These healthy blueberry pancakes have NO ADDED SUGAR! They are a simple mixture of whole wheat flour, oats, mashed banana, milk, eggs and spices.
When’s the last time you made pancakes from scratch? How about healthy no sugar blueberry pancakes?
I’m not much of a baker, but I do love a good pancake breakfast. It’s really common to buy a pancake mix in a box and just add in water or milk. But let me tell you a little secret– the ingredients in the box are things you already have in your cupboard.
These pancakes are great for pre-workout fuel. Join the FREE 5-Days of Fueling Challenge to learn more!
That’s right, most pancake mixes have flour, sugar and baking soda and you just add some water or milk to quickly whip up a yummy breakfast.
But here’s the nice part… you don’t need to buy a boxed mix with the sugar and refined flours. Instead, you can make your own healthy whole wheat version at home!
Are they healthy?
It’s hard to put the words “pancakes” and “healthy” into the same sentence. Since pancakes are usually covered in butter and syrup, they aren’t really thought of as a health food.
That said, this recipe is made up of good-for-you ingredients, like whole wheat flour, oats, bananas, milk, eggs and blueberries [Read more about the benefits of blueberries here]. Every ingredient in this recipe offers a nutrition benefit. Let’s talk a look:
- Whole wheat flout has more protein and fiber than white flour, which means it keeps you fuller longer
- Oats are a gluten-free grain that are packed with fiber. They contain a special fiber, called beta glucan, which has been shown to help lower cholesterol
- Bananas are a great source of potassium and offer easy to digest pre-workout fuel
- Milk is a good source of protein and contains 9 essential vitamins and minerals
- Eggs are full of protein and other important minerals that you don’t get from many other foods. Eggs are one of the only food sources of bone building Vitamin D and choline, which is necessary for pregnant women
- Blueberries are packed with antioxidants (like immune boosting Vitamin C), and they help fight off inflammation
Without all the added toppings, these pancakes make a well-rounded breakfast that has healthy carbs, protein and healthy fats. In other words, these are pancakes that you can feel good about eating and will give you long lasting energy.
Do they have sugar?
First off, it’s important to remember that there are two types of sugar– natural and added. Natural sugar is found in foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, legume and dairy. Added sugar is the sugar that is added into food for taste.
This pancake recipe has mashed bananas in the batter, which sweetens up the taste without any added sugar. You end up with a filling pancake that has just a touch of sweetness without any sugar.
The banana and blueberries make these pancakes deliciously sweet, hearty, and healthy. They are great before or after a morning workout!
Ingredients to make No Added Sugar Blueberry Pecan Pancakes
Most of the ingredients for this recipe are pantry staples that you probably have on hand already. And if you don’t have frozen blueberries, you can use fresh blueberries too – it will be just as delicious.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
- ½ cup oats (old fashioned or quick oats)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 banana
- 1 cup milk
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup frozen or fresh blueberries
- ½ cup chopped unsalted pecans
- Cooking spray OR butter
How to make them vegan
You can easily make these blueberry pancakes vegan with two simple steps:
- Substitute the milk with a non-dairy milk. Oat, soy or almond milk will work well.
- Use a chia or flax egg in place of the egg in this recipe. To make a chia egg, combine 1 tablespoon of chia seeds with 2.5 tablespoons of water and let sit for 5 minutes. To make a flax egg, combine 1 tablespoon flax meal with 3 tablespoons of water and let sit for 10 minutes to thicken.
Can I make substitutions?
One reader recently reached out and asked if she could use a different type of nut in the pancake because she didn’t have any pecans on hand. The answer is absolutely. The fruit and nuts are completely swappable.
If you prefer frozen strawberries, throw those in with the blueberries or swap out the blueberries completely for whatever fruit you like. And if there’s a spice you love, like ginger or lemon zest, definitely throw it in!
Any nuts or seeds make a great addition to the batter as well. The only thing you can’t change is the main ingredients, like the flours, eggs, milk and banana.
How to make No Added Sugar Blueberry Pecan Pancakes
Making these pancakes is simple. All you need are two bowls, a few measuring cups and spoons, a whisk and some spoons. Here are the simple steps.
- In a bowl, combine the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine the wet ingredients and whisk together.
2. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix. Then add blueberries and pecans to the bowl. Stir again until well combined.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and add butter or oil. Add the pancakes to the pan and let them cook until air bubbles begin to form. Then flip the pancakes and cook on the other side until golden brown.
No Sugar Added Blueberry Pecan Pancakes
A healthy whole grain pancake, made with bananas instead of added sugar
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
- ½ cup oats (old fashioned or quick oats)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 banana
- 1 cup milk
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup frozen or fresh blueberries
- ½ cup chopped unsalted pecans
- Cooking spray OR butter
Instructions
-
In a large bowl, combine the two types of flour, oats, baking powder, and cinnamon.
-
In a separate bowl, mash the banana with a fork. Add the milk, egg, and vanilla to the mashed banana and stir.
-
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix with a spoon. (It is fine if the batter is chunky.) Add the blueberries and pecans to the batter and stir.
-
Heat a frying pan or griddle to medium high heat. Spray the pan with cooking spray or coat with butter. Pour the batter onto the hot pan in pancake circles.
-
Heat on one side until tiny bubbles start to form in the pancake (about 3-4 minutes). (If the pancake gets too dark, turn the heat down slightly.) Flip the pancake and cook for 3-4 minutes on the other side. Top with banana slices, a sprinkle of cinnamon and sugar, or a drizzle of syrup
Recipe Notes
Tip: To keep the pancakes hot while making multiple batches, place them in a heated oven.
I’m all about the homemade pancakes (just made a batch this morning in fact!) I haven’t really tried them with oats – will make your batter next time 🙂
The oats make them very hearty and satisfying!
I’d love to put this receipe on my blog with a link back to your site if that’s possible? My blog is DrSarahBrewer.com. @DrSarahB
Sure!
Thanks. Would you mind emailing the image of the finished pancakes? DrSarah@live.co.uk Appreciated, Sarah B
The email address bounced back. Go ahead and grab the picture from my site.
Thanks. My fault – i gave the wrong email! shoudl have been DrSarahB – I have taken the image from the site and will send you the link once it’s up to make sure you’re happy with the credit – may take a couple of days. Inundated here! Best wishes, Sarah B
These look amazing! I love blueberry pancakes and love that you added oats to these. The thought of making pancakes from scratch always seems so daunting but I’m pinning this one to try soon.
It’s just as quick and easy as adding eggs and milk to batter. I promise!
I stumbled across this recipe while looking for sugar free pancakes and it definitely delivers great flavor and texture. They were very filling and I didn’t even need syrup to enjoy them. Thank you for sharing these.
Thanks for the review! I’m so glad you liked them.
Thanks! They are so easy to make– I promise!
YUM. Love my blueberries in pancakes. That with pecans is a great combination!
xoxo Sarah Grace, Fresh Fit N Healthy.
They go together so well, and the nuts make them very filling!
Great pancakes!! These were perfectly sweet and the banana was not an overwhelming flavor. I used blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries. They were fluffy and dense and filling. Cooked up wonderfully and have been eating them as left overs! Thanks for another no-sugar breakfast option!
Thank you SO much for the kind comment and leaving a rating. I love how dense and filling these pancakes are also! Glad you enjoyed them.
Yum! Serving 4 is pushing it–it served 2 adults and 1 kiddo in our house, but they’re also really filling. I used a milk alternative bc of dairy intolerance but otherwise followed the recipe to a T, and the consistency was perfect. Make sure to use quick oats rather than old fashioned oats. The quick oats in the first one were a little “sturdy” but the rest of them were great bc they’d had time to sit a while and soften up.
Thanks so much for the review! Glad you enjoyed them. Noted about the serving size– I’ll adjust! Interesting about the quick oats. I used old fashioned oats in the original recipe, but I’ll have to try your method.
Can I use almond flour instead of whole wheat.
I’ve never tried it, but I think it will work. Whole wheat flour and almond flour are both dense, so it should be okay. If you try it, let me know how it turns out. Thanks!
Love making these for my 2 year old twins. They will literally eat as many as I put in front of them. Love that these don’t require refined sugar.
I’m so glad you liked them. Definitely a great healthy pancake for kids!