Banana Pancakes for Babies

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How to make easy pancakes for babies (and toddlers) with only five ingredients: oats, egg, banana, cinnamon and milk. Just blend, cook and serve!

I’m back with another baby food post for ya!

You all love seeing what I feed Olivia, and I love sharing it! It’s been so fun to have her try new foods and become a little foodie.

Baby plate with mini pancakes, raspberries and banana.

If you are just starting your baby food journey, here’s how I’ve been approaching introducing solids!

When you’re ready to dive in, be sure to check out these baby food combos and my baby oatmeal recipe for Liv.

Stack of small pancakes. Banana and oats in the background.

A lot of people recommend pancakes as an early food for babies, especially when doing baby led weaning.

I tried the two ingredient pancakes (ones with just egg and banana) early on and she didn’t love them, but I starting making her these about a month ago and she’s obsessed. I think she likes the bread-y texture of these more!

These pancakes have quickly become her favorite and most requested food! She signs for them as soon as she wakes up. Girl knows what she wants!

I’m calling these baby pancakes, but they’re adult-friendly and quite similar to my cottage cheese pancakes. Whenever I make them for Liv I always snack on a few because they’re actually really good!

Banana Oatmeal Pancake Ingredients

You only need five simple ingredients for these pancakes.

  • oats – rolled old fashioned oats are the base of this recipe. Once blended, the oats turn into oat flour! I like using Bob’s Red Mill organic rolled oats, but quick oats will work as well.
  • banana – the banana gives the pancakes a nice sweetness and a nice texture. Other fruits and veggies could likely be used, but I’ve only tested the recipe with banana.
  • egg – the egg adds protein, healthy fats and makes the pancakes fluff up a bit.
  • cinnamon – I love adding a bit of warm spice to the pancakes, but this is totally optional.
  • milk – I use unsweetened plain or vanilla almond milk, but you could use any dairy-free milk, cow’s milk or breast milk.
Side by side photos of a blender with ingredients to make banana pancakes before and after being blended.

How to Make Pancakes for Babies

I love how easy these small pancakes are to whip up and how well they store! One batch makes a lot of pancakes, which is great for weekly meal prep. I love having leftover pancakes in the fridge so I can simply warm them up a tiny bit and feed them to Olivia as soon as she wakes up. Here’s how to make them:

Blend: Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Pour batter onto a warm, greased skillet. I did about 1 Tablespoon of batter for each pancake to keep them small.

Cook: Cook until the batter starts to form little bubbles and you can easily get under the pancake with a spatula. Flip pancake and cook for another 1-2 minutes or until pancake is cooked through.

If the batter thickens too much as you’re cooking the pancakes, simply add a splash of milk to thin it out a bit.

Stack of small pancakes. Banana and oats in the background.

How to Serve Pancakes to Babies/Toddlers

This is obviously up to your comfort level as a parent, the age of your baby and their chewing ability! Here are some options:

  • Give the baby the pancakes whole and let them take bites off
  • Cut the pancakes into strips so that the baby can grab and eat
  • Rip into small bite-sized pieces

It’s easier for younger babies to grab larger pieces of food so keeping the pancakes whole or cutting them into strips will likely work better. As they get older and develop their pincer grasp you can try smaller pieces to help them practice grabbing smaller objects.

You can serve these pancakes plain, topped with a little nut butter or yogurt or even with a fruit puree or chia jam for dipping. Kiddos love to dip!

Baby plate with mini pancakes, raspberries and banana.

How to Make These Pancakes Ahead of Time

Like I mentioned earlier, these are the perfect recipe to prep ahead of time! Follow the recipe as directed and then let the pancakes cool completely on a wire rack before storing in an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze for up to a month.

The pancakes tend to get hard as they sit in the fridge so when your baby is ready to enjoy you can quickly pop them up in the toaster oven or microwave to warm and soften.

Stack of small pancakes. Banana and oats in the background.

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4.53 from 238 votes

Banana Oatmeal Pancakes for Babies

How to make easy pancakes for babies (and toddlers) with only five ingredients: oats, egg, banana, cinnamon and milk. Just blend, cook and serve!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 6 minutes
Total Time: 16 minutes
Servings: 15 mini pancakes

Ingredients  

  • 3/4 cup old fashioned rolled oats, quick oats will also work
  • 1 ripe banana
  • 1 egg
  • pinch of cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup milk, any type of milk will work

Instructions 

  • Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Pour batter onto a warm, greased skillet. I did about 1 Tablespoon of batter for each pancake to keep them small. 
  • Cook until the batter starts to form little bubbles and you can easily get under the pancake with a spatula. Flip pancake and cook for another 1-2 minutes or until pancake is cooked through.
  • Serve whole or break into pieces for tiny hands. You can serve these plain, with a little nut butter or yogurt spread on top or with a fruit puree to dip the pancakes in.  
  • Cool the pancakes completely on a wire rack before storing in an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze for up to a month. 

Video

Notes

  • Batter thickness: If the batter thickens too much as you’re cooking the pancakes, add a splash of milk to thin. 

Nutrition

Serving: 3mini pancakes | Calories: 82kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 23mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Baby Food
Cuisine: American
Keyword: baby pancakes
Did you make this recipe?Mention @eatingbirdfood and tag #eatingbirdfood!

About Brittany

Hey there, I’m Brittany, the creator of Eating Bird Food, cookbook author, health coach and mama of two littles. Here you’ll find quick and easy recipes that make healthy fun and enjoyable for you and your family!

More about Brittany
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Recipe Rating




168 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    My 13-month-old LOVED these! He usually gets bored of food pretty easily so I was prepared to eat them myself but he gobled up all 4 mini pancakes! I also sneaked in some chia pudding. I will probably add a touch of vanilla or maple syrup in future to up the sweetness but they were great. Thank you!

    1. WOO! This is seriously the best, Natalie. I am so glad your little one is loving these pancakes. Thanks so much for giving them a try and for sharing your review + star rating, I really appreciate it!

  2. I followed this recipe exactly but they didn’t bubble and started to burn pretty quickly but still seemed a little gummy in the middle (even when I turned down the heat). I was surprised the recipe didn’t call for baking soda.

    I used cashew milk – could that be the problem since it’s much thicker than almond milk? Do you have any suggestions? Thanks!

    1. Hi Vanessa- What was the consistency of your batter? Cashew milk shouldn’t have been the problem. I recommend heating your pan medium to low – it sounds like it was to hot and the outside cooked quicker than the inside. Hope that helps!

    1. Aw yay! I am SO glad this one is a hit, Alessandra. Thank you for your review + star rating, it means so much to me!

  3. I wonder if I made these too thick. Batter smelled great , I even added a few drops
    Of vanilla extract. I had my pan on low but I felt these never cooked in the center. Very gummy and mushy and by the time they were finally cooked in the center the outside was burnt.

    1. Hi Keyla – The batter isn’t supposed to be too thick, sounds like that might have been the case. I would recommend adding some more milk. Hope that helps!

  4. 5 stars
    Made these for my 9 month old and she loves them! I substituted half the amount of the oats for a high iron baby oatmeal. They taste great, and my baby is getting the extra iron that she needs. I highly recommend if you’re trying to get more iron into your little one’s diet.

    1. This is SO great to hear, Melissa. I am so glad these are a hit for your little one and you were able to make the sub you needed for your little ones diet. Thanks for much for sharing your review, it means so much to me!

  5. 4 stars
    Absolutely yummy. If you like oats and banana this is a winner! My toddler and I eat this on a regular bases. I’m pregnant with baby #2 and this is fast, easy and gentle on the tummy. Perfect with a cup of coffee to help this mama get through the day.

    Thank you for this recipe 🙂

    1. YAY! I am so glad you and your little one are loving this recipe, Joselyn. Thank you for coming back and sharing your review + star rating, I appreciate it!

  6. 5 stars
    My 10 month old is in love with these pancakes and gobbles them down. They are his fave! I add a teaspoon or so of nut butter as well. Easy to make, they freeze well and defrost quickly. Just made another batch this morning. Thanks!

    1. WOO! SO glad your little one is loving these pancakes, Mel. Thanks for sharing your review & star rating, I really appreciate it!

    1. Hi Siloam – So sorry this recipe didn’t turn out for you. Did you change anything about the recipe that could’ve cause them to be dense? Sounds like they might have been over cooked.

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