Banana Chocolate Chip Pancakes (Grain and Gluten Free)

Heather Dessinger

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banana chocolate chip pancakes recipe

Many of us grew up eating a bagel, donut, bowl of cereal, or other grain-based, high-carb breakfast. When transitioning away from grains, it can be hard to find something to eat for breakfast. But giving up grains doesn’t mean you have to give up fun breakfasts altogether. These grain-free banana chocolate chip pancakes are a perfect (healthy!) choice when you want something sweet for breakfast.

Why Grain-Free Pancakes?

There’s a lot of discussion and differing ideas about whether grains are okay to eat or not. Some experts say we shouldn’t eat grains since they are a relatively new addition to the human diet. Others say that grains have been a large part of our diet for thousands of years. The truth is, modern grains aren’t what they used to be, so both points of view might be true. Grains are different in the following ways:

  • Processing has changed. Instead of grinding the whole grain into flour, we can now use only the starchy part to make white flour. This flour is much more widely available and inexpensive, but it’s also lower in nutrients.
  • Agronomists created new types of wheat that can yield more on less acreage. When a plant is hybridized for one attribute it is usually less desirable for others. In this case, wheat became less nutritious.
  • Grains are prepared differently than they were in the past. Most traditional cultures prepared grains by soaking, sprouting, and fermenting them. This helps reduce phytates that block nutrient absorption.
  • Many people who can’t tolerate grains in the U.S. are fine with them when they travel abroad. Many people who can’t tolerate grains in the U.S. are fine with them when they travel abroad. This may be because in the U.S. glyphosate is sprayed on wheat before harvesting. Glyphosate is banned in many other countries so it would make sense that grains would be less problematic abroad.

Additionally, grains, especially white flour, can cause blood sugar spikes. There are no nutrients in grains that we can’t get from other sources. Because so many people have trouble with grains (and may not know it), it may be best to avoid grains.

That’s why I created this recipe that uses grain-free flours. The end product is similar in texture to white flour pancakes. But these pancakes are much lower in carbs and won’t cause any grain-related health issues.

Want More? Similar Recipes to Try

  • Almond Flour Pancakes – These almond flour pancakes are simple enough for busy weekday mornings, but they’re great for a leisurely Saturday brunch, too.
  • Buckwheat Pancakes– Did you know that buckwheat is not a grain, but a fruit seed that is related to rhubarb? If you’re avoiding grains – or even if you aren’t – you should totally give these a try.

I’m also excited to try these cashew pancakes from Everyday Maven!

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2.50 from 4 votes

Banana Chocolate Chip Pancake Recipe (Grain and Gluten Free)

A fun, grain-free recipe for special breakfasts. This recipe is tasty and simple to make.
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 8 -10 small pancakes
Calories 68kcal
Author Heather Dessinger

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a medium size bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, vanilla, and honey.
  • In a separate bowl, mix together the flours, baking soda, and salt.
  • Pour the flour mixture into the egg mixture and whisk to mix.
  • Let the mixture rest for 3-5 minutes to let the coconut flour soak up some of the moisture.
  • While the batter is resting thinly slice the banana and set aside.
  • Heat and grease a skillet or griddle over medium high heat.
  • Mix the batter again, and make the pancakes by using a ¼ cup measure to pour the  batter.
  • Once the pancake begins to bubble, place a couple of slices of banana and a sprinkle  of chocolate chips on top.
  • Carefully flip the pancake over, and cook for another minute until the pancake has fluffed up and feels slightly firm.

Notes

These are best eaten immediately, but if you have leftovers you can warm them in a toaster the next day.

Nutrition

Serving: 1pancake | Calories: 68kcal | Carbohydrates: 7.7g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 162mg | Potassium: 0mg | Fiber: 1.9g | Sugar: 3.7g | Vitamin A: 0IU | Vitamin C: 0mg | Calcium: 0mg | Iron: 0mg

What are your favorite kinds of pancakes?

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About HEATHER

Heather is a holistic health educator, herbalist, DIYer, Lyme and mold warrior. Since founding Mommypotamus.com in 2009, Heather has been taking complicated health research and making it easy to understand. She shares tested natural recipes and herbal remedies with millions of naturally minded mamas around the world. 

2.50 from 4 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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51 thoughts on “Banana Chocolate Chip Pancakes (Grain and Gluten Free)”

  1. Can the coconut flour be omitted? What is the purpose? I only ask because I don’t like coconut AT ALL, but these look so yummy!!!

    Reply
    • Unfortunately, the egg ratio would be way off if you left the coconut flour out due to the absorbtive superpowers of said flour : (

      Reply
      • 2 stars
        Hi! I tried to make these pancakes this morning and they were way too moist and impossible to turn. And they got burnt on the outside. Not making them again unfortunately. I don t know how you got them to look like in the picture 🙁

        Reply
        • So glad I found this again! This was a family fave when my kids were little and my daughter is now almost 15. She asked for the recipe to make them
          Herself.

          Reply
  2. Thank you, Emily Cowles Brown! It is the perfect place to spend a year while we get to know the area. There’s a small bubbling brook in the backyard, plenty of room to run, and a fantastic kitchen. Mini-tour coming soon!

    Reply
  3. Shannon Brown – We loved our stay at Gigi’s but it was time to give her the second floor back so she could finish remodeling. So happy to be in town now so we can start making friends!

    Reply
  4. Just made this and didn’t thoroughly read the directions. I accidentally squished up the banana and added it to the batter. Outcome? Still delicious. Everyone gave them a thumb’s up! Thanks for the recipe.

    Reply
  5. Question – how do I know my baby’s gut has sealed?? My baby Ethan is 9 months and really has no interest in food… I would like to start him on broth to help make sure his gut has sealed. How soon till.I can start him on egg yolk and other things? I don’t want to force him to eat but.I also want to slowly start him on other food to increase the fat and nutrients in his diet.. but I also don’t want to feed him things that could upset and prolong healing of gaps if they aren’t closed.

    Reply
  6. These look great – will definitely be making them. Your site is one of my favorites – thank you so much for all the time you put into it 🙂
    I have been searching for a good almond flour source — I am preparing to start GAPS & want to make sure the almond flour we use is from organic raw almonds. Is making it on my own after S&D the only way? I know I can buy S&D nuts but don’t see any flour that claims to be made from properllly prepared nuts. It doesn’t seem that honeyville is organic, so I am surprised to see it recommended on a lot of blogs. Thanks again!

    Reply
    • HI Deanna! The main point of soaking and dehydrating almonds is to reduce the anti-nutrients that naturally occur in the skin. Since blanched almond flour already has the skin removed soaking and dehydrating isn’t really necessary. It can help with digestion some, but most people do fine with the unsoaked stuff. Truly organic raw almonds are pretty expensive, so I understand why companies like Honeyville don’t use them – it would probably make one package of almond flour around $25!! The best thing to do if you want organic almond flour is probably to make your own.

      Thanks for your question, and good luck with GAPS! 🙂

      Reply
      • Thank you so much for your response! And for the info about blanching. Now that I am not concerned with finding a S&D nut flour, I still would feel better if the flour I gave my family was made from organically grown almonds. I have used Bob’s but it’s the meal and I hear is not so great anyhow. ANd I want it to be blanched & if I made it myself, it would be the meal. I did find organic blanched almond flour at http://nuts.com/nuts/almonds/organic-flour-blanched.html for 9$/lb in bulk — So yes, it is so expensive! Not sure if we can afford it but like so many other whole foods & supplements, I want to be sure it is healthy fro my family…
        Thanks again & sorry for taking up more of your time! 🙂

        Reply
  7. We just made these this morning and they are the new favorite pancake recipe! Thank you for this! My husband said, “You can’t even tell that these are grain-free!” Perfect!

    Reply
  8. Homemade hashbrowns, gf pancakes, eggs, and now I’m moving onto some grassfed beef and whatever else I can find in the fridge…

    Reply
  9. These were so heavenly and sweet that I didn’t even need syrup! I did make 1 modification. Half way through making these I realized I didn’t have almond flour so I substituted with sprouted wheat flour and it still turned out great! I also added the bananas and chocolate chips into the batter before I cooked them much easier that way. Thanks for the recipe

    Reply
  10. I made these today and they turned out wonderfully! Like another reader, I didn’t read the directions all the way through (was in a hurry!) and beat the banana right into the batter – it ended up mostly mixed in with a few small chunks of banana throughout. They still turned out amazing! They are so quick too! I had them made and cleaned up in 30 minutes. The only suggestion I would make is to watch the heat on your pan and/or make sure the pan you are using is non-stick. i used a cast-iron for the first half of the batch, but they ended up sticking/burning at the med-high heat (although they still tasted delicious – i just would have preferred a lighter, crispier pancake) – for the second half of the batch, I switched to a non-stick pan. I love Danielle and Against All Grain – this is another winner!!

    Reply
  11. I liked the flavor of these. They weren’t too eggy like many grain free pancakes. But, mine fell hopelessly apart when I tried to flip. I even made them very small. Not sure how to fix that. They also were really flat.

    Reply
  12. Hi Heather/Daniella !
    Would it be possible to refrigerate the batter over night and fry the pancakes I’m the morning?

    Reply
    • Elizabeth, Heather hasn’t tried it so she can’t say for sure, but I don’t see why not.

      Reply
  13. I am attempting to make your recipe as we speak. I added the bananas into the “wet ingredients” should they be used in the batter ? If not do you only use them sliced once your cooking them?

    thanks !

    Reply
  14. Would I be able to substitute applesauce for the eggs or would that make the batter to thin? I usually use 1/4 cup of applesauce for every egg, due to my sons food allergies.

    Reply
    • Hi Tammy, I haven’t tried it with any egg substitutes unfortunately. If you test it out please let us know how it worked for you.

      Reply
    • I was reading through the comments to see if anyone had asked that question yet. I’d also like to know as I’m allergic to nuts. This recipe sounds too good to miss!

      Reply
  15. Hi Heather! Thank you for all the great recipes! I tried the grain-free banana bread, and the grain-free banana chocolate chip pancakes 🙂 Haha, but I didn’t read the recipe carefully enough (I guess I was so excited to try these pancakes!), I actually included a mashed banana in the batter, which made it more difficult to turn the pancakes in the pan. They were still very good though! 🙂

    Reply