Homemade banana waffles are an easy breakfast your whole family will love! There’s delicious banana flavor in every bite, complemented by warm cinnamon and nutmeg. Top them with a glug of maple syrup and fresh fruit, and enjoy!
This simple banana waffles recipe is freezer-friendly, so feel free to make a double batch and freeze some for later. Just pop the frozen waffles into a hot oven or toaster oven to reheat, and you’ve got yourself a super quick, convenient meal! For more breakfast recipes, try my blueberry pancakes, classic waffle recipe, and banana muffins.
Ingredients
Flour — all-purpose flour is all you need, but you can also use a mixture of all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour (I give you the tips for making this wap below).
Sugar — these waffles don’t need much additional sugar because the natural sweetness of bananas adds plenty of flavor, but a little bit helps the waffles brown nicely.
Baking powder — baking powder produces a light and fluffy waffle.
Spices — ground cinnamon and nutmeg add delicious flavor.
Bananas — mash up 2 overripe bananas. The riper the banana, the more flavor your waffles will have, so don’t be afraid of the brown spots!
Milk — milk gives the batter the correct consistency. I prefer whole milk, but you can also use a dairy-free alternative.
Egg — use a room temperature egg for the best results.
Vanilla — use good vanilla extract.
Butter — melt and slightly cool unsalted butter (about 5 minutes) before mixing it into the batter.
How To Make Banana Waffles
1. Preheat a waffle iron to medium-high heat. Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg in a large bowl.
2. To a medium bowl, add the mashed banana and milk.
3. Then add the egg and vanilla and whisk to combine.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
5. Add the melted butter. Fold together with a silicone spatula just until no dry streaks of flour remain. The batter will be lumpy.
6. Grease the hot waffle maker and add ⅓ cup to ½ cup of batter to each waffle section in the iron. Cook until golden brown. Place the homemade waffles on a wire rack until ready to serve so they stay crisp.
A Great Use For Over Ripe Bananas
Just like you would for banana bread, use overripe bananas for the best banana waffles! Good bananas for baking are ones with peels that are more brown than yellow. If the bananas on your counter look too ripe to eat, they are probably perfect for this recipe!
If your bananas are still mostly yellow, they aren’t quite ripe enough. If you want to “ripen” bananas quickly, place the unpeeled bananas on a baking sheet. Pop into a 350°F oven or an air fryer at 325°F and roast for 10-15 minutes or until fully blackened. Let the bananas cool completely before peeling and mashing. Then, proceed with the recipe as written.
Swap In Whole Wheat Flour
You can replace up to half of the flour (¾ cup) with whole wheat flour. The batter will be slightly thicker, so adjust with an additional 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk, if needed, to maintain the correct consistency.
Favorite Toppings And Mix-ins
Topping ideas:
- Butter or browned butter
- Sliced bananas and other fresh fruit
- Maple syrup or honey
- Peanut butter or Nutella
- Your favorite fruit jam (I love strawberry jam on banana waffles!)
- Whipped cream
- Caramel sauce or dulce de leche
- A dusting of powdered sugar
Mix-in ideas:
- Toasted pecans, toasted walnuts, or chopped salted peanuts
- Toasted coconut
- Peanut butter chips
- Chocolate chips or mini chocolate chips
How To Store Leftovers
Refrigerating: Once completely cool, store leftover waffles in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Freezing: Place cooled banana waffles on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and flash freeze until solid. Then, place them in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag with a piece of parchment or wax paper between each waffle to keep them from sticking together. They freeze well for up to 3 months.
Reheating: To quickly reheat banana waffles, you can microwave them for about a minute, but they will be soft if you use this option. To reheat crispy waffles, toast them in a regular toaster or put them in a 350°F oven or toaster oven or an air fryer at 325°F until warmed through.
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
- It’s important to mash the bananas very well until they are creamy and have no lumps left. A fork works well, or you can use a potato masher.
- Let your butter cool slightly before adding it to the waffle mixture. It can be warm, but if it’s piping hot, it can actually make the batter too stiff.
- Don’t overmix the batter. Mix only until no dry streaks of flour remain. There will be some small lumps, which will actually yield fluffier waffles!
- If using a Belgian waffle maker, you will likely need more batter per waffle. Depending on its size, this recipe will yield 2 to 4 thick waffles.
- Let the waffle iron reheat between each waffle. A very hot waffle iron is necessary for crispy waffles. Let the waffle maker reheat for about 30 seconds between each waffle.
- To keep the waffles crisp: Place the cooked banana waffles on the rack in a single layer. If you pile the waffles up or put them directly on a tray or plate, the steam trapped between them will cause them to soften, and you will no longer have crispy banana waffles.
Frequently Asked Questions
Make my banana pancakes instead! The recipes are similar, but I give you all of the proper cooking times and techniques for making the best pancakes.
Yes, you can make the batter a night ahead of time. Cover it and refrigerate it for up to 18 hours. When you’re ready to cook the waffles, give the batter a very gentle stir. It can be cold when you put it in the waffle iron; there is no need to let it warm up at room temp.
Place the waffles on a wire rack set on a baking sheet and keep them warm in a 200°F oven.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this banana waffle recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
Banana Waffles Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour (180g)
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 bananas mashed (1 cup/ 245g)
- ½ cup milk (120mL)
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ cup unsalted butter melted and cooled slightly (56g)
Instructions
- Preheat a waffle iron to medium-high heat (if you have the option.)
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk to combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk to combine the mashed banana, milk, egg, and vanilla. Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture, then add the melted butter. Fold together with a silicone spatula just until combined and no dry streaks of flour remain. (The batter should be lumpy.)
- Grease the hot waffle iron with butter or cooking spray. Add ⅓ to ½ cup of batter to each waffle section in the iron. (The volume that each waffle iron can hold will vary. Refer to the manufacturers’ instructions for your particular waffle iron or experiment with various amounts to find the correct volume.)
- Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until golden brown. Place on a wire rack until ready to serve so they stay crisp. Serve with your favorite toppings.
Notes
- It’s important to mash the bananas very well until they are creamy and have no lumps left. A fork works well, or you can use a potato masher.
- Let your butter cool slightly before adding it to the waffle mixture. It can be warm, but if it’s piping hot, it can actually make the batter too stiff.
- Don’t overmix the batter. Mix only until no dry streaks of flour remain. There will be some small lumps, which will actually yield fluffier waffles!
- If using a Belgian waffle maker, you will likely need more batter per waffle. Depending on its size, this recipe will yield 2 to 4 thick waffles.
- Let the waffle iron reheat between each waffle. A very hot waffle iron is necessary for crispy waffles. Let the waffle maker reheat for about 30 seconds between each waffle.
- To keep the waffles crisp: Place the cooked banana waffles on the rack in a single layer. If you pile the waffles up or put them directly on a tray or plate, the steam trapped between them will cause them to soften, and you will no longer have crispy banana waffles.
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