March 19, 2025

Dairy-Free Oatmeal Pancakes

Thick and filling, these hearty dairy-free oatmeal pancakes are a delicious way to start the day. Made with old-fashioned oats and a homemade non-dairy buttermilk, these pancakes can also be made in advance for a mouth-watering breakfast everyone will enjoy!

2025 Update: This recipe was originally shared in June 2019. This post has been updated to include new photos, detailed directions, and additional dairy-free tips. I hope you enjoy this dairy-free oatmeal pancake recipe.

Breakfast is hands down my favorite meal to make. Pancakes, grits, biscuits, omelets, tacos in a fresh tortilla. Oh my! There is nothing that brings me more joy than quietly waking up before anyone else and putting together a meal that will bring everyone to the table to start their day. Luckily, I found someone who shares my undying love for the first meal of the day.

I first started making these pancakes right after Jason and I got married and found the recipe from the Newlywed Cookbook. The original recipe comes loaded with dairy in the form of milk, yogurt, and butter. With a few of my favorite dairy-free swaps, these pancakes are the perfect addition to your morning routine.

A white plate with three oatmeal pancakes in front of a bowl of strawberries, a jug of syrup, and a plate with a pile of pancakes.

Why We Love Dairy-Free Oatmeal Pancakes

Every member of my family can attest to these being the most requested pancake in the house. Some of the main reasons we love making these oatmeal pancakes include:

Hearty and filling. The ingredients from the banana to the oatmeal to the eggs makes these pancakes nutrient dense and filling.
Versatile. The batter for these pancakes makes it easy to throw in extras like chocolate chips, blueberries, strawberries and more.
Excellent for prepping in advance. We have made the batter the night before as well as reheated the leftover pancakes for a quicker morning meal.

A white plate with oatmeal pancakes topped with sliced strawberries in front of a small bowl of sliced strawberries with a white plate of pancakes in the back.

Dairy-Free Swaps in Oatmeal Pancakes

With just two dairy-free swaps, this easy to make pancake recipe is a deliciously dairy-free treat!

Banana– In place of butter (used in the original recipe) I swap in a mashed banana.
Non-dairy buttermilk- For fluffy pancakes, buttermilk is a MUST. To make a non-dairy buttermilk, mix together non-dairy milk with apple cider vinegar. Allow the mixture to sit for about 5 to 10 minutes before using.

How to Make Dairy-Free Oatmeal Pancakes

Ingredients You’ll Need

With many pantry-staple ingredients, these fluffy oatmeal pancakes are an easy recipe you can whip up anytime you’re craving a fresh stack of pancakes.

Flour + Oats– Provide the structure for these filling pancakes.
Sugar– Sweetens the pancake batter without making them too sweet.
Baking Powder, Baking Soda, Salt
Non-dairy milk– You can use any non-dairy milk. I’ve made them with both almond milk and oat milk and found they both worked splendidly.
Apple cider vinegar– Mixed with non-diary milk to create a “buttermilk” which tenderizes the batter for the fluffiest stack of pancakes.
Banana– A little extra sweetness and replaces the butter.
Eggs– Binds the batter together.
Vanilla– Gives the batter a little extra flavor.

Ingredients for dairy-free oatmeal pancakes on a white counter with a pink towel to the left.

Step-By-Step Directions for Oatmeal Pancakes

Make non-dairy buttermilk: In a liquid measuring cup, mix non-dairy milk with apple cider vinegar. Allow the mixture to rest at least 5 minutes.
Mix dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl stir together flour, oats, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

A liquid measuring cup with dairy-free buttermilk on a white counter with a pink towel to the left.

A glass mixing bowl with dry ingredients before mixing together on a white counter with a pink towel to the left.

A glass mixing bowl with a silver whisk and the mixed dry ingredients in the bowl on a white counter with a pink towel to the left.

Mix wet ingredients: In a medium-sized mixing bowl mash 1 banana. Stir in the non-dairy buttermilk mixture, vanilla, and eggs.
Mix wet with dry: Pour the wet ingredients from the medium bowl into the dry ingredients in the large bowl and mix until combined.

A large liquid measuring cup with wet ingredients before mixing on a white counter with a pink towel to the left.

A large liquid measuring cup with mixed together liquid ingredients with a silver whisk on a white counter with a pink towel to the left.

Scoop and cook: In a large skillet over medium heat, scoop out 1/4 cup of the pancake batter and cook until bubbles begin to form on the top and the bottom is golden brown.
Flip the pancake and cook on the other side until cooked to golden brown as well.
Place the finished pancakes on a plate or baking sheet and keep warm until you are ready to serve.

A non-stick skillet with three dairy-free oatmeal pancakes while they are being cooked.

A non-stick skillet with three dairy-free oatmeal pancakes after being cooked on a white counter with a pink towel to the left.

Helpful Kitchen Tools

When you are ready to make a batch of these delicious dairy-free oatmeal pancakes, here are some kitchen tools you might find helpful along the way.

Mixing bowls– These glass mixing bowls are perfect for mixing up thick and hearty pancakes.
Large liquid measuring cup– Used for making non-dairy buttermilk as well as mixing together wet ingredients for the pancake batter.
Non-stick skillet– Coated in melted butter, this skillet helps make easy to flip pancakes, time and time again.

A top down image of a white plate with a stack of oatmeal pancakes topped with sliced strawberries with a small white bowl of strawberries in the top right.

What to Serve with Dairy-Free Oatmeal Pancakes

Here are a few different ways you can dress up these pancakes when you serve them up.

Slather with some plant-based butter and drizzle with syrup.
Mix chocolate chips, blueberries, or sliced bananas into the batter before cooking to add a fun flavor!
Top with fresh fruit and a dairy-free whipped topping like Tru Whip.

Make Your Pancakes Ahead of Time

If you are looking to get a few extra minutes of sleep in the morning or just want to be ready to pop these pancakes onto the skillet first thing here are some tips for making these ahead of time.

Prep the pancake batter as described in the directions.
After you mix the wet with dry ingredients and are ready to bake, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
In the morning, scoop and bake in a heated skillet and serve up your pancakes for a delicious morning treat.

A top down image of a white plate with oatmeal pancakes topped with strawberries and syrup with a wedge cut out with a gold fork.

Delicious Dairy-Free Pancake Recipes to Make Next

Craving more delicious and dairy-free pancake recipes? Here are some of my favorites!

If you tried this dairy-free oatmeal pancakes recipe please let me know in the comments below!

You can also share a picture of it with me on Instagram by tagging @mylifeafterdairy so I can see all of your life after dairy adventures!

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