooking at a lower temperature than regular pancakes — I had my stove down to the low side of medium and they cooked in about 2-3 minutes per pancake. They’re hearty and quite tasty. I would like to try them with some added fruit, probably grated apple, next time.
Just chiming in because sometimes even disasters turn out fine. I measured the flour out too early and then ceremoniously dumped half of it into the banana/oat mixture with my elbow. I tamped down my “I ruined this and I don’t have enough bananas to start over!” panic and scooped out what I could, then proceeded to follow the directions, having to incorporate the spilled flour in too-early, and then adding the scooped-out flour when called for. They turned out perfectly fine. So, don’t give up when you mess up!
Ps I don’t know why that last message appeared as a reply to someone else. Sorry!
This is the sort of recipe I would normally pass on ( “whole wheat pancakes? no thank you”) but since I trust you, Deb, and since you said they weren’t too “wholesome-tasting”, I made them and yes indeed they are tasty! I feel obliged to point out however that they did require substantial toppings ( peanut butter is the best ) to completely overcome that (shudder) wholesome taste. Butter and maple syrup alone didn’t cut it for me.
Next time I might try them with unsweetened applesauce instead of bananas because I prefer apple for flavoring over banana.
Deb, thanks for sharing! These look great. Could I also make them in waffle form?
I haven’t tried it but think they’d work — perhaps just a little on the thick side. I’d probably use a shallow waffle iron. Let us know how it goes!
Can confirm they are very good in an American waffle iron ☺️
Also with only a quarter of the banana amount substituted with yoghurt / milk mix (I was making double quantities) if *someone* eats one of the bananas you have been painstakingly bringing to peak overripeness 😒
Looks great! I recently learned of a similar, four-ingredient version meant for feeding babies, but we like them too and they are so easy and scale up easily:
1 banana
1 egg
1/4 cup oats
1/4 tsp baking powder
Mash or blend together (I use an immersion blender), let sit for five minutes to thicken, then cook as you would normal pancakes.
My Irish relatives give these to their babies, but I’ve since found the recipe on paleo and exercise blogs because they’re so nutrient packed and gluten-free. These freeze well too.
I make a version of these regularly, but also add a shredded apple and about 3 tablespoons of flaxseed to feel especially virtuous ;) They also become dessert to the kids if I add chocolate chips.
Last Wednesday, I made Winter Slaw with Farro from the new cookbook. It was gone so quickly, I made it again on Saturday. It is out of sight delicious!
Can I make these gluten free?
Ie Use one of the gluten free flour mixes available now in place of the whole wheat flour?
I’d expect it to work fairly well here.
Yum! Just what I needed on a toothachey Monday while waiting for my dentist appointment! Went with the yogurt-milk combo & it worked great but am looking forward to making them with bananas once they’re ripe enough.
I did the overnight version mentioned in the comments since I don’t generally buy quick oats an I liked the idea of having batter I could pull out in the morning and add a couple of items and cook. I mixed everything except flour and baking powder the night before (weighed oats) plus 2-3 T milk. Next morning added white whole wheat flour (weighed) & baking powder + 3-4 t milk until batter was less thick. Batter was very light and puffy but still what I would consider thick (i.e., not pourable). I scooped out the batter and spread it lightly. Cooked on low temp approx 3 mins per side until light brown and done inside. They turned out great. I was impressed how good they taste. I got 9 pancakes from one batch of batter, but I a couple of mine were larger 4″ vs 3″.
These are fabulous! I love that there is no added sugar (not that I’m against sugar, heh) but they are just sweet enough from the bananas. So when you drizzle some maple syrup on it is the perfect amount of sweetness. Super easy too. Mommy and twin toddlers approved!
There’s so much I like about this recipe: all ingredients are usually at our home, the one-bowl-and-fork-technique :-) and that they keep and reheat well. Made them with one banana and a yoghurt-milk-mixture (instead of a 2nd banana) and it worked just fine. Side-note: we usually have crepe-like pancakes and my kids would highly doubt these to be actual “pancakes”. So I just called them “kuechlein” which is a diminutive for cake and works for almost everything ;-) We loved them with maple syrup. Thank you! Sina from Germany
The amount of baking powder seems extremely large. Should it be 1 teaspoon rather than one tablespoon? That would be a more normal ratio with the amount of flour
Pancakes usually have unusually large amounts; it works here, but if you do not think you will like the results, feel free to try less.
Thanks for the advice.
Oh wow, these look delicious! I love the idea of replacing the buttermilk with thinned yoghurt – I’m not sure I’ve ever owned buttermilk in my life.
Could I use oat bran instead of quick oats? I have oat bran and am dying to use it in a recipe! Thanks!
These were great! I tried making these for my almost 1-yr old who one week will eat everything I make and the next will take 2 bites and then exercise his new favorite skill – shaking his head no. He LOVES these! Love that they use whole wheat flour and only bananas as a sweetener…as always i love that I can come to your site for unfussy family friendly food.
made this today before school/work. no trouble or fuss at all. both kids loved it and so did i.
thanks, Deb! your recipes truly have changed our culinary lives for the better :-)
These were good! The recipe looked a little too, you know “healthy,” to end up making tasty pancakes but I went for it anyway and didn’t miss the sugar. I would have never guessed that whole grain, sugarless pancakes could be good but they are!
I didn’t have quick cooking oats and my bananas were frozen so I thawed the bananas and soaked the oats with some milk and the bananas overnight in the fridge. And mixed all the dry ingredients together in a bag the night before. Which I know isn’t exactly the recipe so mine might have a different texture but very good either way.
Is there a way to substitute Old Fashioned Oats? I wonder if I soften them overnight before using? I don’t typically purchase quick oats. . .Thanks!
Old-fashioned oats work but they’ll have a more notable texture if not: 1. Pulsed a few times in a food processor or blender, 2. Given more time to soak/soften in the banana. It doesn’t mean they’ll taste bad here, however, if you don’t do either.
I made them in the waffle iron and they turned out great! I’ll add an extra banana next time. Two didn’t give me enough banana flavor.
Veered a bit from the recipe. Used around 1.25 cups of thick applesauce instead of mashed bananas (mine were green and I am impatient) and 9-grain rolled cereal instead of quick oats. I stirred the cereal/applesauce/salt/cinnamon mixture with a generous splash of coconut milk and refrigerated overnight. Proceeded with the recipe as written, adding more milk and cinnamon. I was skeptical but they were really pretty good with pb + bananas. The rolled cereal wasn’t overly ‘toothy’. Took a pretty long time on the griddle (at least 3 min per side) and the texture left a bit to be desired (too much moisture/not enough structure) but you know, for being so prodigious, I’d eat them again. SO said he would also eat them again, but not, like, everyday. Next time I’ll try them with bananas and maybe use a little yogurt in the overnight soak in case nutrient bioavailability could be increased with probiotic activity?? (Going for next-level #blessed here)
Update: infinitely better w/bananas. Also, chocolate chips.
I made these last week. They are delicious, but they DO burn quickly! Even when I turned the heat down, they still got black fast.
same here – these darkened quicker than i expected! However, a success – my toothless 1 year old loved these, and was shoving oversize chunks in without encouragement. usually he’s picky, so I consider this a major win!
I made a double batch and did the overnight thing that some others here did. Last night, I mixed the bananas, salt, rolled oats, and a little milk; in the morning I added WW flour, baking powder, and a little more milk. set up my cast iron plus a big non stick to get as many going as possible. Chasing a baby around, some of these got a little dark. the cast iron ones got dark much quicker. They seem quite hearty and dense, maybe due to my whole oats? Still delicious, even without the almond butter/jelly toppings, and easily transportable. Thank you for this excellent recipe!
I made these with a few mods that might be helpful to some – I simply omitted the egg to veganize them, and I didn’t feel like going out to buy oats so I just used the steel cut outs I had. I soaked the oats in the fridge overnight then microwaved them with the banana to cook them a bit the next morning. The “oatmeal” ended up being very mushy/soft with just enough texture for interest. And, of course, I added frozen blueberries. These were really good but dense and hearty rather than light and fluffy.
These are delicious, warm, mini banana breads! A complete hit with kids and adults alike. I will absolutely make them again as a double batch to freeze for crazy weekday mornings. I made no modifications but think they’d be even better with some chopped walnuts mixed in…
So. I broke the rules. I made these on a Saturday morning before many, many kids sporting events. My bananas weren’t super overripe, so I added a little brown sugar. And a splash of vanilla. Oh. And chocolate chips. It was like eating warm chocolate chip banana bread for breakfast! Scandalous. :-)
I made these this morning and they were amazing! To use up what I had in the pantry, I used a quarter cup of muesli, a quarter cup of seedy trail mix, and a quarter cup of quick oats. I splashed in a little more milk and they were nutty and fantastic with some peanut butter and syrup on top. Thanks so much for this!
A full tablespoon of baking powder? Sounds like too much, and tasted like it a bit too :( Very fluffy for this type of pancake though :)
Even with oats on the inside, was delicious to serve these pancakes with oats and granola dropped on top!
My 6 yo son loved these! And he never touches anything even close to healthy. Great, easy recipe.
These were so yummy! Such a nice change of pace from the standard morning pancakes. I followed the recipe exactly and had great success – as typical with your recipes :) Thanks!
A perfect elevenses when you’ve neglected to eat breakfast.
Worth noting – I had two in the pan before I realized I’d forgotten to add the egg, and yet I could discern no real difference between the pre- and post-egg batches, so vegans should have no issues here, assuming you sub in non-dairy yoghurt/milk.
I used jumbo oats (soaked the mixture for 10 minutes) and only one banana (added an extra dollop of yoghurt and a tsp of honey).
Spread ’em with peanut butter!
These are so good and so incredibly easy. We were out of eggs so I made them without, and they’re still super moist and fluffy. Perfectly easy recipe to make vegan. My toddler loves them!
I made this just now, kids loved it!! Even the daughter who “hates oatmeal” kept saying how good the pancakes were. Ha! I did have to add about 5 TBS milk. Will make again. Thanks, Deb!
Made these this week + frozen blueberries and they were great! Thank you! Also made your ricotta pancakes last week and we devoured those, too.
I was happily making these pancakes until I got to “stir in flour…” Yup, no flour in the house whatsoever. I can now report that these still work well even with Bob’s Red Mill Buttermilk Pancake Mix in the place of flour.
However, I am disappointed with one aspect. You made it sound like these would last well, and I made them in order to keep in my fridge for the week for my little one. Instead, my husband and I ate every single one for dinner tonight. Oh well! Double batch next time.
I’ve made these a few times for breakfasts and after school snacks. I’ve used self raising wholemeal flour plus a teaspoon of bicarbonate soda, as that’s what I had in the cupboard. Worked a treat!
Wonderful recipe….love these.
1 tablespoon on baking powder seems like a lot. I made them with 1 teaspoon and them were perfect.
I love that you throw in a suggestion for non-dairy people like me! I’ve never used oats in pancakes before so I’ll have to give them a try!
I made some pancakes this morning and experimented with a caramelised apple topping which actually turned out to be delicious
I love your blog, just followed :)
xx Beth
p.s heres my post on the attempted apple topping if you wanna check it out!
I made them almost exactly following the recipe (reduced baking powder to 1 teaspoon) – they were delicious with apple sauce but very “healthy” tasting.
Husband loved them, kids were not amazed.
Just adding to the chorus of commenters singing the praise of these pancakes! I’ve made these twice, exactly per the recipe. They are delicious, perfect, wholesome and filling. Totally weekend approved!
Yum! Made these on Sunday and followed advice to pulse rolled oats a bit to use in lieu of quick oats. (The chopper attachment that came with the hand blender actually does the trick sometimes!) Very good! Hearty & filling, and without that sinking feeling I usually mid-morning with normal (boring) pancakes. Easy leftovers for Monday morning. Thumbs up, five stars, A+!
I was skeptical of these whole wheat and oat pancakes at first. Could they possibly come into regular rotation along with the blueberry and peach pancakes that I have come to love so deeply? The answer is yes. These are delicious. Especially if you want something that healthy and filling on a cold February morning.
I’ve made these a few times now and they’ve always turned out great – my 1 & 3 year olds are big fans! I’ve only ever used 1 teaspoon of baking powder rather then a tablespoon though as I actually assumed that was a typo until I saw the comments. My grandma always taught me it was 1 teaspoon of baking powder per cup of flour and she was my original baking teacher so I listen to her (although I usually trust Deb implicitly)! I’m from New Zealand/ live in Australia so maybe our baking powder is different from what you get in the US?
This Banana oat pancake recipe would be great to see on a breakfast menu in one of the Stockton Heath Restaurants. We blog about food and drink in our Digital Magazine and there are some great places to go and eat breakfast in Stockton Heath specially in the last couple of years. This Banana Oat Pancake would be ideal for a spring morning with some coffee.
These are fantastic! I used gluten free flour (I make it using the recipe from Minimalist Baker) and cashew milk for the milk and it turned out great. Very fluffy and filling- almost scone-like. These will be a regular breakfast at our house!
After making your recipes for years, I was totally thrown off by the sequence of ingredients in this one. I’m so used to after beating an egg into a batter, dumping in the flour, scattering the baking powder, salt, and spices on top. The change from your usual strategy had me stumbling through this recipe feeling like an idiot, but of course, they turned out just perfect. Winner!
Very crisply described. Short and to the point! I Instantly loved it…
I found that this recipe can easily be made GF for those who need to.
I just made these for breakfast but since I wasn’t fully caffeinated I didn’t realize that they weren’t wheat-free until I got to the instruction to add the wheat flour. I substituted a half cup of almond flour and a quarter cup of sweet rice flour for the whole wheat flour and they turned out great. I think the almond flour made the flavor richer and the pancakes cooked through perfectly. I liked them best hot from the griddle with nothing on them–they were sweet enough with just the bananas. I also decreased the cinnamon and added some nutmeg and vanilla.
As it seems to be coming up in the comments – the first time I made these I didn’t read the recipe carefully, used only an (estimated) teaspoon of baking powder, and they came out flat and gummy. Today I finally re-made them, following the recipe (1 tablespoon of baking powder), and they were nicely fluffy.
As Deb says, if you make large pancakes the centers will take some time to cook, but they do work just fine.
Just gunna say it, this is the best and fastest way to make pancakes. I’m not your flap-jacks or plain buttermilk pancake fan so this recipe is a home-run for me. It’s a great way to use the bananas that got left behind through the week and it’s so easy. There’s a ton of texture to the pancakes and they’re simply delicious. Thanks for the share! We cook them on coconut oil because it adds some depth and departure from the classic butter route.
These are delicious, healthy, and incredibly easy. A winner!
I used regular rolled oats and it was all good.
Thank you for this recipe! I have been making and freezing big batches every 2-3 weeks. They freeze really well and are perfect daycare breakfasts for my one year old. I add blueberries, and my son literally shakes with excitement when he sees them. I just put one frozen pancake in his lunchbox at night, and it’s ready to go with a quick reheat at daycare in the morning.
I have been making these pancakes since the recipe was posted. The tablespoon on baking powder makes the dense ingredients lighter. Today I made them GF – subbed the 3/4c whole wheat flour for 1/4c almond flour + 1/2c teff flour. They were pleasing to my family who eats these pancakes hot or cold, for breakfast or for snack. Thanks, Deb!
Yum! Another foolproof recipe. I didn’t have any GF flour on hand so just ground up additional oats to make oat flour. Worked perfectly! I thought the TBSP of baking powder was fine, couldn’t taste it and my pancakes turned out so tall and fluffy. I love a new healthy/tasty breakfast idea! Will definitely make ahead and freeze for busy weekday mornings.
My cutie pie 2 year has those same pj’s and sits on the counter and helps. We have a ripe banana overload, so we’re making these pancakes this morning – thanks for a fun weekday pancake recipe!
I make your Blue Sky Bran Muffins for my breakfast almost every day. I will soon not have an oven as my kitchen is remodeled. I’ve been searching for something to replace them, and I think this is it! I have a grill/panini appliance I can use. Thanks!!
Related to your Blue Sky Bran Muffins – I also make them in ONE bowl. Whisk wet ingredients, add dry on topped and mix together while still sitting on top, then stir all together. I also use a lot more fruit, less of the sprinkled sugar.
I love these pancakes & have also put the batter in the iron & made waffles. I have successfully substituted almond & oat flours for the whole wheat. Almond flour alone is too wet though. I find any type of milk works great. Finally a pancake/waffle that I feel good about giving my kids. Thank you!!
For those of you (like me) who don’t have time to man the stove in the morning, I just wanted to let you know that I baked these this morning with much success! Preheat oven to 350 (I bet pre-heating the baking sheets would be even better); line baking sheets with parchment paper, spray parchment paper liberally with oil (or butter them, if unlike me, you did not run out of butter); scoop pancakes onto baking sheets (they will spread, but not a lot. I used my quarter cup as a scoop, same as I do when frying them). Put in the oven for 10-12 minutes, while you shower, get dressed, etc. Use a spatuala to flip the pancakes and cook for another 3-5 minutes if you care about both sides being crispy. Grab pancakes off sheet as you are putting on your shoes. Plan to bake a giant batch to freeze for when the baby comes (or, that’s just me).
This method worked perfectly for me with exception of no crispy edges or browning, but we didn’t mind because it made this recipe even easier. I usually prep this with the oats, cinnamon, egg and mashed bananas the night before and add the remaining ingredients the next morning. We always double or triple the batch.
I really had my doubts about these but was desperate for a way to use up overripe bananas other than banana bread. They’re delicious! I used old fashioned oats with 30 seconds in the microwave plus 10 minutes at room temperature. My kids will be lucky if there are any left for breakfast tomorrow. I should know never to doubt you!
Just made these in a last ditch effort to have something quick to slather peanut butter on for breakfast. SO. GOOD. At first I thought I tasted baking powder too much, but with pb it was delish. Thanks!
I only had 1 banana, but I gave it a try, and these were soo good. And no added sugar! Except for the few I poured too many chocolate sprinkles on…
I have 2 frozen slightly overipe bananas now, do you think they’d work in this recipe? Or will they be too mushy once defrosted?
I used frozen bananas and it worked great.
These were very good. I thought my family wouldn’t like the oatmeal/ whole wheat combo, but they loved them! Can’t see why I wouldn’t do this healthier version all the time. Did cook a bit slower than regular, but not a big deal.
I ran “old fashioned” organic oatmeal through the food processor a bit and did microwave after mixing in the bananas. Then let it sit to absorb while I got the other ingredients together. The bananas were frozen so I microwaved them until able to mash. I only used two teaspoons of baking powder, but otherwise followed recipe and they came out great.
Just wanted to say these have changed my life. One of the only things that everyone in my family- 3yo, 7mo, and myself – can agree on for breakfast! And even cold out of the fridge for an afternoon snack when we’re running out the door. Tasty and filling and a reasonably healthy alternative to the sugar-laden breakfasts that my toddler would normally prefer. THANK YOU from the bottom of my ever-exhausted heart
I just tried this with Familia Swiss Meusli instead of the plain oats and I have to say it is fantastic! Also, when I halve the recipe I use a full egg and it turns out great.
good to know about the egg! I always wonder about that when halving.
Loved these!! Made exactly as written. Reheated in microwave and then toaster oven. Pperfect!
I make this practically every week and it makes for such a great breakfast or snack. Thank you!
My four boys (ages 3-9) love this recipe. I’ve made it three times and each time I think they won’t like it because they’re used to the buttery ones, but my oldest just told me that these taste better! Thank you for making it in one bowl, compels me to make it for that reason too. 😊
Made these today for our Sunday morning Seattle “Snowmageddon 2019” breakfast (too much snow to leave the house!). I left the batter fairly thick, which resulted in me over-browning one side when I got impatient and started to unload the dishwasher while waiting for them to cook. But this recipe is great; I did the microwave step, and after eating them I think I’d find them too toothsome if I skipped it. Easy to put together, and next time I’ll try to be more patient and give the low-and-slow my full attention!
PS Has anyone made these into waffles??
If I use frozen bananas should I strain the liquid or toss it in?
I had bought oats last night to make these, and when I got home from the store I saw that you had just posted them on instagram! Made these this morn as a late breakfast/lunch, absolutely delicious!! Used regular oats, almond milk, and subbed almond meal for the whole wheat flour (trying to cut out gluten sadly) and they worked perfectly, good even without any syrup (although even better with!)! Thanks for another win Deb :)
I am obsessed with multigrain pancakes and I have to say these did not disappoint!! I did used rolled oats and added a drizzle of unsulphered molasses to the batter. Great flavor and texture. I like the taste of whole wheat but the whole wheat wasn’t even that overwhelming due to the oats and cinnamon. Delicious! After seeing this recipe, I replaced the butter and sugar in other multigrain pancakes with banana as well. I had good results so this is a technique you can apply to other pancake recipes.
I made these to eat before my last half marathon and triathlon races and they are great filling race-day breakfasts! Delicious! I always add blueberries.
WAY too much baking powder. I cut to 1/2 tbsp and still tasted it. Read similar comments after. Do not recommend recipe for this reason.
So goooood!! I blitzed some old fashioned oats so they’d cook more thoroughly, accidentally spilled too much milk in so added a bit of ground flax to soak it up, AND added blueberries! There’s were seriously the BEST healthy pancakes I’ve ever made! They were fluffy and flavorful, definitely my new go to pancakes, even on weekends! Thank you!
Could I make these into muffins?
I don’t think they will bake up well as muffins.
Hi! What would be the best substitute for the egg in this recipe? Thank you!
I haven’t tried this but a few people say they either skip the egg or forgot it and it was different but fine.
For those asking about gluten free, I made these as follows: gluten free whole rolled oats, weighed to Deb’s gram measurement, half whizzed in blender; Bob’s Red Mill Oat Bran Hot Cereal subbed for flour in the gram measurement, and because it’s what I had on hand, Forager unsweetened Cashew Keffir in place of the milks. And they were aweeesooommee! Will 100% make again, exactly as I did today. The note for the batter to be thick, but not like cookie dough, was spot on. I used a heaped 1/4 cup scoop to plop them in my cast iron pan with coconut oil, and I smooshed the center out a bit as I dropped them. Wow. Really so, so good.
I accidentally added baking soda instead of baking powder — whoops! The flavor was still tasty, but they browned incredibly quickly and were raw inside. I needed to finish them off in the oven in order to enjoy them. Can’t wait to try them again with the correct ingredients!
Made these recently for my toddler and found them very flexible. I halved the recipe (but kept the full egg), used white flour and instant oats, and they turned out great. They’re just fancy enough that my toddler thinks he’s getting a special treat (saving the fluffy buttermilk ones drenched in maple syrup for another day :)
Thank you for this recipe, Deb! As a cyclist, I’m always looking for portable homemade snacks, and these are perfect! Just sweet enough, and they hold up well to being smushed in the pockets of my cycling jersey.
I just made these…delicious! Especially with peanut butter and nutella!
Deb, I’ve been cooking and enjoying your recipes for years, but I wanted to drop a particular thank you for this one. My 3 year old was two months premature and only 3 lbs when she was born. We’ve fought for every ounce she’s gained since then. She’s grown into just about the pickiest eater imaginable, which makes the fight for weight gain even harder. She LOVED these pancakes. Breakfast this morning went off without begging or arguing. Thank you so, so much!
Can I make these as muffins?
Delicious! Truthfully I made them with regular white flour as that’s all I had in, but my little boy (a very picky eater!) devoured four of them with only a tiny spread of sugar free jam (as opposed to his usual preference of heaps of syrup). Will definitely make again.
I have been making these almost weekly during quarantine. They have officially replaced banana bread as the preferred use of frozen bananas in my house!
Amazing and soo good! My kid just loved them!
thanks!
I made these for my husband and me and they were delicious. I like the fact that there is no added sugar and that all the sweetness comes from the bananas. I also like the fact that there is no white flour. So healthy and delicious and easy to make – a perfect combination for a breakfast put in regular rotation. I served them with a small smear of almond butter and topped with pure maple syrup (yup, there goes the healthy version, but hey, it is Covid stay at home time and we deserve it!)
I just wanted to let you know I make these frequently and they are so delightful. They almost always turn out just right.
I’m trying to use up leftover baby oatmeal (which is super-instant oats, basically, just flakes). Wondering if the trick would be more cereal or less liquid?? Anyone tried this?
So, so good. I had bananas to use up so decided to make a batch to have on hand. This made exactly 8 pancakes using 1/4 cup of batter for each one. I ate two right off the griddle and they didn’t even need maple syrup; I regret not doubling the batch. My batter needed 6T of milk, and I also added a Tbsp of brown sugar and a healthy splash of vanilla.
Forgot to add that I used white whole wheat flour, which I find is nice because it’s a little softer and not as dense as whole wheat.
Had tons of really ripe bananas this week, my one and three year old decided they were not into them this week! So I made these and the marbled banana bread… loved both and even threw a few chocolate chips into the pancakes. Thank you!
Pleased with the taste and texture, but I couldn’t get them to look pretty. They wouldn’t spread at all; it was annoying to shape them in the hot pan. I needed 6 Tbsp of milk, and was struggling with the batter so much that I added another couple Tbsp of water halfway through. I got 5 and a half pancakes, using 2 medium bananas–perhaps 3 would have worked better. For the record, I used the full Tbsp of baking powder, and I think the batter did really need that lift.
Served with banana flambe.
nice
These + frozen blueberries were delicious. The first time I made them they were a bit gummy, so the second time I reduced the flour (all-purpose, as I didn’t have whole wheat on hand) to 1/2 cup and they turned out perfect. My toddler loved them as well.
I have made them as per recipe a few times and they always come out great!
Today I blended up a small cooked beetroot and added it in and made the most beautiful deep pink pancakes!
I love these! I’ve been making them ever since you posted, but they’re especially wonderful now as I am in university (and am trying to lower my sugar intake!). I make half a batch and it lasts me two servings (they reheat wonderfully).
Thank you as always for being such a wonderful source of recipes and stories, I truly love this blog (been reading for around 8 years, & am rarely disappointed).
Excited to make these for my little one! Two questions though –
(1) should I oats be ground for this recipe? (2) 1 tbsp of baking powder seems like a lot, can that be decreased or substituted?
Thanks!!
1. No, rolled are fine. 2. I used the amount that worked best when testing.
Delicious, healthy, and so easy– love the one-bowl morning recipes for kids weekday mornings.
Just made these, and I’m wondering if the tablespoon of baking powder is a mistake? It seems like way too much… My pancakes tasted bitter and mineral-y?
Amazing recipe! I want my pancakes a bit thinner and less dense, so I ended up adding about 8 tablespoons of liquid total by the end. Will make again!
I make these regularly for weekend breakfasts. Last time when I was out of eggs I learned that they work great in a vegan version, too – with plant milk and a chia egg (=1 tbsp chia seeds mixed with 1 tbsp water and left to sit for 5 minutes before mixing it into the other ingredients). It adds a slight crunch to the finished pancake, and we really liked it!
Deb, thank you so much for this recipe. It’s a game changer. There have been copycats but this one’s the best. I should preface by saying that I’m a pancake *slut*—would’ve stayed on the Titanic if they had been serving them. I’m not that hard to please BUT, if I’m going to reuse a recipe it has to be excellent. This one is excellent. For nearly three years now I’ve been freezing super ripe, super large bananas and keeping a container of partly ground oats on the shelf just to make these, which I do regularly. I had a digestive disorder for over a year and these were a dietary staple for me because they aren’t sugar sweetened and are low in fat.
Over the years I’ve learned to reduce the oats instead of increasing the milk for thinner cakes. I’ve also reduced the baking powder to 2 teaspoons and added 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda. I’ve tried other variations which usually turn out great but aside from those three main changes I make these as written. By the way they work great as written to make waffles!
A perfect weeknight pancake, too: I banged out a batch (added toasted walnuts and a big splash of honey) in about 30 minutes and now I have breakfast tomorrow. This was also the perfect excuse to pick through the apples we picked last weekend, trim the bruised or buggy ones, and sauté the remaining pieces with nutmeg and butter with which to top the pancakes. I love it when Deb helps me to get excited about weekday mornings.
I made these with rolled oats that had been mixed with the banana and set overnight in the fridge. Worked great. Used plain soy yogurt instead of milk because I needed to use it up. These were so easy to make and so tasty. Thanks, Deb.
I made these with buckwheat flour as it’s all I had and the kids inhaled them. I also made them pre-coffee which is a miracle. One bowl, barely any thought required, delicious, a happy family. Thanks again Deb.
Made these four times in a week. The first time followed your recipe except for subbing cooked steel cut oats.
The 2nd, 3rd, and 4th times I made them in my waffle iron and it turned out great! Depending on your waffle size, this made me 4-6 waffles.
First batch was with homemade roasted pumpkin mash, cooked steel cut oats, with cinnamon and sugar. Excellent served plain or with blue cheese spread (!!!! my dad’s idea).
Second batch was roasted spaghetti squash with grated parmesan and steel cut oats.
Third batch was pumpkin mash again, rolled oats microwaved with milk, and pumpkin pie spice.
All were excellent! Intended on making a bunch to freeze and eat later but then my family inhaled them so oh well!
Mixed this up in a blender with regular rolled oats and AP flour, they were great and my littles loved them! Nice and fluffy!
Has anyone tried substituting apple sauce for the banana? I’m much more likely to have that around.
These were a hit. Even with my kid who is deeply suspicious that I am trying to feed her healthy food for breakfast. Do get the batter consistency to thin enough to spread when dropped in the skillet. My first batch was too thick…still tasted good, but thinner was better!
Okay this is an old recipe that I just discovered. It’s a great basis for play! I threw the rolled oats into some leftover buttermilk last night, mashed up the Delicata squash that I cooked days ago but hadn’t found a purpose for, added 2 tbl. molasses as a sweetener- so tender and not healthy tasting.
I swapped out the egg with qnother banana for breakfast for dinner tonight (because I’m out of eggs) and these are delightful! Lighter and fluffier than I es expecting.
Man, these are good! I was skeptical – batter looked like baby cereal and then they came out looking like oatmeal-colored hockey pucks so I tried one before serving to teen son and they were delish. He even admitted they were good after I told him ingredients.
Excellent balance of fast, delicious, healthy (for pancakes), and made with Things Currently in my Kitchen. I added 7-9 T milk as either my bananas were small or I like a thinner pancake. Or both. I don’t usually add cinnamon to pancakes, but it works well with the whole wheat. I added frozen blueberries to each cake in the pan. These got a thumbs up from kid and grownups. Next time I’ll add a bit of yogurt or sourdough starter for a bit of tang. Love that it is a 1 bowl recipe.
These are incredible and exactly what I wanted for a weekday breakfast that I can prepare ahead of time and feed the kids. Thank you!
I’ve made these many times and they’re wonderful. I never use quick-cook oats and add a few extra tablespoons of liquid to compensate. I usually use kefir instead of milk and whatever flour I have on hand (this morning it was rye). Great with a handful of chopped walnuts as well!
I’ve been making these and creating little breakfast bento boxes with them, some fruit, and PB and syrup for dipping. It really makes a great desk breakfast and something to look forward to!
I use old fashioned rolled oats and nuke’em with some milk for about 30 seconds then let them sit while I get everything else around. Works great!
This hectic morning after a hectic week, I realized I didn’t have anything available for breakfast and would have to cook on the fly. These were a lifesaver. I used regular rolled oats, just smushed them up a little bit first. Husband likes his with maple syrup; I like mine with butter and salt; the dog got a little bit (plain) and begged for more. They’re going on the regular rotation.
Yay! An excuse to buy more banananananas! And a yummy recipe that is veganized for me – woohoo!
I love bananas, but always wind up with too many past their prime too fast, and there’s only so much banana bread even I can handle. Thank you!