Vegan Banana Pancakes

Easy one-bowl vegan banana pancakes made with oats and chia seeds are a delicious breakfast or snack. These banana pancakes are dairy-free, egg-free, vegan, and easy to make gluten-free. 

I’ve been thinking more about breakfast lately after seeing many requests for vegan breakfast ideas in Facebook groups. With Mother’s Day approaching, I thought this would be the perfect week to share some favorite breakfast and brunch ideas. Pancakes are a favorite breakfast in my household, so I’ve been working on a plant based pancake recipe for some time now. These vegan banana pancakes have become one of my favorites.

Are pancakes healthy? Well, no. Pancakes are usually made with flour, eggs, and milk and doused in maple syrup. There are a few healthier swaps and additions you can make though. I often use chia or flax seeds instead of eggs, and add a scoop of oats for more whole grain nutrition. I also often skip the syrup altogether, in favor of a topping of almond butter and fresh berries, stewed berries, or chia jam. Let’s look at how to make these easy vegan banana pancakes!

The dry ingredients get whisked together in a medium bowl first. Here we have, from the top clockwise, old fashioned oats, flour, baking powder for fluffiness, organic sugar which adds flavor and structure, chia sees to bind and add Omega-3s, and a pinch of sea salt for flavor. Though I’ve used unbleached all-purpose flour here, you have other options, and can make these pancakes gluten-free if you like. I have made these with oat flour by simply grinding oats in the blender. I did need more liquid with the oat flour. You can use oats for gluten-free baking, like with my Gluten Free Carrot Muffins and Gluten Free Blueberry Banana Oat Muffins, but you’ll need to be sure your oats are certified gluten-free from a brand like Bob’s Red Mill, as cross contamination is common.

Alright, so that took about one minute. Now we are ready for the wet ingredients. The wet ingredients don’t need to be mixed in a separate bowl – just dump them on in.

The combination of the baking powder, chia seeds, and liquid will create a fluffy batter right away. In the past I used flax seed or meal, but got the chia idea from the lovely Deliciously Ella doing a Facebook live, and it worked beautifully. Fold in the chopped bananas. I’ve tired these banana pancakes with mashed banana, and while it works just fine, I prefer the bananas chopped.

One trick I’ve learned is to pour the pancake batter onto the pan with a measuring cup. I use a 1/3 cup measuring cup, but you could obviously use larger or smaller. My kids love tiny silver dollar pancakes too.

Wait until the pan is hot before adding the batter. You can test this by adding a drop of water to the pan. It should sizzle immediately. Cook the pancakes until they look mostly cooked through, with bubbles popping on the surface and just a thin layer of uncooked batter on top. This will ensure the pancakes are cooked through.

How do you like to eat your pancakes? I love mine with almond butter and fresh berries. Sometimes a splash of maple syrup, but usually not.

I would love to know your favorite type of pancakes and if you’d like to see me make them here on the blog! Let me know in the comments. Now I’m dreaming of the macadamia pancakes I’ve loved in Hawaii!

Watch the quick video to see how to make these easy banana pancakes. Enjoy!