Banana Oat Pancakes With No Refined Flour

Two ripe bananas, one cup of oats blended into flour, and fifteen minutes at the griddle. The batter rests five minutes before cooking, and that rest is what keeps the pancakes from falling apart when you flip them.

Oat flour has no gluten, so these pancakes have nothing holding them together except egg and banana. That makes the resting step non-negotiable. Five minutes lets the oats hydrate and the starches swell, which turns a loose batter into one that holds a circle in the pan.

Blend the Oats Dry First

Pulse one cup of rolled oats in a blender until it looks like coarse flour, about 30 seconds. Stale or broken oats blend more evenly than fresh whole ones. Do not skip sifting out the largest pieces if you want a smooth batter, though leaving them in gives a pleasant texture.

Compare the result with using all purpose flour, which gives a lighter, more uniform crumb. Oat flour gives a denser, heartier pancake with more fiber. Neither is wrong, but they are genuinely different and the oat version browns faster because of the sugar in the banana.

Medium Heat, Not Medium High

Banana has a lot of sugar and these pancakes will burn on the outside before the center cooks if the pan is too hot. Medium heat with a lightly oiled nonstick or cast iron surface gives you about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Wait for bubbles across the whole surface before flipping, not just around the edges.

The Ripe Banana Rule

Bananas with brown spots are notably sweeter and mash more easily than yellow ones. If yours are still firm, microwave them peeled for 20 seconds to soften, or add a teaspoon of maple syrup. Underripe bananas make these taste starchy rather than sweet.

Ingredients

Steps

Blend the oats into flour

Pulse the oats in a blender or food processor for 30 seconds until they look like coarse flour. A few larger flakes are fine and add texture.

Mash the bananas thoroughly

Mash the bananas in a bowl until only a few small lumps remain. Lumps are fine, but large chunks will tear the pancakes when you flip them.

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Combine wet, then dry

Whisk the eggs, milk, and vanilla into the bananas. Add the oat flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt and stir just until no dry flour remains. Do not overmix.

Rest the batter 5 minutes

Let the batter sit at room temperature for 5 full minutes. It will thicken noticeably. This is what makes the pancakes hold together without gluten.

Cook over medium heat

Heat a lightly oiled nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Spoon 1/4 cup of batter per pancake and cook 2 to 3 minutes until bubbles cover the surface, then flip and cook 2 more.

Keep warm and serve

Hold finished pancakes on a rack in a 200 degrees F oven rather than stacking them, which steams the bottoms. Serve with maple syrup, sliced banana, and nuts.

Nutrition per serving