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Banana Pancakes

Banana Pancakes

“Maybe we could sleep in; I’ll make you banana pancakes; Pretend like it’s the weekend now. We could pretend it all the time.” –Jack Johnson, Banana Pancakes

It never hurts to have a little inspiration for a recipe and the Jack Johnson song “Banana Pancakes” is what prompted me to make a batch of pancakes for myself. It’s a cute song and, if you listen to it a couple of times, I wouldn’t be surprised to hear that you’re beginning to feel a bit of a craving, either.

This recipe is basically a buttermilk pancake with mashed banana added into it. It’s the perfect way to use up just one overripe banana – not enough to make banana bread or a banana cake – when you have one in the kitchen. I’ve had banana pancakes that use more banana than my recipe does and I really prefer to keep the amount of banana low. A really ripe banana has a strong banana flavor to it, and the pancakes remain light and fluffy when you don’t add in too much. I will typically use 1 fairly large banana and not spend too much time worrying about the precise amount of banana I add in. If my fruits were very small, I would probably use two.

You probably noticed that the pancakes in my little stack look awfully small. They are. Each of those pancakes is about the size of a quarter – perfect for stacking up into a bite-size tower. They cook much more quickly than their larger counterparts, so they require a closer eye on the stove, but they are oh-so-cute and, in my opinion, just a bit more fun to eat. Feel free to make full-sized pancakes, too, and stack them up to appease bigger eaters.

Banana Pancakes, full-size

Banana Pancakes
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 large eggs
2 cups buttermilk
approx 1/2 cup mashed, ripe banana (1 lrg.)

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
Whisk in eggs, buttermilk and mashed banana until batter just comes together and no large streaks of flour remain. If your batter is too thick (different sized bananas will cause the batter to vary in thickness), or you prefer your pancakes to be on the thinner side, add an extra 1/4 cup of milk or buttermilk into the mix to thin it slightly.
Heat a skillet or griddle over medium-high heat until a drop of water placed on it skitters around the surface. If it instantly evaporates, turn down the temperature slightly.
Drop by 1/4 cup fulls for large pancakes, or small spoonfuls for bite-sized ones, into the preheated pan and cook until golden on both sides, turning once.
Serve immediately, with maple syrup.

Serves 6-8.

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17 Comments
  • TastyNewEngland
    July 5, 2008

    These do look lovely. I was just thinking the other day that I hadn’t had pancakes in forever and these look so fluffy and golden and unctuous. Yum. Might have to do these tomorrow morning.

  • holly
    July 5, 2008

    wow, i think i’m going to make those for breakfast tommorow!

  • bakingblonde
    July 5, 2008

    Those look gorgeous! I love the picture, so thick and fluffy looking I just want to dig my fork right into them! I bet they are heaven with warm maple syrup and some toasted walnuts!

  • Cass Ward
    July 5, 2008

    These look more like what we, in Australia, call pikelets. Basically the same as pancakes but smaller yum.

  • brilynn
    July 5, 2008

    I always hum this song to myself when I’m making pancakes, regardless of whether or not they’re actually banana…

  • Katie
    July 6, 2008

    They look so tempting, wonderfully tall and fluffy.

  • Bridget
    July 6, 2008

    Yum! Now I have a serious craving for banana pancakes! At our house, we mix the maple syrup with peanut butter to go on top. Last time, I topped mine first with a dollop of marshmallow fluff/cream, then the peanut butter/maple syrup…VERY yummy! 🙂

  • Nicole
    July 6, 2008

    Every time I hear that song I just have to have banana pancakes! Thanks for the recipe 🙂

  • Shandy
    July 6, 2008

    Oh! These banana pancakes are so cute and yummy! My all time breakfast favorite food! I may have to get up extra early during the week just to have these. Yummy post, thank you for sharing =D!

  • TheCrepesofWrath
    July 6, 2008

    om nom nom nom!!

  • Lisa
    July 6, 2008

    We just finished eating these for breakfast. They were lovely and delicious! I have always loved peanut butter and maple syrup on my pancakes so I love Bridget’s suggestion of combining them to pour, rather than smearing the pb and then topping with syrup, which just runs off the peanut butter. Thanks for a great breakfast Nic! (and Bridget, I suppose!)

  • Bri
    July 7, 2008

    Dang it, now I’ll have that song stuck in my head all day. On the up side, I now know what to do with the two aging bananas sitting on my counter. Thanks!!

  • Katie
    July 7, 2008

    I just made banana pancakes as well try them with Nutella next time its fantastic.

  • Charlotte
    July 7, 2008

    We tried these last night – ours didn’t bake up quite as fluffy as your’s did but that could be because we used “soured milk” (w/lemon juice) instead of true buttermilk and I didn’t account for the extra liquid (2T. of lemon juice) when i measured out the milk. All in all, like you said, it’s a great way to use up 1 very ripe banana – my girls wanted mini choc. chips in them which was very good. Even my 11yod who doesn’t like bananas much loved them. Thanks for the great recipe…it’s a keeper 🙂

  • ap
    July 27, 2008

    We had these for breakfast this morning – they’re wonderful! Moist and delicious. We also used the soured milk version of buttermilk and so the batter was probably thinner; our pancakes were certainly thinner. But still delicious! Thanks for the recipe.

  • shmee
    September 18, 2008

    wow, was just listenihng to banana pancakes by jack johnson and thats why ijm here looking for the recipe

  • michelle
    September 29, 2008

    I have tried this recipe several times but the pancakes do not turn out fluffy like the one in your picture. Please advice. Thank you. I like pancakes ‘cos it is not oily.

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