If you are looking for the best vegan pancakes with bananas, you should try this recipe. It is really easy. Take one bowl, mix 7 simple ingredients, and depending on the size of your griddle or pan in 5-20 minutes you can have delicious, fluffy banana pancakes. No sugar, no gluten, no oil only yummy flavors.
If you are looking for more pancake or waffle recipe ideas, you must try these vegan red lentil protein pancakes and vegan red lentil protein waffles. They are easy to make and quite protein-packed. Or go to our vegan banana waffles recipe as another sweet vegan breakfast option.
What to expect from this pancake recipe?
You may think that it is impossible to make eggless pancakes fluffy, moist but light? Especially if you want it to be more allergy-friendly by making it gluten-free, sugar-free, and oil-free. I am with you. At first, I thought so too, as to how can you change almost all ingredients in the classic pancake recipe and expect it to be the same.
So what will you get if you try this banana pancake recipe?
- eggless – Bananas are one of the best vegan egg substitutes for pancakes.
- sugar-free, but sweet enough – If you choose really overripe bananas, then they make your pancake batter perfectly sweet. Especially if you consider the toppings as well, where you can add more sugary stuff if you want to.
- gluten-free – Rice flour is the lightest gluten-free flour you can use. It is quite cheap, available in most stores and has a neutral taste.
- oil-free – You really really don’t need any processed oil like canola or sunflower oil. Peanut butter is just perfect to keep them moist as well as bananas of course.
- fluffy – Apple cider vinegar and baking powder will react to each other to inflate the pancakes and make them perfectly airy.
- quick & easy – You need one bowl and 7 pantry staple ingredients and you can have the first set of pancakes in 10-15 minutes.
- taste like bananas – You can definitely taste the banana flavor. If you don’t like that, add vanilla extract or other add-ins described under the Variations section below.
Ingredients
This is really a super simple vegan pancake recipe. All the below ingredients I am sure are already in your pantry. If you need more information about substitutions, go to the FAQ section below. So here you go, these are the 7 ingredients you need.
- ripe bananas – You know the one with lots of brown spots.
- rice flour – You can use buckwheat flour or oat flour, although they may make a slightly denser pancake.
- tapioca starch – Choose any other tapioca flour subsitute if you have to.
- baking powder – Choose one of these gluten-free baking powders.
- apple cider vinegar or freshly squeezed lemon juice – Choose one of these gluten-fee vinegars.
- dairy-free milk – We recommend almond milk or cashew milk. We find oat milk especially used in combination with oat flour can result in a slightly bitter pancake.
- peanut butter – Use an other nut butter.
How to make gluten-free vegan banana pancakes?
- Peel and cut banana into smaller chunks.
- Add apple cider vinegar to your choice of dairy-free milk and wait a couple of minutes.
- Take a mixing bowl and mash the bananas with a fork until you reach an eggy consistency.
- Add peanut butter and mix it well (picture #1).
- Add milk + ACV and stir until combined (picture #2).
- Finally, add the dry ingredients (rice flour, tapioca starch, and baking powder) pre-mixed if you want (picture #3). Mix it again thoroughly. Now, you are ready to heat up your griddle or non-stick frying pan (picture #4).
Add ⅓ cup of pancake batter to a pre-heated surface (medium, rather than high) and fry them on both sides for a couple of minutes.
Top tips to make them perfect every time
- Blender vs fork – You may be tempted to speed up the preparation, but we don’t recommend using a blender to mash the bananas. You may get a more liquid texture than an eggy one. If any, you should use a food processor and just pulse it for a couple of times, but finish it off with a fork.
- Will it curd? – If you add apple cider vinegar (lemon juice usually less effective) to dairy-free milk, it may curdle and you get vegan buttermilk. Don’t be alarmed if it doesn’t work as you expect. In our experience not all types of vegan milk can curdle as it depends on their protein content. That is why soy milk is a better candidate, while nut milks especially light coconut milk will likely not change at all. The recipe will turn out great anyway.
- Why do you need apple cider vinegar at all? – If you want your pancakes to be fluffy and light, you need a levening agent like baking powder. It will only react and inflate the pancakes if it is exposed to any type of acid. Even if you don’t want to curdle your milk to get buttermilk, you still need apple cider vinegar or lemon juice.
- Why don’t you need xanthan gum? – If you use a boxed gluten-free flour mix with xanthan gum, then your pancakes will turn out gummy. As that is exactly what xanthan gum does, make it rubbery and gummy. While it is beneficial for yeast doughs like pizza, you really don’t want your pancakes to be gummy.
- Why are my pancakes soggy? – You probably used high heat, which meant that the outside got golden brown while the inside wasn’t cooked through. Lower the heat then.
Variations and add-ins
This is a simple recipe for vegan pancakes with bananas that can be a base recipe for endless variations. We have been making them for a long time and had many different add-ins for example
- Fresh blueberries – You can add them to the batter and mix it in the bowl. However, what I like more is that I add them while the first side is cooking. Just take a couple and pop them by hand. Then flip. This is to make sure every pancake is loaded with them.
- Chocolate chips – I would say it is another obvious choice. Mix in the batter some chocolate chips and go from there.
- Any fruit really – You can add any fruit you like. We made them with chopped strawberries, mixed berries, shredded apple with cinnamon.
- Chopped nuts – Any type you like.
- Dried fruits like cranberries or raisins
- Citrus zest – Add a tablespoon of lemon or orange zest. So yummy, especially lemon combined with blueberries.
- Vanilla extract – I can definitely taste the bananas. If you don’t want that add vanilla extract or any of the above add-ins to overpower it.
- Cocoa powder – Add a tablespoon, if you want to turn them into chocolate pancakes.
Topping suggestions
What is the best topping for vegan banana pancakes? I would say maple syrup, wouldn’t you? If you have been using honey, please note that it is not considered vegan. Choose any of these honey substitutes where we included homemade vegan honey recipes as well.
There are lots of other ideas though you can try depending on whether you had any add-ins from the above list or not.
- Vegan butter with maple syrup
- Fresh fruit or fruit sauces (like this quick strawberry puree)
- Whipped cream
- Vegan chocolate frosting, which is actually coconut whipped cream
- Nutella
- Banana slices
- Chocolate chips or chocolate sauce
- Caramel sauce
- Toasted walnuts or pecans
Let us know what is your favorite topping in the comments!
FAQs and substitutions
Can I use other flour?
We haven’t tested it with all-purpose or whole wheat flour. If you don’t have rice flour or don’t want to use it, try other gluten-free flours, like buckwheat flour or oat flour. However, I find oat flour has a slightly bitter flavor which I can taste in the pancakes.
I also tested this recipe with cornstarch instead of tapioca starch. For more options, check out our post about tapioca flour substitutes where I explain when and how each substitute should be used.
Can I use oil or other nut butter?
If you need it to be nut-free, add sunflower butter or just skip peanut butter entirely. I tested this recipe with and without any, so you don’t really need to add for example coconut oil. If you don’t have a non-stick griddle or frying pan, then use a cooking spray to make sure they don’t stick.
How to store it?
These gluten-free vegan banana pancakes can get quite dense and tough after 24 hours even if you store them in an airtight container. We recommend making them fresh right before serving.
You can freeze any leftovers though and pop them in your toaster or back to your griddle. They may get a crispy crust but I quite like them like that. You will get a better result like that compared to the microwave.
This vegan banana pancakes recipe is dairy-free and egg-free. It is suitable for a vegetarian, gluten-free, and soy-free diet. This recipe is WFPB-friendly (whole foods plant-based) if you don’t use oil for frying. You can make it nut-free if you skip peanut butter or add canola oil instead.
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More vegan breakfast recipes
Browse through our vegan breakfast recipes gallery if you want some savory recipe ideas, or try one of these sweet breakfasts below.
Easy Vegan Banana Pancakes (Gluten-free, Sugar-free, Oil-free)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 Banana large (approx. 4 oz per banana)
- 1 Tbsp Peanut butter -> list of gluten-free brands
- 1 cup White rice flour
- 1 Tbsp Tapioca starch
- 1 tsp Baking powder -> list of gluten-free brands
- ½ cup Dairy-free milk (homemade cashew milk)
- 1 tsp Apple cider vinegar -> list of gluten-free brands
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract optional
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Peel and cut banana into smaller chunks.
- Add apple cider vinegar to your choice of dairy-free milk and wait a couple of minutes.
- Take a mixing bowl and smash the bananas with a fork until you reach an eggy consistency.
- Add peanut butter and mix it well.
- Add milk + ACV and stir until combined.
- Finally, add the rice flour, tapioca starch, and baking powder. Mix it again thoroughly. Now, you are ready to heat up your griddle or non-stick frying pan.
- Spoon ¼ – ⅓ cup of the batter onto skillet and flip when bubbles appear and edges harden. Use low-medium heat to make sure that the pancakes are cooked thoroughly.
- Cover the cooked pancakes until you're ready to eat them as pancakes are always better when they are warm.
- When served, use your favorite toppings. See ideas Notes.
Notes
Add-ins
- Fresh blueberries – You can add the blueberries to the batter and mix it in the bowl. However, what I like more is that I add the blueberries while the first side is cooking. Just take a couple and pop them by hand. Then flip. This is to make sure every pancake is loaded with blueberries.
- Chocolate chips – I would say it is another obvious choice. Mix in the batter some chocolate chips and go from there.
- Any fruit really – You can add any fruit you like. We made them with chopped strawberries, mixed berries, shredded apple with cinnamon.
- Chopped nuts – Any type you like.
- Dried fruits like cranberries or raisins
- Citrus zest – Add a tablespoon of lemon or orange zest. So yummy, especially lemon combined with blueberries.
- Vanilla extract – I can definitely taste the bananas. If you don’t want that add vanilla extract or any of the above add-ins to overpower it.
- Cocoa powder – Add a tablespoon, if you want to turn them into chocolate pancakes.
Topping suggestions
- Fresh fruit or fruit sauces (like this quick strawberry puree)
- Whipped cream
- Vegan chocolate frosting, which is actually coconut whipped cream
- Nutella
- Banana slices
- Chocolate chips or chocolate sauce
- Caramel sauce
- Toasted nuts
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