What I love about these Banana Oat Pancakes is that they add a nutty, extra bite of nutrition to the classic. I also love that they add a delicious and hidden note of protein and fiber for Greyson. Uncka makes sure to top them with a nice extra dusting of toasted oats!
While I am not sure if you would completely call these oatmeal banana pancakes completely healthy, they do lean toward healthier than some alternatives. The oats bring more protein and fiber just boosting the nutritional value of this recipe.
If you like to be a little extra with your banana pancakes, check out THIS RECIPE. Also, be sure to always serve them with WARM maple syrup, the real kind!
Jump to:
Ingredients
For these banana nut pancakes, I like to use a blend of really over-ripe, and just a little over bananas. One gets really mushy and one stays a little chunky to give the pancakes texture. And be sure to have an extra 1 or 2 for slicing and topping the pancakes when serving along with some of the toasted oats too!
What you need:
for the oats:
- Olive Oil
- Unsalted Butter
- Rolled Oats
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Brown Sugar
for the pancakes:
- Walnuts
- Unsalted Butter
- Whole Milk
- Vanilla Extract
- Over-Ripe Bananas
- All-Purpose Flour
- Granulated Sugar
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Kosher Salt, Morton’s
- Cinnamon, ground
- Nutmeg, freshly grated
- Eggs
- Whipped Irish Butter
- Maple Syrup
See the recipe card for full quantities.
Use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top of the post, or scroll to the bottom of the post to see the full recipe card with ingredient measurements and instructions.
Method
First, heat a little butter and oil in a small skillet until melted then add the oats, cinnamon, and nutmeg to the pan. Cook, stirring or tossing often until the oats get fragrant and begin to turn golden brown. Remove them from the heat to a shallow bowl to cool and stir in the brown sugar. This forms your toasted oat, some will go in the pancake batter, just be sure to save some for dusting over the pancakes when serving.
To make the pancake batter, melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat on the stove. Add the milk to the pan and just continue warming until no lumps of butter remain, the milk does not need to simmer or boil. When adding cold milk it can make the butter lump up, just warm it enough that the butter becomes liquid again.
Then, mash the bananas in a large bowl, then add the warm butter and milk to the bowl. Stir in the dry ingredients and eggs and mix until a slightly lumpy batter has formed. It is ok for pancake batter to have a few lumps. You can't see it in the photo below, but fold in ¾ cup of the toasted oats here too!
To cook the pancakes, heat a griddle over medium heat on the stove, and be patient. Heat it for at least 5 minutes to get fully warm. Then drop 2-ounce ladles of batter on the hot griddle and cook till it gets very bubbly and the bubbles begin to pop. Flip and cook 30-45 seconds longer.
I like to stack the pancakes up to ensure they finish cooking, the same way you'd stack tortillas and put them in a warmer or cloth to finish. Pancakes finish cooking all the way through in the same way. Top each stack with some sliced bananas, more toasted oats, and a hearty drizzle of REAL maple syrup!
Substitutions
Let's chat about how to make these pancakes gluten, or dairy-free if you or someone you love needs to follow those dietary guidelines for their health.
- Flour - If you need to make these banana pancakes gluten-free, use a quality cup-for-cup flour swap. The one I linked here is really high quality and has great results.
- Milk - If you are dairy-free, you can use almond milk, but my suggestion is cashew for its higher fat content. Pancakes may stick a bit when using almond milk, and you may need to grease the griddle or pan more often during the cooking of your pancakes.
- Butter - You can use a vegan butter substitute or plant-based butter. A bit of a more economical swap is vegetable or canola oil.
- Oats - If you have a gluten allergy, or someone you are cooking for does be sure to use very specifically labeled gluten-free oats. While oats are naturally gluten-free, many brands do not take caution to ensure they don't come in contact with gluten.
Equipment
You could toast the oats in the oven too by tossing them in a bowl with melted butter, oil, and spices, but I like to do it in a skillet. Just toast till fragrant, and be sure to stir or toss often to prevent burning.
My number one, most favorite tool for perfect pancakes is a Cast-Iron griddle. They build up a strong, natural, non-stick coating over time and make for BEAUTIFUL pancakes.
Be sure to season a new griddle, every time you use and wash it (with soap) with this cast-iron oil to build THE BEST non-stick surface.
I like a really sturdy, metal spatula for flipping pancakes. It helps them not stick to it, and makes for a perfect flip, no floppy half-turned pancakes, it's got to be THIS spatula for me!
The use of a 2-ounce ladle makes THE perfect-sized pancakes, in my opinion. They are just the right size and easy to flip.
Storage
While pancakes won't spoil if left on the counter overnight, they are just like a cake, biscuit, or cookie in this way. I do prefer to place them in a zip-top bag or air-tight container in the fridge.
Reheat leftover banana oat pancakes in a toaster, or toaster oven for best results.
Top Tips
After you toast the oat, be sure to let them cool for about 10 minutes before adding them to the batter. They hold a lot of heat when cooked in a skillet and you want to be sure they won't scramble the eggs when you add them.
Do the same with the milk and butter, it should not be hot when added, only warm, or it can change the gluten structure of the flour when you add it and make your pancakes gummy. Only warm the milk enough to ensure no butter solids are in the mixture.
When making the pancake batter, ensuring it rests for 10 minutes is a HUGE gateway to SUPER FLUFFY pancakes. This allows the leavening agent to fully develop and lets the gluten strands in the flour relax.
Exercise patience and let the griddle get really warm before you start cooking. A griddle that is too cool will cause the pancakes to stick to it. I use a really Well-Seasoned cast iron griddle that requires no buttering due to the amount in the actual pancakes.
If you can use a small amount of high-heat oil like vegetable or grapeseed to grease your griddle if needed. You should only need to do this once before you start cooking. Use a paper towel to spread an even and thin layer over your griddle.
I prefer to cook on medium, to just under medium heat so my pancakes can cook quickly. I also prefer to only cook 2 pancakes at a time so I have plenty of room to flip.
Be sure to stack your pancakes after cooking. This allows them to stay soft as well as allowing the middles to finish cooking while also staying a little JAMMY SOFT. That's what I call it anyway. It helps create super tender pancakes.
FAQ
The main cause of mushy banana oat pancakes is undercooking. Be sure that each pancake gets bubbly when cooking and only flip once most of the bubbles being to pop. Then continue cooking until the pancakes easily release from the griddle.
Bananas are wonderful little health bombs in and of themselves. They are high in potassium, fiber, and many other essential nutrients. The eggs also infuse the pancakes with a healthy amount of protein too. The oats also offer a good amount of protein and fiber as well.
Baking Soda. It is what gives the pancakes their rise. The boost ensures a super fluffy, light, and airy finished pancake. Also, letting the batter rest after mixing lets all of the raising agents to fully develop.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
More Great Banana Recipes
If you LOVE bananas, check out these other great recipes!
Banana Oat Pancakes
What I love about these Banana Oat Pancakes is that they add a nutty, extra bite of nutrition to the classic.
Ingredients
for the oats:
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- ½ tablespoon Unsalted Butter
- 1 cup Rolled Oats
- ½ teaspoon Cinnamon, ground
- ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg, freshly grated
- 2 teaspoon Brown Sugar
for the pancakes:
- 8 tablespoons Unsalted Butter, melted
- 1 ¼ cups Whole Milk
- 1 tablespoon Vanilla Extract
- 3 large Bananas
- 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
- ¼ cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Baking Powder
- 2 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt, Morton’s
- 2 teaspoons Cinnamon, ground
- ½ teaspoon Nutmeg, freshly grated
- 2 lg Eggs, lightly beaten
- Whipped Irish Butter, for serving
- Maple Syrup, for serving
Instructions
for the oats:
- In a small, non-stick skillet, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat and toss in the oats, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir or toss to combine and cook till toasted 4-5 minutes.
- Remove the oats from the heat and transfer them to a shallow heat-safe bowl.
- Sprinkle over the brown sugar and toss to coat. Set aside to cool until needed.
for the pancakes:
- In a 2-quart saucepan on the stove, melt the butter over low heat. Add the milk to the pan and heat just till warm and any butter that solidified is liquid again. Do not boil. Let cool for 5 minutes, then stir the vanilla extract into the milk mixture.
- In a large bowl, mash 1 and ½ of the banana in the bottom, then whisk the milk mixture into them until well combined.
- Place the flour, sugar, baking powder, soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg into the bowl and whisk just till a few streaks of flour remain.
- Crack the eggs into the bowl and whisk just till incorporated, a few flour lumps may still remain.
- Fold in ¾ cup of the toasted oats, reserving some for topping when serving.
- Let the pancake batter rest on the counter for 10 minutes.
- After the batter has rested for 5 minutes, warm the griddle on the stove, over medium-heat I suggest a cast iron griddle. It is important to let it get hot till it beings to smoke the tiniest bit, then you know it is ready to be cooked.
- Turn the heat down two marks on the stove dial, just between medium, and medium-low.
- Using a 2-ounce ladle, drop 2 rounds of batter on the griddle at a time. Cook for 30-45 seconds, just till the edges begin to set.
- Flip and cook a further 45-60 seconds, then remove to a platter.
- Pancakes can be kept warm in a 200˚F oven if needed.
- To make whipped Irish butter, beat 4 tablespoons in the bowl of a stand mixer, I like to use my flex edge flat beater it gets the butter extra fluffy, and beat for 3-4 minutes on medium-high, with a pinch of kosher salt.
- Serve the pancakes with a dollop of butter on top and top each stack with a few slices of the remaining bananas, some of the leftover toasted oats, and a drizzle of warm maple syrup, the real kind!
Notes
Substitutions
Let's chat about how to make these pancakes gluten, or dairy-free if you or someone you love needs to follow those dietary guidelines for their health.
- Flour - If you need to make these banana pancakes gluten-free, use a quality cup-for-cup flour swap. The one I linked here is really high quality and has great results.
- Milk - If you are dairy-free, you can use almond milk, but my suggestion is cashew for its higher fat content. Pancakes may stick a bit when using almond milk, and you may need to grease the griddle or pan more often during the cooking of your pancakes.
- Butter - You can use a vegan butter substitute or plant-based butter. A bit of a more economical swap is vegetable or canola oil.
- Oats - If you have a gluten allergy, or someone you are cooking for does be sure to use very specifically labeled gluten-free oats. While oats are naturally gluten-free, many brands do not take caution to ensure they don't come in contact with gluten.
Top Tips
After you toast the oat, be sure to let them cool for about 10 minutes before adding them to the batter. They hold a lot of heat when cooked in a skillet and you want to be sure they won't scramble the eggs when you add them.
Do the same with the milk and butter, it should not be hot when added, only warm, or it can change the gluten structure of the flour when you add it and make your pancakes gummy. Only warm the milk enough to ensure no butter solids are in the mixture.
When making the pancake batter, ensuring it rests for 10 minutes is a HUGE gateway to SUPER FLUFFY pancakes. This allows the leavening agent to fully develop and lets the gluten strands in the flour relax.
Exercise patience and let the griddle get really warm before you start cooking. A griddle that is too cool will cause the pancakes to stick to it. I use a really Well-Seasoned cast iron griddle that requires no buttering due to the amount in the actual pancakes.
If you can use a small amount of high-heat oil like vegetable or grapeseed to grease your griddle if needed. You should only need to do this once before you start cooking. Use a paper towel to spread an even and thin layer over your griddle.
I prefer to cook on medium, to just under medium heat so my pancakes can cook quickly. I also prefer to only cook 2 pancakes at a time so I have plenty of room to flip.
Be sure to stack your pancakes after cooking. This allows them to stay soft as well as allowing the middles to finish cooking while also staying a little JAMMY SOFT. That's what I call it anyway. It helps create super tender pancakes.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 519Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 87mgSodium: 709mgCarbohydrates: 81gFiber: 4gSugar: 41gProtein: 8g
Food Safety
There aren't many concerns when it comes to pancakes, but here are a few tips to help ensure the best experience with your pancakes.
- Ensure your pancakes are fully cooked, as eating raw pancake batter is not advised because it contains raw eggs.
- The USDA advises to not leave cooked foods at room temperature for longer than 2 hours, 1 hour if the environment is above 90˚F.
- That said, pancakes contain the same ingredients as cakes, biscuits, and cookies so they can be stored at room temperature.
- I personally advise keeping them in an air-tight container or zip-top bag and warming them in a toaster or microwave before eating leftovers.
- Never leave cooking food unattended.
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove.
Comments
No Comments