I’ve been craving pancakes lately. I actually had a dream about them, that’s how I knew it was time I broke down and made some. I made my go-to oatmeal banana pancake recipe, but thought I should make some changes to be more festive. I rediscovered my love of gingerbread cookies, and figured why not go that route. And then came the gingerbread oatmeal banana pancakes.
As much as I love traditional pancakes, I was going for something healthier, free from processed sugar, and higher in fiber. That is why I opt for steel cut oats, and oat pancakes in general. But adding some spices doesn’t do any harm, and it really enhances the flavor. Make your house smell like gingerbread with these healthy pancakes. You can thank me later.
What you will love about these pancakes?
- They’re vegan. You can certainly make them with eggs instead of the chia, however, why not go for the chia and get some extra fiber. You won’t notice a difference.
- It’s a sweet mixture of pancakes and oatmeal. If you are like me and love oatmeal, these are for you. If you aren’t a fan of oatmeal, I suggest grinding the oats into a flour first. You can do this with a coffee grinder (or just buy oat flour) but it is much cheaper to make your own.
- They reheat well. Store them in the fridge for up to 5 days and you have a meal prepped breakfast.
- The spice flavor is subtle, for those of you who like a spicy gingerbread, kick it up a notch by increasing the spices.
How to make gingerbread oatmeal banana pancakes.
- Start by adding chia to warm water in a small dish. Leave this sit until all other ingredients are weighed out.
- Next measure out all your other ingredients and add them to a blender or food processor. Then add the chia seeds (at this point it’ll be like chia pudding).
- Pulse or blend until a batter is formed. If you are using steel cut oats, your oats won’t break down as much so expect to see a chunky batter.
- Heat a non-stick pan or griddle on the stove. Grease it lightly to prevent any sticking.
- Measure out about 1/3 cups of the batter and pour onto pan. Use a spatula to spread it thin and in a circle.
- Cook for 4-5 minutes, you’ll see small bubbles and when you place a spatula under the pancake it won’t easily tear.
- Flip on to the other side and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
- Repeat for all batter, it should make 8 total.
- Serve with maple syrup and enjoy!
- Any leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days. Let them cool completely prior to placing in the fridge, and reheat using the stove, microwave, or toaster.
I’m all about the holiday treats. If you’re looking for another yummy breakfast that has a holiday flavor, try out these mashed sweet potato bowls. They are also great for meal prep, and are very versatile to different toppings to suit many tastebuds.
Gingerbread Oatmeal Banana Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup oats
- ½ cup almond milk
- 2 ripe bananas
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ⅛ tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tsp ginger
- 2 tsp chia seeds
- 2 tbsp warm water
Instructions
- Mix together chia seeds and water in a small bowl.
- Measure all remaining ingredients into a blender or food processor. Next add the chia seeds. At this point it should be like chia pudding. You can also skip this and use 2 eggs if you aren’t going for a vegan product.
- Process until a batter is formed. Rolled oats work better than steel-cut, however I prefer steel cut for their denser nutrients.
- Heat a non-stick skillet on the stove top to medium heat. Grease to prevent sticking.
- Measure out about 1/3 cup of batter (or slightly less). Cook for about 4 minutes on each side. You’ll know they’re ready to flip when you can stick a spatula under and wiggle it without the pancake tearing.
- Cook on the other side for another 3-4 minutes. Then repeat for the remaining batter.
- Serve them warm with maple syrup, powdered sugar, or fresh fruit.
- Any remaining pancakes can be stored in the fridge for 5 days, take care to allow them to cool completely before storing. Reheat on the stove, in the microwave, or even in the toaster.
Nutrition
Let me know what you thought of these pancakes in the comments below. I’d love to know if you made any changes to the spices.
-Cassie