The classic and comforting flavors of Banana Pancakes are perfect for weekend breakfast or brunch. This recipe is everything you love about fluffy and light pancakes with the addition of bananas, which add just the right amount of sweetness and moisture. The secret to the best banana pancakes is using very ripe bananas that mash easily for a deep fruit flavor.
Your whole family will adore a stack of these pancakes served with butter and warm maple syrup. The bananas provide a natural sweetness to the batter, and their flavor is complimented by just a bit of granulated sugar and vanilla extract. Double the recipe to enjoy all week, or stock your freezer with leftovers for a satisfying homemade breakfast that reheats really fast. For more breakfast recipes, try my regular pancakes, pumpkin pancakes, or crepes.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Bananas – use very ripe or overripe bananas for this recipe. Bananas that are anywhere from having several brown spots to being completely black will be the sweetest. See the Pro Tips for how to ripen bananas quickly!
Milk – I like to use whole milk for this recipe because it has a higher fat content and the most flavor, but you can substitute 2% milk or non-dairy milk if preferred.
Butter – melted butter adds richness to the batter and mixes in more easily than cold butter. Use additional butter to grease the pan for pancakes that don’t stick and become a beautiful golden brown.
Baking powder – baking powder is the essential leavening ingredient for fluffy banana pancakes. Check the expiration date on your baking powder for the fluffiest pancakes.
How to Make Banana Pancakes
1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
2. In a medium bowl, mash the bananas with a fork, leaving some chunks.
3. Add the milk, eggs, melted, butter, and vanilla extract to the mashed banana and stir to combine.
4. Pour the banana mixture into the dry ingredients.
5. Whisk the batter until just combined, leaving some lumps.
6. Heat a large pan or griddle over medium heat and grease the pan with butter or vegetable oil. Using about ¼ cup of batter per pancake, cook each pancake on the first side until the bottom is golden brown and the top has bubbles that rise to the surface. Flip the pancakes and continue cooking until golden brown on both sides. Grease the pan between each batch, cooking two or more pancakes at a time if your pan is large enough.
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
- Mix the wet ingredients and dry ingredients until just combined. For the fluffiest pancakes, lumpy pancake batter is ideal! Overmixing causes gluten to develop which can result in a chewy texture.
- Keep pancakes warm in the oven. To keep each batch of banana pancakes warm while you cook more, preheat your oven to 250°F and place a wire rack on a baking sheet. Set the cooked pancakes on the wire rack in the warm oven for up to 1 hour before serving.
- Use overripe bananas for the best flavor. Use very ripe or overripe bananas for the best flavor, because they are the sweetest! Bananas with peels that are fully black or close to fully black are ideal.
- Quickly ripen bananas if needed. To quickly “ripen” or sweeten less-ripe bananas, place unpeeled bananas on a baking sheet in a 350°F oven or air fryer and roast for 15 minutes or until fully black. Let the bananas cool completely before peeling.
- Reduce the griddle heat if the pancakes brown too quickly. If you smell the butter burning on the first side of the pancake, or it becomes dark brown before the center is set, adjust to low or medium-low heat. Reducing the heat may be necessary as you cook subsequent batches, especially when using a pan that maintains heat well.
- Cook a larger batch of banana pancakes using an electric griddle. If you have one, an electric griddle is a great tool to easily feed a crowd or when doubling this banana pancake recipe for meal prep. Preheat the griddle to 375°F and grease the entire griddle surface with butter or oil. Use a measuring cup to evenly portion pancakes (¼ cup each) and cook until golden brown on both sides.
Frequently Asked Questions
Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Place a piece of parchment between each pancake to prevent them from sticking together while stored. Reheat leftover pancakes in a skillet, microwave, or a 350°F oven until warmed through.
Banana pancakes freeze well, so this is a great recipe to double and store some for later. Allow the pancakes to reach room temperature, then layer parchment or wax paper between each pancake. Place the pancakes in a zip-top bag or freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat single pancakes from frozen in the microwave for 20 seconds or in the toaster oven for 1-2 minutes. To reheat several frozen pancakes at the same time, place them on a baking sheet, cover the pan with foil, and place them in a preheated 350°F oven for 8-10 minutes.
You can never go wrong with serving easy banana pancakes with butter and maple syrup. I also like to serve this recipe topped with sliced bananas, peanut butter, or powdered sugar. If you love the crunch of banana nut bread, you can top the pancakes with toasted walnuts. To round out your breakfast or brunch, serve this recipe with fresh fruit salad and air fryer bacon.
You can add spices, mix-ins, or extra sweetness to this recipe. For a hint of warm spices in the batter, add a few sprinkles of ground cinnamon, grated nutmeg, ground ginger, or pumpkin pie spice to the dry ingredients. You can also swap the granulated sugar for brown sugar. For banana chocolate chip pancakes, sprinkle a few chocolate chips to the top of the pancake batter after pouring it into the skillet. You can also mix 1 cup fo fresh blueberries or diced strawberries into the batter for extra fruit flavor.
Banana pancakes may not cook thoroughly and have gooey centers if they are cooked at too low of a temperature or made with expired baking powder. Pancakes cook best in a hot skillet or electric griddle set to 375°F, or medium heat on most ranges. Fluffy pancakes are made using carefully measured ingredients that are not expired. Check the expiration date of your baking powder in particular before using it because expired baking powder may not rise, resulting in undercooked pancakes that are flat.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this banana pancakes recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Banana Pancakes
Video
Equipment
- Large skillet or griddle
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (120g)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 very ripe bananas peeled
- 1 cup whole milk (240ml)
- 1 large egg
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted, plus more for the pan
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl, then set aside.
- Mash the bananas in a separate bowl leaving some chunks for texture. Add milk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir until just combined. (a few lumps are okay!)
- Place a large pan or griddle over medium heat. Lightly grease with more butter or vegetable oil. Working in batches, add about ¼ cup of batter to the pan per pancake, and cook until golden brown on the bottom and bubbles have formed all over the surface on top of the pancake, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and cook for an additional minute or until golden brown on the bottom.
- Continue cooking pancakes, adding more butter to the skillet between each batch. Serve the pancakes warm with sliced bananas, maple syrup, and butter.
Notes
- Mix the wet ingredients and dry ingredients until just combined. For the fluffiest pancakes, lumpy pancake batter is ideal! Overmixing causes gluten to develop which can result in a chewy texture.
- Keep pancakes warm in the oven. To keep each batch of banana pancakes warm while you cook more, preheat your oven to 250°F and place a wire rack on a baking sheet. Set the cooked pancakes on the wire rack in the warm oven for up to 1 hour before serving.
- Use overripe bananas for the best flavor. Use very ripe or overripe bananas for the best flavor, because they are the sweetest! Bananas with peels that are fully black or close to fully black are ideal.
- Quickly ripen bananas if needed. To quickly “ripen” or sweeten less-ripe bananas, place unpeeled bananas on a baking sheet in a 350°F oven or air fryer and roast for 15 minutes or until fully black. Let the bananas cool completely before peeling.
- Reduce the griddle heat if the pancakes brown too quickly. If you smell the butter burning on the first side of the pancake, or it becomes dark brown before the center is set, adjust to low or medium-low heat. Reducing the heat may be necessary as you cook subsequent batches, especially when using a pan that maintains heat well.
- Cook a larger batch of banana pancakes using an electric griddle. If you have one, an electric griddle is a great tool to easily feed a crowd or when doubling this banana pancake recipe for meal prep. Preheat the griddle to 375°F and grease the entire griddle surface with butter or oil. Use a measuring cup to evenly portion pancakes (¼ cup each) and cook until golden brown on both sides.
