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Fluffy inside with crisp, golden edges, this easy banana pancake recipe turns one overripe banana into a breakfast everyone loves.
Photo by Alexandra Grablewski (Chronicle Books, 2018)
This banana pancakes recipe comes from an unlikely source: a Williams Sonoma children’s cookbook, which tells you just how easy it is to make. Mashed ripe banana gives the pancakes natural sweetness and plenty of banana flavor, while vanilla adds a warm finishing note. I love them with a simple drizzle of maple syrup, or topped with sliced bananas to hint at what’s inside.
“SO good! I’m constantly making batches of these. The family devours them! Sometimes I add a handful of chocolate chips, but they’re lovely as is.”
What You’ll Need To Make Banana Pancakes
- All-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt: Flour provides the structure, while baking powder gives the pancakes their light, fluffy texture. For the most accurate measurement, spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off rather than scooping directly from the bag.
- Banana: The riper, the better—a heavily spotted or brown banana will give you the sweetest, most pronounced banana flavor. Frozen and thawed bananas work well, too—see my guide on how to freeze bananas for details on freezing and thawing.
- Eggs and milk: Eggs add richness and structure, while milk keeps the batter tender. Any type of milk works here.
- Sugar and vanilla: A little sugar supplements the banana’s natural sweetness, while vanilla rounds out the flavor.
- Melted Butter: Adds richness to the batter and flavor as the pancakes cook.
- Vegetable Oil: Using oil along with butter helps the pancakes brown without the butter burning.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
How To Make Banana Pancakes
Mix the batter: Whisk the dry ingredients together so the baking powder and salt are evenly distributed. In a separate bowl, mash the banana until nearly smooth, then combine it with the wet ingredients. Fold the wet mixture into the dry just until combined. Don’t try to work out every lump—the batter should be thick and a little lumpy, and overmixing can make the pancakes tough.
Cook the pancakes: Heat a little oil and butter in a nonstick skillet or on a griddle; the butter adds flavor while the oil helps keep it from burning. Add the batter and cook until bubbles form on the surface and the undersides are golden and crisp. Flip and cook through without pressing down with the spatula, which can deflate the pancakes.
Serve or store: Serve warm with maple syrup and sliced bananas, or add your favorite toppings. Leftover pancakes can be frozen for an easy breakfast another time; see the recipe card below for freezing instructions.
Video Tutorial
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Banana Pancakes
Ingredients
For Pancakes
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled off
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 small over-ripe banana, peeled (the browner, the better)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For Cooking
- 1 to 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
For Serving
- Maple syrup
- Sliced bananas
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
- In a small bowl, mash the banana with a fork until almost smooth. Whisk in the eggs, then add the milk and vanilla and whisk until well blended. Pour the banana mixture and the melted butter into the flour mixture. Fold the batter gently with a rubber spatula until just blended; do not over-mix. The batter will be thick and lumpy.
- Set a griddle or non-stick pan over medium heat until hot. Put a pad of butter and one tablespoon vegetable oil onto the griddle, and swirl it around. Drop the batter by ¼-cupfuls onto the griddle, spacing the pancakes about 2 inches apart. Cook until a few holes form on top of each pancake and the underside is golden brown, about 2 minutes. Flip the pancakes and cook until the bottom is golden brown and the top is puffed, 1 to 2 minutes more. Using the spatula, transfer the pancakes to a serving plate.
- Wipe the griddle clean with paper towels, add more butter and oil, and repeat with the remaining batter. Serve the pancakes while still hot with maple syrup and sliced bananas, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Seriously so easy and the most delicious pancakes ever. I will never need to go out to breakfast when I want good pancakes because nothing will top this recipe. Amazing!
Wow! I can only add to the many 5 star reviews, these are fantastic banana pancakes! I followed the recipe exactly only using less oil to cook them in. We had them with warmed black cherries and sliced banana and they tasted fabulous.
I will be making theses again and again! Thank you
Delicious! I love the crispiness of the outside and the fluffy inside, it made these banana pancakes perfect! I will make these again and again.
I made this recipe for the first time yesterday. It’s been one I’ve wanted to try, but I’m not a huge banana bread fan, and cakes in general are not my favorite dessert. But I had three black bananas begging for me to do something with them so I decided yesterday was the day. This recipe is a winner and will go into the few cakes I like. As my husband says, the toffee sauce elevates this recipe to something special. I added the sliced bananas and chopped pecans, which tasted great dipped in the toffee sauce. I’m looking forward to left overs tonight!
These are my absolute favorite pancakes! They come out fluffy and perfect every single time. I love the subtle banana flavor and it pairs well with added chocolate chips or walnuts. If you’re looking for a quick go to pancake recipe – this is it!
These came out so delicious! I made small sized pancakes for my toddler. I froze the leftovers for future quick and easy breakfasts.
Just made these pancakes and they were fabulous. I used 3/4 cups of whole wheat flour and 3/4 cups of all all-purpose flour. Next time I will use the recipe as written and add some blueberries.
I made this recipe gluten-free and dairy-free and they came out wonderfully. I used ATK gluten-free flour mix, vegan butter sticks, and almond milk. Letting the batter sit for 30 minutes helps the texture be less gritty. I also freeze any leftovers right away, otherwise, they dry out very quickly.
When my little started to eat finger food, this was the first pancake recipe I made for her. She absolutely loved them and has ever since become my go-to! I use Almond or Flax milk and vegan butter. These are so simple, yet absolutely delicious. I sometimes add in a few dairy free chocolate chips or a dash of cinnamon.
I do not like banana-flavored things. These pancakes are absolutely delicious, simple to make, and beloved by my tween/teen boys. I love them, too – and did I mention I don’t like banana flavor? It’s actually hardly noticeable; they are just moist, light pancakes.Whenever we have bananas starting to go brown, my kids start begging for these pancakes and I’m more than happy to oblige. Thanks for another winner, Jenn!