These Vegan Buckwheat Banana Pancakes are my new go-to pancake recipe. The batter can be whipped up in 10 minutes or less, and they’re naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, and egg-free. They’re even grain-free, if you consider the fact that buckwheat is a grain-like seed, similar to quinoa and amaranth, and doesn’t grow on grasses the same way cereal grains do. If you love my Buckwheat cookies, you’ll love these, too!
Benefits of Buckwheat
Buckwheat consumption has been linked to lower blood sugar levels in diabetics (source), as well as lowering blood pressure and improving cholesterol levels. (source) I love working with buckwheat flour, particularly freshly ground buckwheat groats, because you don’t have to mix it with other flours or starches, as you have to do with many other gluten-free flours.
You can buy buckwheat flour at many grocery stores now, but I prefer to grind my own buckwheat groats because the flavor isn’t as bitter and the color is a little more appealing. (Especially in these vegan buckwheat pancakes, if you look at the photos below!)
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Store-Bought vs. Homemade Buckwheat Flour
Buckwheat hulls are included in most store-bought buckwheat flours, giving it a dark bluish-gray hue, as seen in the pancakes on the left above. The pancakes on the right are made with freshly ground buckwheat groats, and look a little more appealing for kids or picky family members.
I tested this recipe using both the store-bought flour, and my homemade flour that I quickly ground in a coffee grinder. Making my own flour took only 30 seconds, and I think the difference is worth it– but the choice is up to you!
How to Make Buckwheat Pancakes
These vegan buckwheat pancakes are an easy one-bowl recipe that you can stir together in less than 10 minutes. I like to start by mashing the bananas in the bottom of the bowl with a fork, then you add in the rest of the ingredients and stir until a batter is formed!
I’m also lazy when it comes to pancakes, so I prefer to bake these pancakes instead of pan-frying them. Baking them means you can cook all 6 pancakes at once— which is a huge time-saver– and it also means you don’t need to add extra oil to the recipe, because there’s no pan to grease. Simply use a silicone baking mat, or parchment paper, to prevent sticking.
If you prefer to fry these in a pan, feel free to do so, but I love having the whole batch ready to go in just 15 minutes of baking time. I hope you’ll enjoy them, too.
Vegan Buckwheat Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup buckwheat flour (store-bought or ground groats)
- 2 very ripe bananas , about 3/4 cup mashed
- 2 tablespoons olive or coconut oil
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF, if you plan on baking the pancakes. If you'd like to grind your own buckwheat flour, simply pour raw buckwheat groats into a coffee grinder and grind until a fine flour-like texture is achieved, about 30 seconds. Measure the flour after grinding.
- In a large bowl, mash the bananas (a few lumps are okay), then add in the ground buckwheat flour, oil, water, cinnamon, vanilla, baking soda, and vinegar. Stir well to create a fairly uniform batter. It will be slightly thicker than traditional pancake batter, not quite as runny.
- To bake the pancakes, scoop the batter using a scant 1/4 cup measure, creating about 6 evenly sized mounds on a large lined baking sheet. Use the back of a spoon to spread the pancakes out, creating pancakes that are roughly 5- or 6-inches in diameter, and about 1/4-inch thick. Bake until the centers are firm, about 15 minutes at 350ºF.
- If you prefer to pan-fry the pancakes, pour the scant 1/4-cup of batter into a greased skillet over medium heat, and use the back of a spoon to flatten the pancake into your desired size and thickness. (About 5 or 6 inches wide) Allow the top to bubble and the edges of the pancake to dry, about 4 or 5 minutes, then flip and cook through on the other side.
- Serve warm, with fresh fruit and pure maple syrup, if desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition information above is for 1/2 the batch (roughly 3 pancakes). This is automatically calculated using generic ingredients in a database, so it’s just an estimate and not a guarantee.
Recipe Notes:
- This recipe makes 6 pancakes, enough to serve 2 people. Feel free to double or triple the recipe to have extras! I think these would keep well in the fridge for up to a week. I haven’t tried freezing them yet, but I imagine they would freeze and thaw well, too.
- If you need to use another type of gluten-free flour, I suggest starting with a different recipe. I have you covered if you need Coconut Flour Pancakes, Almond Flour Pancakes, Oatmeal Pancakes, or Vegan Oat Flour Pancakes.
Reader Feedback: Do you like working with buckwheat flour, too? Let me know if you want to see more buckwheat recipes in the future!
The recipe looks delicious, but do you have one for buckwheat pancakes without banana? I can’t eat those either! 🙁
Could you try applesauce maybe?
I second betsy’s question- I don’t have good reactions to either bananas or apples 🙁 please let me know if you think of any alternatives. I’ll keep you all updated if I find substitutes!
Maybe try pumpkin puree instead of banana?
You can just mix buckwheat flour with water, add some salt and spices, and pan frie them. Very simple and tasty. I am not sure if the sweet version would be as tasty but this recepie with hummus and veggies makes perfect breakfast.
Megan , LOVE buckwheat and yes please more recipes using it !
do you think it’s necessary to soak buckwheat like we do with nuts ?……
thank you so much !
natalia
I would love to know about soaking them as well
I have a lot of buckwheat hot cereal from Bob’s Red Mill. If I made that into a flour do you think that would work? I’ve actually had trouble finding buckwheat groats 🙁 these look amazing. Thanks for a great recipe!
I tried grinding Bobs cereal this morning and it seemed fine to use, but I haven’t anything to compare it with. Pancakes turned out well and I covered them in blueberries to eat!
I haven’t used buckwheat flour before but I think I might try this recipe. I really like the idea of baking them in the oven instead of pan frying. I haven’t made pancakes in years as i can only eat 2 at the most but I did try some with banana in them & almond flour but they stuck to my pan & I wasn’t sure when they were cooked. I ate them & they tasted OK but didn’t’t look too pretty.
My kids requested breakfast for dinner tonight, great timing on this post! My husband was hesitant because he doesn’t like buckwheat flour. Thankfully we had some groats on hand. These pancakes were a hit all around, even with my husband – a self-proclaimed food snob. We will definately make again. Thanks for all your great recipes 🙂
great easy recipe, thanks! can we sub another sweetener/binding agent combo for the banana? And to be able to bake these…genius!
Made these this morning for my toddlers and they inhaled them!! So easy to make and I love that I can bake them!
I’ve used buckwheat flour extensively and found it to be the most versatile of the free-from flours. Whether as a single use or in combination with others I think buckwheat is far and beyond my favorite. The pancakes look amazing, I must try them. Thanks.
Made these today! ground my buckwheat groats and only used 1 Tbsp of oil plus 1 Tbsp of pumpkin puree. Baked and consumed! they were soooo good! having allergies to dairy, gluten, egg and soy, these are perfect for breakfast! going on my breakfast rotation!! i love all your recipes so thanks for sharing with all of us!!!!
I made this recipe twice this morning, trying to get it to turn out, but would not suggest frying them to anyone. I have never had luck with the combination of banana and buckwheat before, as they tend to stick no matter what pan I use, no matter what temperature. This was no exception. No matter how I tried, I still ruined a good pan in the process of trying to fry these. Good flavor, but will not be making again unless I have parchment paper.
Lea, we use a cast iron pan and lots of coconut oil. It takes a lot of spatula work, but it doesn’t stick. We do use other flours in combo with the buckwheat — we usually use sorghum, garbanzo and cornmeal along with the buckwheat. Good luck!
Made pancakes yesterday. UNBELIEVABLY GOOD! Could not stop eating them but had to control myself after four. Made five batches and froze. Sweet flavor, great taste, without a doubt best gluten free pancake I’ve ever had. I would love more buckwheat recipes. I shared the recipe right away with all I know who eat gluten free and the fact it’s vegan makes it even better.
Thank you!
THESE WERE SO EASY & so delicious!!
Where can I get buckwheat groats? have not seen these at any whole foods either.
These have become an almost daily breakfast for my nursing son and I due to his allergies to many things, including dairy, eggs, nuts, gluten, and oats. The ground groats (or I imagine cereal) work totally different than the store-bought buckwheat flour here. Now I’m actually having success! And baking them is so great! For those who’ve asked, I’ve successfully made these with puréed sweet potato and added a bit of psyllium husk to help with binding. By the way, our other almost constant is your Shamrock Shake. Sooooo good!!!! I’d love more vegan buckwheat recipes. Thanks!
Awesome! Made breakfast for dinner and my four kids and husband gobbled them all up! Added walnuts and blueberries! Yum! Thank you as my son and I have many good allergies. These were easy and delicious!
I agree, the store bought flour was NOT as good as home-ground. Too dry and packed in, I think. Taste was good but drier with store bought. A FAVORITE with homemade flour!!! Love these. And love baking them, too! So easy.
Great and easy recipe! I used frozen ripe bananas so I didn’t add the water called for in the recipe. Also I used Pure Living organic buckwheat flour and I’m very happy with the results. They turned out a beautiful tan color and not a bitter aftertaste at all. I forgot to turn them over half way through and they turned out just fine. My celiac sister absolutely loved them!
I went ahead and made the buckwheat banana muffin recipe from Detoxinista the same day with amazing results, although I did add chocolate chips to those:)
Made them this morning and they were wonderful 🙂 My family loved them.
Thanks for the great recipe.
I’m glad you and your family enjoyed them! Thanks for letting me know. 🙂
The first couple times I made these pancakes, they were amazing and unique! Very cake and pancake like. However, since then I have been trying to make them, and have had terrible time and difficulty–very gooey and un-pancake like. I cannot understand the reason, but these have not turned out well for me lately.
Thank you for your wonderful recipes! I tried the buckwheat cookies and now the pancakes and they came out perfect! I tried to pan-fried them at first, but it did not work. I used Flaxseed oil, I wonder if that is why. Either way, keep up the great work!
I MADE THESE ACCORDING TO THE RECIPE, AND THEY WERE DELICIOUS. THIS MORNING I MADE THEM WITH APPLESAUCE INSTEAD OF BANANAS BECAUSE WE HAVE A GUEST WHO CAN NOT EAT THEM, AND THEY WERE EQUALLY GOOD. I USED A CUP OF APPLE SAUCE.
Your recipes look lovely! I look forward to trying them and possibly purchasing your recipe books. I did want to say the information you gave about buckwheat to my knowledge is incorrect. Buckwheat is actually a grain-like seed not a seed like grain, which means that is what makes it gluten-free and safe for those avoiding gluten.
Yes, I totally switched that around when I typed it out, didn’t I? Just fixed it! 😉
Hey Megan,
I’m excited to share your Baked Buckwheat Banana Pancakes recipe in our site, GreenThickies. Not the recipe, just one image, quote and link back.
Thanks 🙂
Sure, that’s fine!
Hi Megan,
These look great! Yes, I would love more buckwheat recipes!
Do you think these would work with pumpkin & maple syrup instead of bananas for a properly combined pancake?
Can you use something other then banana in this recipe ?
Am I aloud to use almond flour instead of buckwheat flour? Really want to try the recipe but I don’t have buckwheat flour
WOW, this are wonderful. As I was mixing the ingredients I was concerned that the mixture was going to be too dry, but it all came together well and the pancakes soft and fluffy.
Thank you for the wonderful recipe!
So good… Iused a greased (coconut oil) cast iron skillet and they turned out perfect. Yummy and fluffy! The kitchen and I don’t get along, but this recipe was nice and easy. Glad I found gluten-free, vegan, and corn free pancakes! Will be making them again… maybe even tomorrow 😉 Gracias!
Thank you for the recipe, its delicious, its now our sunday breakfast tradition!
But I am pretty sure you calories count per serving is wrong .
Yes, I believe the calorie count is wrong – I plugged these ingredients into My Fitness Pal. If you figure one serving having 1/2 C of flour (>120 cal) , a banana (100 cal)and 1 TB of oil (120 cal) it’s going to be way over 174 cal for half of the batch. That said, they were delicious and I loved baking them!!
These pancakes were delicious! So quick and easy to make, and I loved that I could bake them. Thank you for sharing. I will be trying your cinnamon buns next!
I’m so glad to hear that! Thanks for letting me know. 🙂
Love all your recipes with buckwheat flour! Yes, more please!
Can this batter be used in a waffle iron?
Love the recipe. The texture didn’t work out well using the preground buckwheat flour and swapping pumpkin purée. I’ll try again with ground groats and banana and hopefully it works out!
I was super excited about these but I am guessing that they really are only meant to be baked. I tried making them on my griddle and they stuck so bad they were basically inedible. Not sure what I did wrong. Next time will definitely bake instead of griddle.
Unfortunately I can’t have anything too acidic such as vinegar, citrus, apple sauce etc. Will this recipe work if I just leave the vinegar out?
I don’t know why I had such a bad experience with these, but they just wouldn’t cook! They were crispy on the outside and mushy hot banana mess on the inside. I followed the recipe exactly!
Did you use a skillet or the oven? It sounds like a skillet is trickier than the oven– and I always use the oven now because I don’t have time to wait over the skillet!
I used a griddle, yeah that must be the problem! darn I was looking forward to these. Now I have to wait for my new bananas to ripen to try these again, lol
Love this recipe! A lot of simple GF & vegan recipes i’ve tried didn’t hold together really well – this is the first one that did! Is it the buckwheat flour that helps bind everything? Love making this now whenever my bananas get too ripe.
Fantastic recipe! The taste is wonderful and not overpowering. I do highly recommend you grind your own groats, as it turned out so much better for me. The only part I haven’t mastered is making them look pretty. :)Thanks!
I like this recipe, but is it properly combined? I thought we should not mix fruits and sweeteners with carbohydrates….
No, not all of the recipes on my website are properly combined. They are transition recipes to help people move away from processed foods, with familiar textures and flavors. The recipes in my two cookbooks are all properly combined and labeled, as well as the meal plans in those books.
My family LOVES these pancakes! So easy and healthy. This is my go-to recipe for using up overripe bananas.
Yes to more recipes with buckwheat. I discovered this several months ago and love it. I will try to find the groats for the future.
The kids have loved buckwheat pancakes for months now and will try the ones with bananas today.
Great idea to bake them at once. Awesome!
It didn’t look promising! But we made them and our 6 kids loved them! And so did we! It’s not as heavy as it looks…it actually turned out light and fluffy! It was delicious!
However we didn’t have enough bananas, so we halved them from what the recipe asked (we made 4 recipes for our family and could have done more) and we added a bit of water….turned out great!
Thank you for this recipe! I doubled the recipe and my 4kids devoured them! My son has many allergies and your recipes and cookbooks have been a blessing to eat healthy delicious foods. Thank you
yes, more please! I prefer buckwheat over oats! Thank you, I LOVE your recipes. I recently got your Instant pot cookbook, and I must say, it is my favorite cookbook ever. Especially love the EASE of the recipes as well as the great flavor of healthy vegan meals. Thank you.
Yum! This is the first time I’ve made buckwheat / vegan pancakes that are light and fluffy, and had all the ingredients in my cupboard at home. Love the idea of baking pancakes as I get to eat them all at the same time!
Megan, would it be okay if I throw all of the ingredients in my Vitamix just like you did with your oat pancakes? Thank you.
I have a severe allergy to bananas. Do you think I could substitute applesauce or pumpkin?
Yes, I think either would probably work.
think this would work with pumpkin in place of banana?
I made these for my husband who can’t eat gluten, ut we aren’t vegan and love eggs so I added 2 eggs and did not put the water in. I’ve never baked pancakes but i did and LOVE how they turned out!!!!!!!! My daughter who is super picky, came home from school and grabbed one and ate it by itself with nothing on it! It kind of tastes like banana bread but it’s way healthier! Can’t wait to see what my husband thinks of them.
We have 3 generations living here at the house. Our goal, myself, grandmother and mother are doing everything we can through our diet to help my granddaughter who came down with RA at 25. We have been following the Medical Medium since March and have been gluten free, raw at times and now totally vegan so we are always searching for foods to heal and help her in her recovery and also to gain weight. We loved your buckwheat pancake recipe and will be looking forward to trying out more of your recipes …. as in our quest we are living in our kitchen! Lol!