Oh my goodness one of my kids favourite foods, for breakfast, snack or dessert are these baby pancakes. I started making them as finger food for my eldest when he was weaning.
Why This Recipe Works
- Easy to make
- Basic ingredients
- Wheat-free, egg-free and easy to make dairy-free.
My youngest is almost two years old, and I can honestly say these baby pancakes with apple and oat remain a huge hit!
As evidenced by the fact when I made two batches yesterday to take the pictures they were completely demolished by my four kiddos (8yrs, 7yrs, 5yrs and almost 2yrs)
When my kids have traditional pancakes for breakfast they, of course, love them, but I find they need a second breakfast almost an hour later as the energy has gone through them so fast!
This is why I prefer these oat and apple-based baby pancakes as the energy is much more sustaining than a traditional pancake, meaning there are far fewer hangry moments after having them!
They are quite a filling pancake, a heavier denser style, but my kiddos have never complained.
Ingredients you will need
My baby pancakes are based on apples and oats. You will need rolled oats, apple purée and milk for the batter. I add vanilla essence and a little maple syrup to the batter for a little extra flavour.
Ingredient Substitutes
- Milk: Any dairy-free milk alternative will work
- Maple syrup: This can be left out entirely or substituted for a little honey (if kids are over one year of age)
- Rolled oats: I typically use traditional rolled oats, but quick-cook oats will work just fine too.
- Apple purée: If you haven’t made your own apple purée you can substitute with an unsweetened apple sauce. The apple purée can also be substituted for a large banana.
- Vanilla: The vanilla can be substituted for cinnamon which will also give these baby pancakes a lovely flavour profile.
I am an ambassador for Countdown supermarket, they support my blog by providing ingredients for recipe creation and testing. I used their no added sugar apple sauce from their range in this recipe.
Step by step instructions
Step one: Place oats into a food processor and blitz until fine. If you are using a blender you can skip this step and just pop all the ingredients into the blender.
Step two: Add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth, the mixture will be thick
Step three: Drop spoonfuls onto a medium heat greased pan
Step four: Flip the pancakes when bubbles form and burst on the surface
Allow to cool then serve!
Top Tips
Here is how you can make these baby pancakes perfectly every time!
- Because of their high fruit content, these pancakes do have a tendency to brown quite quickly. Try a lower heat, they are better cooked over a lower heat for slightly longer than quickly on a high heat.
- I use my food processor to make this batter, a blender will work, but it may need to be a blender you can vent as once you add the raising agents the pressure could build up in something like the closed system of a Nutribullet.
FAQs
Absolutely, pop them into an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
If you are following baby led weaning baby pancakes can be offered from 6 months of age. If you are following traditional spoon fed weaning your baby will be able to manage pancaeks when they are managing soft finger foods.
Apple sauce/purée and mashed banana both work as an egg substitute in pancake recipes.
Pancakes for babies and other breakfast ideas for baby led weaning
I often get asked about breakfast ideas for baby led weaning or ideas that are suitable as first-finger food.
Pancakes are always popular, some other baby pancake recipes I make include
- Carrot Cake Oat Cakes
- Wheat free pumpkin pancakes
- Banana egg oat pancakes
- Banana oat pikelets
- Mini pea pancakes
- Healthy waffles
If you aren’t into making pancakes, toast fingers with nut butter are great, pieces of omelet work well, chunks of avocado. Below are some other finger food breakfast ideas:
My kids also love smoothies, I have two posts with ideas Breakfast Smoothies, and Smoothies with added veggies
Baby Pancakes Apple and Oat
Equipment
- Food processor or blender
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups rolled oats 150g
- ½ cup apple purée 150g
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ Cup milk 125ml or milk substitute
- 1 Tbsp maple syrup 15ml
Instructions
- Place oats into a food processor and blitz until fine. If you are using a blender you can skip this step and just pop all the ingredients into the blender.
- Add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth, the mixture will be thick
- Drop spoonfuls onto a medium heat greased pan
- Flip the pancakes when bubbles form and burst on the surface
- Allow to cool then serve!
Notes
Tips
- Because of their high fruit content, these pancakes do have a tendency to brown quite quickly. Try a lower heat, they are better cooked over a lower heat for slightly longer than quickly on a high heat.
- I use my food processor to make this batter, a blender will work, but it may need to be a blender you can vent as once you add the raising agents the pressure could build up in something like the closed system of a Nutribullet.
- These baby pancakes freeze well, pop them into an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Ingredient substitutions
- Milk: Any dairy-free milk alternative will work
- Maple syrup: This can be left out entirely or substituted for a little honey (if kids are over one year of age)
- Rolled oats: I typically use traditional rolled oats, but quick-cook oats will work just fine too.
- Apple purée: This can be substituted for a large banana.
- Vanilla: The vanilla can be substituted for cinnamon which will also give these baby pancakes a lovely flavour profile.
- Baking powder: This can be substituted for ¼ teaspoon of baking soda.
Hi Very interested in finding out what the dip is that was used with the baby apple pancakes. Thanking you in advance. Rachel.
It was just greek yoghurt
Wondering what age you started baby led weening and do having only two botton teeth matter. My boy is 7 months will eat anything but im afraid he will just swallow and not chew…
What do you mean by apple purée? Put raw apple in a blender? Cook it first? Apple sauce? Thanks!
Cooked apple that is then blended. Or no added sugar apple sauce.
I grated the apple and it worked fine, in case you dont want to cook it before.
Sorry, but I have a correction for everyone with Celiacs. There is no gluten in oats. You will be fine to eat these.
Hi Whitney, In NZ the labeling laws state we are not allowed to call oats gluten-free. Here is some info from the NZ Coeliac Society and the Australian and NZ Food Labeling Standards
Are these freezable?
Yes they are, I freeze them in an airtight container
How do you store these and how long do they keep? Thanks!
I store them in the fridge for 3 days, or freeze them for 2-3 mths
Hi! Could I substitute applesauce for the puree? Or would that effect the outcome?
It would be totally fine, although some applesauce brands have quite a lot of added sugar… many don’t though so just read the label
Hi! I just made this and I halved the recipe (3/4c oats, 1/4c apple sauce, and milk, 1/4tsp vanilla, and baking powder)
The pancake turned out very doughy, like it wasn’t cooking thoroughly and they were very thick; I didn’t notice any bubbles rise either. I added some milk and water but it didn’t help. What did I do wrong? Or are they suppose to be doughy and heavy?
So delicious. My 10 month old and 5 year old loves them. I ate some also because they came out so good.
Oh yay! we really do love these pancakes too!
Hi! I see you have baking soda as one of the ingredients in the picture but not in the recipe – baking soda in or out? Thanks 🙂
Oh thanks for picking that up!
The baking soda is a substitute for the baking powder, I’ve just added it in to the notes in the recipe.
you can use baking powder or ¼ teaspoon of baking soda.
Are these suppose to be flat and a little dough like I used banana instead of apple sauce.
They are a denser pancake, ie they aren’t light and fluffy, but they should be cooked through, they should rise. I would check your raising agent, and turn down the heat of your pan so that the pancake has a chance to cook through before the edges get too brown. I hope that helps.