Healthy Pancakes
These healthy pancakes are quick to make using simple, wholesome ingredients. They are deliciously fluffy and perfect for a weekend breakfast!
If you love pancakes as much as I do, you might also enjoy my Oatmeal Pancakes, Blueberry Pancakes and Banana Pancakes!
The Best Healthy Pancakes
I originally shared this recipe over 7 years ago and I’ve been making these healthy pancakes for my family ever since! These pancakes are one of our very favorite breakfast recipes. They have become a reader favorite with many glowing reviews, too!
Wow this recipe is amazing. The fluffed up so beautifully and have a great flavor!!!! Such an awesome more nutritious pancake recipe.
Jess
Every weekend we make a big breakfast, and we alternate between these healthy pancakes, my Buttermilk Pancakes and our favorite light and crispy Waffle Recipe. While I’ve shared numerous breakfast recipes on Kristine’s Kitchen over the years, these are the ones I make most often for my family.
These healthy pancakes have the perfect fluffy texture and crave-worthy flavor. They are especially delicious served with a drizzle of maple syrup and some fresh fruit.
I have tested this recipe many, many times, with all sorts of adaptations. In the end, the simplest recipe is the one my family likes best.
These healthy pancakes don’t require any fancy ingredients, and you can mix up the batter in just five minutes. My daughter has been making these pancakes for our family since she was 9 years old – the recipe is that easy!
Healthy Pancakes Ingredients & Substitutions
Here’s what you’ll need to make these healthy pancakes. The full recipe with ingredient amounts is below.
- Whole Wheat Flour: These healthy pancakes are made with whole wheat flour, which has more fiber than all-purpose flour to keep you full. I use white whole wheat flour because we prefer the lighter texture compared to regular whole wheat flour. White whole wheat is made from a different kind of wheat berry and has a lighter color and a more mild, sweeter flavor than regular whole wheat. You can substitute all-purpose flour if that’s what you have on hand.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda: To make the pancakes rise and fluff up as they cook.
- Salt: Enhances the pancakes’ flavor.
- Eggs: Help to bind the ingredients together and add flavor and richness to the batter.
- Butter: I tested this recipe with varying amounts of melted butter. I found that you can get away with just 2 tablespoons of butter in the whole batch and still have great-tasting pancakes.
- Unsweetened Applesauce: Adding applesauce to the batter allows us to use less butter and sugar in these whole wheat pancakes.
- Milk: I usually use whole milk, but you can also use 2%, skim, or non-dairy milk.
- Honey or Pure Maple Syrup: Adds a bit of sweetness.
- Vanilla: Adds flavor.
What Can I Use Instead of Applesauce?
The applesauce is important in this recipe. It helps to flavor and sweeten the pancakes, and gives them the best texture. I’ve tried substituting Greek yogurt for the applesauce and the pancakes did not taste as good. If you don’t have applesauce on hand, mashed banana works great as a substitute.
How to Make Healthy Pancakes
- Whisk together the dry ingredients: white whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- In another bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients: eggs, applesauce, milk, honey and vanilla.
- Whisk the melted butter into the wet ingredients.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients and mix until just combined. The batter may be a little lumpy.
- Cook the pancakes on a hot griddle or skillet. You’ll know the pancakes are ready to flip to cook on the second side when bubbles start to form and pop on the top and the bottom side is lightly golden brown.
How to Freeze and Reheat
Pancakes freeze and reheat wonderfully for quick meals later on. To freeze pancakes, first let them cool completely on a wire rack. Once cool, wrap them airtight in a zip-top bag or other container. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Thaw pancakes on the counter or in the microwave on low power. Reheat in the microwave until warm.
Recipe Tips
- The pancake batter will be thick. Resist adding extra milk, as that will create thinner pancakes. For light and fluffy pancakes, you need a thick batter.
- Don’t over-mix the pancake batter when you combine the wet and dry ingredients, or your pancakes may turn out flat or dense instead of light and fluffy.
- You can add 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon to the batter for extra flavor.
- My trick to deciding when pancakes are cooked through on the second side (besides a golden color) is to lift them up with a spatula and feel how heavy they are. The pancakes feel lighter when they are cooked through.
- You can even cook this batter as waffles! I’ve done it, as have many readers, with great results.
Healthy Pancakes
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 cups white whole wheat flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 ¼ cups milk, whole milk is best in this recipe
- 2 tablespoons honey, or pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Melt the butter and set it aside to cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the white whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- In a medium bowl, combine the eggs, applesauce, milk, honey and vanilla. Whisk until smooth. Whisk in the melted butter.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk until just incorporated. It's ok if a few lumps remain; try not to over-mix. The batter will be thick, but avoid adding more milk or your pancakes may turn out flat rather than light and fluffy.
- Heat a griddle or skillet over medium heat. Spray lightly with cooking spray. Scoop batter by scant ¼ cup onto the heated griddle. Cook on the first side until bubbles begin to form and the bottom side of the pancakes are lightly brown, about 2-3 minutes. Flip pancakes and cook until the second side is browned, about 2 minutes more. Serve immediately or keep warm in a 200 degree oven while you cook the rest of the pancakes.
Notes
- I recommend using white whole wheat flour in these pancakes. White whole wheat is made from a different kind of wheat berry and has a lighter color and a more mild flavor than regular whole wheat.
- You can add 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon to the dry ingredients for extra flavor.
- Pancakes keep well in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let cool completely and then freeze in a zip-top plastic bag or other airtight container.
Kristine,
Would you also be able to use Whole Wheat Pastry Flour or Sprouted Wheat Flour?
Thanks,
Mary
Hi Mary, I think either of those would work. Let me know how they turn out! 🙂
Kristine,
Made them this morning with the whole wheat pastry flour and they turned out nice a fluffly! Thanks for the great healthy recipe!
Mary
I’m so glad you liked them, Mary! We make these pretty much every week. 🙂
These are my favorite pancakes! Only change was I made them with spelt flour and stevia instead of honey and they turned out perfect. Thank you for the great recipe!! 🙂
I’m so glad you like these as much as we do, Anna!
Wow! Those are amazing! I used spelt flour and strawberry applesauce and my 18 month old twins devoured them! 🙂
I’m so glad! I bet they were so good with the strawberry applesauce!
These were the best! Felt like a real splurge!! I stuck with unsweetened almond milk & whole wheat pastry flour as that is what I had. Amazing and fluffy!!
Best ever pancakes!
Would this work with gluten free flour?
I think this recipe would work with a 1:1 gluten free flour but haven’t tested it.
I’m an avid breakfast maker! These are great! Do you have the nutritional information for this recipe? (Calories, etc)
Thanks much for sharing this recipe!
I just updated the recipe to add nutrition information. I’m glad you like these! We make them every week. 🙂
So good. I didn’t read the comments until I made them and I used unsweetened almond milk too. my kids hate that I’m on a health kick and they loved them.
Also, didn’t have unsweetened applesauce but had strawberry applesauce. Crazy good. Thank you!!
We love this recipe and have made it several times! We are going camping this weekend and I’m wondering if I can mix the wet together now in a jar and the dry in a ziplock- would this be ok? Thank you!!!
Hi Anna, you can mix the dry ingredients together ahead of time but I would be hesitant to mix the wet ahead. I’m so happy to hear you enjoy this recipe!
My new go to pancake recipe! My girls request pancakes often and I love that these are healthier. I actually discoveredthis recipe earlier this year when my husband and I did a sugar fast. Then I made a double batch at the mountains with family. Everyone loves them. I usually use 1 cup of white flour and 1 cup of whole wheat.
I’m looking forward to making these pancakes for our go to breakfast during school. Do you have syrup that you prefer besides Aunt Jemima? We really try to decrease out sugar intake in our household, but we’ve never been able to get away from Jemima syrup.
Thanks!
I always use pure maple syrup. It is more expensive, but I buy the large container at Costco (they also have it at Trader Joe’s and most grocery stores). Since it’s pure maple syrup, I would say it’s more wholesome than imitation syrups. It’s still high in sugar, so I think the key is to just limit the amount. 😉
Would this work with oat flour?
I haven’t tested this recipe with oat flour so I’m not sure.
Though a different recipe still loved it . But did little changes like no apple sauce so added 1/4 cup milk along with another egg , no honey so added molasses to it , no apple sauce so 1tablespoon more mollasses with 1 tablespoon more butter but molasses added more to the flavour yummy it tasted different cake like my family didnot it was healthy they thought I made Some gourmet version of pancakes
This looks great! Going to try this one for sure:)
Very good! And to think I never make pancakes since I never have buttermilk. THANK YOU!
I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe! It’s our go-to for pancakes. 🙂
Made these today and they were so delicious! The texture is perfect. Even my picky 3 yr old loved them. I already can’t wait to eat them tomorrow lol
These pancakes were perfect for a quick and easy breakfast. I had ran out of applesauce so I replaced it with coconut oil and they still turned out wonderful. Thank you for creating a healthy go-to pancake.
Would regular white flour work? It’s all I have at the moment.
Thank you
Yes, that will work just fine. Enjoy!
Thank you so much for this recipe!! My fiancé absolutely loves pancakes but I don’t make them very often because I try to eat fairly healthy. We’ve tried some other healthy pancake recipes but they taste healthy. Not these, they taste as good as normal pancakes and my fiancé loves them (he’s picky!)
This pancakes are my favorite now!! Nice and fluffy and healthy… I love them! Thank you for sharing your recipe.
WOW! I rarely if ever leave reviews of recipes unless whatever I make actually turns out good. This recipe is great! I love the texture of the pancakes and they came out delicious. I actually halved all the recipes because I was afraid to “waste” anything just in case things turned out badly lol. Happy to report that I was pleasantly surprised. Will definitely be making this again and I might just stop buying store bought mixes. Thank you!
Thank you!! FINALLY a healthy pancake recipe that actually tastes as good as promised! I substituted canola oil for the butter and almond milk for the whole milk. I used closer to 2tsp of cinnamon because we like our pancakes “spicier”. I didn’t read all of the comments, but has anyone tried the recipe with fresh pureed pumpkin instead of apple sauce? This is now our go-to pancakes recipe. Thanks again!
Ingredients**
Love love love these pancakes!! My 3 year old devoured them! We are making small lifestyle changes, swapping whole wheat flour for white flour being one of them, so I was desperately searching for a good pancake recipe. I took a chance on this recipe and I will never buy store mixes again! Thank you for sharing!
My favorite breakfast dish. Only I love them with chocolate cream or plain sugar. And I also make small ones in a small frying pan to make it easier to eat. Brilliant recipe, thank you for adding it.
These were delicious! I replaced the butter with the 2 T applesauce, and used almond-coconut milk. Super yummy! Thanks for the recipe!!
Can you substitute almond flour ?
No, I wouldn’t recommend doing that. Almond flour behaves very different in baking than whole wheat or all-purpose flour.
These tasted good but I’m trying to figure out why mine came out so thick. They weren’t light and fluffy. Any top? I did have to use banana because I didn’t have Apple but everything else was same.
this recipe is amazing! ive tried so many healthy pancake recipes but this one is by far the best one. no cap. pancakes are so fluffy and flavorful! I used 1 cup of whole wheat flour + 1 cup of oat flour, and instead of applesauce I smashed 1/2 a banana with just a bit of water and they turned out a-maz-ing !! 10/10 definitively my new go-to pancake recipe
These pancakes have become a part of our Saturday morning pancake breakfast, a routine we started only a coule of months ago. My husband comments every week how much he likes thes pancakes. Thanks for sharing your recipe with all of us!
Karen
I’ve just tried this recipe and it’s amazing. Thanks 🙂
Mmm, Mmm, good. I had to convince my wife to try these. She did and we loved them. She was worried about the whole wheat flour. But a few days later when I asked what she wanted for breakfast she said the Healthy Pancakes.
Wonderful recipe! The whole family loved them! Thank you for sharing.
Extremely easy receipe. Thanks for sharing. I will signup for free receipe emails rightaway!
This is the only recipe I use now when I go to make pancakes, my kids love these a little too much lol they ask for them almost every morning haha I had to come on here and thank you for sharing this recipe! Its a new weekend staple! Thanks mama!!
Kristine – I cannot WAIT to try this recipe. I wonder if the dry ingredients could be prepared in advance and stored, then add the wet ones when I wish to make the cakes. Please let me know if you have tried this method I thank you!!
I haven’t tried that, but I think it will work well. Enjoy!
My daughter and I loved these! I added a but of ground flax for another healthy fat and then put blueberries in some and stevia-sweetened choc chips in others. They were so delicious ?
Loved them! Great recipe! I replaced applesauce with pumpkin purée and a little pumpkin spice spice. Amazing!
That’s a great idea! Thanks for trying the recipe!
Am I losing my mind or is the 2 tbls of butter not accounted for in the directions? Because you say to cook with cooking spray, so do we add the melted butter to the batter? It’s not listed as a wet ingredient. Thanks!
It’s in step 3 of the directions: after you whisk together the other wet ingredients, you then whisk the melted butter into the wet ingredients. I listed it first in the ingredients list (rather than the order in which the ingredients are added to the batter) so that you can melt the butter first and then let it cool for a few minutes before whisking it in. I hope you enjoy the pancakes!
Wow this recipe is amazing. The fluffed up so beautifully and have a great flavor!!!! Such an awesome more nutritious pancake recipe.
Can I make batter and save for the week ?
No, the baking powder will begin to activate as soon as the wet and dry ingredients are mixed together. If you wait to cook the batter later, the pancakes will not rise. You can mix the dry ingredients together and store those in a container for later in the week, then you’ll just have to mix up the wet ingredients. 🙂
We have made these twice now, and they are wonderful! I used what I had on hand—unbleached all purpose flour, and a mashed banana in place of the apple sauce, and my kids and I loved them! They came out very fluffy and tender, and tasted great. This is a recipe I will come back to again and again.
I have also left the batter in the fridge up to two days and the pancakes were still great 🙂 it’s been a big help for busy mornings!
Cool. Easy
Without a doubt, the best pancakes I’ve ever had. And I have made many, many recipes.
Wow, I have been trying for years to get healthy pancakes right. I was very sceptical because batter was so thick. I also resisted the urge to over it and change the ingredients. Only had mashed banana. But WOW. They turned out delicious. Thank you thank you thank you!💕
Super yummy! Fluffy, and the perfect hint of sweet from the applesauce.
I used olive oil instead of butter, and whole wheat pastry flour.
The fat swap is good to know! I’ll try swapping butter with avocado for healthy unsaturated fats or Greek yogurt for healthier saturated fats that can handle a higher smoke point. Glad to know even EVOO worked.
Great taste and more importantly our kids loved them.
I may have reviewed this pancake recipe before but it doesn’t matter because it deserves another ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review. I halved the recipe this morning, used organic whole wheat flour, mashed banana in place of applesauce because I didn’t have any. My 3 year old grandson requested chocolate chips so I added a few dark chocolate chips to each one. Topped with butter and real maple syrup with blueberries and strawberries on the side. Wow! These are the best pancakes! Perfect every time and love the taste! Thank you Kristine! Love all your recipes! ❤️
My autistic daughter refuses to eat most breakfast foods but since she could eat solids she loved pancakes as her safe food. She’s obsessed with the “unicorn” ones I found and always cleans her plate, but they’re not very healthy. I just put a little pink food dye in and a handful of sprinkles. She loves them! Thank you for the recipe and helping my kiddo eat better!
Thanks for this healthy alternative!! I didn’t have apple sauce on hand so I subbed for plain greek yogurt and they turned out great! I love that the leftovers make for a quick breakfast during the week also.
These were simple to make tasted amazing and we’re very filling!
I’ve just made these yummy pancakes for my daughter’sleepover. I used whole wheat (what I already had) but stayed true to the recipe otherwise. I did double the ingredients (lots of kids) and added chocolate chips to a few (kids again!). They ate them all! The pancakes were fluffy, tasty and not too dense! Thank you for a great alternative to regular pancakes!
This is my favorite pancake recipe!! Is there any way to make the batter a head of time?
Hi Becky,
I’m so glad you are enjoying this recipe! You can mix up the dry ingredients ahead of time, but it’s best to wait to add the wet ingredients right before cooking the pancakes. Otherwise, the baking powder will start to activate and may lose it’s ability to make the pancakes rise by the time you cook them.
Best Healthy Pancakes/ Waffles EVER!
Hello I was just wondering how these would store for meal prep? Do you think they would reheat fine after being in the fridge a couple days? Thank you!
Hi Rachel,
I think you could store them in the fridge for 2-3 days. For longer than that, I’d recommend freezing them. I always freeze our leftover pancakes and they thaw and reheat well.
Really great!
These were amazing! I used gluten free flour and oat milk, plus added some blueberries. Will make again and again!!!
Does this recipe refrigerate well?
Hi Brittny,
You can store the pancakes in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. I usually store them in the freezer. They freeze really well!
Can I use gluten free flour?
I think that a gluten free 1 to 1 baking flour, such as the one made by Bob’s Red Mill, would work.
This pancake recipe was better than I thought! I only had normal whole wheat flour and was worried it was going to have the strong wheat taste. I also didn’t use butter, but avocado oil.
It still turned out delicious (with strawberries, black berries, and blueberries 🥰)
These pancakes are so fluffy! They were a big hit.
I’m glad you enjoyed them!
I’d suggest cooking the pancakes over lower heat for longer. I always make my pancake batters really thick and the pancakes do cook through.
These pancakes turned out so fluffy and delicious!! I used a mix of 3 different flours and they were awesome! I’m saving this recipe for the future. Thanks!!
I love this recipe, it is amazing!!!
Question: instead of butter may i use Extra virgin Olive Oil?
Hi Emily,
I haven’t tried that. The olive oil may alter the flavor of the pancakes, but otherwise it should work.
These were so yummy! I was looking for a healthier alternative to pancakes as I am pregnant and this recipe was perfect. My husband and I both loved them!
I have been making this every other week to keep in the freezer for quick breakfasts. My kids love them. Thank you!!