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 ½ 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:
- 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
- ⅔ cup rolled oats (65g)
- 1 medium beet (about 140g)
- ½ cup whole fat plain Greek yogurt (120g)
- 1 tablespoons ground flaxseeds
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ 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
Melina says
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!
Min says
hi! The pancakes are already quite soft and moist so if you decide to add banana, you'll need to add more oats!
Sheena says
Can I use the same ingredients to make them into waffle??
Min says
I haven't tried personally but several moms have told me that it works!
Safa says
Can you store the pancake mixture for a couple days in refrigerator ?
Min says
I wouldn't as the oats will continue soaking up the liquid and so the batter will turn very thick
Maddie says
Do you use raw beets or cooked?
Min says
Cooked!
Heidi says
Flavorful and versatile—these would taste good with all sorts of toppings. I enjoyed them right along with my toddler :).
Min says
Yay! Love love hearing this 😉
Candace says
Super easy, moist and simple ingredients. I substituted 1 egg for the flaxseed and I used Love Beets. Love Beets is peeled, precooked then weighed it. I also weigh the yogurt and oats. I’ll definitely making this again and again as well your banana pancakes.
Min says
Love Beets is so great, right?! So convenient. I'm glad you're enjoying my pancake recipes!
Anna says
My baby & toddler love this! It is on my biweekly repertoire. I bake these as well and it works! Just wanted to say, you have really helped me along my BLW journey - thank you! I didn’t do BLW with my first and he ended up on purées for a long time. Changed things around with #2 & #3 thanks to you.
Min says
You have no idea how much your kind and encouraging words mean to me! Thank you so much for your love and support! Really really motivates me to keep doing what I do ;).
Nicole says
My son loves these!
Min says
Yay!! So glad to hear!
Faye says
My 22 month old LOVES these! It’s one of the few things he eats that has vegetables in it!
Min says
Yay! I'm so glad!! Have you tried my spinach pancakes? very similar to this one!
Faye says
Yes! He loves those and the spinach muffins. Also, I made this beet pancake but substituted with carrots and they were also a hit!! Your recipes are amazing!!
Min says
Yaay!!! so happy to hear your are enjoying my recipes ;). Thank you for taking the time to share!
Sara says
How fun! Can these be made as muffins instead? Love the idea of including yogurt
Hyun says
This recipe was a major success! My boy almost always spits out new food but this pancake, he likes it and even asked for more! As a mother of a picky eater, so grateful for this recipe!
Min says
aww!! My heart is rejoicing with yours ;). Thanks for sharing your success story!
EM says
Tasty! Took me a bit to get the temperature right so i didn't burn them but once I got it, it was perfect! My daughter loves them!
Min says
SO happy to hear! Thanks for sharing 😉
Venes says
Can I swap beets for other ingredients?
Min says
Sure! Check out my spinach pancakes
Ang M says
Love this idea! I've been looking for a way to introduce beets to my baby. Can these be made with canned beets?
Min says
I believe so just make sure the only ingredient is beets!