Easy Chocolate Pancakes with banana
My son was never a fan of chocolate until he started kindergarten and saw all his friends loving it. He came home one day declaring his love for chocolate, and I welcomed him into the chocoholic club with open arms (p.s. chocolate is my love language). Ever since then, I’ve been coming up with all kinds of ways to make the chocolate experience fun, delicious, and nutritious (I can’t help myself! I am a pediatric dietitian hehe). Healthy banana brownies, chocolate banana milkshake, chocolate avocado pudding, Chocolate zucchini muffins, and now these scrumptious pancakes!! Made with simple ingredients like oats, unsweetened cocoa powder, and banana, you can enjoy these with your family for breakfast or any time of the day! Oh and I even managed to add in some spinach :). You can’t taste it and it’s a wonderful way to get some extra greens into your child’s diet. I told you I am embracing this chocolate loving phase! And here’s a master list of healthy chocolate snacks all in one place.
Ingredients
I am highlighting just the ones that need further explanation. The complete list is in the recipe card below.
Rolled oats – You can also use quick cooking. Oat flour will work too, but I recommend making it at home. It’s SUPER easy to do and less expensive. Milk – I like to use whole milk but you can use 2% milk or any dairy-free alternative, like almond milk or oat milk. Banana – the riper it is, the sweeter the pancakes will be. Not only will it provide natural sweetness but will also add moisture to the pancakes. Eggs – I highly recommend using room temperature eggs as you’ll end up with fluffier pancakes.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Substitutions
Dairy-free? you can use plant-based milk of choice Egg-free? Add 1 tablespoon of ground flax seeds and 1/4 cup additional milk An alternative to oat flour? You can use all purpose flour or 1 cup all purpose flour and 1 cup whole wheat flour. All-purpose gluten-free flour will work too.
Tips for Success
For best results, be sure to grind the oats first before adding the rest of the ingredients to the blender. This is to ensure a smooth batter without over blending. Alternatively, you can add all the wet ingredients to the blender first, add the oats last, and then blend. For sweeter pancakes, add more maple syrup to the batter or some chocolate chips After blending, let the batter rest for 2-3 minutes. This will allow for the oats to absorb some of the liquid, making it easier to scoop/pour into pan. If you find that the batter is too thick, add additional milk (a little bit at a time) to thin it out.
Serving Suggestions
Enjoy these fluffy chocolate pancakes with:
Fresh berries, banana slices, or any favorite fruit A drizzle of Maple syrup or date syrup if looking for a no added sugar alternative A dollop of Greek yogurt Healthy cream cheese frosting A spread of creamy peanut butter, almond butter, or any nut or seed butter of choice). No added sugar strawberry jam Unsweetened applesauce
Note: I would hold off on serving these chocolate pancakes or any recipes with cocoa powder until 2 years of age, although small tastes are ok. Even though unsweetened cocoa powder doesn’t contain added sugar, it does contain caffeine, to which babies are more sensitive.
Equipment
I didn’t think I needed an electric griddle until the husband gifted me one for Christmas. And I am in love!! It has cut down the time I spend making pancakes by half, if not more! I love that it holds a consistent temperature (so less chance of burning the pancakes) and is super easy to clean. I’ve also been using it to make eggs, quesadillas, grilled cheese, tofu…I mean, why did I wait so long to get one?! And if you’ve seen some of my recipes, you have met my number one kitchen workhorse – this high-powered blender! It’s crazy to think that I’ve had it for 7+ years and it’s still going strong. I use it to make all my blender muffins, dips/sauces, smoothies, veggie nuggets, soups, cookies and so much more
Storage
Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer. Here’s how to freeze pancakes as well as reheat them so they taste just as good as the day you made them.
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