I am writing this post as I’m en route to Kansas City to finish up some work projects and to visit family.
We’ve found ourselves traveling a lot recently between our new home state of Oregon and our former home state Kansas. Sometimes I can’t make up my mind if I’m an Oregonian or a Kansan. I decided this morning I can be both.
Life has been good lately. I’ve started a personal Instagram account (@danainreallife) to share more about things outside of food (like travel, marriage, and natural beauty). So if you’re wanting more behind-the-scenes peeks at our everyday life, you can follow along there.
Otherwise, keep it parked here for a serious dose of plant-based goodness, like these Vegan Gluten-Free Chocolate Chocolate Chip Pancakes!
This recipe is inspired by and adapted from my Life-Changing Banana Walnut Pancakes! Only this time, I went all in with a double dose of chocolate: cocoa-infused batter speckled with semisweet chocolate chips! Serious swoon.
In just 20 minutes, you’ll have fluffy, tender, wholesome pancakes that just happen to taste like chocolate cake on your hands. Does life get any better?
Now, for toppings? While these pancakes are delicious on their own, take them to the next level with things like maple syrup, chocolate chips, banana, and coconut butter! These would also be insane with peanut butter (tested and approved).
I hope you all LOVE these pancakes! They’re:
Fluffy
Tender
Wholesome
Super chocolaty
Perfectly sweet
& Insanely delicious
These would make the perfect lazy weekend breakfast! OR make a batch ahead of time, freeze them, and then pop them into the toaster (yes, it’s my favorite frozen pancake + waffle hack) for a quick and easy breakfast during the week.
Love pancakes? Try our Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookie Pancakes, Oreo Pancakes, Whole-Grain Vegan Pancakes, Blueberry Muffin Pancakes, Life-Changing Banana Walnut Pancakes, Vegan Carrot Coconut Pancakes, and Toasted Coconut Pancakes.
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Chocolate Chocolate Chip Pancakes (GF)
Ingredients
PANCAKES
- 3/4 cup gluten-free oat flour* (I ground mine from whole oats)
- 3/4 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour (I used my DIY blend)
- 1/4 cup almond flour* (not almond meal, OR sub more gluten-free blend)
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 medium ripe banana (the riper the better)
- 1 1/2 Tbsp melted coconut oil* (plus more for cooking)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
- 1 1/2 Tbsp maple syrup (I like Grade A)
- 1 1/4 cup non-dairy milk (I used plain unsweetened almond milk)
- 1/4 cup vegan dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips (I prefer Enjoy Life)
FOR SERVING optional
- Vegan butter or Nut Butter
- Unsweetened coconut or Coconut Butter
- Sliced bananas
- Maple syrup
Instructions
- To a large bowl, add oat flour, gluten-free flour, almond flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine and set aside.
- To a separate mixing bowl, add banana and mash. Then add melted coconut oil, vanilla extract (optional), and maple syrup and whisk to combine. Then add non-dairy milk and whisk to combine. If the coconut oil hardens or clumps, it’s not a big deal. You can microwave (for 45 seconds – 1 minute) to remelt – otherwise proceed.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and gently fold everything together. Then add the chocolate chips (see photo) and gently fold/mix until the batter is well combined. It should be thick but pourable/scoopable. If too thin, add more gluten-free or almond flour. If too thick, thin with a little non-dairy milk.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet, griddle, or cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Carefully rub skillet with coconut oil.
- Once hot, spoon 1/4 – 1/3 cup of the batter onto skillet. Cook until surface of pancakes have some bubbles and the edges appear dry (~2 minutes). Carefully flip pancakes and cook until browned on the underside (~2 minutes more).
- Transfer cooked pancakes to a baking sheet or plate and keep warm in a 200-degree F (94 C) oven. Continue cooking until all batter is used up – about 12 pancakes (as original recipe is written).
- These pancakes are delicious on their own, but they’re amplified with toppings (see options above). Store cooled leftover pancakes (without toppings) in a container separated with wax or parchment paper to prevent sticking. Will keep in the refrigerator up to 4 days or in the freezer up to 1 month. Reheat in the toaster oven or oven until hot.
Notes
*If nut-free, sub the almond milk for rice or light coconut milk. And sub the almond flour for additional gluten-free flour blend.
*If oil-free, try subbing the oil with applesauce or 1 Tbsp (15 g) nut butter.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate for 1 of 12 pancakes without toppings.
*These pancakes are adapted from the Life Changing Banana Walnut Pancakes.
Anj says
Can I use regular dairy milk? We are GF and egg free but can use regular dairy.
That should work!
Destiny says
These pancakes were really great! I am a kid and made them easily. My family also liked them. Thank you so much for making recipes friendly to a bunch of diet restrictions! :) I used all GF flour since I couldn’t find our oat and almond flours and I was rushing. I also used a little less cacao then the recipe said.
Amazing! Great job, Destiny! Thanks for the lovely review!
Allie says
Any substitutes for banana? My son has a banana allergy (also egg, wheat, etc)
Hi Allie! We haven’t tried it but it’s possible that applesauce could work here. Perhaps 1/2 cup? Let us know how it goes if you give it a try. xo
Robyn says
Do you think this recipe would work in a sheet pan for baked pancakes? If not do you have any suggestions for vegan GF sheet pan pancakes
Great idea! I think that would work well! I think this one would bake well on a sheet pan! Just ensure it’s parchment-lined.
Austin Z says
One of my favorite pancake recipes out there! It’s like dessert but for breakfast, except it’s healthy! These pancakes are sweet, chocolatey, and savory. This time I used whole wheat flour instead of the almond and gluten-free and they came out perfect.
Highly recommend this recipe to anyone with a little breakfast sweet tooth. Thanks Dana!
Whoop! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Austin! xo
Amanda says
Yummy yummy! These were perfectly fluffy and chocolate-y. I used regular all-purpose flour instead of the gluten-free mix and they turned out perfect. We topped with coconut butter and maple syrup – so good!
Whoop! Thanks so much for sharing, Amanda!
Kylie says
First, thank you, Dana for sharing all these delicious recipes!
I’ve been trying more vegan dishes and I truly enjoy them.
For this, I made the following substitutions:
– 3/4 cup of almond flour instead of oat flour
– gf all purpose flour instead of the 1/4 cup of almond flour
– no maple syrup
– 1/2 banana (that’s all I had)
I used an iron skillet, as it gets hot, it was about 1-2 mins on each side.
Thank you so much for your kind words and lovely review, Kylie! We’re so glad they turned out well!
Doris Rebensal says
These pancakes are delicious, tender, moist and just yummy. I used spelt, coconut and almond flours. I love them and can’t wait to share them with my grandchildren. Thank you for sharing such amazing recipes with us.
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Doris. We are so glad you enjoyed them! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Dana says
Just made these! New favorite pancake recipe. I followed your recipe exactly. My banana was frozen so I thawed it and it gave such a nice flavor!
Fun fact- you can make almond flour very easily in your coffee grinder. :)
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Dana! Thanks for sharing!
Cat says
Amazing fluffy, not too sweet, chocolatey pancakes! I didn’t modify anything and these were perfect! We ate with fresh berries, no maple syrup (other than in the recipe) as it wasn’t needed. Thanks for making our Christmas Eve breakfast delicious :)
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing, Cat!
Julie Harris says
Delicious!!
I substituted sorghum flour for the oat flour, as I have celiac, and my tummy just can’t deal with oats. They turned out really well! I did add about a quarter of a cup extra almond milk to make it a bit more pourable; it’s possible the sorghum just needed more liquid.
I’m really excited about these pancakes!!! Thank you, Minimalist Baker!
How great! THanks for sharing, Julie!
Alejandra says
Love it. I finally found a recipe that worked. I used apple sauce instead of the banana.
Christianne says
How much applesauce did you use?
Katrina says
I made these this morning and they worked out great! perfectly chocolatey and not too sweet. Had to add a little extra almond milk to thin it out. Kids loved it. I’ll be making these again!
We’re so glad to hear that, Katrina! Thanks for sharing :D
Kalyani says
Hi Dana ! We made this completely GF with idli batter as a base (idlis are Indian steamed GF vegan dumplings) and we loved the recipe. Thanks for a great recipe / idea and I am sure to save up some idli batter for those anytime-chocolate cravings now ?
M says
What happened to @danainreallife? The link doesn’t seem to be working.
Lisa Loney says
Hi Dana! I made these this morning as I was craving some chocolate indulgence and they hit the spot. So delicious! I used extra almond flour in lieu of the oat flour. The banana flavor was a nice, subtle flavor. I ate some with syrup and some without. Whole fam love ’em-thanks!
Sophie says
So dense and delicious!
I used coconut flour insetad of almond meal and the results were a yummy american style thick pancake. The best topping I found was apricot jam, peanut butter made them too heavy for the changes I made. For chocolate chips I used sweet williams (gltuen free + vegan and cheap @ coles) and I used a high protein soy milk that made even just one pancake filling.
Thanks again for delish recipes!!
Yay! Thanks for sharing your changes, Sophie! We’re glad you enjoyed them!
Elena says
As a new vegan, I was looking for ways to get more protein into my breakfasts after workouts and subbed in chocolate protein powder over the cocoa. It worked beautifully! Really loved these and will definitely make again.
(Note: I also used all almond flour since I didn’t have the ingredients for gluten free flour, left out the maple syrup and added some flax seed to get some omega 3)
Glad to hear you enjoyed it, Elena! Thanks for sharing your recipe changes :D
Edie says
These are our new favorite pancakes! Thank you!! Just perfect, not too sweet, just right with a little “butter”.
Athena Li says
I just made these pancakes today and they turned out to be the best vegan pancakes I have made so far! Thanks for sharing!!! :)
Ranjana says
Hi Dana,
This recipe is amazing. And its the first time i prepared pancakes and it was delicious. Prepared exactly as it was mentioned and turned very fluffy and soft. Thanks for this amazing recipe. :)
Kat says
I made them exactly as stated in recipee (measurment in grams). It was messy to bake them, especially hard to turn them around. Either they broke appart or they got burnt. Still the end result was very tasty and satisfaying, just not to show off with pancakes :)
Christiane says
These pancakes are a weekend favorite, even for my husband who lives on junk food. This is one recipe the whole family enjoys. Thank you.
mcrogers1993@gmail.com says
These were so delicious Dana,
I used 1/2 oat flour, 1/2 all purpose as a flour combination, and subbed the coconut oil for apple sauce, and they turned out spectacular. Would recommend this recipe to everyone who eats food. Thanks for, yet again, another staple I can add to my weekly routine. You are a goddess!
-Madeleine
Jennifer says
Thank you for the recipe!! I just made this recipe, with a few modifications, using what I had in the house and they were delicious!! I used coconut manna instead of the oil, coconut flour in place of the almond flour and coconut milk. I was concerned the chocolate chips might burn in the pan, so I decided to make muffins instead. We eat eggs, so I added 3 seperated eggs and folded in the beaten whites at the end. I will definitely make this recipe again. Even my 13 year old son enjoyed them!! ?
GINGER BY CHOICE I FOOD & LIFESTYLE BLOG says
These pancakes look amazing. I’ll so give them a try. Your idea to freeze them and to pop them in the toaster for a weekday breakfast is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! We do that with our bread but this is even better! Imagine: Pancakes on a Wednesday – wonderful! Thanks for sharing the recipe and your gorgeous pictures …
Ginger by Choice I Food & Lifestyle Blog
Sarah says
These were delicious!! My batter was a little thick so I was worried they’d be too dense but they turned out perfect. I also like that I actually felt full after eating these with some fruit. Regular pancakes never keep me full long and are just a filler there to hold up the syrup! But these were good even without any toppings when I reheated for an afternoon treat the next day :)
Christina Buzana says
I made these for breakfast this morning for me and my two year old. They were a hit! I ran out of oats and coconut oil, so I replaced those with organic Buckwheat flour and canola oil. I did have to add a couple tablespoons of nut milk, but they still turned out great. Thank you!
Charleen Belcher says
Made these tonight for dinner and they were a hit! Served with sliced banana, shredded coconut, vegan butter and maple syrup- delicious!! Thanks so much, love your insta!
Jessica Marquis says
Omg can you imagine these with some of your homemade vegan nutella! :D ugh I must make both of those soon lol
Elisa says
This was a yummy treat for breakfast. A bit bland, so I added about a teaspoon or two of coconut sugar, and topped with some powdered sugar and strawberries. I blended my oats in my Ninja and we’re not gluten free, and didn’t have the gluten free blend on hand, so subbed in unbleached all purpose flour for the gluten free flour amount and used regular semi-sweet chocolate chips. The texture was fluffy and tender. I enjoyed them. I’m not sure how to add a pic, but I have one. ?
Thanks for the feedback, Elisa! Glad you enjoyed these.
Soumia says
Hey Dana! Thank you so much for this recipe, it was absolutely the motivation I needed to get out of bed!
I live in Lebanon at the moment, where treats like Maple Syrup are pretty expensive, so I sub with Carub Molasses, it’s amazing… I don’t know if you’ve ever had it but it’s naturally sweet and almost chocolatey in taste. I used a few tablespoons as sweetener and as a topping. I highly recommend it! Plus it’s 100% vegan friendly!
I also wanted to say a more general thank you for your beautiful recipes! I just transitioned to vegetarianism and you protein-rich no-fuss no-time recipes saved me from starving myself more during the month of Ramadan! Your cocoa energy balls have become a staple in my diet, I’m either making them, eating them or talking about eating them.
Thanks for your great work! Keep on going!
Lovely! thanks for sharing, Soumia!
Cristina Castillo says
I just made these and they’re absolutely divine. My entire family loved them!
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Cristina! Next time can you please leave a rating? It’s super helpful for us and other readers!
Maja Harder says
I love experiencing with new ways to make banana pancakes, and this one sounds super delicious! Definitely something I have to try :)
Dianne Furrer says
Is it true that you can substitute avocado for banana like one does in a smoothy? Banana allergies in my family are very serious. So many of the recipes look great except for the bananas :-(
Oh, that might work! Let me know if you give it a try. You’ll likely have to compensate for sweetness.
Judy Bernes says
I love love almond flour pancakes, very similar to these, and when I don’t have a ripe banana on hand I use about 3/4 cup pumpkin puree or mashed leftover sweet potatoe…..they all go great with the same “apple-pie spices”! Because we’re all fine with eggs in my house I prefer to use 2-3 in this recipe; I just got tired of trying to flip a too-flimsy “cake”…sorry! I also whip the whites till stiff, fold them in last, and that keeps them fluffy! I only rated the 4 for the lack of body without eggs; the flavour is great!
Cassie Autumn Tran says
These pancakes look amazing! I hope you have an amazing trip in Kansas City and all is well. I’ll have to check out your personal Instagram account too!
Daphne says
Hi, I just love your recipes. For some reason, when I go to print them on my IPad, they are blank. Please help! Thanks
Kathy says
Hi, looks so good!! Do these taste like banana at all? If so, do I need to add the banana? I like bananas but not in my food.
Thanks!
Hmm, it’s there but subtle. You could try subbing more applesauce maybe?
Jade says
Could you use cocoa powder instead?
Jade says
Oops I meant cacao powder*
I think so, yes!
Sarah K. says
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!! I have been on this pancake kick all week long, so this is perfect. I can’t wait to try this out!
P.S. your banana nut muffin pancake recipe is bomb, so I’m certain that this will be just as amazing. ?
So kind! thanks Sarah!
Katie says
I made these this morning using the applesauce – delicious! They were thick, tasty, and very filling. Thank you, Dana, for another great recipe!
Lovely, thanks for sharing Katie! Next time can you please leave a rating? It’s super helpful for us and other readers! xoxo