I get so many requests over on Instagram to include more baby recipes here on the blog. Here’s the thing though: most of what we serve Sidney is what we eat ourselves!
For example, the other day we made him my famous chicken soup recipe, except we just drained the broth or often will add salt to the dishes later. He also LOVES my minestrone soup, basically any curry recipe of mine, my peanut butter banana oatmeal cups (without the chocolate chips!) and of course, my chickpea flour banana bread.
These amazing banana egg pancakes are a recipe I’ve been making for Sidney since he was around 7 months old. They’re baby friendly, toddler friendly, but most importantly delicious and nutritious for kids (and adults) of all ages. Sidney prefers to devour them with a little peanut butter on top.
I hope you give these pancakes a try (no matter what your age) and let me know how you like them by leaving a comment & rating the recipe!
Everything you’ll need to make kid-friendly pancakes
When I say 4 ingredient pancakes I really mean it! You probably already have these simple ingredients in your kitchen to make these banana pancakes that are perfect for babies, toddlers, kiddos and even adults. They’re healthy, nutritious and so much fun to make. Plus, there are easy ways to customize them to your little one’s needs.
- Banana: you’ll just need one medium ripe banana in this recipe. Be sure to use one with lots of brown spots to perfectly sweeten the pancakes and make them soft enough for your little one.
- Eggs: these baby banana pancakes also have two eggs for the perfect boost of protein. I do not recommend flax eggs or any other sub, sorry!
- Coconut flour: I love using coconut flour in these pancakes to keep them grain & gluten free while adding healthy fats, but I’ve also made them with oat flour, almond flour, whole wheat flour and all purpose. See my notes in the recipe itself.
- Milk: feel free to use any milk you’d like. We prefer dairy free but regular milk or even breastmilk will work just as well.
What makes these banana pancakes perfect for kids and babies?
I absolutely love making these kid-friendly banana pancakes for my 1 year old son Sidney because they pack a huge nutritional punch with super simple ingredients. These baby pancakes:
- Have no added sugars. We try to only give Sidney natural sugars from fruit, and these pancakes have the perfect amount of sweetness from the ripe banana. He loves them! I spread with a thin layer of nut butter and dice into bite-sized pieces.
- Are gluten & grain free. Using a bit of coconut flour keeps these pancakes grain and gluten free, but I love the flavor it gives the pancakes, in addition to healthy fats and fiber!
- Have plenty of protein & fiber. These kid-friendly pancakes pack 15g of protein and 9g of fiber using just 4 simple ingredients! Perfect for growing babies and toddlers to keep them full and satisfied.
- Are packed with healthy fats. Coconut flour also provides a source of healthy fats that are great for your little one’s development. See below for more nutritional boosts!
Add a nutritional boost
As I mentioned, these kid-friendly pancakes are great for customizing to your child’s needs and preferences. Feel free to add a teaspoon or two of the following nutritional boosters to the batter of these pancakes:
- Hemp seeds: provide healthy fats, fatty acids and a boost of protein. They also contain high vitamin E, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron and zinc.
- Chia seeds: are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids and contain fiber, iron and calcium, too!
- Flaxseed meal: great for digestion and include omega-3s and fiber.
These ingredients provide even more healthy fats and vitamins that are great for growing babies, toddlers and even adults.
Can I use a different flour in this recipe?
Yes! If you don’t have coconut flour on-hand or your baby, toddler or kiddo has a nut allergy, feel free to use all purpose, whole wheat, oat flour or even infant oat cereal in these banana pancakes.
A note on subbing flours: please note that if you swap flours you may not need to add any milk to the batter. This is because coconut flour is highly absorbent. The batter should be similar to pancake batter, if it’s too thick, add in a teaspoon at a time of milk of choice.
How to make baby friendly pancakes
- Mash your banana. Be sure to use a banana that’s nice and ripe with lots of brown spots on the peel. Mash it in a medium bowl.
- Add your eggs. Crack two eggs into the bowl with the mashed banana and whisk with a fork until well combined. It’s okay if there are some lumps of banana.
- Add flour & milk. Next, add in coconut flour and milk and mix to combine. The batter should be similar to traditional pancake batter; if it’s way too thick, you may need to add in more milk, however it’s important you only start with a teaspoon at a time.
- Cook your pancakes. Lightly coat a nonstick pan or nonstick griddle with butter, coconut oil, vegan butter or olive oil and place over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add 1 heaping tablespoon of the batter to the griddle for each pancake and cook for 2-3 minutes until pancakes slightly puff up and you see a few bubbles along the edges.
- Flip & serve. Flip the cakes and cook until golden brown on the underside. If you find that pancakes are browning too quickly then you need to lower the heat. I normally start on medium heat, then decrease to medium low later so that my pancakes don’t burn. Wipe the skillet clean and repeat. Feel free to serve as is or spread with a thin layer of nut butter or yogurt!
Can I use these pancakes for baby led weaning?
Absolutely! Baby led weaning is a style of feeding babies and infants where they can practice feeding themselves solid foods. Because these banana pancakes are soft, your baby can experiment eating them with their hands, practice with forks, and can even enjoy them before their teeth come in. Just pay attention to how you cut them for your baby’s age. If you want to make the pancakes softer, then make sure the banana you use is incredibly ripe and you might want to add slightly more milk.
Healthy banana pancakes for all ages
Good news: these simple banana pancakes aren’t just for babies and kids! They actually make a delicious and nutritious breakfast for kids and adults of all ages. Once your kiddo is a bit older, this recipe is a great activity for you two to make together! Feel free to add a few mini chocolate chips for a fun breakfast treat.
Freezer-friendly baby pancakes
These baby and toddler-friendly banana pancakes are also easy to freeze for later, making them the perfect breakfast for mamas to prep.
- Place the pancakes on a baking sheet so they aren’t touching and place in the freezer for 30 minutes (this is called a flash freeze)
- Then place them in freezer safe containers and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Once ready to reheat, simply add pancakes to a plate and microwave for 30-60 seconds or until warm.
Tools you’ll need
- Mixing bowl
- Spatula (use the code ‘AMBITIOUS’ for 10% off your first order) — a smaller flexible spatula will work best for this recipe!
- Griddle
Get more of my kitchen essentials here.
More pancake recipes to try
Get all of our pancake & waffle recipes here!
I hope you and your little ones love these 4-ingredient banana egg pancakes! If you make them be sure to leave a comment & a rating so I know how you liked them. Enjoy, xo!
4-Ingredient Banana Pancakes (baby & kid-friendly!)
Baby and kid-friendly banana pancakes made with 4 simple ingredients! These simple baby pancakes are dairy, grain and gluten free, high in protein & fiber, and naturally sweetened. The perfect nutritious breakfast for kids of all ages!
- 1 medium ripe banana (best with brown spots)
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons coconut flour*
- 1 tablespoon milk of choice (we use dairy free milk)
- **Please see notes for additional nutritional boosters
In a medium bowl, mash your banana. It’s really best if your banana is nice and ripe with brown spots on the peel!
Crack two eggs into the bowl with the mashed banana and whisk with a fork until well combined. It’s okay if there are lumps of banana. Next, add in coconut flour and milk and mix to combine. Batter should be similar to traditional pancake batter; if it’s way too thick, you may need to add in more milk, however it’s important you only start with a teaspoon at a time.
Lightly coat a nonstick pan or nonstick griddle with butter, coconut oil, vegan butter or olive oil and place over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add 1 heaping tablespoon of the batter to the griddle for each pancake and cook for 2-3 minutes until pancakes slightly puff up, are golden underneath and you see a few bubbles along the edges.
Flip cakes and cook until golden brown on the underside. If you find that pancakes are browning too quickly then you need to lower the heat. I normally start on medium heat, then decrease to medium low later so that my pancakes don’t burn. If at any point your griddle starts smoking or if your pancakes are burning, it means your pan is too hot.
Wipe the skillet clean and repeat with more oil/butter and remaining batter. Makes 9 mini pancakes total. Serves 1. Feel free to serve as is or spread with nut butter or yogurt! Please serve to your baby/toddler in sizes that are appropriate for their eating abilities.
*Feel free to use any flour you’d like here. I’ve found that all purpose, whole wheat and oat flour all work well. You can even use an infant oat cereal if you’d like. However, if you swap flours, it’s important to know that you may not need to add any milk to the batter. This is because coconut flour is highly absorbent. The batter should be similar to pancake batter, if it’s too thick, add in a teaspoon at a time of milk of choice.
**To add additional nutrition to the batter, feel free to add in a teaspoon or two of the following: hemp seeds, chia seeds and/or flaxseed meal. These have amazing nutrition and vitamins for babies and toddlers (and adults, too!)
If you’d like you can also add in ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon to the batter for delicious banana bread flavor.
Nutrition
Servings: 1 serving
Serving size: 9 mini pancakes (full recipe)
Calories: 287kcal
Fat: 10.1g
Saturated fat: 2.2g
Carbohydrates: 37.1g
Fiber: 9.1g
Sugar: 14.5g
Protein: 15.3g
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats
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