Be it breakfast – or breakfast for dinner – hearty, healthy Banana Oatmeal Pancakes bring full smiles and full bellies every time. Loaded with bananas, whole-grain oats, and eggs, these oatmeal pancakes provide energy-boosting nutrients like protein, potassium, and B vitamins to keep you sated and alert throughout the morning. Added bonus: this pancake recipe is super easy to modify for gluten-free and refined sugar-free diets.
Though I love to cook – and someday, someone will have to pry a whisk from my cold, dead hands – I also love dining out. Because (surprise!) I love food. I love dining at a seafood restaurant by the sea. I love trendy pop-ups that offer kitschy fare. I love old-school Italian joints with Chianti bottle candle holders.
And I really love anywhere that unabashedly offers “ALL DAY BREAKFAST!” Because while breakfast is one of my three favorite meals (wink wink), breakfast when it’s not breakfast time might be my absolute favorite.
Whether following late-night shenanigans, or at a roadside greasy spoon after 10 hours of driving, there is nothing quite like the knowledge that there are places gladly willing to serve you bacon, eggs, and toast any time you need them.
But I don’t just reserve the joy of breakfast for dinner when dining out. Oh no! Because this love affair began at home.
I had no idea when I was a kid, that when my mom served pancakes for dinner it was because Bisquick was an over-worked mother’s little helper – I just remember it was an absolute treat! And I also remember that fresh excitement when I was first living on my own as an adult realizing I could whip up french toast for dinner if I darn well please.
Point being, while Banana Oatmeal Pancakes are an absolutely respectable, substantial, delicious and nutritious breakfast, they’re also a perfect meal to introduce or carry on the great tradition of “brinner” in your own home. Highly recommend (as do the kids!). 5 out of 5 stars.
How to make banana oatmeal pancakes
As they used to say about certain other breakfast foods, these Banana Oatmeal Pancakes are kid-tested and mother-approved. Whether you’re serving for breakfast or breakfast-for-dinner, they come together in 30 minutes with the majority of your prep time reserved for soaking whole oats. While your oats are “marinating,” preheat your griddle, mash your bananas, beat your eggs, and mix the rest of your ingredients together. Once you’ve combined everything, it’s as easy as pour and flip!
- Combine oats with oat milk (or your favorite plant milk) and stir until combined; soak for 10 minutes, until the oats have absorbed most of the milk and are soft.
- Mash two ripe bananas, then whisk with eggs until smooth.
- Add flour, sugar, baking powder, vanilla, cinnamon and salt to the soaked oats and mix until combined.
- Add the banana and egg mixture to the oat mixture, and mix once more until just barely combined.
- Heat a non-stick or well-seasoned cast iron skillet over medium high heat.
- Scoop quarter-cup portions of the batter into the skillet; the pancakes are ready to flip when the edges are firm and bubbles appear on the surface of the pancakes. Flip, then cook until golden brown on the other side.
Can I make the batter in the blender?
You can, but it will result in a different kind of pancake texture. Make with whole soaked oats, these pancakes are intentionally dense and chewy. They’ve got heft!
After trying it both ways, our family prefers the texture of soaked whole oats (and no, you won’t end up with whole pieces of firm oats in your pancakes), but you do you.
Keep ’em warm
Set your oven to the lowest setting (typically 180-200°F) and place a baking sheet on a rack positioned in the center of the oven. Transfer the pancakes to the baking sheet as you make them, then transfer to a platter or plates when you’re ready to serve.
How to freeze and store oatmeal pancakes
- Oatmeal pancakes will store well in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 5 days. (I almost always make a double batch so my kids can enjoy them all week.) To reheat, microwave for 30-45 seconds.
- These also freeze beautifully! To freeze, arrange the pancakes on a baking sheet with a half-inch of space between. Place the baking sheet in the freezer and freeze until firm (about an hour), then move the pancakes to a gallon freezer bag. Press the air out to reduce freezer burn and seal. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months. Reheat in the microwave in 30-second intervals, flipping over the pancakes in-between so they reheat evenly.
Tips for making this recipe perfectly
- The first pancake almost always sucks. It’s a weird bit of food science that nobody really appreciates, but here we are.
- Pancakes are ready to flip once you see bubbles on the surface and the edges look firm.
- Use a non-stick skillet or a well-seasoned griddle. We like to grease with a light mist of olive oil cooking spray.
- A standard-sized ice cream scooper is the perfect measurement for pancake batter – and way less messy!
- This recipe was written for old fashioned oats, not quick cooking or steel cut oats. Substitutions will change the texture drastically and are not recommended.
Make it your way
- As written, this recipe is dairy-free (we used oat milk). Substitute your favorite plant-based milk, but know that not every dairy-free milk is created equally. Almond milk is thinner than oat milk or cashew milk, for example, so start with 3/4 cup and add more as needed to reach the right consistency.
- To make it gluten free, use certified gluten-free oats and one-for-one gluten-free flour with xanthan gum. We test with Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free baking flour and like the results.
- Make it refined sugar free by omitting the sugar entirely (they’re still sweet from the bananas) or substituting 2 teaspoons honey.
More healthy breakfast recipes with staying power
- Instant Pot Egg Bites
- Sweet Potato Hash
- Whole Grain Pancakes with Macerated Strawberries
- Ground Turkey Hash with Squash and Peppers
- Whole Grain Waffles
Did you make these oatmeal pancakes? I’d love to know how they turned out! Leave a comment and a rating below 
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Banana Oatmeal Pancakes
Print Recipe Rate this Recipe Pin RecipeRecommended Equipment
- Cast Iron Skillet
Ingredients
- 1.5 c old fashioned oats
- 1 c plant based milk
- 2 ripe bananas, mashed with the tines of a fork
- 3 eggs
- ½ c all purpose flour, gluten free as needed
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Combine oats and milk in a bowl; mix until combined. Soak 10 minutes until the oats have absorbed most of the liquid and are softened.
- Add bananas to a large bowl and mash with the tines of a fork. Add the eggs and mix with bananas until well combined.
- Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, vanilla, cinnamon and salt to the oats; mix until well combined. Add the egg and banana mixture to the oat mixture and mix once more until well combined.
- Heat a well-seasoned cast iron skillet (or non-stick skillet) over medium high heat. Spray lightly with olive oil cooking spray. Drop quarter-cup portions of the batter into the skillet. Cook 3-4 minutes, or until bubbles appear and the edges look firm, then flip and heat until cooked through, 2-3 minutes more. Transfer to a plate or a warm oven and repeat with the remaining batter. Makes 12 three-inch pancakes. Serve warm with fresh berries and real maple syrup.
Notes
- A standard-sized ice cream scooper is the perfect measurement for pancake batter - and way less messy!
- This recipe was written for old fashioned oats, not quick cooking or steel cut oats. Substitutions will change the texture drastically and are not recommended.
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