Light and fluffy, healthy gluten free banana pancakes are made with 4 simple pantry ingredients (plus salt) in minutes. They don’t even need any added sweeteners!
What makes these gf banana pancakes special
There’s no shortage of “pancake” recipes on the Internet. But these are classic gluten free banana pancakes, no air quotes.
They aren’t just classic pancakes served with a few bananas on top of the stack. They’re also more than just pancakes with bananas baked onto one side of the pancake as the other side cooks.
Mashed banana is one of the 3 main ingredients in these pancakes, providing sweetness, flavor and even structure. If your banana is ripe enough, the pancakes will be plenty sweet. I say that as someone with a sweet tooth that I honor and cherish.
Banana oatmeal pancakes are not 2-ingredient banana pancakes
I have tried The-Internet-Said-So “recipe” of 1 mashed banana and 1 egg. So. many. times. It tastes like a sweet egg.
Mixing a banana and an egg and cooking as if it were a pancake does not, in fact, make it a pancake. It’s like a non-chewy, non-boiled round roll with a hole. That’s not a bagel.
These gluten free banana pancakes are made with 3 essential ingredients: ground oats (or a substitute; see below), mashed banana, and eggs. But the 4th ingredient, baking powder, is really important to texture.
There isn’t a ton of baking powder in this recipe, but it makes a much fluffier pancake. It also helps the pancakes stay fluffy as they cool.
Flavor variations for these gluten free banana pancakes
These are simple pancakes, made without an all purpose gluten free flour blend or even any starches. Each of the ingredients provides its own flavor and texture.
But there are plenty of other flavors that go well with banana oatmeal pancakes. Here are a few suggestions:
- Try adding 1/2 teaspoon of your favorite flavor extract to the pancake batter. Vanilla extract works great, but so does almond extract.
- You can flavor these pancakes with cinnamon very easily. Just add about 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon to the batter at any stage.
- Add about 1 ounce miniature chocolate chips to the batter for a chocolate chip banana pancake. I prefer to scatter the chips on the raw side of the pancake batter right after pouring the pancakes. But you can also add them to the batter.
Gluten free banana pancakes: Ingredients and substitutions
Gluten free dairy free banana pancakes
There’s no dairy in the pancake batter, but I like to grease my griddle or skillet with butter. It provides tons of flavor—and gives the pancakes those speckled brown tops.
If you can’t have dairy, the best substitute is vegan butter (I love Miyoko’s Kitchen and Melt brands). You can also use coconut oil, or essentially whatever you like.
All about the oat flour, and how to make oat free gluten free banana pancakes
I don’t ever buy oat flour. I grind certified gluten free oats into oat flour. But if you don’t eat even purity protocol gluten free oats, you can replace them with 1/3 cup (40 g) blanched almond flour (not almond meal).
You can also try using quinoa flakes, ground into as fine a powder as possible. Quinoa flakes, in my experience, typically work as a substitute for oat flour.
Can you make these gluten free banana pancakes with a gf rice flour blend?
No, this recipe can only be made with oat flour or, if you make the modifications above, with almond flour. If you’d like to make gf pancakes with a rice flour blend, try our classic gluten free pancakes recipe. You’ll love them!
Can you make gluten free, egg free banana pancakes?
There are 3 essential ingredients in this recipe, and eggs are one of them. In fact, there are as many grams of eggs as there are of mashed banana.
I’m not optimistic that you can make these without eggs. If you’d like to make gluten free pancakes entirely without eggs, I recommend our recipe for vegan gluten free pancakes.
Can you make gluten free banana pancakes without banana?
Yes! Even though these are banana pancakes, I’ve made them with smooth, commercially-prepared applesauce in its place. The results aren’t precisely the same, since applesauce is thinner and more watery than bananas.
Applesauce is really more useful here if you have a banana that, when peeled, doesn’t measure quite 100 grams, as required by the recipe. Use a bit of room temperature, smooth applesauce to bring that number up to the required 100 grams.
How to make banana pancakes with 4 ingredients, step by step
Gluten Free Banana Pancakes | 4 Ingredients
Equipment
- Blender
- Griddle or nonstick skillet
Ingredients
- ½ cup (50 g) certified gluten free oat flour (See Recipe Notes)
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- Pinch kosher salt
- 2 (100 g (weighed out of shell)) eggs at room temperature, beaten well
- 1 (100 g) peeled, ripe banana mashed very well
- Butter for cooking (optional)
Instructions
- In a medium-size mixing bowl or measuring cup with a pour spout, place the ground oats (or substitute), baking powder, and optional salt. Whisk to combine well.
- Add the beaten eggs and mashed banana, and whisk vigorously until uniform in texture.
- Heat a griddle to 350°F or place a nonstick, heavy-bottom skillet over medium heat until hot. Grease the hot surface with a bit of the (optional) butter.
- Whisk the pancake batter once more to ensure uniformity, and pour it onto the hot, greased skillet in scant 1/4-cup portions. Allow the pancakes to cook, undisturbed, for about 2 minutes or until golden brown on the underside.
- Flip the pancakes and allow to cook for only about 30 seconds or until set. Remove from the skillet or griddle and repeat with any remaining batter. Serve warm.
- Leftover pancakes can be wrapped tightly and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for longer.
- Defrost at room temperature, unwrap, and place on foil. Sprinkle lightly with water, then reheat in a 300°F oven or toaster oven until warm before serving.
Notes
Gluten Free Banana Pancakes | 4 Ingredients
Equipment
- Blender
- Griddle or nonstick skillet
Ingredients
- ½ cup (50 g) certified gluten free oat flour (See Recipe Notes)
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- Pinch kosher salt
- 2 (100 g (weighed out of shell)) eggs at room temperature, beaten well
- 1 (100 g) peeled, ripe banana mashed very well
- Butter for cooking (optional)
Instructions
- In a medium-size mixing bowl or measuring cup with a pour spout, place the ground oats (or substitute), baking powder, and optional salt. Whisk to combine well.
- Add the beaten eggs and mashed banana, and whisk vigorously until uniform in texture.
- Heat a griddle to 350°F or place a nonstick, heavy-bottom skillet over medium heat until hot. Grease the hot surface with a bit of the (optional) butter.
- Whisk the pancake batter once more to ensure uniformity, and pour it onto the hot, greased skillet in scant 1/4-cup portions. Allow the pancakes to cook, undisturbed, for about 2 minutes or until golden brown on the underside.
- Flip the pancakes and allow to cook for only about 30 seconds or until set. Remove from the skillet or griddle and repeat with any remaining batter. Serve warm.
- Leftover pancakes can be wrapped tightly and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for longer.
- Defrost at room temperature, unwrap, and place on foil. Sprinkle lightly with water, then reheat in a 300°F oven or toaster oven until warm before serving.
Rere says
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!
Nicole Hunn says
Those are great substitutes, Rere. They are like banana muffins in cake form! So glad you enjoyed them.
Franny says
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!
Nicole Hunn says
My pleasure, Franny. I think this is a perfect smoothie alternative! So glad you enjoyed the pancakes.
Erin says
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!
Nicole Hunn says
The texture is a bit of a surprise, Erin, I agree! In a good way. :)
Bonnie says
What about using buckwheat flakes? I also am unable to tolerate any oat flakes and have been using buckwheat as a substitute.
Nicole Hunn says
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!
Judy A Gorter says
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.
Nicole Hunn says
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.