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Oat Flour Pancakes are naturally gluten-free and turn out just as fluffy as the traditional version! You can make them in just minutes for an easy brunch or meal prep idea.
These fluffy pancakes taste just as delicious as the kind made with all-purpose flour and are naturally gluten-free when you use certified gluten-free oats or oat flour.
If you don’t keep store-bought oat flour on hand, you can make homemade oat flour in minutes. Just blend rolled oats in your blender until they are finely ground!
Oat flour makes amazing chocolate chip cookies, sugar cookies, banana bread, and brownies, so you may want to make extra so you’ll have it on hand for future recipes.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Similar to traditional pancakes, all you need is flour, vanilla extract, baking powder, salt, and your favorite milk to create a quick pancake batter. Maple syrup adds sweetness, without using white sugar, and lemon juice helps add extra lift.
If you don’t have lemon juice on hand, use half the amount of apple cider vinegar. Keep these pancakes dairy-free by using almond milk, oat milk, or soy milk. (Dairy milk or water will also work as the liquid.)
Keep in mind that oat flour isn’t quick to absorb moisture, so it’s best if you let the batter rest for 10 minutes before cooking. You’ll be surprised by how much the batter thickens up, and as a result, the pancakes will be much fluffier.
How to Make Oat Flour Pancakes
In a large bowl, combine the oat flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk the dry ingredients together to break up any clumps, then add in the eggs, milk, lemon juice, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Whisk in the wet ingredients until the pancake batter looks smooth, with almost no lumps.
The batter may look runny at first, but it will thicken as it rests. Set it aside for 10 minutes (don’t skip this step!) then heat a griddle or skillet over medium heat.
You’ll know the pan is ready for cooking when a drop of water instantly sizzles when it hits the pan.
Grease the skillet with butter or cooking spray, then pour 3 to 4 tablespoons of pancake batter into the pan. Smaller pancakes will be easier to flip.
If the batter is thick, use a spoon to spread it out on the pan. Thicker batter = fluffier pancakes!
Let the pancake cook for roughly 2 minutes, or until bubbles start to form on top. A pancake flipper or spatula should easily slide until the pancake when it’s ready to flip.
Flip the pancake over and cook the other side for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the pancake and repeat with the remaining batter, flipping the pancakes after roughly 1 1/2 to 2 minutes per side.
You may need to lower the heat as the pancakes cook because the pan will start to cook faster as you go. If the heat is too high, the pancakes will brown too quickly, before the center has a chance to cook through.
This recipe makes roughly 6 pancakes, which feeds 2 adults in my home. Feel free to double or triple the recipe as needed. To make a large batch, try the baked pancakes option below!
Leftover pancakes can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Or freeze them for up to 3 months.
Baking Pancakes on a Sheet Pan
If you prefer to NOT stand in the kitchen flipping individual pancakes, try baking them instead. Preheat your oven to 350ºF and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Let the batter rest for 10 minutes after mixing to let it thicken up. Then use a 1/4 cup to scoop the batter onto the prepared pan. Spread it out with the back of a spoon, if needed. Bake at 350ºF for 10 to 12 minutes.
Baked pancakes don’t need to be flipped, but they will also not look like they were cooked in a skillet. They look like flatter muffin tops, with the fluffy texture of a pancake.
This method is perfect for meal prep and can be popped into the toaster for a fast morning.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe is already dairy-free when you use one of your favorite non-dairy milks, but you can make them egg-free by swapping the egg for Bob’s Red Mill egg substitute. (Follow the directions on the package to make an egg swap.) This version is slightly more fragile but still tasty.
Pop these into the toaster on a low to medium setting, straight from the fridge or freezer. Alternatively, you can reheat in the microwave for 15 to 30 seconds, but the results will be slightly soggier.
No, it’s best to find a pancake recipe that calls for the flour you want to use. I have you covered with recipes for almond flour pancakes, coconut flour pancakes, chickpea flour pancakes, or Protein powder pancakes.
Of course! You can add a touch of cinnamon if you like, or add fresh berries to each pancake as it cooks. Just press a few blueberries or raspberries into the top of the pancake batter after you’ve added it to the skillet. When you flip the pancakes, the berries will soften as they cook into the batter.
Looking for more recipes featuring whole-grain oats? Try Oatmeal Banana Pancakes, Banana Oatmeal Cookies, Oatmeal Smoothie, or Chocolate Granola for more ideas.
Ingredients
- 1 cup oat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup milk of choice
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the oat flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir well to combine, then add in the egg, milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and lemon juice. Stir until there are no large lumps, then let the batter rest for 10 minutes, letting the oat flour absorb the moisture.
- Grease a skillet over medium-low heat on the stove. You'll know the pan is ready to cook when a drop of water instantly sizzles when it touches the pan. Use a scant ¼ cup to scoop the batter into the center of the greased skillet.
- When bubbles form in the center of the pancake, it should be easy to slide a spatula under the pancake and flip it over. Each side will need to cook for roughly 2 minutes. Repeat with the remaining batter until you've made 6 pancakes total. You may need to lower the heat as you go; the pancakes may start to cook faster as the pan gets hotter.
- Serve oat flour pancakes warm, with your favorite toppings. (Keep them warm in an oven heated to 180ºF while you finish cooking the batch.) Leftover pancakes can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days and are easy to reheat in a toaster for a fast morning.
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If you try this oatmeal pancakes recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like them.
Lazy Saturday breakfast! Tried these Oat Flour pancakes today. They really do “fluff” up! Could barely eat a full serving, but I forced myself! Made a sugar-free blueberry compote for the topping, but this would have been REALLY good with your IP Easy Applesauce topping!
Love your recipes, and they are so easy to customize! Thank you, Megan, for this awesome resource for healthy meals!
Hello, if you don’t have lemon juice can you leave it out or substitute it with something else?
My picky son loved these! My only question/concern… what can I change about this recipe/prep ? Mine turned out slightly crumbly in texture. I used egg whites instead of whole egg & oat milk instead of water. Thank you!
Hi Erin! Oat flour does tend to want to crumble, but you can help prevent that by adding a little extra oil. (You might not need quite as much water in that case.) Hope that helps!
I love this recipe. I added pumpkin spice and pecans. Yum.
These have been my go-to for several years. Typically, I use coconut, olive or avocado oil. Today, I used butter. Oh my! The butter took them to a new level! Always such good pancakes! The best baking recipes! 💕
Yum!! I loved this recipe. The pancakes were light and fluffy like traditional ones, and the they tasted delicious!
These are amazing pancakes. Our whole family enjoys this recipe. I make these when we don’t have any ripe bananas otherwise we are making the banana oatmeal pancakes.
This needs some kind of acid to react with the baking soda and add flavor. They we’re definitely missing something.
Made these today with Aquafaba since I’m not eating eggs; not much rise on them but they still tasted good. I would try this recipe again.
Delicious! Love these!