Fluffy and fruity Banana Pancakes are the ultimate go-to breakfast or brunch comfort food. This recipe turns out perfectly every time and is made with simple pantry staples and ripe bananas. Serve this recipe with maple syrup and sliced bananas for a meal the whole family will love.
3tablespoonsunsalted buttermelted, plus more for the pan
1teaspoonvanilla 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.
Video
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.