Oat Flour Pancakes

Oat Flour Pancakes that are easy to make in just 15 minutes for a healthy yet scrumptious breakfast. They are gluten-free, wholesome, and rich in protein with no added sugar. Unlike other protein pancakes, they are moist and fluffy! Oh… they are flavored and topped with chocolate.

Oat Flour Pancakes Recipe

There are many reasons to make this oat flour recipe as follows:

1. Easy to make: All that you have to do is to blend ingredients and pour the batter into a greased hot skillet until cooked. Also, it requires about 7 simple ingredients!
2. Quick: From start to end, you can make this pancake recipe is up to 15 minutes.
3. Healthy: They contain fiber, are rich in protein, and have no added sugar.
4. Mess-free: You will have a blender/food processor, a skillet, and a spatula to wash later on.
5. Versatile: You can serve the pancakes as a healthy breakfast or as a treat. You can also vary the flavor and toppings!

Ingredients and Substitutions

This oat flour pancakes recipe calls for just 7 required ingredients. The rest are optional!

For the Chocolate Pancakes:

• Egg Whites – They are the major source of protein in these protein pancakes. The best thing is you won’t need whey protein or protein powder to make them which tends to dry them out.
• Rolled Oats - Rolled oats (also known as quick oats) and old-fashioned oats are the only types of oats that work well in this healthy oat flour pancakes recipe. Please do NOT replace it with steel-cut oats. The latter has a hard grain that makes it difficult to grind into flour and cook. For making them gluten-free, buy certified gluten-free oats! Along with the coconut flour, they are gluten-free flours and perfect for those with celiac disease.
• Cottage Cheese – For moister pancakes, I used full-fat cottage cheese. It is an extra source of protein!
• Vanilla Extract – Although it is optional, it will boost flavor! If you prefer, replace it with almond extract.
• Cocoa Powder – I used 100% natural unsweetened cocoa powder to make the pancakes extra rich yet healthy. Although you could add chocolate protein powder instead, I would not recommend it because it can make the chocolate pancakes dry.
• Coconut Flour – It’s packed with fiber and will add extra flavor!
• Ground Cinnamon – It is also optional but it will boost flavor!
• Honey – You may replace it with pure maple syrup or even sugar.
• Salt – Another optional ingredient that will enhance sweetness! Yes!
• Baking Powder – It will be the leavening agent in this recipe, making fluffy pancakes.

For the Chocolate Topping (OPTIONAL):

• Chocolate Chips – For rich and healthy pancakes, use either bittersweet or dark chocolate.
• Coconut oil – It will keep the melted chocolate soft and pourable for longer. Yes, you can use another type of oil, but choose one with a mild flavor such as avocado oil!
• Berries – I served my healthy oatmeal pancakes with assorted berries but you can serve yours with whatever you want such as peanut butter and jelly.

How to Make Oat Flour Pancakes

1. For the oat flour pancakes: Combine all the dry and wet ingredients for the pancakes into either a food processor or blender. SEE PICS. 1 & 2
2. Process or blend everything together until smooth! SEE PIC. 3
3. Then heat a large nonstick skillet (or a hot griddle) over medium and coat well the bottom with non-stick cooking spray.
4. Pour the blended mixture in (about ⅓ cup per pancake), making sure to not spread the batter out; otherwise, the pancakes will be too thin and not fluffy. SEE PIC. 4
5. Cook the first side until bubbles form on top (about 2-3 minutes); then flip and cook the other side until it is brown (about 2-3 minutes). SEE PICS. 5 & 6
6. Transfer them to a plate and pile them up as a stack. Drizzle with melted chocolate on top and serve them with berries, or serve with your favorite toppings. SEE PICS. 7 & 8
7. For the chocolate topping: Place the chocolate in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals until melted. Stir in the coconut oil until smooth and pourable.

Tips for Making Oatmeal Pancakes

• To make your own oat flour, use a clean, dry blender. Add rolled oats or old-fashioned oats and blend for a few seconds until the oats turn into a fine powder or fine flour. You won’t need to make the oat flour ahead. The oats will be blended together with the other ingredients.
• The oat flour yield depends on how long you blend the oats and so whether you get a coarse or fine grind. For a fine grind, you can get about ¾ cup oat flour per cup rolled oats. For these oat flour pancakes, you’ll get a fine grind because you have to blend it with the other ingredients until the batter is smooth.
• When pouring the pancake batter onto the greased skillet, make sure to keep each oat pancake as thick as possible so it will be fluffy. If you spread out the batter, they will be too thin!
• Make sure to cook them well on each side. The cook time will vary according to the thickness of the pancakes.
• Serve them with a pat of butter and a drizzle of maple syrup, or with melted chocolate and berries like we did.

Rolled Oats vs. Instant Oats

Yes, all 2 kinds of oats come from the same cereal grain, Avena Sativa (not from wheat). They are considered to be healthy whole grains!

Old-fashioned oats (also called rolled oats or whole oats) are the least processed of the two. The whole grains are first steamed to make them soft and then pressed to flatten them. They absorb more liquid and cook faster than steel cuts oats.

However, when rolled oats are processed even further, they become thinner, cooking in a few minutes and acquiring a mild, less nutty flavor and soft texture. They are then called instant oats (or quick oats or quick-cooking oats).

For our oat flour pancakes recipe, you can use either rolled or instant oats. But be aware that the cooking time will vary. Homemade pancakes made with rolled oats will take a little more time to cook and have more texture.

The only type of oats you can NOT use in this recipe is steel-cut oats. It has a tough grain, making blending a hard task. Moreover, the pancakes will have an unpleasant, too chewy texture. They will burn before fully cooking!

How to Handle either Thick or Runny Pancake Batter

Depending on how much you blend the oats with the other ingredients, you can have either a thick or runny batter. Our recipe calls for blending all the ingredients, including the rolled oats, until smooth. The batter will be thick, but not too thick you can pour it onto the pan.

If too thick, add 1-2 tablespoons of milk (such as oat milk or almond milk) or water.

If too thin, blend the batter for longer until smooth. It should be enough to fix the texture. But if needed, add 1 tablespoon of rolled oats to the batter and blend the mixture again.

Frequent Asked Questions

Can I use all-purpose flour instead of Rolled Oats?

Yes, but I have not tested it. The best way to find out the correct amount is to replace an equal amount of oats with white flour by weight, not by volume. This means you will have to weigh the regular flour. Our recipe calls for 40 grams of rolled oats so use 40 grams of all-purpose flour instead.

Also, take a look at how to handle the thick or thin batter above. 

Can I make Oat Flour Waffles with this Pancake Batter?

Yes! But you may need to mix 1-2 tablespoons of oil to the oatmeal flour batter. Do not blend it, mix it with a spoon after blending the batter. Plus, do not forget to grease the waffle griddle.

Can I make these oat flour pancakes vegan?

Yes, you can! For that, use:

• 2 tablespoon of aquafaba for every egg white called in the recipe (not flax egg).
• Silken tofu instead of cottage cheese (same amount).
• Maple syrup or coconut sugar instead of honey.
• Vegan chocolate is a replacement for regular chocolate.

Are these Oat Flour Pancakes Gluten-Free?

Yes, if you use certified gluten-free rolled oats as I did.

How to Store Protein Pancakes

Oat flour pancakes are best right after being cooked, or while they are still warm.

I doubt you will have any leftovers! But if you do, let them cool, and then store our fluffy oat flour pancakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Reheat in the microwave (just until hot).

You can freeze them for up to 2 months, wrapped individually in parchment paper and then plastic wrap. To thaw, let them sit out at room temperature.

Other pancake recipes to enjoy:

• Oven Baked Coconut Flour Pancakes
• Strawberry Pancakes
• Simple Vegan Pancakes

More oat recipes for breakfast to try:

• Baked Oats Recipe 
• Protein Overnight Oats
• Gluten-Free Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Apple Baked Oatmeal
• Blueberry Oatmeal
• How to Make the Perfect Oatmeal

PIN & ENJOY!