Caramelized Peach and Oat Pancakes
Thinly sliced peaches caramelize as they cook in these delicious, gluten-free, oat and yogurt pancakes. They're peach upside-down pancakes!
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 30, 2024
Ever watched a good peach go bad? It’s a real tragedy. Some gorgeous organic peaches withered away on my kitchen counter last week. Those peaches sprouted some unsightly fuzz as they waited their turn to be used in a blog recipe.
It’s my fault. I forgot how quickly a good peach can go bad. I still feel as though I’ve committed a grievous crime. It was, at minimum, a serious violation of my own summer peach policy. Better to eat a ripe peach over the sink than to let it go to waste. Right?
I’m practicing peach repentance with pancakes. Oat and yogurt-based pancakes that are fluffy, gluten free and gently spiced. Thinly sliced peaches caramelize against one side of the cakes once you flip them over.
I owe credit for the idea to Ali and Deb. Ali commented a couple of days ago on my blueberry lemon yogurt pancakes. She said she made them with peaches and they were divine. You guys have the best ideas (thanks, Ali!). Her comment reminded me of Deb’s peach pancake cooking method in The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook, where she pours batter onto a hot pan and tops the pancake with peach slices before flipping it over.
I had to make those peach pancakes immediately, with fresh Missouri peaches. Ali was right—they are divine, if I say so myself.
These oat-based pancakes are gluten free, so they are a little more delicate than most at the flipping point. Just be gentle and they’ll turn out great. I made them on buttered cast iron and on a non-stick griddle (no butter). The butter makes them taste sort of doughnut-y, which is nice, but I preferred the cleaner taste of the non-stick surface. This could be because I grew up eating Bisquick pancakes cooked on an electric skillet. To each her own.
If you have a favorite pancake recipe, you can totally caramelize peaches on them using this method! Try it!
Caramelized Peach and Oat Pancakes
Thinly sliced peaches caramelize as they cook in these delicious, gluten-free, oat and yogurt pancakes. They’re peach upside-down pancakes! No need to peel your peaches, unless you want to. Recipe yields about 8 pancakes.
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup plain yogurt
- 2 tablespoons butter or coconut oil, melted
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (about 1 small lemon, juiced)
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup oat flour*
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- Slightly heaping ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 peach, halved, pitted and very thinly sliced (into about ⅛-inch slices)
Instructions
- In a small-ish bowl, stir together the yogurt, butter, lemon juice, honey and vanilla extract. Beat in the eggs.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the oat flour, baking soda, salt, ginger and cinnamon.
- Form a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. With a big spoon, stir just until the dry ingredients are thoroughly moistened. Do not overmix or you’ll run the risk of getting tough pancakes! Let the batter sit for 10 minutes.
- Heat a heavy cast iron skillet or nonstick griddle over medium-low heat. If you’re using an electric skillet, preheat it to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- You’re ready to start cooking your pancakes once the surface of the pan is hot enough that a drop of water sizzles on contact. If necessary, lightly oil the cooking surface with butter or cooking spray (I don’t oil the surface of my non-stick griddle and my pancakes turned out great). Give the batter one gentle stir, then scoop a scant ¼ cup batter onto the pan. Place two to 3 peach slices on top of the pancake. Let the pancake cook until the top edges of the pancakes are more matte than shiny and the underside is golden, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Once the bottom side has cooked sufficiently, flip it with a spatula and cook for another couple of minutes or so, until golden brown on both sides. You may need to adjust the heat up or down at this point.
- Serve the pancakes immediately or keep warm in a 200 degree Fahrenheit oven.
Notes
Recipe adapted from my blueberry lemon yogurt pancakes.
Why buy organic? Conventionally grown peaches are notoriously high in pesticide exposure.
A note on gluten free: If you want gluten-free pancakes, make sure your oat flour is certified gluten free.
Change it up: I think nectarines would work great in place of the peaches. I also want to try these pancakes with apples and pears this fall!
*How to make your own oat flour: Pour one cup of oats (old fashioned or quick cooking) into a food processor and process until it is ground well. One cup before and after grinding measures just about the same, believe it or not!
Storage suggestions: These pancakes keep well in the fridge, covered, for a couple of days. Freeze for longer-term storage.
Recommended equipment: I really like my Calphalon removable plate griddle/grill. I can cook pancakes much faster on a large surface, plus I don’t have to grease the non-stick surface.
If you love this recipe: You’ll also love my banana oat pancakes, pumpkin oat pancakes, buckwheat pancakes, individual peach crisps and peach and ricotta flatbread.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
I love this idea so much! I’m never one to turn down a pancake but these look so delicious with those sweet and sticky slices of peach.
These sound great! I love that you can save them for a couple days. Just curious- I noticed the asterisk next to oat flour. Does this mean we can use another type of flour? Almond maybe?
Oops! Thanks for bringing that to my attention, Lia. I meant to add a *note on how to make your own oat flour out of regular oats. I’ll add that now. I’m not sure how any other flour will do. The 10-minute rest gives the oat flour time to absorb some of the liquid. I don’t think almond meal will work the same way.
Oh I love this idea of putting the peach slices on right after you’ve poured the batter. Great tip! I’m definitely gonna try that out! Thanks, Kate!
Oh my… These pancakes look to die for! That recipe in Deb’s cookbook definitely is one that I remember the best, although, I’ve never actually made them. For no reason. Just life, ya know. I really need to make a batch of peach pancakes before peach season comes to an end!
Life does that! Sometimes I’ll get so excited about a recipe, but it’ll take me a year to get around to it. I hope you’ll give these peach pancakes a try!
I always love pancakes and I will definitely give this a try especially Peach is still in season.
As always, your recipe creation are fabulous!
Thank you so much!
Wow, these look amazing and so simple! It’s great the the caramelized peach part just happens while you’re cooking the pancakes, instead of having to do it separately. I am also guilty of letting beautiful produce go bad – I love that you are doing “peach repentance” with this recipe!
this looks DELISH! thank you for sharing!!!
Thank you so much for the recipe! I love peaches but am always looking for new ways to incorporate them in dishes as they can be kind of *slurp* messy to eat on their own ;)
Mmm, I’m making these this weekend. I know what you mean Kate when a beautiful peach goes bad. You do feel like a criminal! I like that they are gluten free too. I haven’t tried oat flour before and am looking forward to see how they turn out.
Slowly rotting produce bring a tear to my eye. Sometimes they just slip through the cracks and get forgotten. Girl, you are the queen of pancakes and salads! Love that carmelization.
It’s so tragic when good produce goes bad! Thank you, Stefanie. :)
Agh, I’m totally guilty of letting my recent peach haul get soft & wrinkly before I could eat them. These pancakes are beautiful!
I’m a follower of smittenkitchen, and made this pancakes all the time last summer! Thanks for reminding me of such a great recipe, they are amazing – and very flexible – even managed to make them over a campfire with success. Looking forward to trying them with your modifications…
Oh man, peach pancakes over a campfire sound like a treat!
Looks delicious…very original. Love the use of oat flour and coconut oil, too.
This lovely post reminds me I haven’t cooked enough with peaches this summer, and time is running out! Thanks for the inspired idea – love it!
Mmnm this looks delicious!
I haven’t had peaches in ages, especially since I haven’t seen any organic for sale in the city I’m currently at!! Looks so so goo!
i havent had pancakes for soo long..this one looks particularly delicious!
I read this recipe this morning and knew it was destiny – I had some nectarines about to go bad. So I jumped out of bed and made this for breakfast. Delicious! The 2 year old loved them too! Thank you for the fabulous recipe-
Wow, you were quick! I’m so glad you both enjoyed the pancakes!
Have tried just about every fruit but peaches in pancakes, and also have some on the counter about to go bad! Will have to give this a try!
These look so delicious, Kate! I’ve put peach chunks in pancakes before, but never whole slices. The caramelization of the whole slices has GOT to be delicious. I can’t wait to try!
Hope you’ll give them a try soon, Raquel! The caramelization really sends the pancakes over the top.
A delicious recipe for using a little too ripe peaches. Absolutely great !
Over the sink method for peaches! Actually, thats usually how I eat most of my food these days! Something about being overly hangry by the time I get home from work/store :)
These pancakes look perfect! Love the idea of oats and peaches together- will be trying this one soon!
wow, this sounds delicious! never thought about adding peach to pancakes :)
xo, cheyenne
This looks so delicious! Must try.
Joana x
You can make great pancakes without eggs and dairy milk…
Susan’s fat free vegan blog and the blog, holy cow is awash with great pancake recipes…
Viva la pancake! We love pancakes in our nest and I love your peach repentance come back…way to be on your toes in the kitchen. Happy Nesting.
Oh my goodness, YUM! I will have to get to this quickly while peaches are still in season. Thanks for another gorgeous recipe Kate!
Loving this combo for a pancake! Yum!
Hubby is working late tonight. I think this will be my dinner!
Hope the pancakes turned out great, Robin!
Holy moly, these are so gorgeous!!! They just went straight to the top of my weekend to-do list.
Yum! These look positively delectable! Now if I could just get someone to make these for me in the wee hours of the morning, before work……
These sound so delicious!! So pretty too!
Can I invite myself to breakfast? Brunch? I promise I’ll bring along some treats for Cookie and a big bunch of flowers for the breakfast maker :)
Can’t wait for summer peaches to eat both ripe over the sink, and caramelised in these pancakes.
Any time! I have a surplus of peach pancakes right now. :)
You could always freeze overripe fruit and make peach soft serve (swap out the bananas). That is, if you somehow managed to get sick of pancakes!
I got up early to make these pancakes before work this morning and what a treat! I didn’t have oats so I used 3/4 almond flour and 1/4 wholewheat flour and it totally works!
I have been following your blog for about a year now and got some friends hooked too- your recipes are often the inspiration for my grocery list. As a life long vegetarian, who enjoys a good vegan option, your blog is my constant go-to.
Thanks Kate!
Maggie, thank you! I’m so glad you enjoyed the pancakes! Thank you for sharing my blog with your friends. That means a lot. :)
GREAT recipe! I have a couple of peaches on my counter just ready for these pancakes! love that you use oat flour:)
Mary
I would love to have these delicious peach pancakes each and every morning! Wow, so pretty!
Thanks, Phi!
Any ideas on how to make these without eggs? My son has an egg allergy :-(
Sarah, I’m sorry, I’m not sure. Chia or flax eggs might work.
Girl, I have been there with some heirloom tomatoes this week and watching them mold away was just heartbreaking. Do you think I can also repent with these pancakes? It seems like a fair trade.
Oh, been there. Seems like it’s the prettiest produce that we’re saving for recipe photos that goes to waste most often! Such a tragic ending. Yes, definitely repent with these pancakes.
Tear… These pancakes totally make up for your poor lost peach!
I completely agree about the tragedy of overripe peaches! Ah! It’s the same with avocados… sometimes I wait forever for them to ripen and then… overripe. So sad (I am an avo addict). As for these pancakes, they’re definitely the perfect redemption! Beautiful, caramelised gluten free goodness! Cannot wait to try the recipe (love the opportunities for different fruit, too! I’ve been loving nectarines recently… and apricots. Yum!) xx
Oh, I hate it when I let good avocados go bad! So sad.
Those are some super sexy pancakes lady and I know exactly what you mean about rotten peaches I found one last week that went from perfectly good to covered in mold in like 30 seconds. Sad face :(
Thanks, Kate! And RIP, sweet peach.
Love the ingredients in these pancakes! I can’t wait to try them. I am sure a lot of different fruit would be good in the base!
Just made these for supper! So, so good! Perfect recipe for two hungry people! Thanks, Kate! We’ll be making these again soon!
Yay, thanks Andrea!
I just made these and the kids and I loved them! So tasty and lighter than I expected with the oat flour.
And I know what you mean about peaches, Kate. It is a sin when a good peach goes bad. I’m always sad when peach season is over.
As always, your recipes never disappoint!
Sandra
Thanks, Sandra! Glad your family enjoyed the pancakes! :)
What a beautiful recipe!
Made these with peaches grown in Palisade Colorado! Wow! These were the best! Had them with bacon and maple syrup for dinner – and a glass of Rose wine. Yes, will do that again soon!!!❤️5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Sounds like a marvelous dinner! Thank you, Annie!
Once I saw this recipe I had to make it the very next morning, now today. I had received some nectarines from my local CSA and knew this was their purpose.
I didn’t have enough plain yogurt so I used vanilla yogurt and omitted the maple syrup and vanilla from the recipe and they turned out amazing! My picky, picky 6 yr old ate them in a minute and the rest of us grown children loved them too.
They have such a rich flavor from the spices, eggs and caramelized fruit (nectarines in this case), just lovely. Next I am going to try some with peanut butter powder, cocoa powder and bananas. I don’t seem to get enough caramelized bananas in my diet and that just doesn’t seem right.
Thank you so much for the delicious recipe, I can’t wait to try more!
Hi Nadia! Thank you! I’m delighted to hear that you all enjoyed the pancakes! Your peanut butter, cocoa powder and chocolate variation idea is genius!
Delicious! They turned out exactly as pictured. Just perfectly sweetened and as fluffy as their gluten-ey counterparts. And the kitchen smelled fantastic all morning.
Thank you for the plethora of amazing recipes!
I just made these and they are sooo so tasty. They were my first non-wheat pancakes and I didn’t think they were going to be this much of a success but I think I’m never going back to wheat! :D (Didn’t have peaches so we sliced and poached pears in vanilla water and put those on top… should have poured some rum in too ;) ) Thank you x
Awesome, glad to hear it! Your poached pear version sounds stellar!
I just made these and they were divine. Is it possible to keep the batter in the fridge for later use (7hrs)?