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These banana oatmeal pancakes are naturally gluten free, made with just 4 basic ingredients, and taste like banana bread in pancake form.
They’re soft, satisfying, and full of real banana flavor—no added sugar needed. Just blend, pour, and cook!
my take
Why These Pancakes Work
With just 4 simple ingredients, these gluten free banana pancakes turn out soft and fluffy every time—no flour blends, no added sugar.
Mashed banana adds natural sweetness, moisture, and structure, while a touch of baking powder gives lift.
For even thicker pancakes, let them cook for a minute before adding a second spoonful of batter to the center.
what's in it
Key Ingredients and Why They Matter
Oat flour – Use commercially prepared oat flour, or make your own by grinding old-fashioned rolled oats into a fine powder. Oats add structure and whole grain flavor without needing a flour blend.
Ripe bananas – Bananas should be deeply speckled or brown. The riper they are, the sweeter and more tender your pancakes will be.
Eggs – Eggs provide structure and help the pancakes rise. This recipe relies heavily on the balance between eggs and banana.
Baking powder – There’s just enough to give the pancakes lift and fluff, without making them cakey or dry.
Salt – Just a pinch brings out all the natural sweetness and balances flavor.
If you want to make more pancake option, try my cornmeal pancakes.
How to make GF banana pancakes
These pancakes come together quickly with just one bowl and a whisk—no blender required. Here’s how:
1. Whisk the dry ingredients
In a medium mixing bowl or a large measuring cup with a pour spout, whisk together the oat flour, baking powder, and salt.
2. Mash the banana and beat the eggs
Mash one very ripe banana in a separate bowl until smooth. Beat the eggs well, then add both to the dry ingredients.
3. Combine the batter
Whisk everything together until the batter is uniform. It may seem thin at first—let it rest for about 5 minutes to thicken slightly.
4. Preheat and grease the skillet
Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat, or set a griddle to 325°F. Grease lightly with butter or oil.
5. Pour and cook
Pour the batter onto the hot skillet in scant ¼-cup portions. Cook for about 3 minutes, until the underside is golden brown and the edges begin to set. Don’t wait for bubbles—these pancakes cook differently than traditional ones.
6. Flip and finish
Flip the pancakes gently and cook for another 1 minute, or until just set in the center.
7. Serve warm
Enjoy right away with sliced bananas and real maple syrup, or keep warm in a 200°F oven while you cook the rest.
Ingredient substitutions
Dairy free – The pancakes themselves contain no dairy, but I like to cook them in butter for flavor. You can easily substitute vegan butter (like Miyoko’s or Melt) or use coconut oil.
Oat free – Replace the oat flour with ⅓ cup (40 g) finely ground blanched almond flour. You can also try quinoa flakes ground into a fine powder.
Egg free – Eggs are essential to the structure here, but if you’ve had success with a pancake-friendly egg replacer in other recipes, feel free to experiment. JustEggs from the refrigerated section of the grocery store might work.
Banana substitute – If you're just short of the 100 g of mashed banana, top it off with a spoonful of smooth applesauce. For a full swap, the texture will change, but applesauce can work in a pinch.
Pro tips for pancake success
Use very ripe bananas – The riper they are, the sweeter and more tender your pancakes will be. Underripe bananas can taste grassy or raw.
Let the batter rest – The batter may look thin at first. Letting it sit for 5 minutes helps it thicken up before cooking.
Don’t wait for bubbles – These pancakes don’t show many bubbles as they cook. Instead, watch for the edges to look set and the surface to lose its shine before flipping.
Gluten Free Banana Pancakes Recipe
Equipment
- Blender
- Griddle or nonstick skillet
Ingredients
- ½ cup (50 g) oat flour, (See Recipe Notes) certified gluten free, if necessary
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 (100 g weighed out of shell) eggs, at room temperature, beaten well
- 1 (100 g) ripe banana, mashed until smooth
- Butter, for cooking (optional)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl or measuring cup with a pour spout, whisk together the oat flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the mashed banana and beaten eggs. Whisk until smooth. Let the batter rest for 5 minutes to thicken.
- Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat (or a griddle to 325°F). Lightly grease with butter or oil.
- Pour the batter in scant ¼-cup portions onto the skillet. Cook for 3 minutes, or until the underside is golden and the edges look set.
- Flip and cook for 1 minute more, or until the center is set. Serve warm.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Flavor variations
These pancakes are simple and naturally flavorful, but you can easily customize them. Try one of these quick add-ins:
- Vanilla or almond extract – Stir in ½ teaspoon of extract to enhance the flavor.
- Cinnamon – Add ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon for a warm, spiced twist.
- Mini chocolate chips – Sprinkle 1 ounce of chips onto each pancake after pouring the batter for chocolate chip banana pancakes.
make ahead/leftovers
Storage instructions
Let the pancakes cool completely, then stack and wrap them tightly in twos.
Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 weeks.
To refresh, let them come to room temperature (if frozen), sprinkle lightly with water, and warm in a toaster oven at 250°F until heated through.
FAQs
No. Those are made with just egg and banana, and tend to taste like banana-flavored eggs. These have structure, lift, and real pancake texture.
Yes—use ⅓ cup (40 g) blanched almond flour instead of oat flour. If you're not gluten free, you can also try whole wheat flour. Add a splash of milk if the batter seems too thick.
Bananas make these pancakes brown quickly. If they’re too dark, reduce the heat slightly—325°F on a griddle is ideal. Even if they look dark, they’ll still taste great.
Love this recipe and have used it for years however have recently become wholefood plant based for health reasons and am wondering whether this amazing recipe will work if I replace the eggs with flax eggs or chia? Thanks
Hi, Ainslie, I’m afraid I don’t think that would work, as I state in the text of the post under the heading “Can you make gluten free, egg free banana pancakes?”
The first time I made these I did not get any rise, so this time, I doubled the baking powder and they turned out nicely. They are a little “eggy” in texture and flavor, so I added 1/2 tsp of cinnamon and vanilla which gave a nice flavor boost. Overall a nice balance between tasty and healthy!
GREATLY SURPRISED, cooked nicely and tasted even better. I thought without milk, how will you get the batter poured but it works. Thanks
It is a kind of surprising, but it works, Molly! So glad you enjoyed them.
These were very tasty. I ground my oatmeal to make the flour.
Thank you
Thank you for this recipe. I shall try the pancakes as Flour does me harm. Not sure if gluten intolerant yet.but please keep sending me your recipes.
These are great! They taste like banana muffins in pancake form – was very pleased. Will make these again. I used Bob’s Red Mill Oat Bran for the oats. I cannot eat corn so I replaced the baking powder with a baking soda/cream of tartar mixture. Thanks for the recipe!
Those are great substitutes, Rere. They are like banana muffins in cake form! So glad you enjoyed them.
Delicious and so fast to make. With one overly-ripe banana bound for smoothie – this recipe caught my eye. Used the oat option and so fast and tasty. Thanks so very much!
My pleasure, Franny. I think this is a perfect smoothie alternative! So glad you enjoyed the pancakes.
Yum! These are delicious. I am surprised by just how good the texture is. I love that this recipe is very healthy, simple, fast, and has such excellent flavor and texture. I will make these again tomorrow morning!
The texture is a bit of a surprise, Erin, I agree! In a good way. :)
What about using buckwheat flakes? I also am unable to tolerate any oat flakes and have been using buckwheat as a substitute.
I think that might work, Bonnie, if you grind them into a flour. I haven’t tried that as a substitute for oat flour, which I discuss in the post about substituting oats in gluten free baking, since I hadn’t been able to find gluten free buckwheat flakes in the U.S. I see now that there’s something available on Amazon, but it’s imported and extremely expensive. If you can find them, give it a shot!
Hello Nicole,
I can’t do almond flour or oats . I would like a recipe for banana pancakes with better batter flour. Is there any in one of your cook books? I have all of them. I would like something easy for one person meals.
Thanks for your help.
There are plenty of other recipes for pancakes on the blog, Judy. Please use the search function! But you cannot use Better Batter, which contains xanthan gum, to make pancakes. They will be gummy.