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Naturally sweet and delicious, this 3-ingredient recipe for banana oat pancake is one to make often!

If you’re a skeptic of the famous 3-ingredient banana oat pancakes, this recipe shares a crucial tip that ensures the best results.

stack of banana oat pancakes topped with sliced banananas

Banana Oat Pancakes with Three Ingredients

I have a teen who’s been obsessed with TikTok’s three-ingredient banana oat pancakes for a few years and has made many attempts to master the greatness promised in a 10-second video.

Unfortunately, she’s used to my epic Banana Pancakes recipe and my Banana Oatmeal Pancakes, which are very much on the fluffy side of the pancake spectrum.

I took on the challenge of figuring out what was missing from the other internet recipes and what wasn’t shown in those quick videos since the oats were often still hard even though the pancakes were ready.

I figured it out. And now, your next batch of pancakes made with 3 simple ingredients will be 10x better because of one simple thing.

stack of 3 ingredient banana oat pancakes topped with sliced bannanas

Health Benefits of These Pancakes

These pancakes are naturally sweetened with the banana, the eggs provide protein, and the oats have fiber, vitamins, and minerals. This simple nutritional combo makes a terrific healthy breakfast option.

Ingredients

I share the amounts to make these in the recipe card, but before you make any swaps, here are some notes on the 3 ingredients:

Oats: old-fashioned or quick/instant oats will work with this recipe. Old-fashioned oats provide a heartier texture, while quick oats are smaller and softer.
Eggs: to bind the bananas and oats together and can’t be substituted in this reicpe. Use this recipe for a no-egg banana oat pancake which has a different method.
Ripe bananas: the riper the better. Check out my tip below on how to mash them to prevent lumpy pancakes.

side by side images of 3 ingredient banana oat pancake batter in a bowl

How to Make 3 Ingredient Banana Oatmeal Pancakes

The secret to achieving great results is in the method. A few additional tips in the steps include:

Make the batter
I prefer to mash the bananas to a paste-like texture (see my tip below) rather than using a fork to mash them. This helps the bananas bind with the eggs as a cohesive liquid so the pancakes hold their shape and texture better. Otherwise, it’s pretty straightforward: mix the 3 in a bowl, and you’re set!
Wait 10 minutes
This one step helps the oats soften up before they’re cooked by absorbing some of the liquid in the bowl. Traditionally, oats on the stove take 5 minutes to cook while they’re simmering so 3 to 4 minutes on a skillet isn’t enough time. Trust the process and sip on some coffee; this helps a ton.
Cook the pancakes
A non-stick surface is a must for cooking these, as well as greasing the hot pan with butter, oil, or spray. 2 minutes on each side over medium heat will cook the pancakes through.
Serve
These are best warm, straight out of the pan, topped with your favorite pancake syrup.

side by side two pancakes cooking in a pan

Preventing Lumpy Pancakes

Lumpy banana oat pancakes are the result of not mashing the banana enough. You’ll want a banana puree-like texture to start, which is why I recommend mashing the banana inside a zip bag for the best texture.

Topping These Pancakes

The sweeter your banana, the sweeter the pancakes will be, which is great if you want to minimize loading up your stack with sugary syrup. I usually keep the toppings healthy such as a few additional banana slices, fresh berries, and a drizzle of nut butter over the tops.

More Ways to Make Banana Pancakes

If ripe bananas are often abundant and you want to turn them into pancakes, consider making my 3-ingredient banana pancakes, cinnamon banana pancakes, or these cottage cheese banana pancakes. Lastly, I finally perfected my 2-ingredient pancake recipe and figured out how to keep them from falling apart!

3 Ingredient Banana Oat Pancakes (8g Protein)

stack of 3 ingredient banana oat pancakes topped with sliced bananas

Servings: 2

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 15

Naturally sweet and delicious, this 3-ingredient recipe for banana oat pancake is one to make often!

5 from 10 votes

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Ingredients

1 ripe banana
2 eggs
¼ cup oats, old-fashioned or quick*

Instructions

Make the batter:

In a medium bowl, mash the banana using a fork until you achieve a banana paste-like texture. For best results, place the banana inside a zip bag, mash it with your hands, cut the tip of the bag to make an opening, and squeeze the banana through into the bowl.
Add the eggs to the bowl, and whisk them with a fork until they’re mixed with the banana. Then, add the oats and mix to combine.

Wait:

Oats will not cook and soften in the pan in the time it takes to cook the pancakes; for this reason, let the batter sit in the bowl for 10 minutes if using old-fashioned oats and 5 minutes when using quick/instant oats. This softens the oats, and you’ll have a better pancake texture.

Cook the pancakes:

Heat a non-stick griddle or large pan over medium heat. Once hot, grease with oil, spray, or melt butter on the hot surface. When using an electric griddle, heat it somewhere between 300 and 350F.
Immediately after greasing, pour ¼ cup of batter onto the greased pan. Cook the pancakes for about 2 minutes until the edges begin to look defined. Flip the pancakes over and cook for another 2 minutes on the other side. Avoid pressing down on the pancake after flipping. Remove the pancakes from the pan onto a plate and keep them warm while you cook the rest of the batter.

Serve:

Serve warm, topped with pancake syrup and your favorite toppings.

Notes

Double this recipe by using 2 ripe bananas, 4 eggs, and ½ cup buckwheat flour.
Flavor add-ins:
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon vanilla
Both old-fashioned and quick/instant oats will work for this recipe. Old-fashioned oats provide a heartier texture, while quick oats are smaller and softer.