Healthy Pancakes Recipe with Oatmeal and Banana

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These healthy pancakes made with oats and sprouted wheat are light, fluffy, slightly sweet, and so good for you! The combination of the two whole grain flours helps keep you full much longer than white flour thanks to their fiber and protein. Kid-friendly and parent-approved!

My whole family loves pancakes, but it’s usually more of a treat than a regular item at our breakfast table.

Why?

Because traditional pancakes are usually packed with refined carbs, sugar, and aren’t really a healthy option for breakfast. Usually, if I’m at a restaurant and I order pancakes for breakfast, I’m hungry just a couple of hours after I’ve eaten thanks to that carb high and crash.

It happens to my kids too. Plus, starting the day with sugar leaves me craving sweet foods all day. Traditional pancakes just don’t set you up for success through the rest of your day.

That is why I decided to create this healthy pancake recipe that tastes just like traditional pancakes, so you won’t even notice how good it is for you!

Added protein and fiber in these healthy pancakes also help prevent that carb crash. Instead of leaving you hungry a couple of hours later, these amazing pancakes are a great source of long-lasting energy. Enjoy them on their own, with maple syrup, or give it a fruity twist with this blueberry syrup and fresh fruit!

It’s one of those easy recipes that you’ll want to make again and again!

Latest Recipe Video!

Why This Recipe Works

• Super Healthy and Delicious
• Easy to Make
• Kid Friendly
• Easy to Customize
• Can be made Vegan or Gluten-Free
• Great for breakfast, brunch or even dinner!

How to Make The Best Healthy Pancakes

Equipment Needed

• An electric griddle – I love this one from Presto, or a great pancake skillet like this one from Calphalon.
• A flexible pancake turner
• A good set of measuring cups & spoons

Ingredients and Notes

• Flour: Instead of traditional all purpose flour, we use a combination of oat flour and whole wheat flour to make these pancakes healthier while still keeping them light and fluffy. Instead of whole wheat flour, you can also use white whole wheat flour which is a little lighter and less dense. If you don’t have oat flour, you can actually make your own by just grinding up old fashioned oats in the food processor. Lastly, you can also use buckwheat flour or almond flour to replace half of the flour in this recipe – but it might make the pancake batter a bit more dense.
• Regular Milk: Low fat milk works best – it’s a good balance of creaminess & healthy. You can use whole milk for a bit more decadence, or a plant-based milk (almond, soy, oat or coconut milk) to make these healthy oatmeal pancakes dairy free.
• Whole Eggs: You can use flax eggs (for an egg-free option) or regular eggs in this recipe!
• Baking Powder, Baking Soda: To help the pancakes rise.
• Olive Oil: Has healthy fats, a substitute for butter. You can also use melted coconut oil here!
• Honey, Salt and Vanilla Extract: A little bit of honey and vanilla provides flavor and a bit of sweetness! Instead of honey you can also use pure maple syrup or coconut sugar.

Step by Step Instructions

Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Mix Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, combine the milk, honey, vanilla, eggs and oil, mix until smooth.

Combine Wet + Dry: Fold the wet ingredients into the flour mixture until combined.

Start Making Pancakes! Spray a hot griddle or non stick pan with olive oil cooking spray. Heat over medium-low heat. Pour or scoop 1/4 cup of the batter onto the griddle, (1/4 cup for each pancake) and cook until bubbly on top and golden on the bottom, about 4 minutes.

Cook and Serve: Flip and cook until golden on the bottom, about 2 more minutes. Serve hot.

Recipe FAQs

How to Store and Keep

Let the pancakes cool, then transfer them to an airtight container. They will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, warm in the microwave or on a skillet on low heat on the stovetop until warmed through.

Serving Suggestions

These delicious pancakes can be topped with just about anything! Here are some of my favorite toppings:

• Fresh fruit: Berries (blueberries/strawberries/raspberries), banana, apples and pears all work well. You can even stew the fruit (simmer on medium heat with a couple of tbsp water in a small pot until they are soft and the sugars have caramelized – about 5-10 min) and serve it like a compote on top of these whole-wheat flour pancakes!
• Nuts: Whole nuts add great texture to these healthy pancakes (pecans, almonds, cashews and walnuts all work well)
• Nut Butters: Try topping these pancakes with a spoonful of peanut butter or almond butter!
• Spices: Try a dusting of ground cinnamon, nutmeg or even pumpkin pie spice on top.
• Chocolate Chips: To make these into more of a special treat, try dark chocolate chips on top!
• Syrups: Maple syrup, honey, or agave would all taste great drizzled on these pancakes.

Variations

Gluten Free Pancakes: These healthy pancakes are really easy to make gluten-free. I recommend replacing the sprouted wheat flour with gluten-free flour and replacing the oat flour with gluten-free oat flour. If you can’t find gluten-free oat flour, just take certified gluten-free oats and grind them up in the food processor until they are a fine powder.

Vegan Pancakes: You can make my healthy pancakes vegan by using flax eggs instead of regular eggs! To make a flax egg, add 1 tbsp ground flaxseed to 2.5 tbsp water in a small bowl, let sit for 5 minutes and then add to your recipe like you would a regular egg. You can use flax eggs as a 1:1 replacement for regular eggs.

Banana Oat Pancakes: Instead of a combination of flours, use 1.25 cups of oat flour and 1/4 cup rolled oats. You can add some mashed banana into the batter (about 2-3 tablespoons) and then top with some sliced bananas as well!

Protein Pancakes: Add 1 scoop of your favorite protein powder to the batter to increase the protein!

Sweeter Pancakes: If you’re looking for a sweeter version of these sprouted wheat pancakes that’s still healthy, there’s a simple solution. Add a little unsweetened applesauce or mashed ripe bananas. You’ll get a little more batter from the recipe and the added fruit adds some sweetness without changing the texture of the pancakes too much. 

Expert Tips For Making Healthy Pancakes

• To reduce the number of lumps in your batter, first mix your dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately. Then, make a well in the dry ingredients, pour in the wet ingredients, and stir a few times.
• For best results, be sure not to overmix your batter. This will result in flat pancakes!
• Let the batter sit for about 10-15 minutes while you heat your griddle or skillet.
• Use a cookie scoop or pancake dispenser, to measure out the portions.
• Flip the pancakes only when the edges look a little dry and you see bubbles on top. Your healthy pancakes are ready when both sides are golden brown!

More Healthy Recipes for Breakfast!

• Peach Banana Smoothie
• Oat Flour Pancakes
• Sourdough Croissants
• Dairy-Free Almond Milk Pancakes
• Nutella Waffles
• Blueberry Banana Blast Smoothie
• Vegan French Toast Casserole
• Vegetarian Breakfast Ideas
• Healthy Banana Bread

If you have tried these healthy pancakes, or any other recipe on my blog, then please rate it and let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST to see more delicious, healthy, family friendly food!