Sometimes, a recipe is worth revisiting. This, my friends, is one of them.
This may look like an insignificant – albeit delicious – stack of pancakes to you. But to me it looks like beginnings.
Chocolate chip oatmeal cookie pancakes was the first recipe I ever posted on Minimalist Baker. I knew it was a good recipe, I personally loved it, but I had no idea it would be so well loved by all of you.
Since initially sharing the recipe nearly two years ago, I’ve been wanting to recreate it to make some improvements.
I wanted it to be not only vegan, but also gluten-free. And I wanted it to require just 1 bowl. Less mess, more people who can enjoy it. Worthwhile improvements if you ask me.
So, I went to work and kind of perfected the thing. I don’t know how many times I’ve made this recipe in my life, but it just keeps getting better. And now I can confidently say it’s perfected.
Vegan, gluten free, 1 bowl chocolate chip oatmeal cookie pancakes. Friends, say hello to the only pancake recipe you’ll ever need.
To keep these gluten free I replaced the whole wheat flour with a mix of my favorite basic gluten free flour blend (which I always keep on hand for GF recipes) and almond meal.
I love how this swap helped the pancakes not only cook through a bit better, but also achieve better overall texture.
You’re gonna love these new-and-improved cakes. They are:
Super moist
Hearty
Filling
Not too sweet
Studded with melty chocolate chips
Super satisfying
& JUST like an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie (without actually being a cookie)
I used to get up early on Saturday mornings, run a few miles, and then come home to a fat stack of banana pancakes that were quite similar to these bad boys. Now that I’ve re-discovered this fool-proof, now-perfected version, it has me wanting to re-establish that tradition all over again.
Here’s to spring, to new traditions, and to oatmeal cookie pancakes. Cheers!
Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookie Pancakes 2.0
Ingredients
- 1 batch flax egg
- 1 very ripe medium banana (1 banana yields ~1/2 cup mashed)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
- 1 Tbsp almond butter
- 1 Tbsp avocado oil (or sub melted coconut oil)
- 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk (or sub other milk)
- 1/2 cup gluten-free rolled oats
- 2 Tbsp almond meal (ground from raw almonds)
- 1/4 cup gluten-free flour blend
- 3 Tbsp non-dairy semisweet chocolate chips (more for topping)
- 1 tsp agave or maple syrup if your banana wasn’t very sweet (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare flax egg in a large bowl by mixing flaxseed meal and water and letting set for 3-5 minutes.
- Add your very ripe banana and baking powder and mash.
- Add oil, salt, vanilla, almond butter, almond milk and stir.
- Stir in oats, almond meal and gluten free flour blend until just combined.
- Then sprinkle in chocolate chips and fold gently. Let rest for 5 minutes while preheating griddle to medium-low heat. You want it hot but not too hot or it will burn the pancakes - about 300-325 degrees.
- Scoop 1/4 cup measurements onto the lightly-greased griddle and gently spread to make a pancake shape. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown. You'll know they're ready to flip when bubbles form on top and the edges appear dry.
- Note: These need to cook slower than regular pancakes because they’re more dense and take a bit longer to get cooked in the middle. So if they are browning too quickly, turn the heat down.
- Serve as is or with a small drizzle of maple syrup and a few additional chocolate chips. Leftovers re-heat well in the microwave.
Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without optional ingredients.
Liz says
Really good :) though not my favorite Minimalist Baker batch. The pumpkin pancakes (linked below) are ones that could pass off as non-vegan, and I’ve secretly made them for all types of guests. They’re always a HUGE hit. For these, I followed the recipe to the T and they came out more like an oatmeal bake than conventional pancakes. I’d make again for just me and my partner when we’re in the mood for a heartier-tasting (and maybe healthier?) brunch.
Pumpking pancakes: https://minimalistbaker.com/vegan-pumpkin-spice-pancakes/
Thanks for sharing, Liz!
Christina says
Made no substitutions and came out as expected! Did take some time to cook the batch because I did only one at a time but well worth it. I cooked them on med low and found that MB’s time estimates were on point.
Hales says
LOVE these! Not GF so substituted whole wheat flour and they turned out great. Took a while to cook, but it gave me time to chop a few veggies for tomorrow’s dinner :) topped with sun nut butter, chia, & hemp seeds and a drizzle of maple syrup and I am having to resist eating the whole batch in one sitting.
Once again your recipes do not disappoint!
So glad you enjoyed them, Hales! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Elizabeth Thompson says
Best vegan GF pancakes yet! The texture worked even better for me in a waffle iron (omitting the chocolate). Thanks for developing and sharing these recipes! They are a lifesaver for my family and so good for our earth.
Glyn says
Just made these for a rainy Sunday ! We didn’t have a gluten-free flour option, so for somewhat similar easier digestion we used a cup of fresh & active sourdough starter instead. Still the lightest, loveliest, not-too-sweet vegan pancakes I’ve had. I’ve been following you and using your recipes – for inspiration or by the letter – since I went vegan five years ago. Thank you so much for everything !
Sylvia says
Do I need the fruit at all? I’ve got allergies to bananas and apples.
Hi Sylvia! This recipe may work better for you? You could always add chocolate chips to it as well!
Carol says
Made these today and they were super yum! I was a bit worried about them being too stodgy and dense, but we made them quite thin and cooked them for a while on a low heat and they were totally delicious!
We used peanut butter instead of almond butter, and just normal flour instead of the GF flour mix, omitting the almond meal as well. Also used a chia egg instead of flax meal one since we already had milled chia (didn’t know you could make an egg sub with chia!). We also used soy milk instead. A lot of modifications, but was still very yum and I think all worked out fine! LOVED the oats in the batter, had never used them in pancakes before.
Thank you Dana for all your incredibly delicious vegan recipes – they have made our transition to veganism so easy! Also a quick note – the directions do not mention when to add the flax egg (so I almost forgot to add it to the batter, but remembered just in time :) )
Thank you for sharing your process, Carol! We are glad you enjoyed these pancakes!
Lorraine says
Can I still use this recipe if I want to use a real egg and regular flour? Same amounts?
Yes, that should work!
Taisa Andrushko says
These are certainly the most unique, easy, and enjoyable pancakes I’ve ever made! I do have one question. The mixture of my pancakes don’t come out the soft, pale dough colour. My last batch actually ended up with a tinge of blue! Have you ever experienced this? All my ingredients are new and fresh so nothing is expired. Could it be a reaction between the ingredients? Otherwise, the recipe is perfection!
Hi Taisa! I have no idea what would be happening, but you used all the same ingredients called for right?
Taisa Andrushko says
I am using the exact ingredients. I just started a new batch and I used the same bowl for my flax egg as the melted coconut oil. Looks like that combines to a blue tinge.
Madison says
These are delish! My boyfriend loves them too! I used regular rolled oats and whole wheat flour and they turned out great.
Raissa Anstett says
When I went gluten free last year, this was one of the first recipes I tried. I have been making it almost every morning for the past year, and it makes my mornings! I don’t use the chocolate chips every time since I eat it so often. Also, I am not vegan so I just use a regular egg, and I add a bit of cinnamon. This is absolutely one of my all time favorite recipes, and I’ve shared it with many friends / family. :)
Rae says
These are so yummy! My partner and I made these twice and the second time we added walnuts and it was the PERFECT addition. :)
Carla says
Really love this recipe! Pancakes are just as described. Only difference: I process the oats to a flour :)
Erin Davies says
I made these for breakfast this morning with the following alterations – I used a chicken egg because we’re not vegan and I didn’t have any flax, quick pay flakes instead of rolled oats and chopped walnuts instead of chocolate chips. I did add 1 tsp agave as my banana wasn’t super ripe. I was a bit sad when halfway through I saw that it only served 2 but no worries these were very hearty and filling and did just fine for one expecting mama, a papa and a toddler. Yum yum yum! Thanks again Dana!
Sam E says
THIS is where ripe bananas go to die. These pancakes ae everything I’ve ever wanted in life. My family requests them by name. I will drop whatever I’m doing if someone wants these (provided we have sacrificial bananas, of course…).
:)
Brit says
Hi! I’m not gluten free and don’t have gluten free flour or oats, will it make a huge difference if i sub whole wheat or unbleached all purpose and regular rolled oats? Thank you!
Hi Brit! Yes! Check the other comments as others have tried this + had success.
Theresa says
Made this and loved the recipe !! I didn’t even need to top it off with maple syrup in the end because it was nicely sweetened already :) So tasty !
Amanda says
I love these. I usually make them on Saturday evenings and keep for an easy reheated breakfast before school on Sunday. My kids and I love them–and I’ve tinkered with the base recipe endlessly. We use real eggs and milk as we’re not vegan or allergic, but I’ve made the recipe as written and it’s just as delicious. I usually don’t use chocolate chips as we don’t do sugar, but I’ve added dried cranberries and lemon zest, blueberries, grated carrot and cinnamon, and about a dozen other varieties. Today’s batch has peanut butter instead of almond (because I didn’t have any on hand), fresh grated coconut, cinnamon, and raisins. They taste just like soft oatmeal raisin cookies. Thanks for the recipe!
Lorrie says
I saw a few questions about the almond butter and replacements for it. What I had on hand today was sunflower butter and it worked just perfectly. So, as long as there isn’t a seed allergy, I would say it’s a good replacement and still gives you some good fats.
Cindi Keen says
Just made these for breakfast! Absolutely delicious… I made them fairly thick which lead to a perfect consistency of the pancakes (cook both sides for 4 minutes). Didn’t need any additional toppers (maple syrup or agave) because the banana and chocolate chips made them just sweet enough. Thanks!
Swathijaini says
Hi glad I found this , I tried this came out very yummy . Thanks for the recepie
Swati says
Ohmigosh Dana! I made these for a Sunday breakfast/brunch, and they turned out so good! Instead of honey, I used brown sugar, and I also made and added candied pecans which made it even tastier. Thank you so much :)
Karen Cunningham says
These pancakes sound amazing! However, I am allergic to bananas. Do you know what I could substitute for the bananas?
In previous comments we’ve suggested applesauce!
Mike says
Can I sub oat flour in place of gluten free blend. I’m sensitive to gluten alternatives such as rice flour and almond.
Hi Mike, we haven’t tried substituting oat flour specifically but I think that should work!
Near says
Thank you for the recipe. it s my 1st success pancake after i found out that I’m gluten and dairy intolerance.
Btw for flour blend I use as follow depending on available stuff, pls suggest if it is ok to use this base for bread?
1/2 C tapioca starch
1/2 C White rice flour
1 C Millet flour
1/2 C Coconut flour
*I use chia egg instead of Flax
*Mix is too thick so i add more milk
Amy Bakke says
I made these and LOVED them which was such a nice surprise since not being able to have a lot of foods with a very long list of allergies. What could I sub for the almond meal though?
Gabija says
They were delicious but basically impossible to flip. Do you habe any tips on flipping them without them looking like pancakes not some weird scrambled eggs?
Kat says
Delicious, filling and not too sweet for breakfast either! I subbed a good quality organic peanut butter instead of almond butter as that’s all I had, and omitted the almond meal, and it worked just as well! Will definitely be making these more often, so quick and easy. Thank you!
Alex says
Hi Dana,, this one is a keeper! I have to admit though, I could not help but add some frozen bluberries in the batter. Turned out phenomenal. Like all your recipes. Count on me as a fan! ;-))) Will tag this one on Instagram shortly. Thanks again and keep’em coming! And, why does it not allow me to rate you with 5?
Not sure! Try it again! Thanks, Alex :D
Michelle Y says
You are a pancake goddess.
Leslie says
There’s no advantage to “naturally sweetened” if the end result has 18 grams of sugar per serving BEFORE you put any syrup on. Simple sugars are simple sugars — doesn’t matter whether they come from a banana or from a sugar cane plant — and using a gluten free flour blend which undoubtedly contains a bunch of high-glycemic rice and tapioca flours just makes these pancakes even worse for people who want to control their sugar intake. How about a recrank of this recipe using oat flour and sweetening with maple syrup, which is lower glycemic? Thanks.
Anna says
Could I make these without the almond butter and almond meal?
The LadyByrd says
Can you freeze this batter? Uncooked.
Hmm, never tried it. But let me know if you do!
Lisa Field says
What about making the batter a couple days in advance for a camping trip? Does the batter hold?
Emily says
Before I bake these, can you please tell me how many this recipe makes?
Like 5-7 pancakes!
Alex says
I’ve made these about 30 times now (A month ago I ate an entire batch of them every morning for 2 weeks- I’m only of those people who enjoys eating mountains of healthy food rather than rations of heavier stuff). I use a little less milk and a ton of fresh (or frozen) blueberries with some chocolate chips. They are divine. I still make them with regular flour and no almond butter, but they require not even a drizzle of syrup I just eat them plain. Your recipes and smitten kitchen are the first I recommend to anyone, vegan or not. Thanks =)
Bridget Martinez says
Made these this morning, didn’t have everything on hand so I subbed 1/2 applesauce for the banana and 1 tblsp coconut flour for almond flour also added chia seeds. I used real egg and butter since I am out of coconut oil. Delicious!!
So wonderful! Glad you liked them, Bridget! xoxo
Bridget Martinez says
Made these this morning, didn’t have everything on hand so I subbed 1/2 applesauce for the banana and 1 tblsp coconut flour for almond flour also added chia seeds. Delicious!!
Julianna Horvath says
I used this recipe tonight and it was AMAZING!!!!!!!
Robyn says
I’ve made these 3 times in as many weeks. My family absolutely loves them! They are hearty and delicious. The flavor and texture is perfect, and they’re so easy to make. Thank you for my new Saturday morning breakfast recipe!
So great! Thanks for sharing Robyn!
Channing says
These pancakes are a family favorite! My unbelievably picky 6 year old requests these! I’ve made them with an egg, without banana, they are relish everytime! Thank you for making breakfast easier!
Kristine says
These are amazing! I doubled the recipe to feed my family of 5 (3 boys – 11, 4 & 1 1/2). Everyone LOVED them. We’re not GF so I used WWF like in the original recipe. Do these freeze well?
I haven’t tried freezing them, but I’d think you could! For reheating, I’d suggest microwaving or using the toaster oven for a crispier cake!
Amanda says
Made these for the third time this morning, and we just can’t get enough. I am especially hooked on the texture. When I make them, the outsides are a little crunchy, and the insides are just soft and puffy, plus gooey because of the chips. They are perfect for Saturday mornings, because we almost always have a super ripe banana that we bought the Sunday before.
Kate says
I made these last night and they were killer! I didn’t have any peanut or almond butter unfortunately but they were still absolute heaven, without syrup too! I put in blueberries instead of the chocolate chips and added cinnamon and my whole family said they smelled amazing. Ate every single one for dinner! Making these again once I get some peanut butter & I bet they’ll be even more amazing then. Thanks so much for the recipe!
Mandie says
Thanks for making your already awesome recipe vegan and gluten free! The original was the first recipe I ever tried from Minimalist Baker.
Ah, thanks Mandie! Glad you like them!!
Julia says
Oh, I used oat flour instead of rolled as I did not have any. It turned out yummy:)
Julia says
These are AMAZING! Carnivore husband and kid approved too! Thank you!
Whoop! Thanks for sharing, Julia!
AnnaPanna says
aaahh I love your blog! I haven’t tried any recipe yet, I don’t know where to begin! plus it’s hard when I’m sitting here drooling! And you are so nice!
Iasmin says
This looks soo yummie! I wonder if I could sub almond butter for regular vegan butter? And maybe skip the whole ground almond part.. I don’t think it will be easy to find it in my country and I don’t own a grinder… yet… -fail- I’m going to try it anyway =)
Gretchen says
I made these while on vacation last week and they were the perfect post-nature hike breakfast. I only wish I had doubled the recipe (not that I needed to eat more). Thank you!
Brandi says
Yum! My kids would love these!
Jackie says
I assume I could substitute all purpose flour for the gluten free flour blend, if so, do I still use 1/4 cup?
Yes! I’d recommend still using that amount.
Chi says
I made these last night and while they tasted great- (like a mild chocolate-oatmeal cookie), I found that they took forever to cook and didn’t rise well. I’ll try them again and see if I get the same results. Any suggestions?
Thanks for such a delicious recipe, Dana. : )
These don’t really rise, but they do get cooked through. For pancakes, they are a bit more dense of a batter so just expect them to cook for about 5 minutes on each side on medium to low heat. Hope that helps!
Nicole D says
This recipe is nearly perfect for my family! I’m vegan/GF and my son is allergic to nuts, egg, soy, dairy, lentil. What would you substitute for the almond? Thanks!
Hmmm, peanut flour or meal? Otherwise, just use more GF flour blend and/or oats. Hope that helps!
Brittany says
I totally made these last week before you “revamped” your recipe, and I made mine GF and only used one bowl..HA. How ironic. This new version sure looks tasty!
Carole says
YUM!!! These looks AWESOME! My husband is going through some pretty stressful tests… so I think I will make these for him to perk him up! :)
Sounds like a perfect pick-me-up!
Katie @ 24 Carrot Life says
This is like the end (beggining?) of a new era! I only recently realized that one of my favorite pancake recipes ever was your first Minimalist Baker recipe and I’ve made it numerous times since. I’m going to have to give this one a go to see how it matches up ;)
So glad you’ve been enjoying this recipe! If you give the new and improved version a try, let me know!
Bethelda says
My daughters will love these; I can’t wait to make them! Do you suppose a natural peanut butter would work in place of almond butter? I made your banana bread this weekend and my girls went crazy for it; turned out super!
Bethelda says
Dismiss my comment! I just read above another reader’s comment that she used peanut butter instead and they turned out great. I’ll try them with pb too!
Lisa @ Simple Pairings says
What an awesome idea! These look so tender and light. Can’t wait to try these! :)
Tracy | Pale Yellow says
I haven’t had pancakes is so long! These look fantastic, I love how you turned an oatmeal cookie into something suitable for breakfast!
Hippy Mom says
Nice recipe, I love you used almond meal wonder how cashew/coconut flour would taste, Good Job, always lovin you two, I cannot have sugar currently but everyone else can so Im sure all end up making this…
Rebecca says
My boyfriend’s birthday is in two days so I found this recipe just in time. He loves oatmeal pancakes and this will be the perfect bday breakfast! Thanks so much for the recipe, and, as always, your pictures are incredible. xx
Hope these make your boyfriend’s birthday just a little more awesome. Cheers!
Izy says
YUM x10000 . Such a good recipe, love it.
Thanks Izy! Loved your take on it, too :D
Emily @ Life on Food says
I will always take a cookie for breakfast!!! Loving these pancakes. In fact on this rainy Sunday morning I know just how to start my day.
Claudia (@ Breakfast Drama Queen) says
This looks beyond amazing! I love your blog :)
Thank you, Claudia!
Paige says
These look awesome! I’ve made a recipe similar to this but these look even better. One thing I didn’t care for on the last ones I made was the banana (I don’t like the taste). Is there a substitute or can I omit? I was thinking puréed apples but might be too watery?
What about instead of applesauce you use grated apples, which would be less watery?
Julie @ Lovely Little Kitchen says
How did only just now find you? Loving every inch of this space! Can’t wait to see more :0)
Amy @ the anorexic chef says
These look absolutely incredible, I think I may be looking at my Sunday morning breakfast! The photographs are beautiful too!
cheyenne says
oh myyy, these look so good! thanks for sharing, definitely going to make them some time.
xo, cheyenne
Stephanie @ Girl Versus Dough says
These make me wish I could go back in time and re-do my breakfast. Looks like brinner’s on the menu tonight!
Tsui Chung says
Omg these look divine!! I’m currently addicted to pancakes!
Tammy says
The original recipe is when our family fell in love with you guys! So we are ready for 2.0! And we are heading into a perfect, rainy Spring Break to try them to sweeten the day!
Cara says
Just made these using peanut butter instead of almond butter! DEEElicious :)
Yay! You work fast! Glad you approve, Cara :D
Suzanne @RollWithIt says
Two words….mouth watering….Have a great weekend!
Jennifer says
I just said to my 7 year old – “Listen! Chocolate Chip. Oatmeal Cookie. PANCAKES!”
She says, “Pleasemakethem!?”
Tina says
I just made these exactly as written were pretty awesome considering I am not a pancake kinda person with the exception of my husbands I think he puts a lot of love in them cause I can’t make them taste and rise like his lol . Anyhow just my personal preference next time I would not put chocolate chips in these are sweet enough :) would also like to know why the almond butter ? I think I can remove this without breaking the recipe to try and keep calories down ?
Yes! You could leave it out. I just prefer the extra nuttiness it adds and am always looking for way to sneak in more healthy fats and protein :D Glad you liked these, Tina!
Kate @Almond Butter Binge says
I LOVE chocolate chip pancakes! And I especially love how decadent these look, while they’re filled with flax and banana and almond milk and oats. Can’t feel too guilty about them — especially if you run a few miles first :) I usually run at night, so this would totally give me an excuse to have breakfast for dinner.
Abbie @ Needs Salt says
These pancakes look incredible! I was just imagining oatmeal chocolate chip pancakes last night.. you like, read my mind. That is so insane/awesome. Chances are, I would totally be eating that batter from the bowl.
Pinning!
If I read your mind you MUST try these cakes! It’s a sign ;D Thanks, Abbie!
Maryea {happy healthy mama} says
Long live Saturday morning pancakes! I’m eating a stack as I read this. :) Your recipe looks fab.
AMEN
Averie @ Averie Cooks says
I remember the originals and wow, time flies! These are stunners and I’d love a big stack :) Pinned
Right? Time flies indeed. Thanks for the share, Averie!
Medeja says
Gorgeous thing for breakfast..
Lisa says
My mouth is watering!!
L x
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says
I love seeing old classics re-vamped. This recipe looks so good, and I’m so glad you decided to share instead of keeping it to yourself! xx
I couldn’t help it. Too good not to!
Helen @ Scrummy Lane says
Mmm … love all the almond-y goodness you added!
It’s a major improvement ;D
Christina @ but i'm hungry says
I have such happy memories of my mom making us chocolate chip pancakes… but these look even better! I absolutely love oatmeal in pancakes!
Yanic says
That looks so good! I’m gonna have to make these soon. :-)
Cara's Healthy Cravings says
I like your past tradition of running for the pancakes, something about working hard for them would make the pancakes all the more satisfying!
Made me enjoy them all the more!
Megan - The Emotional Baker says
Gorgeous pancakes! I can’t wait to give them a try!
Millie says
Aww those look amazing! Think I’ll be baking those tomorrow for a hungover Sunday brunch :-) great recipe! X
Haha, sounds like a perfect plan to me. Enjoy, Millie!
Carrigan Smith says
So I was wondering where to find non-dairy (vegan) chocolate chips?? I have looked at my local grocery store and my local trader joes and they are no where to be found! Possibly, AJ’s or Whole Foods?
Trader’s chocolate chips are dairy free! At least the ones at my store…
Katie Mendez says
I found the brand enjoy life chocolate chips in safeway