Recipe

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With lots of banana flavor and an out-of-this-world fluffy texture, these gluten-free banana pancakes are about to make your weekend breakfast epic!

If you want gluten-free banana pancakes that cook up light and fluffy (not dense or gummy), this recipe is the one to make.

Stack of gluten-free banana pancakes on a plate topped with sliced bananas and a light drizzle of syrup

Fluffy Banana Pancakes without Gluten

These are the gluten-free version of my fluffy banana pancakes, following what has worked for more than a decade to make the best gluten-free pancakes. This recipe yields a soft, airy stack every time.

Instead of oats, this recipe uses an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend (see recommendations below), which makes a huge difference in texture.

Ingredients

These are made with store-bought 1:1 gluten-free baking flour, baking powder for a fluffy texture, and a pinch of salt to enhance the batter's flavor. The ripe banana adds sweetness (the riper the better), and milk, of any kind, as the liquid base. An egg is added to bind the batter’s ingredients, a little melted butter for moisture, and vanilla extract for flavor.

The Gluten-Free Flours I’ve Tested

I've tested many gluten-free flours, and most don't yield great pancake results (gritty, chewy, dense… the list goes on). The two I consistently recommend are Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free Baking Flour and King Arthur’s Measure for Measure Gluten-Free Flour. Both produce reliable, great-tasting, fluffy gluten-free pancakes.

steps to make gluten-free banana pancakes in a 4 image collage. top left dry ingredients bowl. top right mashed banana in a bowl. bottom left has the liquid ingredients and bottom right the batter in the bowl

How to Make Gluten-Free Banana Pancakes

You’ll find all the details in the recipe card. Here are some notes from making these often that ensure yours turn out great.

Measure and mix the dry ingredients in a bowl.
When measuring the flour, fill the measuring cup with another so you don’t pack too much and end up with dense pancakes. Make sure your baking powder is still active. If it’s been opened for more than 9 months, and your pancakes aren’t fluffy, it’s probably gone bad.
Make the batter.
In a large bowl, mash the bananas first almost to a puree. Then, add the other wet ingredients and mix well. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently mix the batter until combined. Some clumps are normal; it's the bananas.
Let the batter sit for 5 minutes.
This allows the gluten-free flour to absorb the moisture and you’ll see if you need to make any adjustments to the batter before cooking. More on this in the recipe card.
Cook the pancakes.
On a non-stick surface over medium heat. Heat it first, then grease it, and then pour the batter. These pancakes take about 2 minutes per side to cook. Wait to flip until you see bubbles and edges have formed. If you flip them too early because your bottoms are brown, your heat is too high, and you’ll end up with undercooked middles.
Serve them warm.
Top them with sliced bananas, pancake syrup, chopped nuts, or a drizzle of nut butter. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days or freeze them for up to 3 months.

More Gluten-Free Pancake Recipes

Try these first, then come back and make my banana oatmeal pancakes, blueberry gluten-free pancakes, or these gluten-free pumpkin pancakes.

Best Gluten-Free Banana Pancakes

Servings: 6 (12 pancakes)

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 15

With lots of banana flavor and an out-of-this-world fluffy texture, these gluten-free banana pancakes are about to make your weekend breakfast epic!

5 from 1 vote

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Ingredients

1 ½ cups all-purpose gluten-free flour
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
Pinch salt, omit if butter is salted
1 large ripe banana, about ¾ cup mashed
1 large egg
1 ½ cups milk, any
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract, optional

Instructions

Make the batter:

In a small bowl, combine the gluten-free flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, mash the banana with a fork. See the note below on under-ripe banana and an easy mashing method. To the banana bowl, add the egg, milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Break up the egg first with a fork, and then begin to mix it with the liquids in the bowl.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet bowl and mix until the flour is incorporated and is no longer visible. Overmixing leads to chewy pancakes. Some of the visible lumps are the mashed banana.
Wait 5 minutes before cooking so the gluten-free flour can absorb the liquid and set. Check the batter's consistency now (see the notes for troubleshooting). It's on the thicker side.

Cook the pancakes:

Heat a non-stick griddle or large pan over medium heat. Once hot, grease, spray, or melt butter on the hot surface. When using an electric griddle, heat it somewhere between 300 and 350F. Immediately, pour ¼ cup of batter onto the greased surface per pancake.
Cook the pancakes for about 2 minutes, until the edges are defined and bubbles form. Flip the pancakes over and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Avoid pressing down on the pancake after flipping; this will make it dense and chewy. If they're browning too fast and you flip them too early, they'll be undercooked. Reduce the heat and rinse the pan between batches if needed. Remove the pancakes from the pan onto a plate and keep them warm while you cook the rest.
Serve them warm topped with your favorite toppings and syrups.

Store:

Refrigerate cooked pancakes for up to 4 days. To freeze, lay them flat on a parchment-lined baking sheet, then transfer to a zip bag for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave (30-60 seconds) or in the toaster.

Notes

To ripen your banana in a pinch, peel the banana and microwave it in 15-second intervals, mashing it with a fork as it softens. This will quick-ripen the banana and bring out its sweetness. Then, allow it to cool down completely before making the batter.

Add-ins/Mix-ins:

1 ½ teaspoons of cinnamon to the dry ingredients bowl.
Chocolate chips: about ½ cup to the batter, folded gently after it’s mixed.

Best gluten-free flour for pancakes: After many tests, I continue to stand by Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free Baking Flour and King Arthur’s Measure for Measure Gluten-Free Flour. Both yield consistent, fluffy gluten-free pancakes with this recipe.

Flours that never yield good pancakes are Arrowhead Mills and Namaste. Cup 4 Cup yields mixed results. While they’re great for other recipes, I don’t recommend them for pancakes.

Consistency Tips: All 1:1 gluten-free flours are slightly different (they have a unique starch-to-grain ratio and ingredients). Here is what to do:

If you omit the butter (which adds moisture), your pancakes will be a little drier/crumblier, and you'll need to add the same amount of liquid (3 tablespoons) to the bowl (a neutral oil also works).
If your batter is too thick, you either added too much flour into the cup or your gf flour is a little dense. Add 2 more tablespoons of milk to thin it, then mix gently.
If your batter is too runny, add 1 to 2 tablespoons more flour, mix gently, and wait 5 minutes before cooking.