These Vegan Buckwheat Banana Pancakes are my new go-to pancake recipe. The batter can be whipped up in 10 minutes or less, and they’re naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, and egg-free. They’re even grain-free, if you consider the fact that buckwheat is a grain-like seed, similar to quinoa and amaranth, and doesn’t grow on grasses the same way cereal grains do. If you love my Buckwheat cookies, you’ll love these, too!
Benefits of Buckwheat
Buckwheat consumption has been linked to lower blood sugar levels in diabetics (source), as well as lowering blood pressure and improving cholesterol levels. (source) I love working with buckwheat flour, particularly freshly ground buckwheat groats, because you don’t have to mix it with other flours or starches, as you have to do with many other gluten-free flours.
You can buy buckwheat flour at many grocery stores now, but I prefer to grind my own buckwheat groats because the flavor isn’t as bitter and the color is a little more appealing. (Especially in these vegan buckwheat pancakes, if you look at the photos below!)
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Store-Bought vs. Homemade Buckwheat Flour
Buckwheat hulls are included in most store-bought buckwheat flours, giving it a dark bluish-gray hue, as seen in the pancakes on the left above. The pancakes on the right are made with freshly ground buckwheat groats, and look a little more appealing for kids or picky family members.
I tested this recipe using both the store-bought flour, and my homemade flour that I quickly ground in a coffee grinder. Making my own flour took only 30 seconds, and I think the difference is worth it– but the choice is up to you!
How to Make Buckwheat Pancakes
These vegan buckwheat pancakes are an easy one-bowl recipe that you can stir together in less than 10 minutes. I like to start by mashing the bananas in the bottom of the bowl with a fork, then you add in the rest of the ingredients and stir until a batter is formed!
I’m also lazy when it comes to pancakes, so I prefer to bake these pancakes instead of pan-frying them. Baking them means you can cook all 6 pancakes at once— which is a huge time-saver– and it also means you don’t need to add extra oil to the recipe, because there’s no pan to grease. Simply use a silicone baking mat, or parchment paper, to prevent sticking.
If you prefer to fry these in a pan, feel free to do so, but I love having the whole batch ready to go in just 15 minutes of baking time. I hope you’ll enjoy them, too.
Vegan Buckwheat Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup buckwheat flour (store-bought or ground groats)
- 2 very ripe bananas , about 3/4 cup mashed
- 2 tablespoons olive or coconut oil
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF, if you plan on baking the pancakes. If you'd like to grind your own buckwheat flour, simply pour raw buckwheat groats into a coffee grinder and grind until a fine flour-like texture is achieved, about 30 seconds. Measure the flour after grinding.
- In a large bowl, mash the bananas (a few lumps are okay), then add in the ground buckwheat flour, oil, water, cinnamon, vanilla, baking soda, and vinegar. Stir well to create a fairly uniform batter. It will be slightly thicker than traditional pancake batter, not quite as runny.
- To bake the pancakes, scoop the batter using a scant 1/4 cup measure, creating about 6 evenly sized mounds on a large lined baking sheet. Use the back of a spoon to spread the pancakes out, creating pancakes that are roughly 5- or 6-inches in diameter, and about 1/4-inch thick. Bake until the centers are firm, about 15 minutes at 350ºF.
- If you prefer to pan-fry the pancakes, pour the scant 1/4-cup of batter into a greased skillet over medium heat, and use the back of a spoon to flatten the pancake into your desired size and thickness. (About 5 or 6 inches wide) Allow the top to bubble and the edges of the pancake to dry, about 4 or 5 minutes, then flip and cook through on the other side.
- Serve warm, with fresh fruit and pure maple syrup, if desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition information above is for 1/2 the batch (roughly 3 pancakes). This is automatically calculated using generic ingredients in a database, so it’s just an estimate and not a guarantee.
Recipe Notes:
- This recipe makes 6 pancakes, enough to serve 2 people. Feel free to double or triple the recipe to have extras! I think these would keep well in the fridge for up to a week. I haven’t tried freezing them yet, but I imagine they would freeze and thaw well, too.
- If you need to use another type of gluten-free flour, I suggest starting with a different recipe. I have you covered if you need Coconut Flour Pancakes, Almond Flour Pancakes, Oatmeal Pancakes, or Vegan Oat Flour Pancakes.
Reader Feedback: Do you like working with buckwheat flour, too? Let me know if you want to see more buckwheat recipes in the future!
Can I bake the pancakes in the oven and for how long and what temperature please?
Yes, the first 3 directions in the recipe tell you exactly how to bake them. Hope you’ll enjoy it!
Can I use 2 eggs instead of bananas?
Can I use2 eggs instead of bananas?
I don’t usually leave comments but this was awesome! I doubled the recipe but only used 2 bananas since that is all I had. I just added a little oat milk to get it to my desired consistency. I dumped the whole batter on a sheet pan with parchment paper, spread it out and baked it. Came out light and fluffy. We also added some semi-sweet chocolate chips. No vanilla extract but it worked fine! Thanks so much!
Can I use 2 tbs of whole milk I
instead of water?thank you!
Sure, I don’t see why not!
I’ve been a vegan for 6 months. Loving it! Lost 45 pounds without trying. These pancakes are a keeper. Quick, easy, no added sugar, no milk or eggs, and easy cleanup. I used parchment paper, and spelt flour i grind myself. The flavor and texture were wonderful. My grandson(9) also loved them. Best of all, i ate 2 pancakes, and though i loved, i had no craving for more. My bodily easily knows to stop eating. That’s the joy of eating no processed foods.
These are the first egg-free pancakes I’ve liked! Great texture and flavor.
I made these as written (baked, served with maple syrup) and I loved their banana-y flavor and pillowy texture! Thanks for a great recipe!
Yum! I love buckwheat and this is by far the best buckwheat pancake recipe I’ve tried! One of my favorites. I topped mine with a tahini maple cardamom glaze with some extra maple syrup cause you can’t go easy on the syrup with these babies! Perfection. Also thank you for the tip with baking – saves me the struggle of flipping! Haha
My bananas were a little small, so I added a couple of heaping tablespoons of applesauce and finely chopped some walnuts and threw them into the batter. And, because I wanted to make Belgian waffles instead of pancakes, I added two more tablespoons of coconut oil. Not only were the waffles beautiful, but they were outrageously good! I didn’t even put syrup on mine. Just put sliced strawberries and blueberries. Seriously. Home run. Thank you for the recipe!
Thank you for sharing! I’ve been meaning to try these as waffles, so I’m glad to hear how it went for you.
I have commented on this before but I have to say again this is an amazing recipe! There is a sweetness to it that cannot be explained, I guess it’s from the bananas. I double the recipe and everything except the banana, line a sheet pan parchment paper, dump batter onto the parchment paper, spread it out, and bake it in the oven. It’s so quick and easy! Thank you so much!
This recipe is so special to me.
I’m a first time Mom and my baby had something called FPIES (look it up, can be pretty traumatizing stuff for a new Mom to deal with). I had a team of doctors following my daughter’s journey and our nutritionist suggested buckwheat as a food to first introduce to my daughter. I had no clue what it was but I went out and bought some. She didn’t have many safe foods but banana was one of them and I found this recipe. My daughter actually took to it quite well – she didn’t have a FPIES reaction and her oral aversion to food didn’t stop her from eventually eating it.
I’m not exaggerating when I say that my baby ate these pancakes twice a day for many months as we struggled to introduce new foods. I have shared this recipe with so so soooo many other Moms to introduce to their babies and toddlers and the feedback has always been good. We still make these pancakes regularly for my daughter and she always gobbles them up.
I’ve never written a review on a recipe before but we are nearing the end of our struggles with FPIES and as I look back on our journey, I cannot help but feel teary eyed when I think about this recipe.
From my husband, myself and my daughter Brooklyn, I would like to say thank you for this amazing recipe. You have no idea how it has impacted our lives for the better! Xox
I love this recipe, and so does my daughter. In fact, they were her birthday breakfast request. Thank you, Megan!
Hi Megan– Your recipes are on REGULAR rotation around our house, so we can’t wait to try these yummy-looking pancakes! Especially like the idea of baking them, since half the batch usually gets lukewarm while waiting on the griddle.
Question: I have bigtime blueberry pancake fans here, and noticed in your photos you placed the berries on top, rather than inside the actual pancakes. Was that on purpose– in other words would mixing blueberries inside hinder the baking process? Thanks for your response; just don’t want to waste good organic ingredients by making a double batch (our usual) and then they don’t work with berries inside… 😉
Thanks for the kind words! I’ve never tried baking the pancakes with blueberries inside, but I don’t see why that wouldn’t work! I would just place them on the pancakes after you spread out the batter, so you have full control of how the blueberries are distributed for each pancake.
I was skeptical about baked pancakes, but these were absolutely delicious – and so quick and easy to make. I love pancakes but hardly ever make them because I hate standing around cooking them one by one (plus they usually stick to the pan unless I’m using a brand new one). This is definitely going to become a regular in our house. Thanks so much for creating this recipe!
Definitely worked better baking. The batter stuck to my griddle when I tried to make regular pancakes. Please include more instructions on griddle cooking.
Thanks for a delicious recipe, I have a gluten free husband and 3 picky eater kids – everyone loved these pancakes, and my youngest (the most tricky to get to try new things) told me they were perfect. High praise indeed!
Wow! These were delicious. I use to make buckwheat pancakes years ago, but I couldn’t find the recipe I use to use. I’m so glad I found this one. I halfed the ingredients as I was only making them for myself and make 2 instead of the recommended 3. I had banana and mayple syrup over them. 10/10. I can’t wait to make these again I really liked that they are baked, they were so fluffy inside
Great recipe but the apple cider vinegar caused my eczema to flare up. What can I use as a substitute? Perhaps replace ACV and baking soda for baking powder?
Yes, I think baking powder should work fine as a swap!
This is my go to pancake recipe. They are a huge hit in my house. I love that theres not added sweetener, only natural bananas! They’re so easy to whip up. I LOVE that i just put them on trays and throw them in the oven. I usually make 4-6 times the original recipe and put some in the freezer. Thanks for your great recipes!
Like this recipe a little better than your Coconut Flour Pancakes. I have added an egg to the recipe, not sure if it made much difference, still like them very muc.
Thank you
Love these banana buckwheat pancakes!! Found the recipe maybe a month ago and have already lost track of how many times I’ve made it! Delicious with fresh blueberries added. Made for my mom and she said “scrumptious- are you sure they’re healthy?”Turns out the Anthony’s organic buckwheat flour I bought on Amazon is from raw groats so if you do t want to grind your own it’s a great option. You won’t regret making these (though you might regret not finding the recipe sooner!)
It’s the first buckwheat flour recipe we’ve tried and family favorite! We enjoy this weekly and it’s always highly requested! We’ve made it for friends and they also love it! Thanks so much for sharing this amazing and wholesome recipe! We also like to add cacao powder, flax and hemp hearts sometimes for a chocolatey variation. Thanks again!
My go-to pancake recipe! These are quick to make and taste incredible. I prefer baking them because I only have cast iron pans (which the pancakes stick to). Best served with banana slices and almond butter. 😋
I found this recipe searching for LEAP-Friendly recipes, as I’m currently in phase 1 of the LEAP protocol elimination diet for food sensitivities. I had to sub or leave out a few things (like vanilla), and used milked cashews instead of water, but these turned out surprisingly good! I topped with sunflower butter, and they were even better.
I lve buckwheat! More recipes please! Thanks.
Best gluten-free pancake recipe to date! And I’ve tried a few too. These are fluffy and sweet enough to eat on their own. Thank you Megan!! My kids and I have food allergies and sensitivities to dairy, eggs, nuts, seeds and gluten. It’s challenging finding recipes that are healthy and yummy! As a footnote, to make foods even easier and more digestible to help heal our guts, I’ve been soaking, sprouting (2 days) and dehydrating the buckwheat grouts before making it into flour. Also, we skip all oils and substitute in avocado when oil/fat is needed. The pancakes turned out fantastic! Looking forward to trying more of your recipes.
These are just like the buckwheat pancakes at Watercress Foods in Denver. Coconut oil is the way to go. I added a little water and some blueberries. So so good!
These are delicious and part of our regular rotation. I usually stick a few frozen blueberries in before baking them. I will say that I triple for our family of 4 and find that I only get 14 pancakes, not 18. I don’t think I’ve ever gotten the full amount, despite measuring the batter, so keep that in mind if you are baking for an entire family. The batter is quite thick, so next time I might try to add a little milk to thin it and see if I can squeak out a few more and bake a smidge longer.
Right now buckwheat is the only “grain” my stomach will tolerate and I was missing baked goods. I love this pancake recipe. It’s sweet and perfectly fluffy! I don’t feel like I’m missing pancakes at all!
I’m so glad you’re able to enjoy these buckwheat pancakes, Annette. Thanks for the review!
Deliciously sweet and so easy.
These were delicious!
Simple, healthy, yummy. I baked them. So much easier than pan frying. And healthier. I added some walnuts pieces to batter plus some extra water. They turned out perfectly. I served with berries/maple syrup. Just put maple syrup & fresh/frozen berries (cut up a bit if using larger berries) on the stove on low while the pancakes are cooking. So good!
I used Arrowhead Mills Organic Buckwheat Flour.
I am on an alkaline diet, what can I substitute the vinegar with?
First time making. Ground up toasted buckwheat into flour. Baked version served with fresh cut pineapple. Delicious! Thank you!