All you need is pancakes. Pancakes are all you need. ~ John Lennon
Pancakes. What comes to mind when you think of pancakes? For me, it’s a stack of soft circles of yumminess, with something thick and sweet dripping from the top all the way to the bottom most pancake. And when you cut into the stack, layers of fluffiness await you, with maybe bits of fruit or chocolate peeping out in between.
Well, that’s proof that anyone can get poetic about pancakes! In India, we’ve had our own version of pancakes, in the form of dosas, adais or uttappams. But of course, they’re different from what pancakes actually refer to, which is a more cake-y dish.
Basically, pancake batter is generally made with a combination of a flour, eggs, milk, sweetener and probably a raising agent. But this formula can be varied widely, giving you all kinds of pancake recipes, ranging from a simple American banana pancake to the quirky bacon-filled pancake dippers!
So why are we talking about pancakes today? Because when you’re a busy Mom with fussy eaters who demand variety for breakfast, lunch and dinner, pancakes can be your best friend! You can use any flour you have on hand, and any fruit or even vegetable for that matter. You can make it gluten-free, dairy-free, eggless, sugar-free or vegan. The possibilities are endless! And for this reason exactly, we think pancakes are an excellent option for babies too, particularly if you’ve opted for baby-led weaning. The soft nature of pancakes helps babies tear it apart by themselves and self-feed. And since you can use any kind of topping, it’s the best bet for your fussy toddler too!
So here are 50 of the best pancake recipes for babies and toddlers that we have picked for you. These include recipes for the gluten intolerant, the lactose intolerant, the vegan as well as for our little ones under one who can’t have salt, sugar, honey or cow’s milk. So let’s get pancake-ing!!
Important Note: Some of these recipes mention the use of baking powder or baking soda. These ingredients are generally not recommended for children, so please feel free to skip them, especially when cooking for babies under one. Fruit purees are good natural sweeteners. Most other ingredients can be replaced with more easily available/healthier versions:
- Maple Syrup/Agave – Dates Syrup, Jaggery Syrup, Honey (for children over one year)
- Sugar – Jaggery Powder, Coconut Sugar, dry dates powder
- Cow’s Milk – Coconut Milk, Almond Milk, Soy Milk
- Topping Syrups – Dates Syrup, Jaggery Syrup, Chocolate Syrup,
- Topping Spreads – Raisin Spread, Apricot Jam, Apple Jam
50 Pancake Recipes for Babies and Toddlers
20 Pancake Recipes for Babies
When making pancakes for babies, please avoid salt, sugar, honey and cow’s milk, as well as baking soda and baking powder. Make smaller pancakes so baby can break it up easily and there’s less wastage. As baby grows older, introduce bits of fruit in the batter so the texture is different. Start out with the simpler recipes with fewer ingredients, moving on to the more complex ones as baby grows.
1. Egg Yolk Ragi Pancakes
This is a great starter pancake recipe for babies, using only egg yolk and the popular baby-food, ragi. Ragi or finger millet is one of the most nutritious things you can feed your baby, considering the rich protein and calcium, so if your baby is familiar with ragi porridge, she’s ready for these pancakes.
2. Banana Blueberry Pancakes
Healthy Little Foodies uses buckwheat flour in this pancake recipe, but you can use whole wheat too if buckwheat is unavailable. This recipe is a great way to introduce blueberries which blends well with the banana’s natural sweetness to give a more rounded flavor.
3. Eggless Apple Whole Wheat Pancakes
Not ready to introduce eggs to your baby yet? No problem, just check out our eggless pancake recipe, made with wholegrain flour and apples. This is another good introductory pancake recipe for babies; just be sure that your little one has had apples before, without any problem.
4. Mini Banana Pancakes
This mini pancake recipe from Wholesome Baby Food is super easy, and don’t panic when you see the ingredient ‘pancake mix’! You can make your own pancake mix, or if you’re strapped for time, choose from one of these 100% natural pancake mixes so you can feed your baby without the worry of chemicals or preservatives.
5. Spinach Oat Pancakes
All Moms want their kids to grow up eating their greens, and these green pancakes should help! Spinach is the main ingredient here, along with tummy-filling and energy giving oats. Fussy eaters won’t even realize why their pancakes suddenly turned green!
6. Pumpkin Pancakes
Did your baby like the pumpkin puree you fed him? Then go ahead and make these lovely pumpkin pancakes from Healthy Food for Living! The pumpkin’s natural sweetness goes well with bananas and the eggs give it the lift it needs for some fluffy melt in the mouth pancakes.
7. Chickpea Veggie Pancakes
Protein is one of the most essential nutrients growing babies need, for physical development, immunity and many other important functions. Chickpeas are a good vegetarian source of protein, that is also packed with fiber. Let your baby get these health benefits with these chickpea veggie pancakes.
8. Oat Zucchini Blueberry Pancakes
You’ve seen pancakes with fruit and pancakes with veggies, but what about pancakes with both? That’s what Buona Pappa has done in this recipe that combines zucchini and blueberries for a nutrient and antioxidant-rich pancake recipe that also tastes yum!
9. 3 Ingredient Baby Weaning Pancakes
It doesn’t get any easier than these 3 ingredient pancakes from My Fussy Eater! Perfect for weaning babies, this recipe includes bananas, egg and oats. For older babies, take it up a notch by adding in bits of fruit and some extra flavors like vanilla.
10. Baby Cereal Pancakes
We’re big fans of recycling and reusing leftovers, especially making dishes with baby cereal. Wholesome Baby Food shows us how we can make pancakes out of leftover baby cereal, whether it’s rice cereal, oatmeal or barley cereal. Choose organic versions for a truly healthy and wholesome meal.
11. Cauliflower Pancakes
Cauliflower in pancakes – is that even possible? Super Healthy Kids shows us that it can be done! Just take any of the standard pancake recipes from this list and follow the instructions in the recipe to get beautifully creamy, soft pancakes that are packed with loads of fiber and nutrients.
12. Wheat-free Pumpkin Pancakes
Here’s another wheat free pancake recipe from My Kids Lick the Bowl that doesn’t compromise on taste. These pancakes are very ‘pumpkin pie’, with warming spices along with vanilla that are sure to catch your baby’s attention just by the wonderful aroma!
13. Green Smoothie Pancakes
A green smoothie isn’t just for your morning weight loss drink, it’s great for babies too! Check out this recipe from Healthy Little Foodies that’s chock full of antioxidants and is great for babies over 9 months. Go with coconut milk or any nut milk to make these, ensuring your baby doesn’t have any allergy.
14. Breast Milk Pancakes
If you’ve been reading the recipes above and wondering about the various milk alternatives, here’s a fact – what you seek is right within you!! No, we’re not being philosophical here, the alternative is literally in you; it’s your breast milk! You can easily cook with breast milk, just make sure you follow proper storage and usage, as done in Love and Duck Fat’s pancake recipe.
15. Lentil Spinach Pancakes
If you liked the spinach pancake recipe above but want a gluten free option without wheat, cereal or oats, here’s a great recipe from Healthy Little Foodies. It includes just lentils and spinach, and is a great way to introduce spices in baby food. If your baby is just starting out, go easy on the paprika and go with just cumin or turmeric.
16. Easy Applesauce Pancakes
Yummy Toddler Food has a recipe that can easily be adapted for babies of any age. Applesauce goes very well with cinnamon and vanilla, resulting in something that’s so yummy it’s almost dessert! Use homemade applesauce for best results.
17. Flourless Plantain Pancakes
Plantains or Kerala bananas and eggs give us these very basic, very clean pancakes from Living Loving Paleo that are packed with fiber and nutrients. These are an excellent weight gaining option for babies who are having trouble reaching their correct weight. Skip the task of prepping the bananas, by getting ready to use Kerala Banana Powder instead.
18. Peanut Butter Coconut Flour Pancakes
Pumpkin and Peanut Butter has an interesting recipe for older babies, who have no known allergies to nuts. Creamy peanut butter and coconut flour come together in this gluten free recipe, where you can replace the maple syrup with jaggery syrup or date syrup. Check the top of this list to get the individual recipes.
19. Carrot Cake Pancakes
Love carrot cake? Now your baby can enjoy it too, with this delicious recipe from Yummy Toddler Food! The carrots form a substantial part of the ingredients, but along with it are applesauce, yogurt and whole grain. And a dash of cinnamon and vanilla to bring out the ‘cake’ part in pancake!
20. Quinoa Banana Flourless Pancakes
Quinoa is generally considered a health food for adults or weight watchers, but many of us aren’t aware that it’s excellent for babies over 8 months. Baby Led Feeding has a quinoa pancake recipe that’s simple enough and can help with your baby’s digestion by adding bulk with it’s fiber content.
20 Pancake Recipes for Toddlers
Once your baby crosses his first birthday, he can eat pretty much everything the family is eating. Most foods are now within bounds, although it’s still best to stay away from excess salt and sugar and opt for spices and natural sweeteners instead. At this stage, it will be important to ensure variety and more nutrients in a single dish, to fill in any nutritional gaps brought on by fussy eating.
21. Multi Millet Pancakes
Worried about your toddler’s fussy eating? It’s true that toddlers’ picky eating can make them miss out on nutrients, but that’s where a recipe that includes multiple ingredients helps. With these multi millet pancakes, your toddler will never realize how many nutrients he’s getting in a single pancake!
22. Sooji Potato Pancakes
Sooji is a staple in most Indian households, probably because it’s easy to cook with. Yummy Tummy Aarthi has a simple sooji potato pancake recipe that’s easy to make and quite filling too. Served with some homemade chutney or tomato ketchup, it makes for a great lunchbox option.
23. Banana Oat Pancakes
Delight your little one at breakfast with these cute heart shaped banana oat pancakes! If you use ripe bananas, you’ll realize that you don’t miss the sugar at all – the bananas add all the sweetness you need!
24. Mini Pea Pancakes
It can be difficult for young children to handle something tiny like peas, and some just prefer rolling them around on their plate instead of eating them! However, peas are good for kids, and these mini pea pancakes from My Kids Lick the Bowl are the perfect way to get them in your child’s tummy.
25. Ragi Banana Pancakes
If you have a baby or toddler at home, it’s quite likely that you have some ragi flour lying around, so put it to good use with these ragi banana pancakes. Not only does the ragi give it an interesting color, even the texture feels more mealy and fun for kids to eat with their fingers.
26. Cinnamon Applesauce Pancakes
Apples and cinnamon always go well together, and this pancake recipe from Genius Kitchen is no exception. We’d recommend using powdered jaggery instead of sugar, and to opt for homemade applesauce flavored with cinnamon.
27. Whole Wheat Strawberry Banana Pancakes
This recipe is a must make whenever strawberries are in season – they’re that good! The sweetness of bananas goes well with the tartness of strawberries and will have the fussiest toddler smacking his lips after tasting them!
28. Yummy Yogurt Pancakes
Using yogurt instead of milk not only helps any intolerances, it also makes the pancakes softer. Happy Family has a yummy yogurt pancake recipe that you can make with homemade yogurt instead of store bought versions. Make it more interesting by trying out flavored yogurt recipes, mango yogurt or strawberry yogurt.
29. Maize Flour Pancakes
If you’re always on the lookout for different kinds of grains and cereals to include in your child’s diet, then you’ll enjoy these maize flour pancakes! They’re great for breakfast, the lunchbox or even a light dinner. Just serve with lots of fruit or veggies on the side for a perfectly balanced meal.
30. Choco Beetroot Pancakes
Beetroot adds an extra character to these pancakes from GK Food Diary, and the addition of cocoa goes very well with it. Don’t forget to drizzle jaggery syrup, date syrup, or my personal pick for this recipe – homemade chocolate syrup!
31. Savory Oats Veggie Pancakes
Sweet pancakes aren’t the only ones your child can eat – there are lots of savory options too! These savory oats veggie pancakes pack quite a punch with so many healthy ingredients, and are a good pick for older toddlers or school going kids.
32. Choco Ragi Pancakes
Here’s a 3 ingredient pancake recipe that you can customize by using eggs or milk. All you need is this choco ragi pancake mix and a sweetener of your choice, and your pancake batter is ready. Now who wants chocolate for breakfast?
33. Finger Millet Carrot Pancakes
Want to make a good thing better? Then add some carrots to your regular ragi pancakes for a breakfast that’s not short of a super-food. With so many Vitamins and minerals in one dish, you don’t have to worry about your child getting his daily quota of nutrients!
34. Sweet Potato Pancakes
Sweet potatoes are often considered nutritionally superior to plain potatoes, and the flavor is also different. Super Healthy Kids uses this vegetable in a pancake recipe, where the mashed sweet potato makes it nice and soft, while als increasing the fiber content, especially when topped with fruit.
35. Zucchini Cheese Pancakes
These zucchini pancakes from Buona Pappa are a nice break from all the sweet pancake recipes, and are sure to be a hit with kids – thanks to the cheese! It’s a great way to sneak in some veggies for fussy toddlers who are surviving on a diet of cheese and macaroni and refuse all vegetables outright.
36. Kerala Banana Oats Pancakes
Kerala banana powder is a popular weaning food, especially in South India, but that doesn’t mean your toddler can’t have it too! You can now have it in pancake format, by mixing this banana oats pancake mix with eggs or milk to make a batter. You can also try mixing both for a fluffier result!
37. Instant Dates and Nuts Pancake
Sometimes the simplest things can solve big problems, and this pancake recipe is a good example! Our dates smoothie mix contains an assortment of nuts along with dry dates, making it a great way to elevate your regular pancakes. All you need to do is mix this dates smoothie mix with an equal quantity of flour and enough milk to make a batter. You can also add in a ripe mashed banana to make it softer and sweeter.
38. Carrot Buttermilk Pancakes
If you love carrot cake and feel guilty for not being able to share it with your little one, say goodbye to the guilt! Food Hero brings us these carrot buttermilk pancakes that are healthy and delicious. Skip the sugar completely, and you can add in a tbsp of a puree of a vegetable, like pumpkin or sweet potato for more sweetness, fiber, color and flavor.
39. Ripe Plantain Protein Pancakes
If you get your hands on some ripe Kerala bananas or plantains, be sure to try out this easy but super healthy pancake recipe from Everyday Maven. It’s the ideal food for breakfast, since it’s got lots of calories and fiber to ensure satiety and the eggs offer all the necessary protein for a busy day ahead.
40. Red Velvet Pancakes
Yes, we’re not kidding; red velvet pancakes! Baby Led Feeding has a completely natural recipe for red velvet pancakes, using beetroot for color and natural flavoring from cocoa and vanilla. The frosting here is literally icing on the cake, made from fresh fruit and coconut milk – a guilt-free treat!
10 Creative Pancake Ideas for Kids
As kids grow, they tend to get bored seeing the same dishes over and over again, and it’s up to us parents to start getting creative! Pancakes aren’t just easy to make, they’re also easy to make art with! Don’t lose out on the health benefits; use healthy ingredients, like fruits, veggies, cheese and homemade syrups. An edible marker is helpful to make fine designs or write, but you can also manage with an icing bag filled with syrup. These creative pancake ideas are great for kids’ birthday breakfasts, festive occasions or parties.
41. Bunny Pancake
This cute little bunny pancake from Betty Crocker uses completely healthy ingredients like cheese, fruit and yogurt. So what you get is a dish that’s full of calcium and other nutrients! Perfect idea for Easter, along side some boiled eggs.
42. Teddy Bear Pancake
Bento Monsters has two versions of a teddy bear pancake, and this is the easy one. You just need pancakes of different sizes to get the basic shape and the rest is just a piece of cake with no assembly required.
43. Pirate Pancake
Fruits and other kid-friendly elements come together in this realistic looking pirate pancake from World of Moms. You can use a brown bread circle instead of the cookie if you like. Don’t worry about perfection – he is a pirate after all!
44. Sunflower Pancake
Can you believe that you need just two ingredients to decorate a plain pancake to turn it into a sunflower? Yes, Accidental Hipster Mum shows us how it can be done. Let older kids can help cut the banana into strips with a safety knife.
45. Sunshine Pancakes
These sunshine pancakes are sure to brighten up the dullest morning! No one can resist smiling at the sight of this pancake decorated with fresh fruit – yes that’s all you need! Check out the detailed instructions from My Mommy Style.
46. Mini Emoji Pancakes
It’s the emoji generation and they’re everywhere – even on your plate! Hello, Wonderful has cute love emoji pancakes, made with heart sprinkles and edible marker. You can use chocolate syrup and tiny strawberry bits instead. Don’t forget to experiment with other emojis too!
47. Easy Alphabet Pancakes
These pancakes from Betty Crocker look really impressive; can you guess what the secret is? It’s a squeeze bottle! Choose one with a wide nozzle to get larger pancakes that hold their shape. Perfect idea for your child’s birthday- you can spell out her name and arrange it on a plate or tray and wait for that look when she sees it!
48. Unicorn Pancakes
Look at these pancakes from Crate and Barrel – every single pancake in this stack has been colored with a natural food dye – unbelievable but true! Spinach, turmeric, red cabbage give the pancakes their beautiful pastel colors. These would be perfect for a princess or unicorn theme party!
49. Friendly Lion Pancake
This lion is far from scary, he’s got such a friendly face! Fresh fruit and edible markers are all you need to bring the king of the jungle to your breakfast table. Get all the instructions over at Parents.com.
50. Butterfly Breakfast
Have you ever had a breakfast plate that looked just too good to eat? Well this butterfly theme breakfast from Spot of Tea Designs is exactly like that! Make several mini pancakes and then assemble to make the caterpillar. Goes great with The Hungry Caterpillar book by Eric Carle.
Most of these pancakes can be prepared and frozen for later – but it may not work with ingredients like baking soda or breast milk. First cool the pancakes completely, and store in a freezer-safe container or bag in the freezer. Reheat by toasting in a pan or griddle on low heat. Microwaving frozen pancakes can change the texture. Don’t freeze for more than a month. With so many pancake recipes for babies and toddlers to choose from, I’m sure you’re all set for a month full of fun family breakfasts!!
Thanks for sharing
All the amazing recipes
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Very helpful and healthy pancake collection. ! Thanks
Welcome 🙂