Gluten Free Oatmeal Pancakes

Nutritious and filling gluten-free oat flour pancakes are just as good eaten for a quick weekday breakfast as they are on the morning that they're made. Just like with gluten free leftover oatmeal muffins, this is a fantastic way to use up extra oatmeal. Top them with fruit, yogurt, strawberry rhubarb jam or low sugar strawberry jam, or maple syrup!

Think of these as souped-up pancakes - they're packed with whole grains, fiber, and protein from both the oatmeal and oat flour, meaning that you won't have a huge sugar crash later on like you might with traditional pancakes. Even better, you don't need to sweeten them with anything, although I like to stir in a bit (just a bit!) of maple syrup for a touch of natural sweetness and flavor. And, they make wonderful leftovers!

Why I Love These Pancakes

This recipe is adapted from Kim Boyce's cookbook Good to the Grain, a book that was published quite a few years ago now, but which has withstood the test of time. I adapted her recipe to be gluten-free here, but you can easily make it with whole wheat flour if you prefer. These oatmeal pancakes also make a great snack, with or without a generous spoonful of peanut butter. Note that I cook my homemade oatmeal without any added sugars, so I add a little maple syrup to the batter. If you make oatmeal with added sugar, you may wish to adjust the amount of added maple syrup. Here's a closer look at why I love these pancakes:

• Quick to put together. You don't need much time to whip these pancakes up! And most of the ingredients you'll probably already have in your fridge or pantry.
• A great way to use leftover oatmeal. We've all been there - the kids aren't interested in that lovely bowl of oatmeal you made for breakfast! As noted, this recipe is a great way to repurpose leftovers.
• Not your basic pancakes. I love a batch of oat flour pancakes, but when I want a little something a little different, I turn to this extra-oaty pancake recipe.

For more oat flour inspiration, browse all my oat flour recipes.

Ingredients Needed

I've outlined what you'll need to make this recipe below, with a few notes. Make sure to scroll down to my recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full ingredient amounts and instructions.

• Oat flour - I love using oat flour in these pancakes because it complements the oatmeal, but you could also use brown rice flour, a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour, or even all-purpose or spelt flour. Learn how to make oat flour.
• Baking powder - 
• Ground cinnamon - For a little warming spice. Try ginger for a different flavor profile.
• Salt - I always use fine sea salt, and table salt works, too.
• Butter - Use unsalted, melted butter.
• Milk - Either 2% or whole milk works great.
• Oatmeal - You'll need 1 cup of leftover, cooked oatmeal.
• Maple syrup - I love to add a touch of maple syrup for a bit of sweetness. Feel free to omit it if you prefer less sweet pancakes.
• Eggs - I always use large eggs.

Add-In Suggestions

I love throwing extras into pancakes. Here are some add-ins that will make these oatmeal pancakes even better:

• Chocolate - Use mini chocolate chips so that they don't overwhelm the batter with chocolate.
• Fruit - Blueberries, raspberries, chopped raspberries, sliced banana.
• Nuts - Chopped nuts like walnuts or almonds for crunch.
• Coconut - Unsweetened coconut flakes or shredded coconut.

Tips & Substitution Suggestions

• To make with wheat flour - Substitute 1 ¾ cups whole wheat flour or a mix of whole wheat and white flour. You can also make this just with all-purpose flour.
• Use gluten-free flour. Swap the oat flour for gluten-free flour, like my homemade gluten free flour blend, in a 1:1 substitute.
• To make dairy-free - Use coconut oil and substitute your favorite non-dairy milk for the milk.
• For perfectly cooked pancakes: Cook the pancakes on a lower heat until the top begins to bubble, then flip them over and cook a few minutes more until they're deep golden brown.
• Heat the pan enough. Set the pan over medium heat, let it heat for a few minutes, then flick a few drops of water on the surface. If they sizzle and disperse, 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.
• Double up. This recipe easily doubles if you wish to make a larger batch of pancakes to feed a crowd or to have enough for leftovers later in the week.

Serving Ideas

• Maple syrup - The classic! This is my go-to way to serve pancakes, along with a little melted butter.
• Honey - Add a drip of honey to your pancake stack.
• Whipped cream - Make pancakes into a dessert by adding softly whipped cream.
• Nut butter - I love serving pancakes with a bit of peanut or almond butter for extra protein. Or, go all-in and add Nutella!
• Fruit - All the fresh fruit is perfect for pancakes. Try blueberries, raspberries, sliced bananas, strawberries, nectarines, or peaches.

How to Store & Reheat Leftovers

Leftover pancakes make for great leftovers. Here's how to store and reheat them. Just make sure to cool the pancakes completely before adding them to a storage bag so that they don't get soggy.

• Fridge - Store leftover pancakes in a sealable bag, with a piece of parchment between each pancake, for up to 3 days.
• Freezer - 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 reheating.
• To Reheat - Reheat in the microwave for 30 seconds per pancake.