These easy banana pancakes are soft, fluffy, and as simple as pancakes get. Made from scratch with ripe bananas, they’re an ideal breakfast or weekend treat.
Banana pancakes are a favorite for a reason. They’re light and tender, with the warm banana flavor you expect from banana bread and little caramelized banana bites in every bite. This recipe packs banana flavor by folding mashed ripe banana into the batter and adding thin caramelized banana slices to the pan as the pancakes cook. Despite the decadent flavor, the recipe is quick and straightforward.
These pancakes are perfect for a relaxed Sunday morning. The batter comes together in minutes and you only need a couple of overripe bananas — the ones with brown speckles work best. Overripe bananas add natural sweetness and depth of flavor that you can’t replicate with underripe fruit.
Make a stack for family or a crowd; they’re reliably crowd-pleasing. I like to serve them with pure maple syrup and extra banana slices on the side for a simple, satisfying presentation.
Easy Banana Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp brown sugar plus more for sprinkling
- pinch salt
- 1 egg
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tbsp butter melted, plus 1 tbsp more for the pan
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ripe banana mashed
- 2 bananas sliced
Instructions
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In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and a pinch of salt until combined.
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In a separate bowl, beat the egg, then whisk in the milk, melted butter, vanilla, and the mashed ripe banana. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir just until moistened. A few small lumps in the batter are fine.
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Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a large frying pan or skillet over medium heat. Arrange 2–3 banana slices in different spots in the pan, leaving room for the batter to spread. Sprinkle a little brown sugar on the slices and cook until they begin to caramelize, about 1–2 minutes per side.
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Once the banana slices are lightly caramelized, pour about 1/4 cup of batter over each group of slices to form pancakes. Cook until the edges set and bubbles form on top, about 1–2 minutes, then flip and cook another 1–2 minutes until golden and cooked through. (A 10-inch skillet fits two pancakes at a time.)
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Remove the pancakes from the pan and repeat with the remaining batter, adding more butter as needed. Serve immediately with maple syrup and extra banana slices if desired.
