Banana Pancakes

Simply Recipes / Hannah ZImmerman

Do you have overripe bananas sitting on your counter right now? I’ll admit, I have a habit of buying way too many bananas at the grocery store and letting them all rot. It breaks my heart when I have to throw food in the garbage, so I am always looking for ways to use them up.

I’ve made batches and batches of banana bread, muffins, cookies, and cakes, and these banana pancakes top my list of all-time favorite banana recipes.

This recipe is the perfect marriage between banana bread and buttermilk pancakes. The addition of mashed bananas makes the pancakes sweet and moist. Buttermilk and baking powder give them an airy, fluffy texture, and cinnamon and vanilla elevate the flavor.

The Best Bananas for Banana Pancakes 

For the best banana pancakes, use overripe bananas that are yellow with lots of brown spots. Overripe bananas will add lots of sweetness, plus they’re super easy to mash.

If you are using frozen bananas, thaw them at room temperature for 2 hours and drain off any excess liquid before using them in this recipe. You can also thaw them in the refrigerator overnight.

Overripe bananas will give you the best flavor, but if you only have ripe or under-ripe bananas, you can ripen them in the oven. Place your bananas on a baking sheet and bake at 400°F for 5 minutes. They will come out brown and ready to mash, albeit not quite as flavorful. 

Simply Recipes / Hannah ZImmerman

Banana Pancake Tips and Tricks

Adhere to these tips and tricks to get golden-brown, light, and fluffy pancakes every time:

• Turn on the burner 5 minutes before adding your first pancake to the skillet so that the pan is nice and hot.
• Be careful not to overmix the batter. Overmixing will give you dense and chewy pancakes. 
• If you do not have buttermilk on hand, you can swap it with sour cream or Greek yogurt mixed with milk at a 1:1 ratio.
• For the fluffiest possible pancakes, make sure you are using fresh baking powder in this recipe. Baking powder starts to lose its leavening power about 6 months after its container is opened.

The Best Mix-ins and Toppings

Banana pancakes are great served with just a dab of butter and some maple syrup on top, but you can get creative and serve them up with mix-ins and toppings of your choice. Here are some of my favorite additions:

• Add chocolate chips to the pancake batter to make this recipe even more indulgent.
• Add a handful of chopped walnuts or pecans to your pancake batter for some extra flavor and crunch.
• Serve your pancakes with banana slices and fresh berries on top.
• Drizzle your pancakes with warm nut butter or melted chocolate.

Simply Recipes / Hannah ZImmerman

Throw a Pancake Party

• Sourdough Pancakes
• Zucchini Walnut Pancakes
• Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Pancakes
• Lemon Ricotta Pancakes
• Buckwheat Pancakes

Combine the dry ingredients:

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.

Simply Recipes / Hannah ZImmerman

Combine the wet ingredients:

In a large bowl, whisk together the mashed bananas and eggs. Add the buttermilk, whole milk, oil, and vanilla extract and mix until all ingredients are evenly combined.

Simply Recipes / Hannah ZImmerman

Make the batter:

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk until all ingredients are just combined in a smooth batter. It is okay if your batter has some small lumps; don’t overmix.

Simply Recipes / Hannah ZImmerman

Cook the pancakes:

Heat a large non-stick skillet or griddle to medium-low heat. Spray with cooking spray.

Scoop 1/3 cup of batter onto the skillet. If you have room, repeat to form 2 to 4 pancakes, without their edges touching, depending on the size of your pan or griddle. Cook until you see bubbles come to the surface of the pancake and the edges appear to be cooked, approximately 3 minutes. Flip and cook until golden brown on the other side and cooked through, about 2 minutes. Transfer the cooked pancakes to a serving plate.

Repeat (greasing the pan each time) until you have used up all of the batter.

Simply Recipes / Hannah ZImmerman

Serve:

Serve the pancakes warm with your choice of toppings, like butter, maple syrup, and banana slices.

Leftover banana pancakes can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, microwave on high for 1 minute. If they are not heated through after 1 minute, microwave in 30-second intervals until warmed through.

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Simply Recipes / Hannah ZImmerman

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