Best Banana Oat Flour Pancakes (Vegan)

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Any given Saturday morning is likely to be a Vegan Pancakes morning at my house with these delicious banana oat flour pancakes. They are light and fluffy, sugar-free, and gluten-free!

Banana oatmeal pancakes topped with blueberries and strawberries on white plate

Pancakes are my husband’s favorite, and Saturday mornings are a great time to make them for us. Many times, I will cook a double batch and freeze the leftovers.

You’ll love these pancakes because they’re…

  • Delicious
  • Dairy-free
  • Vegan
  • Gluten-free
  • Healthy
  • Perfectly sweet
  • Freeze well
  • Easy to make

These vegan oatmeal pancakes freeze very well and make a quick breakfast on fast-paced mornings. Top them with any fruit you have on hand and enjoy!

Ingredients needed

  • Oat flour (made from oats in blender)
  • Banana
  • Baking soda
  • Salt
  • Vanilla
  • Applesauce
  • Apple cider vinegar
  • Plant milk
  • Maple syrup
  • Walnuts (optional)

Oat flour can be purchased in health food stores, but why do that when all you need is oats and a blender? It can be made at home for a fraction of the cost.

How to make pancake oat flour in a blender

The recipe card at the bottom of the page has the full list of ingredients with measurements and instructions.

Making these healthy banana and oat pancakes begin with blending up your own oat flour in less than 5 minutes. No kidding!

Simply add old fashion or quick-cooking oats to your blenderfood processor, or even coffee grinder.

oats in blender

Next, blend or pulse oats until they are ground into powdery flour, approximately 1-minute or less. Time will depend on the power of your appliance.

If needed, stop and stir oats then pulse again to make sure they are completely blended.

One cup of oats makes just under 1-cup of flour. There is about 1 tablespoon difference, with the finished flour product being the lesser measurement.

oat flour in vitamix

For more information on cooking with oat flour check out How to Make Oat Flour & 10 Recipes that includes Zucchini Fudgy Brownies, Healthy Vegan Oat Bar, Zucchini Fritters, Breakfast Waffles, Blueberry Oat Muffins, Tootsie Rolls, and more.

How to make banana oat pancakes

First, begin by making the oat flour as described above. It’s super simple!

Next, add all the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, salt, walnuts) to a large bowl, and mix together. I love to use a really big bow for this because in a couple of steps we’ll combine wet and dry ingredients in this bowl, and I always like to have plenty of room for stirring.

oat flour in stainless steel bowl with whisk

In another smaller bowl, mash banana well with fork or potato masher. Add all other ingredients (vanilla, maple syrup (or unrefined sugar), apple cider vinegar, and almond milk). Whisk together thoroughly.

wet batter for banana oatmeal pancakes

This is where the large dry ingredient bowl comes in handy. Combine both bowls–dry ingredients and wet ingredients, and stir well.

Heat large nonstick skillet. I use an Ozeri pan and am able to cook these with absolutely no oil. It’s my favorite!

banana oat pancakes in nonstick pan

Pour small amounts of batter onto the heated skillet and cook until the tops bubble and edges are dry.

Turn pancakes over and cook the other side for about 1 minute, until golden brown.

Vegan pancakes in nonstick pan

Serve immediately with maple syrup drizzled over the top. We also love to add berries like strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries. To really hit it out of the park, add a dollop of my Homemade Vegan Whipped Cream!

*Originally published February 28, 2015.

Tips for making banana oat flour pancakes

  • Ingredients- Thorough whisk together the dry ingredients before pouring the well-mixed wet ingredients. This allows for a much smoother transition of ingredients.
  • Batter- If the batter is allowed to sit for a few minutes, it will continue to thicken. So, the batter for the last few pancakes will likely need to be thinned out just a little by adding an additional 2-3 tablespoons of almond milk.
  • Faster cooking- I put the pan lid on my pancakes immediately after they are poured to help them cook faster and thoroughly even in the middle. Once I flip them to cook on the other side, I leave the lid off because the middle of the cakes should be done by then.
  • Storage- Before freezing, allow the pancakes to cool completely uncovered so they won’t develop condensation on the inside of your airtight container.
  • More pancake recipes- For a different variation, try these Blueberry Cornmeal Pancakes by PlantPure Chef, Kim Campbell.
Banana oatmeal pancakes topped with blueberries and strawberries on white plate

Sometimes we top these best vegan pancakes with peaches and strawberries.

Other times it’s diced apples and strawberries. Or really just whatever fresh fruits we have on-hand.

Plant-based vegan sausage makes a great addition when serving this for breakfast. It is one of the many products that I like to order from MamaSezz meal delivery service. It comes ready to heat and eat, and it can also be frozen.

pancakes on plate with for partly eaten

A great addition to these delicious pancakes is my Smoked Tempeh Bacon.

Original vegan banana recipe adapted from The Cancer Survivor’s Guide by Dr. Neal Barnard

Are oat flour pancakes vegan and gluten-free?

Yes! These vegan banana pancakes are gluten-free. Oats are naturally gluten-free. The main problem with oats in gluten-free eating is contamination. Most commercial oats are processed in facilities that also process wheat, barley, and rye. The gluten in these ingredients can contaminate oats. For those that need to be particularly careful, these certified gluten-free oats are a good option. 

How can I cook pancakes without using oil in the pan?

You’ll need a nonstick pan, and I highly recommend this Ozeri pan. It keeps the pancakes from sticking to the bottom and makes them easy to flip.

Can pancakes be frozen?

Absolutely! I freeze them all the time. When you’re ready, just defrost them be reheating in the oven or toaster. They are terrific and crisp right back up.

Other great breakfast recipes

For those of you new to the whole food plant-based lifestyle, we’ve created a FREE 7-Day Plant-Based Menu Planner to help you get started!

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Banana oatmeal pancakes topped with blueberries and strawberries on white plate
4.69 from 89 votes

Banana-Oat Pancakes

Pancakes are my husband’s favorite, and Saturdays are a great time to make them. Many times, I will cook a double-batch and freeze the leftovers. They freeze very well and make a quick breakfast on some fast-paced mornings. Top them with any fruit you have on hand and enjoy!
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 25 minutes
Servings: 8 pancakes

Ingredients 

  • 2 cups oat flour easily made by blending old-fashioned oats in blender, dry
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1 ripe banana mashed
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup applesauce
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • 3/4 cup plant milk (almond, cashew, oat, etc)
  • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Instructions

  • Making oat flour is simple. Just put whole oats into a blender or food processor.  Blend oats until soft and powdery. This will take less than 1 minute.
  • Add all of the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, salt) to a large bowl, and mix well.
  • In another bowl, mash banana well with fork or potato masher. Add all other ingredients (vanilla, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, and plant milk). Whisk together thoroughly. You may need to add an additional splash (approximately 1 tablespoon) plant milk.
  • Combine both bowls–dry ingredients and wet ingredients, toss in the walnuts, and stir well. Allow the batter to sit for about 5 minutes to thicken up. If it gets too thick, add a splash of plant milk
  • Heat large nonstick skillet. Pour small amounts of batter onto the heated skillet and cook until the tops bubble. Put the lid on the pan to help them cook in the middle.
  • Turn pancakes over and cook the other side for about 1 minute, until golden brown.
  • Serve immediately with maple syrup drizzled over the top.

Video

Notes

Tips for making banana oat flour pancakes
  • Ingredients- Thoroughly whisk together the dry ingredients before pouring the well-mixed wet ingredients. This allows for a much smoother transition of ingredients.
  • Flour substitution- If you want to make this recipe with whole wheat flour instead of oat flour, you'll need to add approximately 1/2 a cup more plant milk.
  • Batter- If the batter is allowed to sit for about minutes, it will continue to thicken. So, the batter for the last few pancakes will likely need to be thinned out just a little by adding 2-3 tablespoons of almond milk.
  • Faster cooking- I put the pan lid on my pancakes immediately after they are poured to help them cook faster and thoroughly even in the middle. Once I flip them to cook on the other side, I leave the lid off because the middle of the cakes should be done by then.
  • Storage- Before freezing, allow the pancakes to cool completely uncovered so they won’t develop condensation on the inside of your airtight container.
  • More pancake recipes- For a different variation, try these Blueberry Cornmeal Pancakes by PlantPure Chef, Kim Campbell.

Nutrition

Serving: 2pancakes | Calories: 282kcal | Carbohydrates: 26.9g | Protein: 5.5g | Fiber: 3.5g

Disclaimer

To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.

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About Terri Edwards

Hi guys! I am the content creator behind EatPlant-Based and a licensed Food for Life instructor with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. I am passionate about sharing healthy recipes and tips to empower others to get healthy.  I’m so glad you’re here! Read More…

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69 Comments

    1. They are a family favorite around here most Saturday mornings and sometimes even for dinner. I always make 2 batches at a time and freeze some for those times when I don’t have time to cook. I am so glad you enjoyed them!

  1. Made these today, and they were delicious. I added some ground flax seeds and a little extra liquid. doubled everything, as I had two bananas going brown. Enough to freeze some, give some of the mix away, and a full breakfast today.

    1. That’s AWESOME to hear! I do the same thing and make double-batches every time I make them. They freeze very well, so you can save some to eat in the weeks to come. Thanks SO much for the great feedback. 😀

  2. Terri, I meant to write after the first time I made your Banana Oat Pancakes and just didn’t. Tonight was the 3rd time and I just couldn’t put it off any longer. They are the BOMB! Best pancakes I’ve ever eaten! With pure maple syrup they are decadent. After giving up animal products in 1993 I have tried more pancake recipes than I could count and while some were acceptable, none were great, until now! I swear I could have them for dinner every night! My wife gives them a 10, also! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

    1. Hi Kathy- Sure! I just reheated some for breakfast this morning. Take them from the freezer and put them on a plate. Place in microwave for 1 minute (mine are usually frozen in a stack). Next, unstack them and microwave another 1-2 minutes. That does the trick for us.

      1. Or toaster oven I’m sure would work great for those of us who gave up microwaves. All reheating for me is done in IP or toaster oven. Will be making these very soon!

  3. Wonderful….added chopped dates and raisins as well….ground walnuts is delicious….we snack on them all day….if they last passed breakfast

  4. Love these pancakes, tried many healthy pancakes which were only so-so before finding this delicious recipe. This will now be my go to recipe, thanks for sharing.

  5. Super yummy! Used oat flour, little amount of almond flour and coconut flour. Thinned batter out with coconut milk. I was using what I had on hand. Have leftovers for later. So satisfying! Than you.

    1. Hi Susan- That sounds wonderful, and I love the way you’re pulling these together with ingredients you have on-hand. Way to GO! Thanks for letting me know how much you like them.

  6. These look sooo good but I don’t have any baking soda on hand! Can I substitute with baking powder? If so then I won’t need the vinegar right? I’m a terrible baker/cook/whatever but I’m trying! Lol
    Thank you

  7. Applesauce isn’t listed as an ingredient however it’s mentioned in your video. Is it an ingredient or not?

    1. Hi Tanya- Wow! I have no idea how that got deleted. It used to be there. Sorry about that, and I’ve corrected it now. It’s 3/4 cup applesauce. Hope you enjoy these!

  8. Is there a way to make them without the applesauce since I usually don’t ever keep it on hand, even if it invokes using eggs, unless that is not what you are using it for. Maybe more almond milk?

  9. These turned out great! I didn’t have any walnuts so instead I used 1/4 of a cup of almond flour. Turned out perfect!

  10. Hi! I tried making these and they didn’t come out very solid and took forever to cook and they pretty much had to burn on one side before I could try to flip them over. I followed the amounts exactly. Any tips I may have missed? Still tasted great just don’t know what I’m doing wrong ?

    1. Hi Barb- Sorry that you had trouble. I haven’t heard of anyone ever having that problem before. How thick was your batter before you cooked them? It should be pretty firm as pictured in the article. If it was too thin, it could only be a couple things. Either there was too much plant milk used or possibly not enough salt and baking soda. What type of applesauce did you use?

      1. I used 365 Whole Foods organic unsweetened apple sauce. I think my problem was using kosher salt because I was out of regular salt so it probably didn’t distribute evenly!

  11. I always make a double batch and eat them all week. This past week I took them in a plastic container and warmed them up for breakfast everyday while on vacation at Glacier National Park. MY FAVORITE BREAKFAST!!!

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