These Banana Oatmeal Pancakes are an easy breakfast for the next time you're craving pancakes and have overripe bananas to use up. It's a fun twist on traditional pancakes and made with nutritious ingredients like oats, bananas, and cottage cheese to add more protein!
As a dietitian and long-time pancake lover, I spend a lot of my Saturday mornings experimenting with different ingredients to make healthy pancakes! These are one of my all-time favorites - the first time I made them I knew I had to share the recipe!
These pancakes are a great way to get in a healthy breakfast on busy mornings. You can meal prep them in advance and freeze for the week. If you haven't tried making cottage cheese pancakes, this recipe is a great place to start. I hope it becomes a favorite for you! 😊
If you're looking for another healthy pancake recipe, try my Protein Pancakes without Protein Powder or my Pumpkin Oatmeal Pancakes. For more protein, pair these Banana Oatmeal Pancakes with an Egg Bake with Veggies or some 5-minute Feta Eggs!
Jump to:
- Key Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- How to Make Banana Oatmeal Pancakes
- Dietitian Tip
- Video of How to Make Banana Oatmeal Pancakes
- Variations
- How to Serve Banana Oatmeal Pancakes
- Equipment
- Storage for Leftover Pancakes
- Expert Tips
- FAQ
- Related
- Perfect for Pairing
- Want to Learn About Nutrition?
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
Key Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
These healthy Banana Oatmeal Pancakes are made with simple ingredients. Below are some ingredient notes. Check the printable recipe card at the bottom for ingredient measurements.
Dry Ingredients
- Oatmeal - you can use either rolled oats or quick oats. I'm a big fan of Bob's Red Mill brand. If you want, you can substitute with all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, oat flour, or almond flour. You will likely need to add more milk if using flour in place of oatmeal.
- Baking Powder - baking powder helps the pancakes rise and get nice and fluffy.
- Cinnamon - cinnamon adds a touch of sweetness to the dry ingredients.
- Kosher Salt - a pinch of salt to add flavor.
Wet Ingredients
- Bananas - overripe bananas are used to add natural sweetness. Brown bananas work best. The more ripe & brown fresh bananas become, the sweeter they are. Bananas provide a soluble dietary fiber called pectin that can help with regular bowel movements and lowering cholesterol. Bananas also provide important nutrients including potassium, vitamins C and B6, and antioxidants.
- Cottage Cheese - we are using cottage cheese to add some protein and texture. I use either reduced-fat cottage cheese or whole-fat and I love Good Culture brand or Daisy brand. I've also made these with plain Greek yogurt and it works great, too!
- Eggs - eggs help to bind the pancakes together and add more protein and fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. For best results, use room temperature eggs.
- Milk - I use unsweetened vanilla almond milk for this recipe, but you can substitute it with another dairy-free milk like oat milk, soy milk, or cashew milk. Or use dairy milk!
- Maple Syrup - all you need is a small amount of real maple syrup since the bananas already add sweetness to these fluffy pancakes without a lot of added sugar.
- Vanilla Extract - just a teaspoon of vanilla extract brings all the flavors together.
How to Make Banana Oatmeal Pancakes
Below are the instructions for how to make this easy recipe with some visuals that I hope are helpful! Don't forget to check out the recipe card at the bottom for the full recipe.
- Step 1: Add the oatmeal to a high-speed blender. Blend until it forms a flour, about 30-60 seconds.
- Step 2: add the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth, pushing down the sides as needed. Before you pour batter, let it rest for at least 5 minutes.
- Step 3: Heat a non-stick pan, skillet or griddle on medium heat. Add a drop of cold water and once it sizzles, lower the heat to medium-low and let it cool 1-2 minutes. Spray the hot skillet with cooking spray, olive oil, coconut oil, or butter and add about ¼ cup of the protein pancake batter at a time to the skillet. If you want, smooth out the batter a bit with the bottom of your measuring cup for the perfect pancake form.
- Step 4: For the first side, let the pancakes heat until bubble begin to appear on the top and the edges start to look dry. Flip the pancakes and let them cook on the second side for another 1-2 minutes until golden brown. Repeat with the remaining batter. The mix will make about 12 pancakes total.
Hint: the pancake batter will thicken as you make the pancakes. Add a splash of milk or water to thin the batter back out.
Dietitian Tip
Did you know that oatmeal contains a dietary fiber called beta-glucan? Beta-glucan may help lower cholesterol levels, can help support your digestive system and gut health, and stabilize blood sugar levels. Just a half cup of oats contains around 15% of your daily fiber intake for the day and 5 grams of protein. If you want to get more oats in your diet but a bowl of oatmeal doesn't sound very enticing, try these Banana Oatmeal Pancakes that the whole family will enjoy!
Video of How to Make Banana Oatmeal Pancakes
Here's a video of how to make this recipe that I hope is helpful!
Variations
One of the great things about Banana Oatmeal Pancakes is you can customize them! Below are some suggestions, but feel free to get creative and put your spin on it.
- Berry Banana - add fresh fruit like chopped fresh berries into the pancake batter!
- Chocolate Banana - add chocolate chips to satisfy your sweet tooth.
- Protein Pancakes - add a scoop of your favorite protein powder to amp up the protein in these banana pancakes.
- Peanut Butter Pancakes - add a tablespoon or two of peanut butter or your favorite nut butter to the pancake batter for a nutty variety.
- Vegan Banana Pancakes - turn them into vegan pancakes by using plant-based yogurt in place of cottage cheese, plant milk, and flax eggs in place of regular eggs.
- Gluten-free - these are gluten-free pancakes as written. Just be sure to use certified gluten-free oats! I use Bob's Red Mill brand.
How to Serve Banana Oatmeal Pancakes
Honestly, I often eat these delicious pancakes without any toppings! But below are some suggestions for serving:
- With a drizzle of nut butter - top them with almond butter, peanut butter, or cashew butter!
- Top with fruit - add banana slices or a homemade blueberry compote on top!
- Classic - serve these pancakes with a drizzle of maple syrup and a pat of butter or whipped cream!
Equipment
A high-speed blender works best for this Banana Oatmeal pancake recipe, but you can use a regular blender or food processor. I have a Ninja Blender and love it.
Storage for Leftover Pancakes
- Refrigerator - store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
- Freezer - store in a single layer in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months.
- Reheat in the microwave, air fryer, toaster oven, or on a griddle on the stovetop.
Expert Tips
- Let the batter rest a few minutes if it seems too thin at first. As the baking powder activates and does its magic, the batter will thicken.
- If the batter gets too thick while you're making the pancakes, add a bit of extra milk to thin it out.
- Don't go above medium heat because the pancakes will burn. Slow and steady is the best way to make fluffier pancakes!
- When bubbles start to form on the surface, that's when it's time to flip the pancakes!
- Use a nonstick griddle or skillet and add butter or a little cooking spray.
FAQ
While healthy means something different to everyone, these are a nutrient-rich option! Bananas and oatmeal provide dietary fiber for a healthy gut and to keep you full longer. Bananas also contain vitamin C, vitamin B6, potassium, and antioxidants which are important for brain health and overall health!
As long as you use gluten-free oats, these are gluten-free! 🙂 Oats are naturally gluten-free, but can be made in facilities that produce gluten-containing products which means there is a risk of cross contamination. Check the "may contain" statement under the ingredient list to make sure "gluten" is not on the list.
While I haven't made these in the food processor, I do think it would work! I suggest to process the oatmeal first and then add the remaining ingredients.
Related
Looking for other dietitian recipes like this? Try these:
Perfect for Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Banana Oatmeal Pancakes:
Want to Learn About Nutrition?
Here are some of my educational articles you may enjoy:
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! I would love to hear from you! If you made this recipe, please leave me a review below or tag me in a photo or story on Instagram. Your reviews help support me and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you know and love. 🙂 IG: @mallorythedietitian
📖 Recipe
Fluffy Banana Oatmeal Pancakes (Made in the Blender!)
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1½ cup rolled oats or quick oats
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Wet Ingredients
- 2 bananas overripe if possible
- ½ cup cottage cheese or Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup unsweetened almond milk or your favorite milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Add the oatmeal to a high-speed blender. Blend until it forms a flour, about 30-60 seconds.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth, pushing down the sides as needed. Before you pour batter, let it rest for at least 5 minutes.
- Heat a non-stick pan, skillet or griddle on medium heat. Add a drop of cold water and once it sizzles, lower the heat to medium-low and let it cool 1-2 minutes. Spray the hot skillet with cooking spray, olive oil, coconut oil, or butter and add about ¼ cup of the protein pancake batter at a time to the skillet. If you want, smooth out the batter a bit with the bottom of your measuring cup for the perfect pancake form.
- For the first side, let the pancakes heat until bubble begin to appear on the top and the edges start to look dry. Flip the pancakes and let them cook on the second side for another 1-2 minutes until golden brown. Repeat with the remaining batter. The mix will make about 12 pancakes total.
- Hint: the pancake batter will thicken as you make the pancakes. Add a splash of milk or water to thin the batter back out.
Video
Notes
- Let the batter rest a few minutes if it seems too thin at first. As the baking powder activates and does its magic, the batter will thicken.
- If the batter gets too thick while you're making the pancakes, add a bit of extra milk to thin it out.
- Don't go above medium heat because the pancakes will burn. Slow and steady is the best way to make fluffier pancakes!
- When bubbles start to form on the surface, that's when it's time to flip the pancakes!
- Use a nonstick griddle or skillet and add butter or a little cooking spray.
- Refrigerator - store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
- Freezer - store in a single layer in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months.
- Reheat in the microwave, air fryer, toaster oven, or on a griddle on the stovetop.
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