Homemade Banana Pancakes

Side view of a stack of 5 freshly cooked banana pancakes on a white serving plate, topped with a few slices of bananas and maple syrup.

5 from 1 vote

Fluffy banana pancakes made with whole wheat flour for added nutrition. Quick to make, freezer-friendly, and perfect for weekday breakfasts or weekend brunch.

*using a ¼ cup portion of batter, this recipe will make about 14 pancakes

Prep Time5

Cook Time15

Total Time20

Course: Breakfast, Brunch

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: Servings

Calories: 322kcal

Author: Meredith

Equipment

Ingredients

1 Cup mashed banana (about 2 medium bananas)
1 large egg
¾ Cup milk of choice* (up to 1 Cup to thin batter as needed)
2 Tablespoons neautral oil (canola or vegetable oil)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 Tablespoons brown sugar (light or dark)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¾ Cup all-purpose flour
¾ Cup whole wheat flour

Instructions

Mix the wet ingredients. Whisk together the egg, mashed banana, milk, oil, and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl. Make sure everything is well combined and smooth.
1 Cup mashed banana, 1 large egg, ¾ Cup milk of choice*, 2 Tablespoons neautral oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Add the brown sugar. Break apart the brown sugar with the whisk and mix it into the wet ingredients until it's dissolved and fully incorporated.
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
Stir in the dry ingredients starting with the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Then gradually add the all-purpose and whole wheat flours, mixing into the batter until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
*Do NOT overmix the batter or your pancakes will be tough! A few lumps are totally fine.
2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ¾ Cup all-purpose flour, ¾ Cup whole wheat flour
Heat your pan. Heat a non-stick skillet or griddle over medium heat and let it preheat for a couple of minutes so it's evenly heated. Spray lightly with cooking spray if desired (even for non-stick pans).
Cook the pancakes. Scoop ¼ cup sized portions of batter onto the hot pan or griddle, leaving room between each pancake. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until bubbles start to form on the top and the edges begin to look slightly raised, curved, and dry. Use a spatula to flip the pancakes and cook the other side for another 1 to 2 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. If the pancakes are browning too quickly but still gooey inside, reduce the heat slightly.
Transfer to a wire rack, with option to keep them warm. Transfer the cooked pancakes to a wire cooling rack. If desired, place the wire rack on a baking sheet and place it to your oven that's been preheated to its lowest setting to keep the pancakes warm while you cook the remaining batches.
Serve and enjoy. Top with your favorite toppings, dig in, and enjoy!

Notes

*milk quantity starts at ¾ cup, however, you can add up to an additional ¼ cup of milk (for 1 Cup total) to thin your batter as needed or desired. You don't want your batter to be too runny, which is why we start with ¾ cup and add more as needed.

Variation Ideas:

Use only all-purpose flour. If you don't have whole wheat flour, you can replace the whole wheat flour 1-to-1 with more all-purpose flour.
Add chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or blueberries to your batter. Stir up to ½ cup of your desired mix-in into the batter right before cooking, or sprinkle some on top of each pancake right after scooping into the pan.
Different milk options. We recommend using skim or 2% dairy milk or oat milk. However, almond milk, coconut milk, or any other plant-based milk you enjoy should work just fine too.
An extensive list of topping ideas has been included above in the blog post. Check it out if you're looking for some fun ways to serve these!

Storage: Store cooked and fully cooled pancakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Directions on how to freeze are included above in the blog post if needed.

*The nutrition facts calculated assumes you've used ¼ cup portions of batter, resulting in 3.5 pancakes per serving. No toppings have been included in this calculation.

Nutrition