Easy Banana Pancakes That’ll Save Your Weekend Mornings
Okay, so I’ve been making banana pancakes wrong for like… three years. Seriously. And I’m gonna be honest with you—I thought I was some kind of pancake genius until last Saturday when everything went sideways.
Picture this: I’m standing in my kitchen at 8 AM, still in my pajamas (the ones with the hole in the knee), and my kids are practically bouncing off the walls asking for “the fluffy pancakes.” You know the ones. The banana pancakes that actually taste like bananas and don’t turn into rubber discs.
Well, let me tell you what happened. I grabbed my usual recipe—the one I’d been using forever—and started mixing away. But here’s the thing… I was doing it all wrong. And my neighbor knocked on the door right when I was supposed to flip the first batch, so naturally, they burned. Like, smoke alarm going off, windows open, the whole disaster.
But honestly? Best mistake ever. Because it forced me to completely rethink how I make banana pancakes, and now I’ve got a recipe that’s so stupidly easy, my 8-year-old can make them. Well, almost.
Table of Contents
Why These Banana Pancakes Actually Work
Look, I’ve tried probably fifteen different banana pancake recipes over the years. Some were too dense, some tasted like cardboard with banana chunks, and don’t even get me started on the ones that fell apart the second you tried to flip them.
These ones are different. And not because I’m some amazing cook—trust me, I once burned water. No joke. But because I finally figured out the secret that every recipe blog somehow forgets to mention.
The bananas have to be really, really ripe. Like, almost too ripe. Those brown spotted ones that you’re about to throw away? Those are gold for banana pancakes. I used to think fresher was better, but nope. The mushier, the better.
Actually, you know what? Let me back up a second. This whole banana pancake obsession started because my kids refuse to eat bananas once they get even slightly brown. But throwing them away felt like such a waste, especially when bananas cost what they do now. So banana pancakes became my solution.
What You’ll Need (And My Shopping Disasters)
Here’s what you need, and I’m gonna tell you exactly where I messed up so you don’t have to:
The Basics:
- 2 large ripe bananas (the browner, the better—I learned this the hard way)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (don’t use self-rising like I did once; they turned into hockey pucks)
- 1 egg (room temperature works better, but cold is fine if you’re impatient like me)
- 1 cup milk (whole milk makes them fluffier, but I’ve used 2% and even almond milk when I ran out)
- 2 tablespoons sugar (brown sugar is amazing here, but white works too)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder (check the date on this—expired baking powder is why my first batch was flat)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons melted butter (plus extra for the pan)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (the real stuff, not imitation—you can taste the difference)
Optional but Amazing:
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (I’m obsessed with cinnamon, so I usually add more)
- Handful of chocolate chips (because why not?)
- Chopped walnuts (if you’re into that sort of thing)
Now, here’s where I always mess up at the store: I forget to check if my baking powder is still good. Last month I made a whole batch with expired baking powder and couldn’t figure out why they were so flat and sad looking. Learn from my mistakes, people.
Also, about the bananas—I used to buy them specifically for pancakes, but then I’d use them too early. Now I just wait for the ones we already have to get spotty. Way better flavor, and it feels less wasteful.
The Method That Actually Works
Alright, here’s where I used to go completely wrong. I thought making pancakes was just dump everything together and mix. Wrong. So wrong.
Step 1: Prep Your Bananas Mash those bananas in a large bowl. And I mean really mash them—don’t leave chunks unless you want surprise banana bombs in your pancakes. I use a fork, but sometimes I get lazy and use a potato masher. Works fine either way.
Step 2: Mix the Wet Stuff Add the egg, milk, melted butter, and vanilla to your mashed bananas. Here’s the thing I learned—if your butter is too hot, it’ll scramble the egg. Been there. Not cute. Let it cool down for like two minutes first.
Mix this all together until it looks… well, kinda gross and lumpy. That’s normal. Don’t worry about it.
Step 3: The Dry Ingredients In another bowl (yes, you need two bowls—I tried to be lazy and use one, and it was a disaster), whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon if you’re using it.
Step 4: The Magic Part Here’s the secret that changed everything for me: mix the wet and dry ingredients together just until they’re barely combined. It should look lumpy and awful. If it looks smooth and pretty, you’ve overmixed it, and your pancakes will be tough.
I cannot stress this enough—lumpy batter is good batter. Took me forever to learn this because it goes against every instinct.
Step 5: Cook Them Right Heat a non-stick pan or griddle over medium heat. Not medium-high, not high—just medium. I always want to crank up the heat because I’m impatient, but they’ll burn on the outside and be raw on the inside. Trust me on this one.
Melt a little butter in the pan (or use cooking spray if you’re being healthy). Pour about 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake. They’ll spread out on their own.
Here’s how you know when to flip: wait for bubbles to form on the surface and the edges to look set. Usually takes about 2-3 minutes. Then flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
And please, for the love of all that’s holy, don’t press down on them with your spatula. I used to do this thinking it would help them cook faster. All it does is squeeze out the fluffiness.
My Epic Failures (So You Can Avoid Them)
Let me tell you about the time I tried to make these for my sister when she was visiting. She’s one of those people who eats at fancy brunch places every weekend, so I was nervous.
First mistake: I doubled the recipe but didn’t have a bowl big enough. Batter everywhere. Kitchen looked like a banana bomb went off.
Second mistake: I got distracted talking to her and left the first batch on too long. Smoke alarm, again. My kids now think this is normal.
Third mistake: I tried to keep the finished pancakes warm in the oven, but I set it too high and they dried out completely.
But you know what? The fourth batch was perfect. And my sister said they were better than the place she usually goes to. (She was probably just being nice, but I’ll take it.)
The Tips That Actually Matter
About the Bananas: Really ripe bananas are sweet enough that you can cut back on the sugar. If your bananas are super brown and mushy, try using just 1 tablespoon of sugar instead of 2.
Getting Them Fluffy: The secret is in the mixing. Less is more. Also, letting the batter rest for 5 minutes while your pan heats up helps too. Something about the flour hydrating or whatever. I don’t know the science, but it works.
Make-Ahead Hack: You can mix the dry ingredients the night before. Just combine them with the wet stuff in the morning. Saves time when you’re half-asleep making breakfast.
Keeping Them Warm: If you’re making a big batch, keep finished pancakes on a baking sheet in a 200°F oven. Any hotter and they’ll dry out.
Leftover Batter: This keeps in the fridge for up to 2 days. Just give it a gentle stir before using because it separates.
Serving These Bad Boys
My kids eat these with way too much syrup, obviously. But here are some other options that don’t involve drowning them in sugar:
- Fresh berries (strawberries are amazing with the banana flavor)
- A drizzle of honey
- Greek yogurt and a sprinkle of granola
- Peanut butter (because peanut butter makes everything better)
- More sliced bananas (why not?)
Oh, and here’s something weird—they’re actually good cold the next day. I don’t know why, but sometimes I eat the leftovers straight from the fridge. Don’t judge me.
Why I Keep Making These
Look, these aren’t going to win any fancy cooking awards. They’re not Instagram-perfect or revolutionary. But they’re good, they use up bananas that would otherwise get thrown away, and my kids actually eat them without complaining.
Plus, there’s something really satisfying about making something from scratch that actually works. Especially when you’ve messed it up as many times as I have.
And honestly? On those crazy weekend mornings when everyone’s hungry and cranky and I haven’t had my coffee yet, these banana pancakes save the day. They’re easy enough that I can make them half-asleep, and good enough that everyone’s happy.
The kitchen smells amazing while they’re cooking too. Like, cancel-your-plans-and-just-stay-home amazing.
Final Thoughts
If you try these, let me know how they turn out! Seriously, I’m always curious about how recipes work in other people’s kitchens. And if you figure out any tricks to make them even better, please share because I’m always looking to improve my pancake game.
Also, if you burn the first batch like I always seem to do, don’t give up. The second batch is usually perfect once you get the heat figured out.
Now I’m craving these again just from writing about them. Thanks a lot, brain. Guess I know what I’m making for breakfast tomorrow.
Happy cooking! (And may your smoke alarms stay quiet) 🥞
