I’m so super duper excited to kick off the baby and toddler recipes with these splendid sweet potato pancakes because HOW CUTE ARE THESE? Just like my Healthy Sweet Potato Muffins and Baby Banana Oat Muffins, they come together in no time, freeze beautifully, and are great for baby led weaning. Bonus points for being mom and dad approved, too!
Ingredients
Sweet potato: Max’s fave food right here…packed with beta carotene and loaded with flavor! Whole wheat flour: A great source of fiber! This also helps bind the pancakes together. You can use all purpose flour or all purpose 1:1 gluten free baking flour. Steer clear of almond or coconut flour as they won’t work here. Flax: A sub for egg to bind the pancakes and for healthy fats. I loving using flax in my Baby Zucchini Muffins, too! Oil: For moisture and fat. Avocado, coconut, olive and canola all work. Cinnamon: For yummy flavor. Milk: For moisture to form a batter. Any milk works. Baking powder: Because baby’s deserve fluffy pancakes, too! You’ll notice no salt because babies’ kidneys aren’t developed enough to handle salt until after one year of age. (It’s pretty impossible to omit, but I keep it in moderation.)
How to make baby pancakes
When can baby eat pancakes?
Baby can enjoy pancakes from 6 months of age (or when showing signs of readiness, like sitting up unassisted) and beyond! In the beginning couple months, I cut pancakes into long strips for him to grab. Around 8 months when he developed the pincer grasp, I cut them into small pieces that he could pick up. These are great for baby led weaning (BLW), which means offering baby finger foods versus solely purees to encourage independent, interactive eating and development of fine motor skills. BLW teaches babies to listen to their hunger and fullness cues. Research suggests that introducing lots of flavors and textures early on makes baby more likely to accept these foods later in life!
How to roast a sweet potato
Pro tip: roast a couple sweet potatoes on Sunday to enjoy as is, throwing in Sweet Potato Black Bean Burgers or Sweet Potato Brownies, and beyond.
What to serve with baby pancakes
full fat yogurt with cinnamon banana a smear or nut or sunflower seed butter smushed berries
Storage
Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Freeze for up to 3 months and pop in the toaster from frozen! Interested in seeing more baby food recipes? Let me know in the comments! If you cook sweet potato in the microwave instead, you may need to add 1-2 tbsp more milk as it won’t be as moist. Note that microwaved sweet potatoes are less sweet and flavorful than roasted. ADULT VERSION: For toddlers or adults, feel free to add ¼ tsp salt and 1 tbsp sweetener to the batter.
