Easy Oat Flour Pancakes

Listen, these pancakes are my weekday peace treaty. They’re cozy, golden-edged, and made with oat flour—so they’re naturally nutty and hearty without feeling like a brick. Think diner pancakes, but slightly wholesome and totally doable before coffee kicks in. The batter comes together in one bowl (or the blender if you’re fancy), and they stay tender long after you’ve lost track of whose plate is whose.

My husband calls these “Saturday pancakes,” but jokes on him because I’ve made them on a Tuesday at 6:50 a.m. while a small person negotiated syrup rations like a lawyer. He does the flip, I do the butter drizzle, and our kid stacks them like blocks before face-planting into the plate. These are the pancakes we feed to friends who “don’t do breakfast,” and then somehow the whole batch evaporates. Household staple. Forever.

How to Make It

If you’ve got oat flour, great. If you don’t, toss rolled oats in the blender until they look like flour—about 60 seconds. I do 1 1/2 cups. In a bowl, whisk 1 1/4 cups milk (dairy or almond), 1 egg, 2 tablespoons melted butter or oil, 1 tablespoon maple syrup or sugar, and a splash of vanilla. In goes the dry crew: 1 1/2 cups oat flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of cinnamon if you’re fun.

Here’s the secret: let the batter sit for 5–10 minutes. Oats are thirsty. The rest gives you fluff instead of flat. If it thickens too much, a splash of milk loosens it right back.

Heat a nonstick pan or griddle to medium—no hotter, pancakes like chill heat. Grease it lightly. Scoop about 1/4 cup batter per pancake. Wait for bubbles to pop and the edges to go from shiny to kind of matte, then flip. I do 2–3 minutes on the first side, 1–2 on the second. First pancake is the “test pancake,” so don’t judge yourself by it. Add blueberries or chocolate chips if you’re feeling weekend-y.

✔Ingredient Notes

– Oat flour: The star. Use store-bought or blitz rolled oats. If you need gluten-free, make sure the bag says certified GF.
– Milk: Dairy makes them extra tender; almond or oat milk totally works. If using oat milk, the batter may thicken a bit more—keep extra on hand to splash in.
– Egg: Helps with lift and structure. No egg? Flax egg works, just a smidge denser.
– Baking powder + baking soda: Team Rise. Fresh is key—if your pancakes are flat, check the dates.
– Butter or oil: Butter = flavor, oil = extra soft. I’ll use melted coconut oil in a pinch.
– Maple syrup or sugar: Just a little for balance. You can totally skip it if you pile on fruit later.
– Vanilla + cinnamon: Optional, but your kitchen will smell like a cozy candle.
– Salt: Don’t skip. It makes everything taste like itself, but better.

✔Recipe Steps

1. Blend or measure 1 1/2 cups oat flour (or blitz 1 1/2 cups rolled oats to a fine flour).
2. Whisk 1 1/4 cups milk, 1 large egg, 2 tbsp melted butter or neutral oil, 1 tbsp maple syrup or sugar, and 1 tsp vanilla.
3. Combine 1 1/2 cups oat flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/4 tsp fine salt, and 1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional); stir wet into dry.
4. Rest batter 5–10 minutes to hydrate; thin with 1–3 tbsp milk if it gets too thick.
5. Heat greased skillet to medium; pour 1/4-cup scoops; cook 2–3 minutes until bubbles pop and edges set, flip, cook 1–2 minutes more.
6. Serve warm with butter and maple; keep finished pancakes in a 200°F oven; yields about 8 pancakes.

What to Serve It With

– Maple syrup + salted butter (the classic).
– Greek yogurt, berries, and a drizzle of honey.
– Peanut butter and banana coins—hello, protein.
– Fried eggs and crispy bacon if you like a savory-sweet moment.
– Warm cinnamon apples or quick berry compote.
– Lemon ricotta and a dusting of powdered sugar if you’re feeling fancy.

✔Tips & Mistakes

– Let the batter rest. Five minutes is good; ten is better.
– Too thick? Splash of milk. Too thin? Sprinkle in a spoonful of oat flour.
– Medium heat only—high heat burns the outside and leaves the center gummy.
– Grease lightly; too much oil makes weird lacy edges.
– Test pancake first. Adjust heat and thickness, then go to town.
– Need gluten-free? Use certified GF oats and a clean skillet to avoid cross-contact.

✔Storage Tips

Fridge: Stack with parchment between, seal up, and chill for 3–4 days. Reheat in the toaster or a skillet so the edges get their life back.
Freezer: Lay flat, freeze, then bag up for 2 months. Toaster straight from frozen is the weekday flex.
Cold pancakes? Honestly… they slap. Like a soft oat cookie. I’ve eaten one in the car with peanut butter and didn’t regret it.

✔Variations and Substitutions

– Dairy-free: Use almond, oat, or soy milk + oil instead of butter.
– Egg-free: 1 tbsp ground flax + 2.5 tbsp water, rest 10 minutes. Add an extra 1/4 tsp baking powder for a little boost.
– Sweetener swap: Maple ↔ sugar ↔ honey. Honey browns faster—lower the heat a touch.
– Add-ins: Blueberries, chocolate chips, or chopped walnuts. Sprinkle on after pouring batter so they don’t sink.
– Banana version: Mash 1/2 ripe banana into the wet ingredients; reduce sweetener slightly.
– Pumpkin spice: Stir in 1/3 cup pumpkin puree + extra pinch of cinnamon; thin with milk as needed.
– Protein nudge: Replace 2–3 tbsp oat flour with vanilla protein powder; you’ll likely need a splash more milk.
– Don’t swap in coconut flour. It behaves like a sponge and will break your heart.

Frequently Asked Questions

Easy Oat Flour Pancakes

Fluffy, tender oat flour pancakes made with simple pantry ingredients. Naturally hearty, lightly sweet, and perfect for a wholesome breakfast.

No ratings yet

Rate This Yum Pin This Recipe For Later! Share The Yum On Facebook Print

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Servings: 8

Calories: 120kcal

Ingredients

 

1x2x3x

Main Ingredients

• ▢ 1.5 cup oat flour store-bought or finely ground rolled oats
• ▢ 2 teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ 0.25 teaspoon fine sea salt
• ▢ 1 tablespoon granulated sugar or maple syrup
• ▢ 1.25 cup milk dairy or unsweetened non-dairy
• ▢ 1 large egg at room temperature
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 2 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted or neutral oil
• ▢ 1 teaspoon oil or butter for the skillet

Instructions

Preparation Steps

• In a medium bowl, whisk together oat flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar until evenly combined.
• In a separate bowl, whisk milk, egg, vanilla, and melted butter until smooth.
• Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk just until combined. Let the batter rest for 5 minutes to hydrate the oats.
• Preheat a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat. Lightly grease with a thin layer of oil or butter.
• Scoop about 0.25 cup of batter per pancake onto the skillet. Cook until the edges look set and small bubbles form on top, about 2 to 3 minutes.
• Flip and cook until golden and cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes more. Adjust heat as needed to prevent over-browning.
• Serve warm with butter, maple syrup, or fresh fruit.

Notes

For extra fluff, replace 0.25 cup of the milk with plain yogurt. If using homemade oat flour, blend rolled oats to a fine, flour-like consistency and measure after blending.