The internet is lousy with banana pancake recipe for infants, many promising something akin to alchemy: that a mere two ingredients–bananas and eggs–will produce perfect first pancakes for your child. Doesn’t take a chemist to predict what most likely will occur: burnt mush.
But there’s an obvious solution hiding in plain sight in your pantry or cabinet: the baby oats/cereal you may have used to introduce solids. Think of them as serving the same function as flour does in regular ol’ flapjacks: they bind; they solidify; they, you know, pancake. You’re still going to have a very soft and loose flapjack with these banana pancakes for infants, but it will come together and hold its shape just fine–and be more nutritious, to boot.
Even better, you can continue to adjust the ratio of ingredients to evolve alongside your baby’s palate and/or tooth situation, working his/her way up to regular pancakes by the end of your child’s first year and all kinds of specialty cakes in the days and years that follow. A great launching pad for all things food.
Ready to level up your banana pancakes for a toddler? Check out our kid-friendly banana pancake recipe.
This banana pancake recipe for infants uses everyday ingredients you might already have in your kitchen—ripe banana for natural sweetness, an egg for protein and structure, and a small amount of baby-friendly oats to help the batter hold together without becoming dense. It’s intentionally light on binders so the texture stays soft and easy to chew for infants just mastering self-feeding.
Q: When can I start giving these to my baby?
A: This recipe is designed with baby-led weaning in mind—typically around 6 months+ once your pediatrician has cleared solids. The soft texture and natural sweetness make it easy for early self-feeding.
Q: Do I need to add sugar or sweeteners?
A: No. The ripe banana provides natural sweetness, so no added sugar is needed—and added sugar isn’t recommended for infants.
Q: Can I make this banana pancake recipe dairy-free or egg-free?
A: Yes. For dairy-free, just use oats without any milk. For egg-free, add a bit more baby oats and a splash of formula or breast milk as the binder—but the texture will be softer and may need gentle handling.
Q: How should I serve these safely?
A: Cool the pancakes fully, cut them into long strips so your baby can grasp them easily, and always supervise self-feeding to minimize gagging risk.
Check out all our great breakfast recipes!
Sure, there are a lot of baby-led weaning (BLW) banana pancakes for infants out there; this one is better. The secret? We add just enough infant oats/cereal to help bind the pancakes better, leading to a fluffy hotcake that your infant can enjoy--and you can make without everything sticking to a pan.
Cut the pancakes into long strips and serve one piece at a time–this will ensure your child does not overstuff his/her mouth or produce so much saliva that he/she gags. You can add applesauce or yogurt if this helps increase the appeal to your child, but do so sparingly, as the pancakes will be quite soft to begin with.
After some initial successes with this one, feel free to begin to add a bit of cinnamon to the mix; you can also begin to test allergens by using almond, chickpea, and other flours in place of the baby oats. You can also skip the egg altogether by adding a bit more baby oats and a splash of formula or breast milk instead.
Servings 4
Serving Size 1 pancake
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Brad (the Dad) is the founder and Chief Recipe Officer of New Dad's Kitchen. His own cooking/feeding journey started humbly during his son's infancy, preparing and managing his son's bottle intake in order to support his wife; it has since blossomed into a full-on passion to feed his child and family delicious and healthy meals that can satisfy both a toddler and his very tired parents.
