Oat Flour Pancakes

Tender and fluffy oat flour pancakes are made with, yep, just oat flour for a gorgeous naturally gluten-free breakfast option. A few other simple ingredients combine to make these delectable whole-grain pancakes that no one will be able to tell are gluten-free!

So Good Oat Flour Pancakes Recipe

It’s the weekend, which means it’s cozy time, so what are you going to make for breakfast? How about a batch of delicious oat flour pancakes? These tender little beauties are totally gluten-free, made just with oat flour and a few other simple ingredients. Dress them up with blueberries, keep them plain, and always serve them with maple syrup. Let’s dig in!

Why You’ll Love Pancakes with Oat Flour

I absolutely adore this recipe. It’s naturally gluten-free, quick to make, and you’d never be able to tell is made with gluten-free ingredients. I know you’re going to love it, too.

• So easy – I love the simplicity of these pancakes, which are made in just one bowl.
• Gluten-free – Skip the gluten-free all-purpose flour which can have a funny taste or make your final results gritty, you don’t need it to make these pancakes! Oat flour works beautifully to create a fluffy, tender pancake you’d never know was gluten-free.
• Adaptable – See my add-in suggestions below, but know that this recipe is a great base and one you can use for all sorts of variations. Add blueberries, coconut, nuts, you get the idea!

Why Oat Flour?

Oat flour is my absolute favorite gluten-free baking and cooking flour. It’s naturally gluten-free (although you’ll want to buy certified gluten-free oats or oat flour if you have celiac) and performs beautifully in gluten-free recipes. It can often be used in a 1:1 swap by weight for all-purpose flour and is similar to whole wheat flour. Plus, you’ll get a punch of whole-grain goodness in every bite.

What You’ll Need

You’ll need just a handful of ingredients, outlined below, to make these little beauties. The full ingredient amounts and detailed instructions are in the recipe card at the end of this post – this is just an overview.

• Milk – I use whole milk or 2% milk
• Butter – Salted or unsalted butter is fine. If you use salted butter, omit the amount of salt added to the batter.
• Egg – Use a large egg
• Oat flour – Gluten-free oat flour works beautifully in this recipe! Choose certified gluten-free oat flour if needed.
• Baking powder – To help the pancakes fluff up
• Sugar – You can omit this or use maple syrup
• Salt – I always use fine sea salt in all of my recipes!

Add In Suggestions

• Fruit: Make these into blueberry oat flour pancakes for the ultimate in deliciousness! Or, add chopped strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, peaches … whatever strikes your fancy.
• Chocolate chips: Add mini chocolate chips for a little extra decadence.
• Nuts: I love adding a handful of toasted, chopped walnuts to the batter for a bit of crunch.
• Coconut: Stir in some sweetened or unsweetened shredded coconut for a coconutty flavor.

How to Make Oat Flour Pancakes

1. Make the batter: Whisk together the wet ingredients, then stir in the dry ingredients.
2. Rest: Let the batter stand for 15 minutes.
3. Cook: Melt some butter in a frying pan or griddle then drop the batter by 2 tablespoons or ¼ cupfuls on the pan. Cook until the pancakes form bubbles, about 4 minutes, then flip and continue to cook until done.

Substitution Suggestions and Tips

This is a super simple recipe and in my opinion, is the only oat flour pancake recipe you need! If you need to make ingredient swaps, see my suggestions below along with a few tips for making these pancakes turn out perfectly:

• Oat flour substitute – To make sorghum flour pancakes, substitute an equal amount of sorghum flour (140 grams) for the oat flour for similar results.
• Sub buttermilk – A lot of pancake recipes call for buttermilk, which can add a more more fluffiness. You can swap 1/2 cup of buttermilk for the milk if you like.
• Make refined sugar-free – I love to make these pancakes with maple syrup in the batter rather than granulated sugar. Or, try coconut sugar. Or, leave the sugar out altogether and add fruit or more maple syrup on top. You do you!
• Throw in some spices – Add a bit of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom, or a combination if you want warmly spiced pancakes.
• Make dairy-free – Subsitute your favorite non-dairy butter and milk for the butter and milk.
• Rest the batter – Pancake batter in general benefits from a rest before cooking the cakes, and when you’re working with gluten-free flour you’ll also benefit from letting the flour hydrate. Make sure to let the batter sit for at least 10 minutes before using.
• Heat the pan enough – Set the pan over medium heat, let heat for a few minutes, then flick a few drops of water on the surface. If they sizzle and disburse, the pan is ready for the pancake batter. If the pan isn’t hot enough the pancakes will cook unevenly.
• Grease the pan well – Don’t skimp on greasing the pan! This will help the pancakes to flip easily.

Serving Suggestions

Maple syrup and butter are all you need for perfect oat flour pancakes. But, if you feel like branching out, try:

• Honey – Add a drizzle of honey to your pancakes instead of maple syrup.
• Whipped cream – Top a pile of pancakes with softly whipped cream for a treat!
• Nut butter – I love serving pancakes with a little peanut or almond butter for an extra hit of protein.
• Fruit – Add fresh fruit like blueberries, raspberries, sliced bananas or nectarines, or whatever is in season to your pancakes.

Proper Storage

If you have leftovers, here’s how to store them:

• Fridge – Store leftover pancakes in a zip-loc bag, with a piece of parchment between each pancake, for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave for 30 seconds per pancake.
• Freezer – You can also freeze leftover pancakes: place the pancakes in a freezer-safe, sealable bag with a piece of parchment paper in between each pancake, and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge before using.

More Oat Flour Breakfast Recipes

• Oat Flour Banana Muffins
• Oat Flour Waffles
• Oat Flour Cinnamon Rolls