Decadent 21 Day Fix Pancakes: Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free with Caramelized Bananas & Walnuts
Prepare to be amazed by these incredible 21 Day Fix Pancakes with Caramelized Bananas and Walnuts. They’re a truly decadent breakfast treat, so rich and flavorful, you’d never guess they’re low in sugar, entirely dairy-free, and gluten-free! Whether you’re looking for a wholesome breakfast to kickstart your day or a guilt-free dessert, these banana pancakes are the perfect choice. This recipe proves that healthy eating doesn’t mean sacrificing taste or indulgence.
This post is proudly sponsored by Bob’s Red Mill. As always, all opinions and the delicious outcome are 100% my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Confessions of a Fit Foodie possible and help us share more amazing healthy recipes with you.
The Inspiration: A Father’s Day Tribute to a Sweet Tooth
With Father’s Day approaching, my heart was set on creating something truly special in honor of my husband, who is not just an amazing dad but also the unsung hero of this blog. Seriously, without his constant support – from tidying up the kitchen while I write to being the most dedicated (and honest!) taste tester – “Confessions of a Fit Foodie” simply wouldn’t exist. He’s the one who gives the green light, ensuring only the most exciting and delicious recipes make it to your screens.
Initially, I considered a grilled meat recipe, thinking it would be perfect for the season and my husband’s love for grilling. However, a vivid memory of a trip to Puerto Rico, where he fell head-over-heels for some incredible banana pancakes, kept nagging at me. He’d been dreaming about them for over ten years – a sure sign they were packed with butter, sugar, and all sorts of rich, traditional goodness, likely drenched in syrup. The challenge was clear: could I create a healthy, 21 Day Fix-approved version that lived up to his decade-long sweet dream and his formidable sweet tooth?
Armed with a fresh bag of my favorite Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour and a free weekend, I decided it was finally time to tackle this culinary quest. No pressure, right? Just recreating a ten-year-old, possibly idealized, memory of incredibly sweet, conventional pancakes into a gluten-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free, and 21 Day Fix-approved marvel.
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Gluten-Free Pancake Perfection with Bob’s Red Mill
My go-to choice for gluten-free baking is Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour. It’s the same fantastic flour that makes my Banana Bread a fan favorite among Confessions readers, so I had high hopes for its performance in these banana pancakes. This flour blend is specially formulated to replace wheat flour in most recipes, offering an excellent texture and taste without the gluten. It’s a game-changer for anyone with dietary restrictions or those simply looking for healthier alternatives.
Creating these pancakes meant navigating my husband’s very specific palate. His sweet tooth is legendary. While I crave chocolate, he leans towards candies like Skittles and Starburst – the kind I buy for Halloween knowing I won’t be tempted (give me all the Reese’s, though!). This meant I couldn’t just throw mashed bananas into the batter, a method he’d swiftly rejected in the past. The sweetness needed to be more integrated, more refined, yet still pronounced enough to satisfy his cravings.
Beyond the gluten-free aspect, ensuring these pancakes were dairy-free was also key for making them accessible to a wider audience and aligning with the 21 Day Fix program. This often means carefully selecting substitutes that don’t compromise flavor or texture. Using unsweetened almond milk and vegan butter or ghee seamlessly fits this requirement, providing the richness and moisture needed for perfectly fluffy pancakes.
The Sweet Solution: Caramelized Bananas and Walnuts
My breakthrough came with the idea of caramelizing the bananas. While bananas naturally add sweetness, caramelizing them intensifies their flavor, creating a rich, almost candy-like sweetness without needing additional refined sugar. This technique was crucial for satisfying my husband’s craving for that “decadent” experience from his Puerto Rico trip.
The process is simple yet effective: thinly slice ripe bananas and gently cook them in a touch of butter (or vegan butter/ghee) until they turn golden and slightly soft. This brief caramelization creates a burst of natural sweetness and a lovely tender texture. Once they’re lightly caramelized, I add a sprinkling of chopped walnuts directly into the pan. The walnuts get slightly toasted, releasing their earthy aroma and adding a delightful crunch that contrasts beautifully with the soft pancakes and sweet bananas.
This ingenious method worked wonders! With just a tiny drizzle of maple syrup (a 21 Day Fix-approved sweetener), these pancakes taste like pure heaven. The caramelized bananas provide intense natural sweetness, the walnuts offer a satisfying texture, and the fluffy pancakes themselves are simply delightful. My husband, the ultimate critic, absolutely loved them. They might not be the most aesthetically perfect pancakes you’ve ever seen – the bananas give them a rustic charm – but one bite and you’ll forget all about appearances, lost in their crazy good flavor.
Crafting the Fluffy 21 Day Fix Pancake Batter
The secret to light and fluffy pancakes, even when they’re gluten-free and dairy-free, lies in the batter preparation. It starts with combining the wet ingredients: unsweetened vanilla almond milk, eggs, melted butter (or its vegan alternative), vanilla extract, and a hint of maple syrup for foundational sweetness. Whisk these together until well combined.
In a separate bowl, the dry ingredients – Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour, baking powder, baking soda, and a pinch of salt – are thoroughly mixed. These leavening agents are crucial for achieving that desirable rise and airy texture, while the salt balances the sweetness.
The magic happens when you gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet. The key here is not to overmix! A lumpy batter is actually a good sign; those lumps contribute to the pancakes’ fluffiness. Overmixing develops gluten (even in gluten-free flour, you want to avoid over-agitation) and can lead to tough pancakes. After combining, allow the batter to rest for a few minutes. This brief pause allows the flour to fully hydrate and the leavening agents to begin their work, ensuring a tender and airy result.
More Than Breakfast: Serving and Customization Tips
These 21 Day Fix Pancakes are incredibly versatile. We often enjoy them with a few extra slices of caramelized bananas and a sprinkle of toasted walnuts on top, transforming them into what feels like a gourmet dessert – truly reminiscent of Bananas Foster Pancakes! They make for an exceptionally special Father’s Day breakfast, a wonderful way to show appreciation for your own amazing dad or husband.
But their appeal doesn’t stop at special occasions. They are also fantastic for meal prepping throughout the week. Make a big batch on Sunday, store them in the fridge, and simply reheat for a quick, wholesome breakfast on busy mornings. You deserve a delicious start to your day, honey!
What’s more, this pancake recipe forms an excellent base. If bananas aren’t your favorite, or if you simply want to experiment, you can omit the banana and walnut additions and customize the pancakes with your preferred fruits, spices, or mix-ins. Think blueberries, chocolate chips (dairy-free, of course!), or a dash of cinnamon. The possibilities are endless, making this a truly adaptable recipe for any palate or dietary preference.
If you give these delightful pancakes a try, I’d absolutely love to hear your thoughts! Don’t hesitate to share your healthy creations and tag me on social media. Your culinary adventures inspire me!
A special thank you to Bob’s Red Mill for sponsoring this post. It means so much to me to partner with brands I genuinely love and use in my kitchen every single day!
Pancakes with Caramelized Bananas and Walnuts
Nancylynn
6
servings
📌Pin Recipe
10 minutes
10 minutes
20 minutes
Ingredients
-
1 1/2
cups
Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-1 Baking Flour -
2
teaspoons
baking powder -
1
teaspoon
baking soda -
½
teaspoon
salt -
4
teaspoons
maple syrup -
1 1/3
cup
unsweetened vanilla almond milk -
2
teaspoons
vanilla extract -
3
eggs -
2
tablespoons
butter, vegan butter, or ghee
melted; I used dairy free plus 3 tsp butter for cooking the pancakes -
coconut oil cooking spray -
3
ripe bananas
sliced -
8
walnut halves
chopped up small
Instructions
-
Whisk together milk, eggs, melted butter, vanilla extract, and maple syrup. In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until combined. Batter will be lumpy! Don’t overmix – those lumps are the key to fluffy pancakes! Let batter rest for a few minutes.
-
Heat a nonstick frying pan or skillet to medium low heat and spray with cooking spray. Melt 1/4 tsp of butter and place 4 banana slices on the pan, so they are touching and make a square. Let bananas caramelize for a minute (I like to flip mine) then add a few crushed walnuts to the pan. Pour a large spoonful of the pancake batter over the bananas and nuts (I use a ¼ measuring cup slightly less than full). Cook until the edges begin to crisp up and the pancake bubbles are open. Carefully flip and cook the second side until cooked through.
-
Repeat with remaining batter. You should get approximately 12 pancakes.
-
Top with additional walnuts and banana slices if you have extra and a tsp of maple syrup.
Notes
WW: 8 points with walnuts, 7 points without (per 2 pancakes) [Calculated using butter]
Nutrition
Serving:
2
pancakes
Calories:
260
kcal
Carbohydrates:
40
g
Protein:
7
g
Fat:
9
g
Saturated Fat:
3
g
Polyunsaturated Fat:
2
g
Monounsaturated Fat:
3
g
Trans Fat:
0.2
g
Cholesterol:
92
mg
Sodium:
652
mg
Potassium:
267
mg
Fiber:
5
g
Sugar:
11
g
Vitamin A:
274
IU
Vitamin C:
5
mg
Calcium:
189
mg
Iron:
2
mg
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