Gluten Free Banana Pancakes — Soft, Golden & Naturally Sweet

It was one of those slow Saturday mornings. My youngest had just announced — for the third time that week — that his tummy hurt after breakfast. We already knew gluten was the issue, but I was so tired of dry, crumbly pancakes that tasted like cardboard. So I grabbed two ripe bananas from the counter and started over.

These gluten free banana pancakes are thick, fluffy, and golden in a way I didn’t think was possible without regular flour. No gummy texture. No weird aftertaste. Just a warm, comforting stack the whole family eats without a single complaint.

The batter comes together in one bowl in about 10 minutes, and it works beautifully as a dairy-free and vegan gluten free pancake recipe too. If you’re ever short on time, our 3-ingredient banana pancakes are an even quicker morning option.

---

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

These gluten free banana pancakes have become my most-requested weekend breakfast. Here’s why they work so well — and why they’ll work for you too.

• Naturally gluten free. Ripe bananas add moisture, sweetness, and structure — no gums or blends needed beyond a simple GF flour.
• Thick and fluffy every time. The right ratio of baking powder to batter gives you a real stack, not flat rubbery discs.
• Dairy-free and vegan options built in. One easy swap each and the recipe is fully plant-based.
• One bowl, 30 minutes. No stand mixer, no sifting, no stress. I made these before school drop-off on a Tuesday.
• Kids never notice. My kids have no idea these are gluten free. That says everything.

---

Ingredients & Notes

Nothing complicated here — just simple, honest ingredients you likely already have. A few notes on what matters most and how to swap things out if you need to.

WET INGREDIENTS

Ripe bananas — 2 medium (about 200g mashed). The riper, the better. Brown-spotted bananas are sweeter, softer, and mash into a smoother purée — which means a more tender pancake. Mash them separately with a fork until completely lump-free before adding to your batter. Avoid very large bananas; too much moisture throws off the texture.

Egg — 1 large. Adds structure and helps the pancakes hold together when you flip. For a vegan version, use 1 flax egg: 1 tbsp ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tbsp water, rested for 5 minutes. Our fully vegan banana pancakes go deeper into all the egg-free options if you want to explore.

Vegetable oil — 2 tbsp (30ml). Keeps the pancakes moist and prevents sticking. Melted coconut oil or a neutral avocado oil both work well here.

Granulated sugar — 1 tbsp. The bananas already bring natural sweetness, so you only need a little. Skip it entirely if your bananas are very ripe.

Pure vanilla extract — 1 tsp. Non-negotiable. It rounds out the banana flavor and gives the whole stack a warm, cozy note.

Milk — ¾ cup (180ml). Whole milk, almond milk, oat milk, or soy milk — all work. For fully dairy-free pancakes, oat milk gives the closest texture to whole milk.

DRY INGREDIENTS

Gluten-free all-purpose flour — 1 cup (120g). Use a 1:1 GF blend that already contains xanthan gum (brands like Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 or King Arthur Measure for Measure). These blends are what make this a proper flourless banana pancake recipe — they behave like regular AP flour without any guesswork. Do not use coconut flour or almond flour in this ratio; the batter will not hold.

GF baking powder — 2 tsp. Check the label — some baking powders contain wheat starch. Rumford and Clabber Girl are reliably gluten free. Two teaspoons gives you that thick, fluffy lift. Don’t reduce it.

Ground cinnamon — ½ tsp. Warm, subtle, and perfect with banana. Increase to 1 tsp if you love that spiced note.

Salt — a pinch (⅛ tsp). It sharpens every other flavor in the batter.

---

How to Make Gluten Free Banana Pancakes

One bowl, one fork, eight steps. I promise it’s easier than it looks — and once you’ve made these twice, you’ll do it from memory.

Step 1 — Prep the Banana

1. Mash your bananas. In a separate small bowl, mash 2 ripe bananas with a fork until completely smooth with no large lumps. Set aside. The smoother the mash, the lighter the final pancake.

Step 2 — Build the Batter

2. Whisk the wet ingredients. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, vegetable oil, sugar, and vanilla extract until combined — about 30 seconds. You don’t need a mixer; a regular fork works fine.

3. Add the dry ingredients. Add the GF flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt directly into the same bowl. Stir briefly — just 3 or 4 strokes — before adding the milk.

4. Pour in the milk and mix. Add the milk gradually while whisking until the batter is smooth and lump-free. Don’t overmix. A few stirs until everything is just combined is exactly right.

Step 3 — Fold in the Banana

5. Fold in the banana. Add the mashed banana last and fold it in gently with a spatula. This step is important: mixing the banana in at the end (rather than at the start) keeps the batter light and airy. You want to see the banana incorporated throughout, not beaten into submission.

Step 4 — Cook Until Golden

6. Heat your griddle or pan. Preheat a large non-stick pan or electric griddle over medium heat (about 375°F / 190°C). Brush lightly with vegetable oil or a tiny bit of butter. The griddle is ready when a drop of water skips and evaporates on contact.

7. Cook the pancakes. Pour about ¼ cup (60ml) of batter per pancake onto the griddle. Leave space between them — they spread a little. Cook until bubbles form across the surface and the edges look set, about 2 to 3 minutes. Flip with a wide spatula and cook the second side for another 1 to 2 minutes until golden brown.

Step 5 — Serve & Enjoy

8. Serve warm. Stack and serve immediately with fresh banana slices and a generous drizzle of maple syrup. Keep finished pancakes warm in a 200°F / 95°C oven on a baking sheet while you cook the remaining batches.

The stack should be golden on the outside and soft all the way through — that’s how you know they’re done.

---

Lily’s Tips

I’ve made these gluten free banana pancakes more times than I can count. These are the four things that actually make a difference between good and great.

Use the ripest bananas you can find. Brown-spotted bananas contain up to 80% more natural sugar than yellow ones. The riper your banana, the less sugar you’ll need in the batter — and the more flavor you’ll get in every bite.

Fold the banana in last. Mixing the banana purée into the finished batter (rather than at the start) keeps the air in the batter intact. It’s the single step that takes these from flat to fluffy.

Don’t press them down when you flip. I know it’s tempting. But pressing kills the fluff. Flip once, gently, and leave them alone.

Medium heat is non-negotiable. Too hot and the outside burns before the inside cooks. Too low and they spread flat and take forever. Medium, patient, steady — that’s the move.

“The riper your bananas, the less sugar you’ll need — nature does the sweetening for you.”

---

Variations

This batter is forgiving and easy to adapt. Whether you’re cooking for dietary needs or just want to try something different, here are the variations that work best.

Vegan gluten free pancakes. Replace the egg with a flax egg (1 tbsp flaxseed + 3 tbsp water) and use any plant-based milk. The batter holds well and the texture stays fluffy. For a full guide, see our fully vegan banana pancakes.

Almond flour version. You can swap half the GF flour for almond flour for a nuttier, denser pancake with more protein. Note that almond flour absorbs liquid differently — add 2 extra tbsp of milk to the batter.

Banana blueberry pancakes. Fold in ½ cup of fresh blueberries after adding the banana. They burst as they cook and make the whole stack taste like summer. If you love that combo, our banana blueberry pancakes are the dedicated version.

Banana oat pancakes. Replace ¼ cup of the GF flour with certified GF rolled oats (blended to a rough flour). Adds a heartier texture and a little more fiber. See our hearty banana oat pancakes for the full oat-based recipe.

Baby-friendly version. Skip the sugar and salt entirely, and serve plain or with mashed fruit on top. These are naturally soft and easy to hold. Our soft banana pancakes for babies have everything you need for little ones.

---

How to Store

These pancakes keep well — which is exactly why I always make a double batch. Here’s how to store them so they taste just as good the next morning.

Counter: 1 day — stack them with a sheet of parchment between each pancake and cover loosely. Best eaten the same morning.

Fridge: Up to 4 days in an airtight container. Reheat in a dry pan over medium-low heat for 1 minute per side, or in a toaster for a crispier edge. Avoid the microwave — it makes them rubbery.

Freezer: Up to 2 months. Lay cooled pancakes flat on a baking sheet and freeze until solid (about 1 hour), then transfer to a freezer bag. Reheat directly from frozen in the toaster or in a 350°F / 175°C oven for 8 to 10 minutes.

Meal prep tip: Make a double batch on Sunday and freeze in stacks of 2. Weekday mornings become a 3-minute toaster situation — no batter, no cleanup, just warm pancakes.

---

Made These? I’d Love to Know.

There is something about a golden banana pancake stack on a slow morning that makes everything feel a little more okay. My kids ask for these every single weekend, and I never get tired of making them.

If you loved these, try our gluten free banana oat cookies next for a school-run snack, or whip up these banana blueberry pancakes the next time you want something a little extra.

Love, Lily 🍌