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Vegan Baby Cereal Pancakes

June 24, 2019 Plant-Based Juniors Team 48 Comments

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Making sure plant-based babes get enough iron through baby-led weaning can pose some challenges, but it’s not impossible! Here’s an easy way to help meet your plant-based baby’s iron needs using baby cereal in a non-traditional way.

 
Stack of pancakes made with iron-fortified baby cereal on a white plate topped with blueberries
 

One of the challenges of baby-led weaning with a plant-based baby is getting enough iron.

Baby-led weaning is an approach to starting solid foods that allows baby to lead the way. This is typically done as opposed to starting with purees, and research shows that baby-led weaning can help children develop a more positive and intuitive relationship with food.

Why? Foods must be provided in sizes and shapes that baby can grasp with his or her full palm. This makes many of the most common iron-rich plant-based foods like beans, grains, nuts, and seeds a no-go in their whole form.

That being said, it’s not impossible to meet baby’s iron needs through baby-led weaning on a plant-based diet. It just means that you need to get a little more creative!

baby cereal pancakes baby led weaning

That’s why we wanted to share this recipe with you. These iron-fortified baby cereal pancakes are one easy, scrumptious way to meet your babe’s needs for this critical nutrient.

We like Earth’s Best Organic Whole Grain Oatmeal Cereal for this recipe.

Given recent reports about glyphosate in conventional oats and arsenic concerns in rice products, we opt for organic, oat-based baby cereal as a safe, nutritious option for our little ones and their growing bodies and brains.

Iron-rich baby cereal pancakes recipe

Tips for success

This recipe was updated in October 2021 based on reader feedback. The original recipe was very thick; after testing a few different rounds, we decided that adding more liquid to the batter created the best taste and texture. As the cereal absorbs liquid as it sits, you may need to add in additional liquid if the batter becomes too thick. We also swapped out the oat flour for whole wheat flour, which seems to hold together a little better.

That being said – these are not your typical pancakes. Don’t expect them to be light and fluffy. Due to the consistency of baby-cereal (it’s incredibly sticky), these pancakes are going to be crispy on the outside and gummy on the inside. Letting them cool for a good 5-10 minutes after pan-frying will help the inside come together better.

baby cereal pancakes

Because the batter is so sticky, these have a tendency to also stick to the pan. The only way to really prevent the stickiness would be to reduce the amount of baby cereal in these pancakes, but alas, if we reduce the ratio of baby cereal we then also reduce the iron content of the pancakes, which defeats the purpose of the recipe.

There are a couple of ways to reduce stickiness. One, we recommend using a stainless steel pan. We tried making these in three different kinds of pans – stainless steel, cast-iron, and ceramic non-stick – and they had the best non-stick success with the stainless steel. 

Two, we recommend cooking these on medium heat with a lot of oil. Any medium-high heat oil will do such as olive, avocado, or coconut. 

If your pancakes are still sticking, try cooking at a lower heat for a little longer and coaxing them off the pan with a stainless steel spatula. 

A final note: if your goal is to make yummy, perfect pancakes the whole family will enjoy, this is not the recipe for you. If, however, you’re just looking for a palmable way to serve iron-fortified cereal to your baby, give these a go! 
Iron-rich baby cereal pancakes

Iron-Rich Baby Cereal Pancakes

Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup iron-fortified baby oatmeal cereal
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds + 3 tablespoons warm water, gently mixed)
  • 1 mashed banana
  • 1 cup breast milk, formula, or water
  • 2-3 tablespoons oil (avocado, olive, coconut)

Instructions

  • In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients: baby oatmeal, flour, baking powder, and cinnamon.
  • In another bowl, combine wet ingredients: flax egg, mashed banana, and water or milk.
  • Mix the wet and dry ingredients together. If your mixture is too dry, add a tablespoon or two of water.
  • Heat oil over medium in a stainless steel pan.
  • Spoon ~1/4 cup of batter per pancake onto pan and cook for about 4-5 minutes per side.* After you flip the pancake, press lightly down on the top to flatten to help cook through.
  • For baby-led weaning, slice them into strips and serve to baby!

Notes

We prefer cooking these on a stainless steel pan and find that they cook best at about 4-5 minutes per side. Cook times will vary depending on heat and the type of pan you use.
The cereal absorbs quite a bit of the liquid; if the batter sits too long and becomes too thick, thin with an additional 1/4 cup of liquid. 
These pancakes go well alongside other great baby-led weaning foods like sliced banana, berries, avocado, or smashed beans.

We like to serve these with a good source of vitamin C such as raspberries or strawberries to help maximize the absorption of iron.

baby cereal pancakes baby led weaning

For more nutrient-rich first food ideas for baby-led weaning, check out our ebook, First Bites.

 

Tell us in the comments:

  • What are your favorite iron-rich foods to make for baby?
  • Have you ever used baby cereal in other non-traditional ways for your kiddo?

 

Comments

  1. Karen says

    June 24, 2019 at 6:45 pm

    How many does this make, and if I use breastmilk how long will they keep in the refrigerator?

    Reply
  2. Tania says

    June 26, 2019 at 11:43 am

    My daughter is allergic to oats. Is there any other flour you’d recommend?

    Reply
    • alexwhitney says

      July 15, 2019 at 2:22 pm

      Any other flour should work

      Reply
  3. Rose Black says

    July 17, 2019 at 5:23 pm

    My babes hate bananas, what can I sub for that?

    Reply
    • alexwhitney says

      July 22, 2019 at 7:44 pm

      I’m not sure as the bananas really add body and texture to the pancakes. I haven’t tried it but I’d recommend either leaving it out and/or increasing the chia egg to two to bind the pancakes together.

      Reply
      • Leigh says

        October 14, 2019 at 11:41 pm

        I’ve subbed sweet potatoes for bananas with good results.

        Reply
        • alexwhitney says

          October 17, 2019 at 6:08 pm

          Thanks for letting us know!

          Reply
  4. Rebekah says

    August 4, 2019 at 1:37 am

    I can’t get mine to look this pretty. They never really set in the middle and as soon as I pull them from the pan the fall as thin as can be.

    Reply
    • alexwhitney says

      August 9, 2019 at 7:11 pm

      Yes, you have to be VERY careful with them. They firm up more once they cool down. If you can’t flip them though, try adding more oat flour and less cereal.

      Reply
  5. LuLu says

    September 5, 2019 at 1:45 am

    Can these be made in a waffle iron as well?

    Reply
    • alexwhitney says

      September 6, 2019 at 3:18 am

      Yes they can!

      Reply
  6. Heather says

    October 22, 2019 at 6:07 pm

    Can this be made with flax eggs instead? Is there any issue with flax for a 9 month old?

    Reply
    • alexwhitney says

      January 20, 2020 at 3:27 pm

      No issues with flax eggs for 9 months old and yes, it should work!

      Reply
  7. Aliza says

    November 20, 2019 at 5:23 pm

    Is this a recipe you would give to a 7 month old?

    Reply
    • alexwhitney says

      January 20, 2020 at 3:28 pm

      Yes! Would give this to a 7 month old.

      Reply
  8. Vashti says

    January 19, 2020 at 8:37 am

    4 stars
    Can these be frozen? Thank you

    Reply
    • alexwhitney says

      March 23, 2020 at 5:29 pm

      Yes!

      Reply
  9. Cherise says

    January 21, 2020 at 10:13 pm

    Do these freeze well?

    Reply
    • alexwhitney says

      January 23, 2020 at 7:45 pm

      They freezer well if you first individually quick-freeze, then place in a freezer safe container!

      Reply
  10. Lauren says

    March 16, 2020 at 5:21 pm

    Are these okay to give to a 6 month old? I’m not sure just how basic I need to be starting him on solids!

    Reply
    • alexwhitney says

      March 16, 2020 at 6:45 pm

      Yes! We gave these to our 6 month olds.

      Reply
  11. Christina p says

    May 7, 2020 at 5:18 am

    How many little pancakes do you get out of this?

    Reply
  12. Laura says

    June 2, 2020 at 12:52 pm

    Hi. Can I use a normal egg instead of a chia egg?
    Thanks!

    Reply
    • alexwhitney says

      June 2, 2020 at 4:23 pm

      Yes

      Reply
  13. Rochelle Redmayne says

    June 20, 2020 at 4:32 pm

    What consistency should the batter be?

    Reply
  14. Jennifer Cove says

    August 28, 2020 at 7:57 pm

    4 stars
    These are good, and my son likes them BUT they are hard to make into pancakes. I now make them into mini muffins! 15 minutes or so at 350 F. Much easier and they freeze well.

    Reply
    • Geri says

      February 1, 2021 at 2:06 am

      Thanks for the tip! I found them really difficult to make into pancakes as well so I’ll try making them into muffins!

      Reply
  15. Jeni says

    September 18, 2020 at 8:26 am

    I was so looking forward to making these, but despite following the instructions completely they kept either sticking to the pan or not quite setting. I tried this in 3 different pans with varying amounts of oil to grease the pan and each time the pancakes failed 🙁

    Are there any other recipes I can try to cook easy finger foods with baby oatmeal?

    Reply
  16. Stephanie says

    November 12, 2020 at 10:17 pm

    These turned out horribly. I followed the recipe to a T and the batter was a suuuuupppper thick paste. I added water to thin it because it was not the consistency of regular pancake batter. Following a question in this thread, I tried them in the waffle maker – it stuck and I spent too much time scraping the caked batter. I also tried in regular pancake shape and they’re just not. cooking. I see the suggestion for the mini muffins, but my baby is 6 months so the muffin shape is not yet quite ideal for him. Any suggestions?! 🙂

    Reply
  17. Georgia says

    May 16, 2021 at 4:33 am

    This recipe also didn’t work for me!
    I will try to bake them.

    Reply
  18. Natalie says

    June 19, 2021 at 2:32 am

    Can you swap out all oat flour for iron-fortified baby oat cereal?

    Reply
    • alexwhitney says

      September 9, 2021 at 3:57 pm

      You can use all oat flour but you can’t use all oat ceraal– it will be too gummy.

      Reply
  19. Natalie S, says

    June 19, 2021 at 2:33 am

    Can you swap out all oat flour for iron-fortified baby oat cereal?

    Reply
    • alexwhitney says

      August 18, 2021 at 4:42 pm

      No, it will make these too gummy.

      Reply
  20. Laura says

    August 16, 2021 at 11:32 am

    Can you use the oatmeal baby cereal in place of the regular oat flour as well?

    Reply
    • alexwhitney says

      August 18, 2021 at 4:40 pm

      No, all baby cereal will make these too gummy.

      Reply
      • Laura Reff says

        August 18, 2021 at 7:18 pm

        Thank you

        Reply
  21. Kristina says

    August 18, 2021 at 3:35 pm

    Hi! FTM New to the PBJ community, and I love this amazing resource! I’m wondering if baking powder/ baking soda is OK for my 8 month old. Any feedback would be much appreciated.

    Thank you!
    – Kristina

    Reply
    • alexwhitney says

      August 18, 2021 at 4:40 pm

      Yes

      Reply
  22. Becky says

    September 22, 2021 at 9:13 pm

    Could not get these to cook properly as pancakes or muffins. Pancakes burned on outside and didn’t cool through in middle, even with heat turned down and longer cooking. Tried as mini muffins and even 30 minutes in oven they were too wet on the inside. I had to throw it all out. I liked the idea of this but it did not work out for us.

    Reply
  23. Amanda says

    October 17, 2021 at 8:55 pm

    My little one loves these! I was wondering if you have tried making them with some powdered peanut butter added?

    Reply
    • alexwhitney says

      November 30, 2021 at 4:08 pm

      We haven’t tried that yet! If you do, let us know how it works.

      Reply
  24. Courtney says

    February 9, 2022 at 1:35 pm

    5 stars
    My son LOVED these! Thank you so much for the great recipe!!

    Reply
  25. K says

    March 2, 2022 at 7:13 pm

    Do you have an iron fortified cereal that you recommend? Thanks!

    Reply
    • alexwhitney says

      March 8, 2022 at 1:44 pm

      Whitney used Earth’s Best oat cereal!

      Reply
  26. Morgan says

    April 28, 2022 at 8:55 pm

    I’ve been making these everyday for my girls. They love them! I’ve tried them with apple sauce vs. banana. They turned out great. I’ve put chia seeds in, still delicious! Also, I prefer the while grain flour. It works well with the 3/4 fortified cereal

    Reply
  27. Anne says

    November 14, 2022 at 10:56 pm

    Did anyone try doing these in a waffle iron?

    Reply
  28. Nadia says

    February 8, 2023 at 6:32 am

    5 stars
    Turned out perfect, and I’m sure my girl will love them when she’s past this current teething episode… only small nibbles for now. I used coconut oil to fry, and my batter consistency was still pretty thick so nowhere near falling apart as i fried (something I see others dealing with). That said i did have to spread the batter with the back of a apoon when i first placed it in the pan. Also, i had no ripe bananas, so the one I used was relatively firm. Used the recommended baby cereal. I enjoyed them lol

    Reply

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