Banana Oat Pancakes (Gluten-Free Breakfast Recipe)
Two-ingredient banana and oat pancakes — naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, and sweetened only by the banana. Ready in 15 minutes with no flour, butter, or sugar required.
What is this dish?
Banana oat pancakes are a naturally gluten-free, dairy-free alternative to standard pancakes made from just bananas, oats, and eggs — no flour, butter, or sugar. They are sweetened entirely by the natural sugars in ripe bananas.
Why you'll love it
They take 15 minutes, require no specialist ingredients, and produce surprisingly fluffy, flavourful pancakes that suit people avoiding gluten, dairy, or refined sugar. The banana base provides natural sweetness and moisture.
When to serve
A quick weekday or weekend breakfast. Perfect for people with gluten or dairy sensitivities, or anyone who wants a lighter, more nutritious pancake.
Quick tips
Use very ripe bananas — the riper, the sweeter. Cook on medium-low heat. Make them small for easier flipping.
Overripe Bananas
The base and the sweetener. The riper the banana — ideally with black spots — the sweeter and moister the pancakes. Under-ripe bananas produce denser, less sweet results.
Rolled Oats
Replace flour entirely, providing structure, fibre, and complex carbohydrates. They blend into a smooth batter in a blender. Use certified GF oats if coeliac.
Eggs
Bind the batter and provide structure and protein. Can be replaced with flax eggs for a fully vegan version, though the texture changes slightly.
Substitution Options
Use 2 flax eggs (2 tbsp ground flaxseed + 6 tbsp water) for a vegan version. Add 1 tablespoon of peanut butter to the batter for extra flavour and fat. Replace cinnamon with cardamom or mixed spice. Blend in a tablespoon of cocoa powder for a chocolate version.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Blend or mash the batter
Blend all ingredients together in a blender until smooth and the oats are fully incorporated — about 30 seconds. Alternatively, mash the bananas very well with a fork in a bowl, beat in the eggs, then stir in the oats, baking powder, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt. The batter will be thicker than regular pancake batter.
Pro Tips:
- •A blender produces a smoother, more uniform batter — strongly recommended.
- •The batter will be thicker than flour-based pancake batter — this is correct.
Rest the batter
Let the batter rest for 3 minutes. The oats absorb the liquid and the batter thickens slightly during this time.
Pro Tips:
- •Don't skip the rest — the thicker batter after resting produces better-structured pancakes.
- •If the batter seems too thick to pour, add 1 tablespoon of milk.
Cook the pancakes
Heat a non-stick pan over medium-low heat and add a small amount of coconut oil. Pour about 3 tablespoons of batter per pancake into the pan. These are smaller than standard pancakes — about 8cm diameter. Cook for 2–3 minutes until the edges set and the centre begins to bubble. Flip carefully and cook for 1–2 minutes more until golden.
Pro Tips:
- •Cook on medium-low — banana pancakes brown faster than flour pancakes and need gentler heat.
- •They're more delicate than flour pancakes when flipping — use a thin spatula and flip confidently.
Serve with toppings
Stack the pancakes and top with fresh banana slices, a drizzle of maple syrup, and a spoonful of nut butter. They're naturally sweet from the banana so need very little additional sweetener.
Pro Tips:
- •These pancakes are best eaten immediately — they don't hold as well as flour pancakes.
- •The sweetness depends on the ripeness of the bananas — very ripe bananas need no added sweetener at all.
Chef's Tips
Techniques that separate good from great
Use overripe bananas for maximum sweetness
Bananas with black or heavily spotted skins have converted most of their starch to sugar — they are significantly sweeter and moister than yellow bananas. They are the ideal ingredient here and usually the cheapest at the supermarket too.
Add protein powder to the batter
One scoop of vanilla protein powder added to the blender with the other ingredients adds 20+ grams of protein per serving without significantly changing the flavour. This turns a naturally low-protein recipe into a high-protein breakfast.
Make them smaller for easier flipping
8–9cm diameter pancakes flip much more reliably than larger ones. The batter is more fragile than flour batter and large pancakes break during flipping. Make them small and stack them high.
Add a tablespoon of nut butter to the batter
A tablespoon of peanut butter or almond butter blended into the batter adds richness, more flavour complexity, and additional healthy fat that makes the pancakes more sustaining.
Nutrition Facts
Equipment Needed
- Blender or mixing bowl
- Non-stick frying pan
- Spatula
Quick Tips
- Use very ripe bananas with black spots — they are sweeter and mash more smoothly.
- Cook on medium-low heat — banana pancakes brown much faster than flour pancakes.
- Use a thin spatula and flip with confidence — they're more delicate than flour-based pancakes.
Recipe Variations
Different ways to make this dish your own
Protein Banana Pancakes
Add one scoop of vanilla protein powder to the blender with the other ingredients. Serve with Greek yoghurt and berries.
Peanut Butter Banana Pancakes
Blend 1 tablespoon of peanut butter into the batter. Top with sliced banana, more peanut butter, and dark chocolate chips.
Blueberry Banana Pancakes
Fold 80g of fresh blueberries into the rested batter. They burst into jammy pockets during cooking.
Spiced Banana Pancakes
Add ¼ teaspoon of ground ginger and ¼ teaspoon of mixed spice alongside the cinnamon for a warming, autumnal flavour.
What to Serve With
Perfect pairings to complete the meal
Maple Syrup and Fresh Banana
The classic topping — sliced fresh banana and a drizzle of real maple syrup. Very little sweetener needed given the banana base.
Greek Yoghurt and Berries
A spoonful of thick Greek yoghurt with fresh mixed berries adds protein and freshness alongside the sweet pancakes.
Nut Butter and Honey
Almond or peanut butter drizzled with honey adds healthy fat and protein, making the breakfast significantly more sustaining.
Stewed Fruit
Warm stewed apple or pear with cinnamon makes a particularly good pairing for these spiced banana oat pancakes.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Keep it fresh and plan ahead
Refrigerator
Stack cooled pancakes with baking paper between layers. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Freezer
Freeze in stacks with baking paper between each pancake. Freeze for up to 1 month. Toast from frozen in a toaster.
Make-Ahead
Blend the batter the night before and refrigerate. Stir well and add a splash of milk to loosen before cooking in the morning.
Reheating
Reheat in a dry non-stick pan over medium heat for 1 minute per side, or toast in a toaster for 1–2 minutes until warmed through.
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