Banana Pancakes

Alright, let me tell you, my banana pancakes journey started one bleary-eyed Sunday when I realized we had a mountain of spotty bananas and not much else for breakfast. You know that moment when you stare into your fridge, hoping a meal will just materialize? Well, the bananas practically begged me—”Please, don’t turn us into yet another smoothie.” So here’s my go-to banana pancake recipe, born of desperation but now a total household favorite (and, not to brag, but even my neighbor whose idea of cooking is microwave popcorn asked for it). Grab your comfiest slippers, because this is proper cozy kitchen territory.

Why You’ll Love This (or at least, why I do)

I make this when the bananas on my counter look a wee bit tragic and I feel too lazy to bake proper banana bread (plus, let’s be real, pancakes cook way faster). My family goes a bit bonkers over these, especially when I cave and throw in some chocolate chips (no shame). Also, there’s no heartbreaking sinking feeling if they come out slightly messy. They’re pancakes. It happens. I used to struggle with getting the first one right (who doesn’t?), but with these, even the wonky ones taste fab.

Stuff You’ll Need (with a few substitutions if you’re in a pinch)

• 2 spotty bananas (I’ve used underripe ones, but they’re just not as magic—totally edible though)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour (I tried half whole wheat once; not too shabby, just a touch denser)
• 2 tablespoons sugar (or honey, or nothing really if you’re feeling virtuous—I’m generally not in the morning)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder (honestly, I’ve used whatever is left in the little container—it’s forgiving!)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg (I sometimes swap in a chia egg if my vegan pal is over. Grandma would raise an eyebrow, but it works fine)
• 3/4 cup milk (any kind; oat milk, almond, even watered-down yogurt if that’s all you’ve got left)
• 2 tablespoons melted butter (oil works if you’re in a rush or just can’t face cleaning the butter knife)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (honestly, I forget this half the time, and nobody’s ever complained)
• Optional: chocolate chips, walnuts, blueberries, coconut flakes—just whatever sounds good

How I Usually Throw These Together

1. Mash your bananas in a big bowl. They don’t have to be perfectly smooth—a few lumps give ‘character.’ (And sometimes, I just don’t have the patience for a proper mashing. It’s fine.)
2. Crack in the egg and toss in the milk, butter, and vanilla. Stir it all up till it looks kind of homogenous. If your toddler wanders through and helps? Even better.
3. In a separate bowl (honestly, I just shove the dry stuff into one side of the banana bowl sometimes), whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
4. Mix the dry into the wet. Don’t overthink it—just barely combine. If there are flour streaks, that’s good. Overmixing makes things tough, and life’s tough enough, you know?
5. This is where I usually sneak a taste (yes, raw batter, call me reckless) to check if it needs a touch more sugar.
6. Heat a nonstick skillet (medium heat—don’t blast it, trust me) and grease with a bit of butter or oil. I use a quarter-cup measure to portion these out—roughly—but really, eyeball it if you like.
7. Cook till you see little bubbles. That’s your pancake telling you it’s ready for a flip. On second thought, don’t panic if you flip too early—the first pancake is literally never perfect in my house.
8. Flip carefully and cook another minute or so. Stack, snack, and repeat. Oh, and toss in extras like chocolate chips just before flipping for melty magic.

What I’ve Figured Out (a.k.a. Notes)

• If your batter is super thick, add a glug more milk. Seriously, just eyeball it till it looks right.
• Batter can rest a minute or two while you tidy up (or make coffee, that’s what I do)
• Tried doubling this recipe once and forgot to add double the baking powder—the result was, uh, edible, if you like banana crepes. Lessons learned.
• Sometimes the banana bits look a tad weird, but honestly, nobody cares once syrup is involved.

All the Wild Variations I’ve Tried

• Added a handful of blueberries—incredible, even if they explode everywhere. On the pan, not literally everywhere.
• Swapped half the flour for oats once; it was a bit chewy, but my cousin loved it, so who knows?
• Chucked in a spoonful of peanut butter—tasty, but it made the batter thick; actually, I find it works better if you dollop it on top after cooking.
• I once tried turmeric for a “golden” pancake. It was…let’s just say memorable, but I won’t repeat it.

Gear I Use (but there are workarounds!)

• A big mixing bowl—though I’ve made do with a salad bowl before (yeah, perhaps not ideal, but it worked)
• Nonstick skillet or, if you’re feeling fancy, a griddle—if not, just grease the heck out of any pan you’ve got
• Spatula—preferably one that’s not melting plastic. Metal is fine, just watch your pan’s coating
• Measuring cup, or if in a rush, just a mug works for scooping

Do They Keep? How I Store These, sort of

So, here’s the thing—these apparently keep for 2 days in the fridge or up to a month in the freezer. But, I must admit, in my house, they barely last til lunchtime. If by some miracle you have leftovers, I just pop them in a zip bag and reheat in the toaster. Not fancy, but it works. (Once, I tried the microwave, but they got a bit soggy—still edible, but meh.)

When We Eat These (Serving Ideas & Traditions)

Maple syrup is the obvious choice. Sometimes I stack them up with Greek yogurt and honey, and my mum swears clotted cream and a bit of jam is “the proper way” (she’s not wrong). My partner goes for the classic big slab of butter that melts in—that’s pretty irresistible. If it’s someone’s birthday, we go wild and add sprinkles, just for a laugh.

Honestly Useful Tips I’ve Picked Up (Usually the Hard Way)

• Waiting for the pan to heat up is essential. Rushed it once, and ended up with pancakes that were burnt outside, raw inside—ugh.
• Don’t stack pancakes straight from the pan unless you want floppy, steamy sadness. Fan them out a bit, or they go soggy (probably the most upsetting pancake thing I’ve learned, and I’ve made a fair few mistakes).
• If you’re adding chocolate chips, sprinkle them on the wet side after you pour the batter, rather than mixing them in—I found they sometimes burn otherwise.

Real Questions People Have Actually Asked Me (And My Answers)

• “Can I make these gluten-free?”
  Yup, just swap in your favorite GF flour blend. They might be a touch more crumbly, but still delish.
• “My pancakes always stick. What am I doing wrong?”
  Oh, that’s a classic. Are you greasing the pan enough? Also, old nonstick pans sometimes just lose the will to live.
• “Why do my pancakes come out flat?”
  Could be overmixing, or maybe your baking powder’s gone walkabout. I’ve had that happen—used some ancient powder, and it was flatter than Norfolk.
• “Are these sweet enough for dessert?”
  Honestly, with chocolate chips and maple syrup they’re practically cake. Add a scoop of ice cream if you wanna go wild.
• “Can I use bananas that aren’t spotty yet?”
  You can, but they’re not as sweet or banana-y. Maybe add a dab more sugar, or just wait till they’re nearly walking off the counter by themselves (that’s what I do).
• Ahem, side note: One time my waffle iron broke mid-recipe, so I poured the batter into a muffin tin. Not pancakes, but—hey—breakfast was served. Nothing is ever a total disaster in the kitchen if you’re hungry enough!

★★★★★ 4.50 from 43 ratings

Banana Pancakes

yield: 4 servings

prep: 10 mins

cook: 15 mins

total: 25 mins

Fluffy and delicious banana pancakes made with ripe bananas, perfect for a sweet breakfast or brunch treat.

🖨️ Print Pin Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 large ripe bananas
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Butter or oil for cooking

Instructions

1. 1
   In a large mixing bowl, mash the ripe bananas until smooth.
2. 2
   Add the egg, milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract to the bananas and whisk until well combined.
3. 3
   In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. 4
   Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
5. 5
   Heat a non-stick skillet or griddle over medium heat and lightly grease with butter or oil. Pour about 1/4 cup of batter per pancake onto the skillet.
6. 6
   Cook for 2-3 minutes or until bubbles form on the surface, then flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm.

CLICK FOR NUTRITION INFO ↑

Approximate Information for One Serving

Serving Size: 1 serving

Calories: 220 caloriescal

Protein: 5 gg

Fat: 6 gg

Saturated Fat: 0g

Trans Fat: 0g

Cholesterol: 0mg

Sodium: 0mg

Potassium: 0mg

Total Carbs: 36 gg

Fiber: 0g

Sugar: 0g

Net Carbs: 0g

Vitamin A: 0

Vitamin C: 0mg

Calcium: 0mg

Iron: 0mg

Nutrition Disclaimers

Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.

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