Easy & Healthy Banana Oatmeal Waffles
Updated Feb 10, 2025
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Banana oatmeal waffles are light, fluffy, and will get your day started out right! They contain plenty of fiber to fill you up and are naturally sweetened with bananas. My family loves them!
Bananas are such a great addition to waffles. They keep the waffles moist and add to the sweetness without all of the sugar. Throw in some cinnamon and these waffles are a total crowd-pleaser. These healthy banana waffles are made with whole wheat flour, packed with fiber, and will keep the troops full longer.
Healthy banana waffles cook up in less than 15 minutes. Totally doable and delicious. Simply combine all of the ingredients, spray your waffle iron with cooking spray to prevent sticking, and breakfast is served. If you are looking to top these with something other than syrup, try my blueberry topping!
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love Making Banana Oatmeal Waffles
- Recipe Ingredients
- How to Make Healthy Banana Waffles
- Recipe FAQs
- How to Serve and Store Banana Oatmeal Waffles
- My Family’s Favorite Waffle Recipes
- Delicious Waffle Recipes To Try
- More Healthy Breakfast Recipes to Consider
- Easy & Healthy Banana Oatmeal Waffles Recipe
Why You’ll Love Making Banana Oatmeal Waffles
- Naturally Sweet: Packed with ripe bananas, these waffles offer a delightful sweetness without adding refined sugar, making them a healthier breakfast option that doesn’t compromise on flavor.
- Quick Preparation: With just 15 minutes needed from start to finish, these waffles are perfect for busy mornings or when you want a delicious breakfast without spending hours in the kitchen.
- Crowd-Friendly: The recipe can be easily scaled up by doubling or tripling the ingredients, making it ideal for feeding large families, weekend brunches, or meal prepping for the week.
- Nutritious Comfort: Combining the wholesome goodness of oats and bananas, these waffles provide a nutritious twist on a classic comfort food, offering a satisfying meal that keeps you full and energized.
🧇 I accidentally burned the toast, but then I whipped up banana waffles, and suddenly I was a breakfast genius!
Recipe Ingredients
- Bananas – The riper they are the sweeter the waffles will be.
- Applesauce – Can be replaced with additional banana or a light oil like avocado oil or melted coconut oil.
- Eggs
- Milk or Buttermilk – Or your favorite dairy-free alternative.
- Oats
- Whole Wheat Flour
- Vanilla Extract
- Cinnamon
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities
Popular Substitutions and Variations
- You can use milk or buttermilk, depending on what you have on hand. Nut and other alternative milks will work well in this recipe also.
- You can replace the whole wheat flour with ground oat flour or another gluten-free baking blend (sometimes called 1:1 gluten-free flour). This is a great recipe to go gluten-free if you need to.
- You can swab about the cinnamon for another favorite spices like pumpkin pie spice (it’s so good!)
- No applesauce? No issue! You can replace the applesauce with additional banana or a light oil like avocado oil or melted coconut oil.
How to Make Healthy Banana Waffles
Step 1: In a medium bowl mash the bananas with a fork until they are well mashed and make a smooth paste.
Step 2: Add the applesauce and eggs and whisk to combine. Then add the buttermilk and combine.
Step 3: Add the oats, wheat flour, baking powder, salt, vanilla and cinnamon. Stir until well combined.
Step 4: Cook the waffles according to the manufacturer instructions for your waffle iron.
Recipe FAQs
If you’re looking for more flavor but don’t want to use something sugary like maple syrup, you can add cinnamon, peanut butter, berries, banana slices, or even Greek yogurt! There are so many options to make the waffles how you want them.
Definitely! The batter works great for pancakes, too. Just pour small portions onto a greased skillet and cook until bubbles form on the surface, then flip and cook the other side.
Yes, you can! Thaw frozen bananas and mash them well before adding them to the batter. Just make sure to drain any excess liquid to keep the batter from becoming too runny.
There is nothing worse than soggy waffles so I like to leave mine in for 4-5 minutes to get the best kind of waffles there are.
Yes! I think that is a great way to add a little extra protein to your meal and it hardly affects the taste.
Expert Tips
- Hot Iron: While cooking waffles, it is important that you start with a waffle iron that is already heated up so that the batter is not sitting and heating up with the iron! This will ensure even cooking.
- Very Ripe Bananas: The more ripe your bananas are the sweeter your pancakes will be. We like to use bananas that are on the browner side to maximize the flavor that comes through.
- Fluffy Waffles: For a fluffier, richer waffle you can replace the milk with buttermilk.
- Dairy Free: We recommend using unsweetened almond milk if you are using a dairy-free alternative, but you are welcome to use whatever you would like. Unsweetened almond milk has the least effect on the flavor of these waffles.
How to Serve and Store Banana Oatmeal Waffles
If you’re looking for more flavor but don’t want to use something sugary like maple syrup, you can add cinnamon, peanut butter, berries, banana slices, or even Greek yogurt! Other, more sweet options are buttermilk syrup, nutella, and whipped cream! I like to have all of the toppings on the side so individuals can customize their waffles.
If you have leftover waffles, you can store them in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Waffles can also be enjoyed hot or cold, so there are so many ways to eat your leftover waffles. You can also store unused waffle batter for up to 2 days in the fridge. When you’re ready to use it, stir the batter to mix it again and it is ready.
My Family’s Favorite Waffle Recipes
If you thought banana waffles were a hit, just wait until you try these other mouthwatering recipes! Whether you’re in the mood for something fruity, cozy, or indulgent, there’s a waffle here to make every breakfast feel like a celebration.
- If you’re a fan of cozy breakfasts, you’ll love these Sweet Cherry Waffles—they’re like a burst of summer in every bite!
- For something timeless, the Classic Waffle Recipe is your go-to, crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.
- When fall rolls around, the Whole Wheat Pumpkin Waffles Recipe will fill your kitchen with warm, spiced goodness.
- And if you’re craving something extra indulgent, the Belgian Waffle Recipe is pure perfection, with its deep pockets just waiting for syrup and toppings.
Delicious Waffle Recipes To Try
Did you make this recipe? Leave a ⭐️ review and share it on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest!
Easy & Healthy Banana Oatmeal Waffles
Ingredients
- 2 ripe bananas
- ½ cup applesauce
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ cups milk or buttermilk
- 1 cup oats
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Turn on your waffle iron and allow it to preheat.
- In a medium bowl mash the bananas with a fork until they are well mashed and make a smooth paste.
- Add the applesauce and eggs and whisk to combine.
- Add the buttermilk and combine.
- Add the oats, wheat flour, baking powder, salt, vanilla and cinnamon. Stir until well combined.
- Cook the waffles according to the manufacturer instructions for your waffle iron.
- Serve with fresh banana slices, pure maple syrup, or honey.
Notes
- Be sure to use cooking spray on your waffle iron if needed. There is no oil in the recipe and they tend to stick badly in my waffle maker if I don’t spray it with cooking oil first.
- Use very ripe, almost overripe bananas for maximum natural sweetness and easier mashing.
- For extra crispiness, let the waffle batter rest for 5-10 minutes before cooking.
- Feel free to add mix-ins like chopped nuts, chocolate chips, or a sprinkle of cinnamon to the batter for additional flavor and texture.
I’m curious if it’s a typo to only use 1 cup flour with all the liquid added, 1 1/2 cups buttermilk. I’ve made this twice and both times it was lucky that I added in the liquid in slowly because I only used half of the 1 1/2 cups.
That said, they are delicious.
I just tested this recipe again because of your comment Linda (thank you for leaving it!) were you using all purpose or whole wheat flour? I think that might be the difference for us. Using the whole wheat I needed the full amount but I bet less works great with an all purpose flour. I’d love to know!