I can’t get over how tall and fluffy these banana pancakes turn out, with sweet ripe banana flavor in every bite. One stack, and breakfast suddenly feels worth lingering over.
I’m obsessed with these banana pancakes because I get thick, fluffy stacks that actually taste like banana, not plain pancakes pretending. I love how ripe bananas give every bite that sweet, mellow flavor, while buttermilk keeps the texture tender without making anything heavy.
The edges get just enough golden crisp, the centers stay soft, and I can eat them with nothing on top and still be happy. But extra toppings?
I’m not saying no. And I especially love these when the bananas on my counter are past snackable.
A legitimate breakfast win. Simple, satisfying, and too easy to crave again tomorrow.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour gives the pancakes their soft, cozy body without getting too fancy.
- Granulated sugar adds just enough sweetness so they taste like a weekend treat.
- Baking powder helps them puff up, because flat pancakes are honestly sad.
- Baking soda works with buttermilk for extra lift and a tender bite.
- Fine salt keeps the sweetness balanced, so every bite tastes more like itself.
- Buttermilk brings tang, moisture, and that classic diner-style pancake feel.
- Eggs hold everything together and add a little richness.
- Melted butter makes them taste warm, soft, and slightly indulgent.
- Vanilla extract adds that sweet bakery smell you’ll notice right away.
- Ripe bananas bring natural sweetness, moisture, and real banana flavor.
- Plus cinnamon adds cozy warmth if you’re in that kind of mood.
Ingredient Quantities
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 tablespoons melted butter, plus extra for cooking
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 large ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon optional
How to Make this
1. In a large bowl whisk together 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt; stir in 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon if using.
2. In a separate bowl mash 2 large ripe bananas until mostly smooth, about 1 cup mashed.
3. Whisk together 1 cup buttermilk, 2 large eggs lightly beaten, 2 tablespoons melted butter, and 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract.
4. Add the mashed bananas to the wet mixture and stir to combine.
5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently fold until just combined; do not overmix, a few small lumps are fine.
6. Let the batter rest for 5 minutes to allow the baking powder and baking soda to activate and the batter to thicken slightly.
7. Heat a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat and brush with a little melted butter for cooking.
8. For each pancake pour about 1/3 cup batter onto the hot skillet, spacing evenly.
9. Cook until bubbles form on the surface and the edges look set, about 2 to 3 minutes, then flip and cook until golden brown and cooked through, about 1 to 2 minutes more.
10. Keep pancakes warm in a low oven if desired and serve immediately with your favorite toppings.
Equipment Needed
1. Large mixing bowl
2. Medium mixing bowl or bowl for mashing bananas
3. Measuring cups and spoons
4. Whisk
5. Potato masher or fork
6. Nonstick skillet or griddle
7. 1/3 cup measuring cup or small ladle for pouring batter
8. Heatproof spatula for flipping and transferring pancakes
FAQ
The Best Banana Pancakes Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- All purpose flour: use an equal amount of whole wheat pastry flour for a nuttier, slightly denser pancake, or use a 1-to-1 gluten free baking blend with added xanthan gum if needed.
- Buttermilk: substitute 1 cup milk plus 1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice, let sit 5 minutes until slightly curdled; or use 1 cup plain yogurt thinned with 2 to 3 tablespoons water.
- Large eggs: for each egg, use 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water, let sit 5 minutes to thicken; or use 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce per egg for a moister result.
- Granulated sugar: swap with 3/4 cup pure maple syrup or honey, and reduce the buttermilk by about 2 tablespoons to keep batter consistency similar.
Pro Tips
1. Use very ripe bananas for the best natural sweetness and banana flavor; if they are spotty and soft they mash easily and blend into the batter without needing extra sugar.
2. Fold the batter gently and stop when you still see a few small lumps. Overmixing develops gluten and makes the pancakes tough instead of tender and fluffy.
3. Let the batter rest briefly so the leaveners and mashed banana hydrate the flour. If it seems too thick after resting, thin slightly with a tablespoon or two of buttermilk until it pours easily but still holds shape.
4. Cook over medium heat and add a little butter to the pan right before each batch. Too-hot pans brown the outsides before the centers cook, while too-low heat gives pale, flat pancakes. Keep finished pancakes in a warm oven on a rack so they stay crisp on the edges.
The Best Banana Pancakes Recipe
I can’t get over how tall and fluffy these banana pancakes turn out, with sweet ripe banana flavor in every bite. One stack, and breakfast suddenly feels worth lingering over.
8
servings
174.3
kcal
Equipment: 1. Large mixing bowl
2. Medium mixing bowl or bowl for mashing bananas
3. Measuring cups and spoons
4. Whisk
5. Potato masher or fork
6. Nonstick skillet or griddle
7. 1/3 cup measuring cup or small ladle for pouring batter
8. Heatproof spatula for flipping and transferring pancakes
Ingredients
-
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
-
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
-
2 teaspoons baking powder
-
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
-
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
-
1 cup buttermilk
-
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
-
2 tablespoons melted butter, plus extra for cooking
-
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
-
2 large ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
-
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon optional
Directions
- In a large bowl whisk together 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt; stir in 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon if using.
- In a separate bowl mash 2 large ripe bananas until mostly smooth, about 1 cup mashed.
- Whisk together 1 cup buttermilk, 2 large eggs lightly beaten, 2 tablespoons melted butter, and 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract.
- Add the mashed bananas to the wet mixture and stir to combine.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently fold until just combined; do not overmix, a few small lumps are fine.
- Let the batter rest for 5 minutes to allow the baking powder and baking soda to activate and the batter to thicken slightly.
- Heat a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat and brush with a little melted butter for cooking.
- For each pancake pour about 1/3 cup batter onto the hot skillet, spacing evenly.
- Cook until bubbles form on the surface and the edges look set, about 2 to 3 minutes, then flip and cook until golden brown and cooked through, about 1 to 2 minutes more.
- Keep pancakes warm in a low oven if desired and serve immediately with your favorite toppings.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 100g
- Total number of serves: 8
- Calories: 174.3kcal
- Fat: 4.7g
- Saturated Fat: 2.45g
- Trans Fat: 0.13g
- Polyunsaturated: 0.31g
- Monounsaturated: 1g
- Cholesterol: 54.25mg
- Sodium: 410.75mg
- Potassium: 186.25mg
- Carbohydrates: 28.34g
- Fiber: 1.49g
- Sugar: 8g
- Protein: 5.16g
- Vitamin A: 197.5IU
- Vitamin C: 2.7mg
- Calcium: 49.5mg
- Iron: 1.33mg
