Wholesome baby banana oatmeal pancakes are made with no added sugar, so they're a delicious and healthy breakfast for baby led weaning, as well as toddlers and adults! (gluten-free)
Pancakes make a great first food for baby led weaning - they're a nice soft texture, are easy for baby to pick up, and the whole family can enjoy them! Add a little extra nutrition and natural sweetness to baby's pancakes with these banana oatmeal pancakes.
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Why You'll Love Baby Banana Oatmeal Pancakes
These baby pancakes go way beyond regular pancakes in terms of nutrition. Instead of consisting of mostly white flour and sugar, these pancakes are made with wholesome rolled oats for more fiber and vitamins. They're also naturally sweetened with banana and a hint of cinnamon so they're easy to serve for baby led weaning. Because they have no flour, they're naturally gluten-free for those who require it. (Though if you don't, I encourage you to include wheat in baby's diet for allergen exposure!)
But these banana oatmeal pancakes aren't just for babies! Whip up a batch for the whole family, or make them ahead of time for a quick heat-and-eat breakfast for toddlers and older kids.
What You'll Need
- Rolled oats, also called old fashion oats (certified gluten-free if necessary)
- Flaxseed - optional, but gives a little boost of healthy fats
- Cinnamon & nutmeg - add as much or as little as you like!
- Baking powder
- Ripe bananas - the browner the better!
- Milk
- Eggs
- Vanilla
Helpful Equipment: Food processor (I love this mini one!), bowl, whisk, tablespoon or small cookie scoop, and a skillet or griddle.
How To Make Them
- Use a food processor or blender to grind the oats into a flour.
- Mix the oats, flaxseed (if using), cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking powder in a a bowl.
- Add the mashed bananas, eggs, milk and vanilla. Stir to combine. The batter will thicken as the oats soak up the liquid, so add more milk as needed.
- Pour the batter by the tablespoon onto a hot griddle or skillet (heated to about 300°F).
- Cook for about 2-3 minutes per side. Cool before serving to baby.
Recipe Variations
- Add as much cinnamon or nutmeg as you like. Or play with other spices like ginger or pumpkin pie spice.
- If you're making these for older kiddos or adults, feel free to add chopped walnuts or chocolate chips!
Storage and Reheating
Store cooled pancakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen pancakes in the refrigerator overnight.
To reheat, microwave on a microwave-safe plate for 15-30 seconds. Alternately, you can place in the toaster on the lowest setting. Test the temperature before serving to baby!
How To Serve for Baby Led Weaning
Cut into strips the width of 1-2 fingers for super young babies (around 6 months), or serve whole, as long as you used about a tablespoon for the batter. Once baby develops a pincer grasp, you can cut pancakes into small pieces, about the size of your fingernail, though this is optional with pancakes. Pair with a fruit, and an egg or yogurt for protein!
For a little more flavor and nutrition, I like to spread pancakes with nut butter, such as natural peanut butter or almond butter (great for allergen exposure!) or plain Greek yogurt and sprinkle with cinnamon. Just be sure to leave off sugary spreads (even natural ones like maple syrup!) until baby is at least 1 year old.
Track your baby's journey through starting solids! Get my 100 First Foods Checklist and Allergen Checklist Bundle today!
More Pancake Recipes for Baby and Toddler
- Baby Led Weaning Friendly Buttermilk Pancakes
- Sweet Potato Pancakes for Baby and Toddler
- Apple Oat Pancakes for Baby and Toddler
- Baby Cottage Cheese Oat Pancakes
- Pumpkin Pancakes for Baby & Toddler
Banana Oatmeal Pancakes for Baby Led Weaning
Wholesome baby banana oatmeal pancakes are made with no added sugar, so they're a delicious and healthy breakfast for baby led weaning, as well as toddlers and adults! (gluten-free)
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 minutes
- Total Time: 16 minutes
- Yield: about 12 baby pancakes 1x
- Category: breakfast
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups rolled oats (or 1 ¼ cups oat flour)
- 2 tbsp ground flaxseed (optional)
- 1 ¼ tsp baking powder
- ½ to 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- 2 medium very ripe bananas, mashed
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Blend oats in a food processor or blender until they are the consistency of flour. Place in a large bowl with flaxseed, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Stir in mashed banana, eggs, milk, and vanilla. The oats will soak up some liquid as the batter sits, so add a little more milk as needed.
- Heat a griddle or large nonstick skillet to medium-low heat (about 300°F). Scoop batter by the tablespoon onto hot griddle or skillet for each pancake. (I like to use a small cookie scoop like this one for easy portioning of baby pancakes and muffins.)
- Let pancakes cook until you see bubbles forming in the batter's surface, about 2-3 minutes. When the bottom is golden, flip and cook until the other side is cooked through, another 2-3 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter.
- Let cool to the touch before serving to baby or storing.
Notes
- If you're serving to older kiddos or adults, feel free to add chopped walnuts or chocolate chips.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
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