Long-Fermented Banana Oatmeal Pancakes

Start your morning with these Long-Fermented Banana Oatmeal Pancakes—a wholesome breakfast that's soft, fluffy, and naturally sweet. Made with ripe bananas, hearty oats, and fermented overnight, these pancakes are full of flavor and easy to prepare ahead of time.

The overnight fermentation does most of the work while you sleep, making busy mornings simple and stress-free. Whether you're serving your family or meal prepping breakfast for the week, these nourishing banana oatmeal pancakes are a recipe you'll come back to again and again.

❤️ Why You’ll Love Banana Oatmeal Pancakes

There are SO many reasons why you’ll love these pancakes, but the reason I am most fond of is that I prep 80% of this recipe the night before. The batter rests on the counter, or in the fridge overnight making the grains not only easier to digest, but the morning goes smoother because we already have breakfast decided and ready to go. Also, the combination of oats, bananas and cinnamon make these pancakes warm, cozy and so delicious.

🍲 Ingredients

Sourdough Discard – This is just inactive sourdough starter that hasn’t been fed. It is equal parts flour and water that has already risen and fallen and now can be added to a multitude of recipes.

Bananas – Just like banana bread, using ripe bananas enhances the flavor.

Oats – I use “Farmer Knows Best” rolled oats, I get the big bag from Costco and it’s the only oats I use. They’re so good!

Milk – I prefer whole milk, but you can use any milk you like.

👩🍳 How to Make Banana Oatmeal Pancakes

The night before – in a large mixing bowl, mash your bananas and add the sourdough discard, milk, flour, and oats. Whisk until all combined and cover your bowl with a plate or bowl cover. Leave on the counter overnight or let it rest in the fridge.

The next morning, whisk in the eggs, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and sugar. Mix it until everything is well combined.

In a hot cast iron pan (it’s very important that this is a hot pan, because it helps the pancakes not to stick) melt 1 TBS of butter. Pour 1/4 cup of batter into the pan and let it cook for 5 minutes, when the batter starts to bubble, flip the pancake over and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.

Transfer to a clean plate, enjoy with butter and maple syrup 🙂

🪄 Tips and Tricks

• Prepping this batter the night before not only helps with morning chaos, but it breaks down the grains so it’s easier to digest.
• Make sure your cast iron pan is properly seasoned and hot. I like to preheat my cast iron pan over low heat for 10 – 15 minutes in the morning while I’m prepping the rest of the batter and making my morning coffee.

🗒 Variations

These can easily be made into regular oatmeal pancakes by taking out the bananas entirely. You still get all the benefits of a long fermentation but with your own flavors added! Here are a few recipe variations that I think you’ll love:

• Fermented Apple Oatmeal Pancakes – Acts Of Sourdough
• Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Pancakes – Acts Of Sourdough
• Cinnamon Roll Sheet Pan Pancakes – Acts Of Sourdough

🗒 Substitutions

If you want these pancakes right away, you can certainly skip the long fermentation and let the batter sit in the morning for an hour or two instead.

Applesauce: Use 1/4 cup of unsweetened applesauce to replace 1 ripe banana. It adds moisture and sweetness.

Yogurt: Use 1/4 cup of plain or flavored yogurt to add moisture and richness.

Other Flours: Use whole wheat flour, almond flour, or coconut flour—note that coconut flour is very absorbent, so use less and adjust liquids accordingly.

🗒 Best Served With

• Hot cup of coffee
• Fresh fruit + Maple syrup.

👝 How to Store Leftovers

This recipe makes quite a few pancakes, so you can easily freeze half for another day. Let the pancakes cool completely, lay them flat in a Ziplock bag and place them in the freezer, when you are ready to make them just pop them into the toaster or preheat your oven to 350 degrees until they are heated through.

🤔 Common Questions