Pancakes & Baby-Led Weaning: Recipes and Cooking Tips from a Pediatric Dietitian
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Baby-led weaning (BLW) is a popular approach to introducing solids, allowing babies to explore foods at their own pace. One of the most versatile and beloved foods for baby-led weaning is pancakes!
Pancakes are a fantastic option during BLW, offering endless possibilities while using simple ingredients. In this post, I’ll share some delicious pancake recipes perfect for BLW that are soft and easy for babies to handle, as well as my top tips for cooking, storing, and serving pancakes to babies.
Why Choose Pancakes for Baby-Led Weaning?
At this point, you may have seen zillions of images on social media of babies eating banana pancakes during baby-led weaning. Pancakes can be a fantastic option for babies as they are easy to chew and hold, making them perfect for little hands practicing self-feeding. With an abundance of recipes available, you can introduce different flavors, allergens, and nutrients while keeping the texture soft and manageable for your baby.
Pancakes are also great for BLW on the go and can make a great snack, too! Serve baby-led weaning pancakes with a side of yogurt or fresh fruit for a nutritious meal. To enhance the flavors, experiment with different toppings, such as adding a thin layer of peanut butter or nut butters*.
Pancakes are also fun to eat! As your baby gets older and masters their pincer grasp, you can try cutting pancakes into shapes* and serving them with applesauce or fruit puree dips, which makes mealtimes more enjoyable and exciting.
Tips for Making the Perfect Pancake
Fresh ingredients make a big difference!
Did you know? It's best to store grains, especially whole grains, in the refrigerator to preserve freshness and extend shelf life.
Don't Overmix: Mix the batter until just combined. A few lumps are okay; overmixing can make pancakes tough, which is harder for babies to chew and mash down with gums.
TOP TIP: To create a smoother batter, mix the wet ingredients and dry ingredients in separate bowls before stirring them together.
Let the Batter Rest: Allowing the batter to sit for about 5-10 minutes allows ingredients with gluten to relax, resulting in fluffier pancakes.
Focus on using whole food ingredients without added sugars or preservatives.
As a registered dietitian specializing in infant nutrition, I don’t generally recommend serving maple syrup to babies because it is an added sugar, but a small taste here and there isn’t the end of the world and can help make new foods more palatable.
Try cooking pancakes in the oven on a baking sheet to reduce mess and the need for constant flipping (Check out my recipe in my new cookbook for Almond Cardamom Sheet Pan Pancakes below)
Double the batch and freeze the extras for easy baby meals in a pinch.
How to Freeze Pancakes for BLW
Before freezing, cut your pancakes into the finger-size shape that works well for babies using a palmar grasp. Layer between sheets of parchment paper so it’s easy to grab one or two for your baby whenever you need a quick meal or snack.
I love these glass storage containers*, but you could also store them in a gallon Ziplock bag to maximize freezer space. If they are in an airtight container in the fridge, pancakes should last up to 3 days, and in the freezer, for up to 3 months.
How to Cut Pancakes for BLW
Cutting pancakes for baby-led weaning is all about ensuring they’re safe and manageable for little hands and mouths. Remember to keep baby sitting upright in a high chair and always supervise your baby while eating to monitor for any signs of choking.
Here are some tips on how to cut pancakes effectively:
Cut pancakes into strips (about the length of an adult-sized pinky finger) to make it easier for babies using the palmar grasp to grip (usually around 6-9 months of age).
For babies with an emerging pincer grasp (using finger and thumb to pick up foods), you can cut pancakes into smaller, bite-sized pieces about the size of a chickpea, but it’s also fine for most at this stage to offer pancakes whole and round and allow babies to take bites from the larger piece.
Make sure pancakes are soft and well-cooked but not overly crisp or tough to help prevent choking and make them easier for babies to mash down with gums.
Cut pancakes into strips for baby.
My Favorite BLW Pancake Recipes
These baby-led weaning pancakes provide an impressive amount of nutrition in a small package. The batter comes together in under 5 minutes in a blender. Best of all, the mixture incorporates SIX different allergens (DID YOU KNOW? Offering common allergens early, often, and consistently during infancy reduces the risk of food allergies!)
2. Almond Cardamom Sheet Pan Pancakes for Baby-Led Weaning
This recipe offers all the fun and fluffy satisfaction of pancakes without the mess of cleaning the skillet and stovetop! It uses 3 of the top nine allergens, including tree nuts, eggs, and milk.
*** These first two recipes are from my latest cookbook, Safe and Simple Food Allergy Prevention: A Baby-Led Feeding Guide to Starting Solids and Introducing Allergens with 80 Family-Friendly Recipes. The book was written as a guide to help make the process of allergy introduction simple and straightforward. It includes a complete plan for allergen introduction, 8 weeks of baby-led feeding meal plans, a guide to starting solids and baby-led feeding based on the latest research, and 80 family-friendly recipes like this one. This one-stop-shop resource makes the process of starting solids and preventing food allergies easy, delicious, and stress-free. ***
3. Banana Protein Pancakes for BLW
A new twist on banana pancakes! These BLW banana pancakes are packed with protein and offer a healthy, tasty breakfast option for the whole family, kids included.
(For a similar high-protein blw pancake (no banana), check out my Lemon Allspice Pancakes.)
Adding vegetables to pancakes can enhance their nutrition. These light, fluffy, and nutrient-dense pancakes offer a great way to incorporate more green veggies into any meal, including breakfast and/or brunch. If serving to a baby, consider omitting or reducing the salt.
These Easy Pumpkin Pancakes are great for babies during baby-led weaning. Like other orange foods including sweet potatoes, pumpkin is loaded with vitamin A, which helps strengthen a baby’s eyesight and immune system. Try topping them with a thin layer of almond butter and serving them with a side of soft, ripe pears.
** Be warned: The aroma of these pancakes is irresistible. DID YOU KNOW? The smell of food alone is considered food exposure? When frequent and provided without pressure, repeated food exposure helps kids become more comfortable and accepting of new flavors and textures.
Now that you have some yummy pancake recipes and tips perfect for baby-led weaning, why not whip up a batch today? My kids always get excited when I serve breakfast for dinner…
If you’re interested in learning more about how and when to integrate foods into your baby's diet, as well as how to reduce the risk of food allergies during infancy, check out my new baby-led feeding + food allergy prevention guide and cookbook!
Thanks for reading! XO Malina