If you’re looking for a healthy pancake recipe your little one will actually eat, these Sweet Potato Oatmeal Pancakes are it. Made with simple ingredients like oats, mashed sweet potato, and eggs, they’re naturally sweet, soft enough for babies, and filling enough for toddlers. Plus, everything blends up in one blender for a no-mess, no-fuss recipe that’s ready in minutes.
I love making these on Sunday, freezing the extras, and then reheating them for quick weekday breakfasts. They’re high in fiber, iron, and vitamin A from the sweet potato, and gentle enough for tiny eaters just learning how to chew.
Why You and Your Toddler Will Love These Sweet Potato Oatmeal Pancakes
- naturally sweet + no sugar – perfect for babies and toddlers without the sugar crash
- soft, fluffy texture – easy for little mouths to chew and safe for BLW
- nutrient-packed – sweet potatoes add fiber, vitamin A, and iron
- freezer-friendly – make once, reheat all week for stress-free mornings
- family approved – not just for toddlers…you’ll even love stacking them with nut butter or yogurt
These pancakes were inspired by my carrot cake waffles that we love a ton too! Go check out how I stuck a popsicle stick inside to make them "waffle pops" because you can totally do the same with these pancakes!
Jump to:
- Why You and Your Toddler Will Love These Sweet Potato Oatmeal Pancakes
- Ingredients You'll Need
- How To Make These Sweet Potato Pancakes
- Hint For The Best Pancakes
- Substitutions
- Variations
- How To Serve These Sweet Potato Pancakes To Toddlers
- Equipment
- Storing Your Sweet Potato Pancakes
- Tiff's Dietitian Tip
- FAQ
- Related
- Pairing
- Simple Sweet Potato Oatmeal Pancakes (Baby + Toddler Friendly)
Ingredients You'll Need
Here's everything you'll need to make these sweet potato oatmeal pancakes:
- mashed sweet potato – adds natural sweetness, fiber, and vitamin A
- eggs (or flax eggs) – binds the pancakes and adds protein and choline
- milk of choice – use dairy or non-dairy milk
- rolled oats – blended into oat flour for fiber and whole-grain goodness
- baking powder – for fluffiness
- cinnamon + vanilla – warm flavor without the added sugar
See recipe card for quantities.
How To Make These Sweet Potato Pancakes
- Step 1: Add all ingredients to a high-speed blender and blend until smooth. Batter will be pourable but thick.
- Step 2: Heat a nonstick pan or griddle over medium heat and lightly grease with butter or oil.
- Step 3: Pour small circles of batter (2–3 tablespoon each for baby pancakes). Cook 2–3 minutes until bubbles form and edges look set, flip, then cook another 1–2 minutes.
- Step 4: Let sweet potato pancakes cool slightly, then cut into strips for BLW babies or serve whole for toddlers. It was fun making mini size for dipping into yogurt!
Hint For The Best Pancakes
Let the batter rest for 5 minutes after blending. This gives the oats time to absorb the liquid and helps the pancakes cook up thicker, fluffier, and easier to flip.
Substitutions
These sweet potato pancakes are already gluten-free if using gluten-free rolled oats, but here are other substitutions if needed!
- egg-free: use 2 flax eggs (2 tablespoon ground flax + 5 tablespoon water, let sit 5 min) instead of eggs
- dairy-free: swap regular milk for oat, almond, soy, or coconut milk
- no sweet potato?: sub with pumpkin puree
- oats: feel free to sub with wheat or oat flour! If subbing with almond flour you'll likely need about half a cup extra
Variations
Feel free to customize these sweet potato pancakes by adding different mix-ins!
- banana-sweetened: replace half the sweet potato with mashed ripe banana for extra natural sweetness
- pumpkin pancakes: use canned pumpkin in place of sweet potato for a seasonal twist
- add-ins: stir in a handful of blueberries, hemp hearts, or mini chocolate chips (for older kids) before cooking
- mini pancake bites: pour the batter into a mini muffin pan and bake at 350°f for 12–14 minutes for a grab-and-go snack
See these carrot cake waffles for another variation of these (yes, you can totally turn these into pancakes too)!
How To Serve These Sweet Potato Pancakes To Toddlers
- cut pancakes into bite-sized squares for easy self-feeding
- serve with a fun dip like yogurt, applesauce, or nut butter
- top with fruit slices (banana, berries, or cooked apple chunks)
- make a “pancake sandwich” with nut butter or cream cheese between two small pancakes
- pair with scrambled eggs or cheese for a more balanced meal
- pack cooled pancakes in lunchboxes for an on-the-go toddler snack
Equipment
You don’t need anything fancy to make these sweet potato pancakes! Just a blender to mix the batter until smooth and a nonstick skillet or griddle for cooking. A silicone spatula makes flipping easier, and if you plan to batch cook and freeze, a large baking sheet will come in handy for cooling and freezing the pancakes in a single layer.
Storing Your Sweet Potato Pancakes
Store leftover sweet potato pancakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze them in a single layer on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2 months. Reheat straight from the fridge or freezer in the toaster, oven, or skillet until warmed through.
Tiff's Dietitian Tip
Want to boost the iron?! Stir a spoonful of hemp hearts or ground flax into the batter before cooking. Easy nutrition win for growing toddlers and babies!
FAQ
Absolutely. Swap 2 flax eggs (2 tablespoon ground flax + 5 tablespoon water, let gel for 5 min) for the eggs.
Yes! They freeze and reheat really well, so I recommend making a big batch to keep on hand.
Try cutting them into fun shapes with a cookie cutter or serving with a dip like yogurt, applesauce, or nut butters! Sometimes the presentation makes all the difference or even giving them a fun name.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with these sweet potato oatmeal pancakes:
Simple Sweet Potato Oatmeal Pancakes (Baby + Toddler Friendly)
Equipment
- skillet
- cookie scooper for accuracy
Ingredients
- 1 cup mashed cooked sweet potato roasted or steamed, cooled
- 2 large eggs or 2 flax eggs for egg-free
- ½ cup milk of choice
- 1 cup rolled oats gluten-free if needed
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon measure with your heart
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a high-speed blender and blend until completely smooth. Batter will be pourable but thick.
- Heat a nonstick pan or griddle over medium heat and lightly grease with butter or oil.
- Pour small circles of batter (about 2–3 tablespoon each for baby pancakes). Cook until bubbles form and edges look set, about 2–3 minutes. flip and cook another 1–2 minutes.
- Let cool slightly, then cut into strips or small pieces for babies, or serve whole for toddlers.
Meagan says
These were so good! I made them for me and my husband and didn’t feel bloated afterwards as I do when I eat regular pancakes!
toddlerdietitiantiff says
Whoop!! Love a husband approved recipe! So glad y'all loved them!