Oatmeal Pancakes

5 from 43 votes

By: Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale ChipsPublished: September 11, 2023

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Fluffy Oatmeal Pancakes will become a breakfast staple! These gluten-free pancakes are tender and wholesome, perfect topped with fruit and lots of maple syrup.

A stack of oatmeal pancakes on a white plate topped with strawberries.

Easy Oatmeal Pancakes

Pancakes are a weekend favorite and they’re even better when they’re gluten-free! My kids gobble up these oatmeal pancakes, and I don’t even need to mention that they’re packed with whole grains and sweetened naturally. They only care that the pancakes taste good (as they should).

I love cooking with oat flour and oats, both for their health benefits and flavor. Oat flour performs similarly to whole wheat flour, and whenever I incorporate it into cakes or cookies – or in this case, pancakes – it infuses the finished product with a lovely toasty, buttery undertone. And of course, it’s a naturally gluten-free flour, making it perfect for those of us who avoid gluten. In this recipe, you’ll use quick oats to quickly form your gluten-free flour base.

These gluten-free pancakes are so easy to make and so reliable. I love that I don’t need a bunch of different gluten-free flours or even an all-purpose mix to make the batter. In fact, you can pop everything into a blender, give it all a whiz, and you’ll be well on your way to making a stack of the fluffiest, most tender oatmeal pancakes that are the perfect vehicle for loads of maple syrup or even ice cream.

Why You’ll Love These Gluten Free Pancakes

Who doesn’t love pancakes? I think it’s safe to say that if you whip up a batch of pancakes on a weekend morning you’ll be the star of the entire day. Here’s why I love these oatmeal pancakes:

Blender and done. All you need to do to make the pancake batter is place all the ingredients in a blender and turn it on. Then let the batter rest for a few minutes and cook the pancakes. That’s it!
Healthy ingredients. Oats are packed with fiber and are so beneficial nutritionally. There’s also no refined sugar in this recipe, just a little maple syrup is added to lightly sweeten the pancakes.
Naturally gluten-free. Yes, another recipe that calls for naturally gluten-free ingredients! I love this kind of recipe because you don’t have to fiddle with substitutions or worry about cross-contamination. Just make sure your oats are certified gluten-free and you’re all set.

What You’ll Need

Here’s a quick overview of everything you’ll need to make this recipe. Scroll down to the recipe card at the end of this post for the full ingredient amounts and details.

Gluten-Free Quick Oats: If you’re sensitive, make sure to use oats that are certified gluten-free.
Milk: I like whole milk for richness but you can use 2% milk.
Eggs: Eggs bind the batter together.
Butter: You can use salted or unsalted butter.
Maple Syrup: A little maple syrup gives the pancakes a natural sweetness.
Vanilla Extract: Use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.
Baking Powder: Make sure to use fresh baking powder for the best results.
Salt: I use fine table or sea salt.
Cinnamon: You could also use ground ginger.

Ingredients for oatmeal pancakes - oats, milk, butter, vanilla, eggs.

Optional Add-Ins

Pancakes are made that much better with a few add-ins! Here are a few suggestions:

Blueberries: Try dropping 4-5 fresh or frozen blueberries into each pancake before you flip it.
Raspberries: Very gently stir a cup of fresh or frozen raspberries into the batter before you make the pancakes.
Bananas: Mash up two ripe bananas and add them to the blender when you make the batter.
Chocolate chips: Add a handful of mini chocolate chips to make chocolate chip pancakes.
Nut butter: Make peanut butter or almond butter pancakes. Add 1⁄2 cup of your favorite nut butter to the blender when making the batter.
Coconut: Stir in some unsweetened coconut flakes or shredded coconut.
Toasted nuts: Add chopped, toasted almonds, walnuts, or a combination to the batter for some crunch.

How to Make Oatmeal Pancakes

The method for making oatmeal pancakes is very similar to making regular pancakes, although you’ll want to let the batter rest before cooking the pancakes. Here’s how to make these gluten-free pancakes:

Place the ingredients except for 1⁄2 cup of the oats in a blender. Combine 1 1⁄2 cups of oats, milk, eggs, melted butter, maple syrup, vanilla, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a blender. Blend until smooth.
Place the batter in a bowl. Pour batter into a bowl.
Stir in the remaining oats. Add the remaining 1⁄2 cup of oats and fold together.

Ingredients in a food processor for pancakes.

A spatula stirs in whole oats to batter.

Rest the batter. Let the batter rest for 10 minutes to absorb the liquid. It should be noticeably thicker after sitting.
Heat your pan or pancake griddle. Preheat the pancake griddle or pan to medium-high heat (375℉ for an electric griddle). If your pan is not non-stick, add a little butter to the pan.

Make the pancakes. Scoop out 1⁄4 cupfuls of batter and cook until the edges appear dry and bubbles are popping at the center. Flip the pancakes and cook for an additional 2 minutes on the second side.
Place pancakes on a plate and serve warm. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate. Serve warm.

A stack of oatmeal pancakes on a white plate.

Tips for Success

Here are a few tips to help these pancakes turn out great every time:

Blend the batter well. You want to make sure you don’t have any lumps remaining in the batter after you’ve run it through the blender, so don’t skimp on the blending time. This will help the pancakes hold together while they cook.
Rest the batter. Oat flour, and gluten-free flours in general, benefit from a short rest after they’ve been incorporated into a batter. Make sure you leave time to rest the pancake batter for 10 minutes so that the oat flour can absorb some of the liquid before proceeding with the recipe.
Add more milk. If your batter seems way too thick to pour after the resting time, add a little more milk, 1 tablespoon at a time. You don’t want to make it overly runny, however, so be cautious if you need to add more milk.
Properly heat your pan. A lukewarm pan will cook lackluster pancakes! To test if your pan is ready to use, flick a few drops of water onto the pan. If they sizzle, go ahead and cook the pancakes.
Use an electric griddle. If you have an electric griddle, this will take away a lot of the angst when cooking pancakes.
Make these pancakes dairy-free. It’s so easy to make these pancakes dairy-free as well as gluten-free. Substitute your favorite non-dairy butter or coconut oil for the butter and use a non-dairy milk of choice for the milk.

Fluffy Oatmeal Pancakes will become a breakfast staple! These gluten-free pancakes are tender and wholesome, perfect with fruit.

How to Store Leftovers

Store leftover, cooled pancakes in a zip-loc bag, with a piece of parchment in between each pancake, for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave in 30-second intervals until warm.

Can I Freeze Oatmeal Pancakes?

Oatmeal pancakes are a great freezer option! To freeze, place the pancakes in a freezer-safe, sealable bag with a piece of parchment paper in between each pancake, and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge before using.

Make It A Meal

Oatmeal pancakes make a great quick breakfast and need nothing more than a drizzle of maple syrup or some sliced strawberries. But if you feeling like rounding out your plate, here are a few suggestions of what to serve with these gluten-free pancakes:

Eggs: Add some eggs alongside your short stack, like scrambled or baked eggs.
Meat: Why not serve some nice, crispy bacon with these oatmeal pancakes?
Smoothie: My Chocolate Pumpkin Smoothie would be delightful served with oatmeal pancakes. Or try my Strawberry Banana Coconut Milk Smoothie for something lighter.
Fruit salad: You can top your pancakes with sliced fruit or Apple Pie Filling. Or serve them with a fruit salad, like my refreshing Watermelon Berry Fruit Salad in the summer or Healthy Apple Candy Bar Salad in the fall.

5 from 43 votes