Healthy Buttermilk Pancakes are the perfect nutritious breakfast. This healthy pancake recipe uses whole wheat flour, no added fat, and the pancakes are sweetened only with mashed bananas!
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For most of my childhood, I grew up eating homemade pancakes for breakfast on the weekends, and we enjoyed them all summer long at the lake with my family. It wasn’t until I had buttermilk pancakes in a restaurant as an adult that I realized just how prized my mom’s buttermilk pancake recipe is!!
Homemade buttermilk pancakes are so light and fluffy and they’re the perfect breakfast comfort food.

How to make a healthy pancake recipe
When it comes to breakfast foods, I’m all about taking the healthy route while still enjoying our favourite classic recipes. My kids love pancakes, so finding a way to make my mom’s traditional buttermilk pancake recipe a little healthier was a must!
Many buttermilk pancake recipes are high in fat and some are even high in sugar, but I’ve removed the fat and sugar, replacing it with mashed bananas to make it healthier for the whole family!

Of course, if you plan to douse the healthy buttermilk pancakes in maple syrup it kind of defeats the purpose, but I serve these to my kids on weekend mornings with some chopped fruit thrown into the batter. Apples, bananas, pears, strawberries, or blueberries all work well. Just a mountain of blueberries piled on top of the healthy buttermilk pancakes is delicious… no syrup required!
But if you just can’t bear the thought of pancakes without maple syrup, at least use the real stuff!

It’s always nice to come together as a family over a pancake breakfast, especially when it’s one you know is healthier for your family.
This healthy pancake recipe makes a big batch, which is perfect for enjoying with a crowd.
Our favourite thing to do is freeze any leftover healthy buttermilk pancakes individually, then bring them out on weekday mornings and pop them in the toaster for a quick and easy breakfast!
Healthy Buttermilk Pancakes (makes 12-16 pancakes)
The recipe my mom originally used is from the 1964 edition of The Joy of Cooking, but their recent editions have changed the recipe from the original. This is my healthy take on it.
Ingredients in Healthy Buttermilk Pancakes
- 2 bananas (very well mashed)
- 3 cups low-fat buttermilk
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups whole wheat flour (I’ve also had success using whole wheat flour and oat flour, 1 1/2 cups each),
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
Your favourite cooking spray
To make:
Measure out the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a large bowl.
In a separate bowl, mash the bananas very well (it’s ok if they go a little bit liquidy…you don’t want any large chunks). Add the eggs and the vanilla and beat with a fork until they’re combined well.
Measure the buttermilk into a separate liquid measuring cup and pour the buttermilk and the egg mixture into the flour mixture.

Stir everything together carefully, making sure you don’t over mix, until everything is combined.
Heat a large non-stick skillet or griddle over medium heat.
Let the batter sit in the bowl for about 5-6 minutes before you start frying. This will allow the leavening agents (the baking powder and baking soda) time to begin their work and you’ll start to see the batter start to rise slightly as air bubbles develop below the surface.
Once the oil has heated for a few seconds, turn the heat down to medium-low heat and carefully ladle about 1/3 cup of batter into the pan for each pancake, trying to disturb the batter as little as possible. This will help the air bubbles stay intact as the pancake cooks and create a light and fluffy texture. This is especially important when using whole wheat flour because the wheat particles in the flour actually interfere with gluten development, making baked goods made with whole wheat flour denser and generally less fluffy than their all-purpose flour counterparts.
Once you see the edges beginning to brown slightly and a few bubbles breaking the surface of the batter, flip the pancakes over. You can check the underside by lifting up the edge of one of the pancakes using a spatula; if the underside is brown, it’s time to flip!
Repeat this process until all your batter is gone. The number of pancakes you make will vary based on the size you choose and the pan you’re using, but this recipe feeds our family of four with several pancakes left over for the next day (usually around a total of 12-16 pancakes).
Serve the pancakes hot off the griddle with some fresh berries and maple syrup!
Note: These healthy buttermilk pancakes won’t be perfectly round. Because the batter is so thick it’s almost impossible to achieve anything but a ‘rustic’ look unless you use a pancake ring. But they brown so beautifully over a low heat and they’re so nice and fluffy, we’ll forgive them, won’t we?
Look at how nice and thick the healthy buttermilk pancakes are! These pancakes have such a beautiful texture.
Don’t let the bananas scare you off if you’re not a big fan; you can hardly taste them and they do a great job of adding moisture and a just touch of sweetness!
I hope you enjoy this healthy pancake recipe!
Let me know in the comments below, what’s your favourite way to enjoy pancakes?
Like this breakfast recipe? You’ll love my Waffle Iron Hash Brown Breakfast Potatoes or this Strawberry Kiwi Smoothie Bowl!
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Healthy Buttermilk Pancakes (healthy pancake recipe)
Ingredients
- 2 bananas very well mashed
- 3 cups low-fat buttermilk
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups whole wheat flour I've also had success using whole wheat flour and oat flour, 1 1/2 cups each,
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Your favourite cooking spray
Instructions
- Measure out the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a large bowl.
- In a separate bowl, mash the bananas very well (it's ok if they go a little bit liquidy...you don't want any large chunks). Add the eggs and the vanilla and beat with a fork until they're combined well.
- Measure the buttermilk into a separate liquid measuring cup and pour the buttermilk and the egg mixture into the flour mixture.
- Stir everything together carefully, making sure you don't over mix, until everything is combined.
- Heat a large non-stick skillet or griddle over medium heat.
- Let the batter sit in the bowl for about 5-6 minutes before you start frying. This will allow the leavening agents (the baking powder and baking soda) time to begin their work and you'll start to see the batter start to rise slightly as air bubbles develop below the surface.
- Once the oil has heated for a few seconds, turn the heat down to medium-low heat and carefully ladle about 1/3 cup of batter into the pan for each pancake, trying to disturb the batter as little as possible. This will help the air bubbles stay intact as the pancake cooks and create a light and fluffy texture. This is especially important when using whole wheat flour because the wheat particles in the flour actually interfere with gluten development, making baked goods made with whole wheat flour denser and generally less fluffy than their all-purpose flour counterparts.
- Once you see the edges beginning to brown slightly and a few bubbles breaking the surface of the batter, flip the pancakes over. You can check the underside by lifting up the edge of one of the pancakes using a spatula; if the underside is brown, it's time to flip!
- Repeat this process until all your batter is gone. The number of pancakes you make will vary based on the size you choose and the pan you're using, but this recipe feeds our family of four with several pancakes left over for the next day (usually around a total of 12-16 pancakes).
- Serve the pancakes hot off the griddle with some fresh berries and maple syrup!
Elaine Hodges says
I Love pancakes! Thanks for adding this recipe to the Healthy Living Link Party. We appreciate it!
The Busy Baker says
Glad you like this recipe! 🙂
Heather Kinnaird says
our weekend always include pancakes, and these sound delicious! I love adding banana to our bater
The Busy Baker says
They are delicious indeed! Thanks for the comment! 🙂
Paige Young says
Have you tried these with white whole wheat flour? Just curious if that will mess up the recipe? Thanks
Chrissie says
Yes I have! It works perfectly well 🙂
Paige Young says
Thanks so much. I’m making them now 🙂
Mindy says
Delicious!!
Chrissie says
Glad you liked them!! 🙂
Jenn says
These are so good! My families favorite healthy pancakes.
The Busy Baker says
Thank you Jenn! This is my go-to pancake recipe also!🙂
Pauline says
These are some of the BEST pancakes I’ve had. Delicious! Very soft and fluffy and taste great. I was worried the banana flavor would overpower but it didn’t. My kids raved about them and they actually look pretty perfect, like any other batter I’ve made. Enjoy!
Chrissie says
I’m so glad you love them as much as we do!
Jenifer Caroline Johnson says
Is the calories mentioned here for 1 pancake ?
The Busy Baker says
Hi Jenifer, yes it is, one pancake has 161 calories!
Sara says
The best pancakes; my kids and hubby love them!
The Busy Baker says
Great!! Thanks so much Sara!