Banana Bread Pancakes (or Waffles)
Yield: approximately 10 (3-1/2 to 4-inch) pancakes or 6 (4-inch square) thick, Belgian-type waffles
A wholesome, naturally gluten-free version of the much-loved quick bread, these light and fluffy pancakes incorporate heart-healthy oat flour or blended oats.


Ingredients

  • 2 large or 3 small overripe bananas (I aim for a scant 1¼ cup mashed, which is 270 grams or 9.5 ounces)
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil or butter, melted
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup (could use honey)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup (120 grams) oat flour*
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg (may omit—or use ½ teaspoon vanilla—if you don’t have fresh on hand)
  • Optional: ⅓ cups chopped walnuts or pecans

 


Instructions

  1. In a mixing bowl, stir together the mashed bananas, coconut oil or butter, lemon juice and maple syrup.
  2. Beat in the eggs. (If the coconut oil hardens, warm the mixture for short 20 second bursts in the microwave, stirring between each, until it is melted again.)
  3. Add the oat flour, baking soda, salt and spices, stirring just until the dry ingredients are thoroughly moistened.
  4. Let the batter rest on the counter for 10 minutes. If the batter seems very thick at this point, you may fold in milk or water, a tablespoon at a time, until loosened—the batter should still be quite thick.
  5. Heat a heavy cast iron skillet or non-stick pan over medium-low heat, or heat an electric griddle to 350℉. Lightly oil the surface with coconut oil, butter or cooking spray.
  6. Once the surface of the pan is hot enough that a drop of water sizzles on it, pour scant ¼ cupfuls of batter onto the pan. Let the pancakes cook for about 3 minutes, until bubbles begin to form around the edges and the undersides are golden.
  7. Flip the pancakes with a spatula and cook for another 1½ to 2 minutes, or until golden brown on both sides. You may need to adjust the heat down to low at this point.
  8. Serve the pancakes immediately or keep warm in a 200℉ oven. Cool and then refrigerate any leftovers for up to 5 days or freeze for longer storage. (I like to pop the leftovers in the toaster oven for easy reheating.)

Notes

*To make your own oat flour: Pour quick or old-fashioned oats into a food processor or blender and process until ground into a flour. For one cup of oat flour, you’ll need to start with approximately 1½ cups of oats to measure 1 cup (120 grams) of oat flour.

Measuring tip: If you don’t have a scale to weigh the oat flour, be sure to fluff it up, spoon into the measuring cup and level off with the straight edge of a knife. This will prevent too much oat flour from being used, which would create an even thicker batter and pancakes that are harder to cook through. If your batter seems to be especially thick, you can spread the batter slightly in the skillet or thin it slightly with a little milk (or water if need be).

Cooking tip: With a thick pancake batter, it can be difficult to gauge when the pancakes are ready to flip. You may wish to set a timer for 3 minutes for the first side, then flip and wait another 2 minutes to cook through. The time will vary depending on the precise cooking temperature, but this is a good estimate for fully cooked pancakes that are golden on each side and can be adjusted as needed.

Advance prep: The batter may be mixed several hours in advance and then covered and refrigerated until ready to cook. In this case, you will likely need to add milk (or water) to thin slightly as the oat flour will absorb the liquid as it rests.

To make waffles: This batter makes great waffles. Spray the waffle iron for easy release and cook according to the manufacturer’s directions.

For gluten-free pancakes: Use certified gluten-free oat flour or oats.

For dairy-free pancakes: Use the coconut oil option instead of butter.


More recipes at FountainAvenueKitchen.com