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Moist and fluffy, these egg-free beet pancakes are perfect for babies six months and up. Made with six ingredients all thrown into a blender, they’re great to make with your toddler or older child.
So it is said that we eat with our eyes first. Feast your eyes on these naturally pinkish-red pancakes!
If your baby or child isn’t showing much interest in eating, incorporating bright-colored foods, like these beet pancakes, may help catch their attention.
Ingredients
Beets – choose ones on the smaller side as they tend to be sweeter.
Rolled oats – you can also use baby oatmeal if that’s what you have on hand
Yogurt – Always opt for full fat as babies need all the fat for optimal brain development. I like to use Greek yogurt because it’s thick and will impart a tangy flavor, that pairs nicely with the earthy, slightly sweet flavor of the beets. If you use regular yogurt, you’ll need to add more rolled oats. Otherwise the pancakes will turn out too soft and mushy.
Flaxseeds – I like to purchase them whole and grind myself. Here’s why!
Related Post: Beets for Babies
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to food processor/blender.
- Blend until smooth.
- Cook! It’s as simple as that!
Tips for Success
- I recommend cooking the beets in advance so it’s one less thing to do on the day of. You can also use store-bought cooked beets. Lately I’ve been cooking a large batch in the Instant Pot and freezing what I don’t use.
- DO taste the beets once cooked. If not very sweet and the earthy flavor is overpowering, consider adding some banana (start with 1/2 medium banana).
- Let batter sit for 10 minutes or so. This will make it easier to scoop into pan.
- Keep the pancakes small. I suggest adding 1-2 tablespoons of batter for each pancake. They will cook faster and be easier to flip.
- Do NOT raise the heat to make them cook faster. Otherwise you’ll end up with pancakes that are burnt on the outside but still uncooked in the middle. Keep the heat on Medium to medium-low heat.
- The texture of these pancakes is really moist, which is especially perfect for babies who are just starting their baby led weaning journey. So don’t worry if the pancakes seem too soft. They will firm up more as they cool. You can also refrigerate at least 30 minutes prior to eating, which will help them to firm up even more.
- Allow to cool completely before refrigerating.
Is your baby 6 months old and up?
Learn all the secrets to starting solids safely while optimizing nutrition!
Serving Suggestions
While these pancakes are perfectly delicious on their own, I like to make every bite count by spreading on top!
Favorite pancake topping suggestions:
- peanut, nut butter, or seed butter (be sure to thin it out)
- yogurt
- dips
- mashed avocado
- mashed beans
- canned sardine or salmon, mashed
- mashed fruit
Frequent Asked Questions
You can use any dairy-free alternatives to Greek yogurt. Just make sure there’s no added sugar.
Store in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the fridge. You can warm slightly before serving (no more than 15 seconds in the microwave) or serve cold.
You can also freeze them for up to 3 months. Here’s how to freeze pancakes as well as reheat them so they taste just as good as the day you made them.
I specifically designed this recipe with young babies in mind.
My toddler also loves these, but if your child prefers a firmer texture, add more oats or flour.
Roasting will result in the sweetest flavor, but it does take the longest time.
My preferred method lately has been cooking them in my Instant Pot. I’ve shared the cooking instructions for both in my turkey beet meatball post.
Other Baby and Kid-friendly Pancakes
- Banana protein pancakes
- Spinach baby pancakes
- Pumpkin Pancakes
- Strawberry banana pancakes
- Butternut squash pancakes
Did you make this recipe? Leave a rating below and let me know how you liked the recipe! Your feedback means so much to me!
Beet Pancakes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup rolled oats (65g)
- 1 medium beet (about 140g)
- 1/2 cup whole fat plain Greek yogurt (120g)
- 1 tablespoons ground flaxseeds
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to food processor/blender and blend until smooth. Let batter sit for 5-8 minutes.
- Heat a pan or griddle over medium to medium-low heat. Coat pan with butter or oil. Drop 1-2 tablespoons of batter into the pan. Cook until lightly browned (about 3 minutes) then very carefully flip. Cook for another 2-3 minutes
- Serve as is or with topping of choice .
Notes
- Texturally, these are very moist. Therefore, be gentle when flipping over. Otherwise they will break.
- If the bottoms start to brown too much before they are set, lower the heat.
- Allow to cool COMPLETELY. The pancakes will firm up beautifully as it cools.
- Store in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the fridge. Warm slightly before serving (no more than 15 seconds in the microwave). Store in the freezer for up to 3 months
My 8-month-old can’t get enough!
Aww yay!!
is it ok to swap flaxseeds for chia seeds?
It should be fine! Let me know how they turn out!
Can I use frozen beets for this recipe?
Hi you can just thaw and pay dry. Otherwise will make the pancakes really wet and mushy
Hi! I want to make these for my daughters birthday tomorrow am – do you think I can add in half a banana for added sweetness? What do you recommend? Thanks I’ll circle back what how they turn out!
hi! The pancakes are already quite soft and moist so if you decide to add banana, you’ll need to add more oats!
Can I use the same ingredients to make them into waffle??
I haven’t tried personally but several moms have told me that it works!
Can you store the pancake mixture for a couple days in refrigerator ?
I wouldn’t as the oats will continue soaking up the liquid and so the batter will turn very thick
Do you use raw beets or cooked?
Cooked!