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Power up your day with these green Hulk pancakes! They’re made with fresh spinach for its color and nutritional benefits, and has a sweet banana flavor kids love! Just pop all of the ingredients in the blender, then griddle to perfection. Serve with a little Greek yogurt, maple syrup, and fresh fruit for a healthy breakfast even the pickiest eaters will ask for again and again!
Spinach Banana Oat Pancakes
My boys are going through a major super hero phase right now and have been working hard to get strong like Hulk, so they were so excited when I made these Hulk pancakes for them!
The green color is so much fun, and the kids want to eat a whole bunch to improve their Hulk smash skills.
Whether your little one is a Hulk fiend too, or they just like the color, these healthy green pancakes are the perfect breakfast choice: quick, nutritious, and delicious!
For more fun green treats, try these Green Monster Muffins and Spinach Banana Waffles too!
Why We Love This Recipe
- One batch makes 18 pancakes – perfect for meal prep!
- Easy way to incorporate some extra greens
- Formulated by a registered dietitian and mom to be perfect for kids
- Made without added sugar
- Full of fiber to keep those tummies full for longer
- Fun green color to entice picky eaters
- Can freeze the leftovers for an easy breakfast any time
- Perfect breakfast option for St. Patrick’s Day!
Ingredient Notes
- Rolled oats: These are also called old-fashioned oats and are less processed than quick oats.
- Baking powder: To help the pancakes puff up on the griddle.
- Salt
- Cinnamon: For a little extra flavor.
- Eggs: To bind the pancake batter together and add extra protein and healthy fats.
- Milk: Use your favorite milk or milk alternative. Non-dairy milk works well, too.
- Mashed overripe banana: Fully brown, soft bananas are the sweetest and help make these healthy pancakes soft and tender.
- Pitted dates: For extra sweetness with no added sugar.
- Melted coconut oil: Use a neutral-tasting oil that can handle higher heat, like coconut or avocado oil.
- Vanilla extract
- Baby spinach: Fresh spinach has the mildest flavor and blends very easily.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Place the oats, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon into a high speed blender. Blend until the oats turn into a fine powder, then transfer the mixture to a medium bowl and set it aside.
- Next, add the eggs, milk, banana, dates, oil, vanilla, and spinach to the blender. Blend until the mixture is completely smooth..
- Return the oat mixture to the blender, and blend everything together until the batter is smooth and well-combined. If you don’t have a high-speed blender, refer to the tips mentioned above.
- Heat a skillet over medium-low heat and lightly grease it with oil. Once the skillet is hot, pour about 2 heaping tablespoons of pancake batter per pancake into the pan.
- Cook until small bubbles appear on the surface and the edges look dry, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook the other side for an additional 2 minutes. Transfer the cooked pancakes to a plate and repeat with the remaining batter.
- Serve warm with your favorite toppings. If you have leftovers, let them cool completely before storing them in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days or in the freezer for up to a month!
Keep scrolling to the recipe card below for the full printable recipe!
RECIPE TIPS
- If your dates are extra hard, soften them in a bowl of boiling hot water for 5-10 minutes before blending.
- If the pancakes start to brown too fast, turn down the heat and allow them to cook more slowly.
- You can also use these spinach oatmeal pancakes to make pancake sandwiches, which are perfect for lunch boxes! As a bonus, it’s an easy way to serve some extra veggies.
Recipe FAQs
I would not recommend it. The frozen spinach will add extra moisture, and it sometimes has an off-putting taste when used in sweeter recipes like pancakes or muffins. Stick with the fresh stuff for the best results.
These ones are! Made with oats, banana, dates, spinach, eggs, and milk, they’re high in fiber, protein, and nutrients to support your child’s healthy development. They’re a great alternative to regular pancakes and are healthy enough to serve for breakfast, lunch, or dinner!
Yes! Pancakes freeze very well. I recommend chilling them in the fridge first or at least letting them cool to room temperature. Arrange them in a single layer on a sheet pan lined with parchment and freeze solid. Then, transfer the frozen pancakes to a freezer-safe bag, placing a piece of parchment between each one. This will prevent them from sticking together and make them easy to reheat and serve.
Storage Guidelines
- To refrigerate: Store leftover spinach pancakes in an airtight container for 4-5 days.
- To freeze: Freeze the extras for later! For best results, freeze the pancakes on a sheet pan, then stack them with a piece of parchment between each one and store them in a freezer-safe bag for up to one month.
- To reheat: Warm the pancake on a griddle or pop it in the toaster oven for a quick breakfast.
Serving Suggestions
Homemade spinach blender pancakes are a great breakfast choice for any day of the week! Depending on your child’s age, you can either serve the pancakes whole, cut into strips, or cut into bite-sized pieces. Learn more about how to cut pancakes for babies here.
We serve them topped with a spread of peanut butter and banana slices, but you can also serve them like regular pancakes with maple syrup, a drizzle of peanut butter, or fresh fruit. My boys also like to make pancake sandwiches out of them with peanut butter and chia jam. They’re great in lunch boxes, too!
Pair them with these breakfast recipes to make a memorable meal:
Recipe Variations
- Add chocolate chips: Chocolate chips make everything better! I like to use mini ones to keep the sugar content lower.
- Make fun shapes: If you pour the batter into a squeeze bottle, you can make hearts, stars, or even attempt your own Hulk on the griddle. Kids love this!
- Amp up the color: 3 cups of fresh spinach adds a pretty strong green hue, but if you want it to be even more vibrant, you can add more spinach if desired, but it may affect the flavor slightly.
Like it? Save this recipe for later!
More Power-Packed Breakfasts
- Banana Zucchini Pancakes
- Mini Blueberry Pancakes
- Banana Oatmeal Pancakes for Baby
- Broccoli Cheese Waffles
- Carrot Zucchini Banana Muffins
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Hulk Pancakes
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup milk or milk alternative
- 1 cup mashed overripe banana (about 2 medium bananas)
- 2-3 pitted dates
- 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil or avocado oil, plus more for cooking
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups baby spinach
Instructions
- Place the oats, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon into a high-speed blender. Blend until the oats turn into a fine powder, then transfer the mixture to a medium bowl and set it aside.
- Next, add the eggs, milk, banana, dates, oil, vanilla, and spinach to the blender. Blend until the mixture is completely smooth..
- Return the oat mixture to the blender, and blend everything together until the batter is smooth and well-combined. If you don’t have a high-speed blender, refer to the tips mentioned above.
- Heat a skillet over medium-low heat and lightly grease it with oil. Once the skillet is hot, pour about 2 heaping tablespoons of pancake batter per pancake into the pan.
- Cook until small bubbles appear on the surface and the edges look dry, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook the other side for an additional 2 minutes. Transfer the cooked pancakes to a plate and repeat with the remaining batter.
- Serve warm with your favorite toppings. If you have leftovers, let them cool completely before storing them in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days or in the freezer for up to a month!
