These banana buckwheat pancakes are vegan, gluten free, and made in a blender! No bowls needed. Everything can be tossed into the blender for easy cleanup and pouring. And thanks to the buckwheat flour, you don't have to worry about over-mixing.
Looking for more buckwheat recipes? Try my unbelievable grain-free buckwheat bread, vegan rhubarb crisp with buckwheat topping, and gluten-free banana buckwheat muffins.
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Buckwheat flour: use whole grain, sifted, or a mix of the two. This recipe works with any type of buckwheat flour.
- Banana: the riper the banana, the sweeter the pancakes will be. There is no sugar added to the mix so keep this in mind.
- Milk: use any type of non-dairy milk here.
- Oil: choose a light-tasting oil that's liquid at room temperature. The pancakes can be cooked in vegan butter for a little extra flavour boost.
How to Make Blender Pancakes
Step 1: add the wet ingredients to a blender and mix until smooth.
Step 2: add the dry ingredients and blend again to combine.
Step 3: spoon 2 tablespoons of batter into a warmed skillet.
Step 4: flip once bubbles start to appear and the batter begins to lose its shine. Serve warm.
Top Tips
- Preheat the pan: this is the most common reason that first pancake fails. Give the pan or skillet enough time to preheat and every pancake will be perfect.
- Don't add too much oil: just brush the skillet with butter or oil. Too much will make the pancakes greasy and unpleasant, and you don't need much to prevent sticking.
- Add toppings, not mix-ins: this batter doesn't work very well with additions like chocolate chips and blueberries, and it's much more likely to break when flipping if they're mixed in. Use lots of toppings instead.
How to Store
Storage: keep leftover pancakes in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freezing: transfer fully cooled pancakes to an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months. They can be thawed directly in the toaster for a quick breakfast.
FAQ
Is buckwheat gluten-free?
Yes, buckwheat is gluten-free, despite the name. It's a seed, not a grain, so it's also completely grain-free.
Can bananas be too ripe for banana pancakes?
No! The riper the bananas, the sweeter and lighter your pancakes will be.
What is the difference between buckwheat pancakes and regular pancakes?
Buckwheat pancakes are surprisingly similar to wheat-based pancakes! They have a stronger nutty flavour and the texture is a bit different - there's no chewiness at all - but they are still very light and fluffy.
If you make these Gluten-Free Banana Pancakes or any other whole food breakfast recipes on Wholehearted Eats, please take a moment to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It’s such a help to others who want to try the recipe. For more WHE, follow along on Instagram or subscribe for new posts via email.
Recipe
Blender Buckwheat Banana Pancakes
Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Skillet
- Blender
- Pancake flipper
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk of choice I like almond
- 1 ripe banana
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 cup buckwheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 pinch sea salt
Instructions
- Firstly, heat a skillet on low heat to warm up (if you're not using cast iron, heat it to medium).
- Puree the banana, oil, milk, and vanilla in a blender until smooth. Either add the flour, salt, and baking powder to the blender and mix on low until combined, or pour the liquid into a bowl with the flour and mix until smooth.
- Once the skillet is warm, add a splash of oil and two tablespoons of batter (spreading out with the back of a spoon if needed). Flip the pancake once bubbles begin to appear on the top and it begins to lose its shine.
Love these! For me, I like twice the salt and fold-in some walnuts after blending 🥞
These are my kids favorite pancakes! Do you think it would work on a baking sheet in the oven for a large batch, so I can freeze half?
so happy to hear that, Caitlin 🙂 I have actually never tried baking them on a sheet pan so I am not sure how well that would work, but think it is worth a try.
Didn’t bother with blender honestly. Made with almond milk and walnut oil, added cinnamon and pecans to base as well. Super easy to make and banana is just enough sweetness (plus maple syrup and butter for me).
This recipe did not turn out well for me unfortunately. They kept sticking to my green pan and I tried with ghee and coconut oil. They also were a bit gummy and flavorless so we added some honey and rice flour. Not sure what went wrong!
Hey Olivia! So sorry the recipe didn't work out for you. I recommend a nice seasoned cast iron pan for pancakes, but if you don't have that the oil should work... did it for you? I'm not sure what type of pan you used, but I suspect that heat distribution resulted in the inside not cooking through. Using a ripe banana might help with the flavour and textural issues you encountered.
Hey Olivia,
I haven’t made these yet (about to give them a go now), but have often had issues with sticking with vegan pancakes, so a new thing I’ve done is to cook them in the oven!
I use baking paper with a little oil and a dusting of flour, not sure if the flour is needed but I like to make sure it won’t stick. Then bake in pre warmed oven at 175C/350F. This way they cook through and are slightly more fluffy than done in the pan. I turn them over towards the end to dry out the underside. One thing that sucks is that you don’t get any browned crispy outside, but bonus is all the pancakes are ready at the same time!
Can this be done oil free? Thanks 🙂
Totally, you'll still need a touch to cook them in though 🙂
I made these this morning — they’re great, and so easy too, only the blender jar to clean up! Thanks!
so happy you enjoyed them! <3
So love your "Blender Buckwheat & Banana" pancakes! Egg-free too. Purrrfect! 🙂 Also, caught that bit in your blog about the TED Talk discussing how Soc Media/internet scrolling etc STEALS time! Don't I know that!!! Nearly missed a flight once, so engrossed were we in our Fbk feeds(!)
What brand of buckwheat flour do you use? I used Bob’s Red Mill and they look kind of purplish...lol.
I've tried many different buckwheat pancake recipes and this was by far the best. Loved them - thank you!
thx I needed to know this
My nutritionist sent me this recipe because I'm in the middle of an elimination diet & my breakfast options have been slim. My husband made these for me on mothers day & they are amazing! I'l fairly new to buckwheat & couldn't find the flour, I had to grind my own. They were delicious & fluffy with just the right amount of sweetness & I loved the ease of making them in the blender. Thanks so much!!!
Just made these this evening to freeze and tasted one. While I don't love the taste of buckwheat these pancakes are definitely the best yet. And they look just like fluffy American pancakes. Delighted!
Yay! So happy to hear you like them, Audrey. Buckwheat is definitely one of those 'intense' flavours, but I'm so happy it wasn't overwhelming. Enjoy! xox
Hi Sophie! How do I stop these from sticking to my cast iron pan? I used coconut oil but they just would not come off! Any tips? Thanks!
I solved it! Coconut oil from the jar does NOT work, but coconut oil spray from the can worked like a charm! Go figure.
Oh how much I wish I could make these pancakes today. We are in the process of moving and I am maxed out of hotel food. Don't get me wrong, they have delicious food, but nothing they serve is healthy.
Though in just a few days, we will be in our new place. I am putting this on the list of recipes to try as it sounds so SO easy and looks incredible delicious. 🙂
PS: I love those plates SO SO much. 😉
I've been watching your move - it's always such a stressful thing. I'm pretty sure the last time we moved, we lived off of Kettle Chips and Amy's frozen pizza. I seriously wish I could send you a big 'ol plateful of pancakes right now. And yes, these plates! A lady in town makes them - her stuff is aaaaamazing http://atelierstgeorge.com/collections/ceramique
These pancakes look absolutely dreamy! And lazy weekends + easy pancakes are a match made in heaven.
Thank you, Kim! Here's to lazy weekends 🙂
You are SO right about pancakes being the ultimate comforting food, so perfect for being snowed in! I've been wanting to try buckwheat flour for awhile, but was unsure of where to start - this should make it easy (and delicious!). I love that banana is the only sweetener. They look great, Sophie!!
Wow! This sounds so Delicious!!
Thank you, Sandra! xox
These are the most perfect little pancake stacks and they look so good! Aww. Yay for real people meet-ups. I've hung out with Jenn from Foodess a few times now and she is so sweet and awesome! "The digital world cannibalizes time" feels so bang-on it's scary. I'm a pretty plugged-in wiener dog but I need to plug-out. (I also love cookie decorating videos!!! They are so OCD, you simply MUST watch til the end...) PS I'd love to meet up sometime in real life too! ^__^
Yes! I would love to meet up and chat in real life! It's great to see people in the flesh and put a face to all that hard work one sees on the net. Jenn is a real doll, isn't she? I learned so much from her <3
Oh these look SO nice! I've never tried blender pancakes but will need to make an attemot now 🙂
I hope you enjoy them, Louisa!
I have never made blender pancakes but am excited to try it now. Those blueberries give it such a beautiful pop of colour 🙂
To be honest, coming up with this recipe was my first blender pancakes attempt too - and I was honestly surprised it worked as well as it did! I can't wait for spring to come and bring with it more fruits and colours <3
these look so delicious, would love to have some now 🙂
happy weekend!
Thank you both so much! xox
Mmm! I love these. They are definitely getting made this weekend 🙂 This post makes me even more stoked to move to Vancouver (especially if snow actually warrants a cozy snow day, unlike here)!
Ah, I hope you enjoy them, Maya! Moving to Vancouver??? That's wonderful 🙂 Let me know and I'll send you a list of can't miss spots <3
Sophie, This looks so good! What do you think about using buckwheat groats instead?
Hello Shilpa. I really don't see why soaked groats wouldn't work. You can also try this recipe (it's a little more crepe like) but it just uses whole grains. If you want to, you could replace the mixed grains with groats and replace the water with milk and add a banana and salt, baking powder, and vanilla. http://box5531.temp.domains/~wholehk3//2016/01/whole-grain-pancakes-with-moroccan-html/
Let me know how it works 🙂
I love pancakes in any way! But these blender pancakes sound so amazing, the banana flavour would make them so adorable!
I'm so happy you like the recipe, Agness! The banana makes them naturally sweet, which is like a big win for me 🙂 xox
Yum. Just YUM! These look incredible and the fact that they can be made in a blander makes it even better. I love the hearty, earthy taste of buckwheat so I can't wait to give these a try. Also, thanks for sharing the great round up of links. I've been really into Healthy-ish lately. I think it's awesome to see a mainstream magazine taking a trendy, health focused approach to recipes. I hope you're having a wonderful week! xx, Jess
Thanks, Jess! Isn't Healthy-ish cute? I want to eat everything they make! I hope you have a beautiful week too, buddy <3 Also, happy late Valentines!!!
Blender pancakes are the best, they're the only ones I make nowadays 'cause I'm lazy like that haha! And I'm kind of hoping spring would come back there, as we're coming to Vancouver in three weeks (!!). I'm SO excited!
I love it! Lazy food is the best <3 I'm so excited to hear you're coming. It has been looking more and more springy as of yesterday (and will hit 11 C this week!). I even cleaned off the porch and planted some primula. Let me know if you need any food or site recommendations or want to meet up for coffee <3
You met Steph?! I bet she's a wonderful person in real life, too, isn't she? I watch her videos, and she has always been so inspiring to listen to!
Those pancakes look pretty dandy, too! My boyfriend and I make pancakes literally every single Sunday, usually we use a mix of oats and buckwheat by I will definitely give your recipe a try soon !
Best,
Maisy
Hey Maisy! Steph is such a delight! She's one of those people who will hug you like she's known you forever even though you've just met (and I'm a hugger, so I love this). She bought me tea and insisted on getting me a chocolate bar and we talked for hours. She's a real sweetheart, and I can't wait to have a potluck with her very soon.
I hope you enjoy these pancakes. I love the idea of pancake Sunday, what a perfect tradition xox.
i don't love chunks of bananas in my pancakes, but i love the idea of blending it in to help sweeten the pancakes! also staring at the blueberries and wishing for summer to break up all the apples and pears i've been eating.
I'm not one for cooked banana either - sometimes is a little, I don't know, weird? I tried taking a picture of these pancakes with some diced pear but looking at the lack of colour, I knew I had to run to the shop and get something pretty. These were the first blueberries I've had since last summer, and although they are out of season, they tasted amazing and made my mood so much brighter. Here is to almost spring and fresh fruit on the horizon!