Banana Oat Pancakes
Tender oat pancakes made in a blender with ripe banana. Serve with yogurt, berries or a small drizzle of maple syrup.
Written by Elba Adams · Mexico
About this recipe
Ripe banana gives these pancakes natural sweetness, and blended oats form a simple batter without a bag of pancake mix. A short rest lets the oats absorb liquid, helping the pancakes hold together in the pan. The result is tender rather than airy, with a clear banana flavor.
Use medium-low heat so the banana does not brown before the centers cook. Make small pancakes because they flip more easily than large ones. If the batter thickens too much after resting, add milk a spoonful at a time. A little yogurt and fruit make an easy topping without hiding the flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 ripe banana
- 2 large eggs
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- Butter or oil, for the pan
Method
- Blend oats until they resemble coarse flour. Add banana, eggs, milk, baking powder, cinnamon, vanilla and salt. Blend until mostly smooth, then rest the batter for 5 minutes.
- Lightly grease a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Spoon about 3 tablespoons of batter per pancake onto the pan.
- Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the edges look set and bubbles appear. Flip carefully and cook another 1 to 2 minutes until golden and cooked through.
- Repeat with remaining batter, adjusting the heat if pancakes brown too quickly. Serve warm.
The batter thickens as it rests; loosen with a tablespoon of milk if needed. Refrigerate cooked pancakes for up to 3 days.
Final thoughts
Serve the pancakes warm as they come off the skillet, or keep them in a low oven while finishing the batch. Extras freeze well between sheets of parchment for later breakfasts. Reheat until warm throughout before serving.
Helpful cooking notes
- Let the batter rest. Five minutes gives the ground oats time to absorb the liquid. Add a splash of milk if the batter becomes too thick to spoon.
- Watch the heat. Keep the skillet at medium-low. Banana makes the batter brown quickly, even before the middle is cooked.
- Freeze extras. Cool completely, separate with parchment and freeze in a covered container. Reheat until hot throughout.