Buttermilk Banana Pancakes with a Banana Bread Flavor

These pancakes are made with simple pantry ingredients that are like magic when they come together. With ripe mashed bananas for flavor, brown sugar for a caramel taste, cinnamon for warmth, and a handful of nuts for texture. The result is a soft, slightly sweet stack that tastes like banana bread but cooks in a fraction of the time.

 

These banana pancakes aren’t just plain pancakes with a few banana slices thrown on top. The bananas go into the batter, with brown sugar and cinnamon mixed in so they taste like a loaf of banana bread fresh from the oven. The nuts give a little crunch, and barely mashed bananas give it so much flavor. 

When the weather starts to cool down around here, that’s pancake weather. We don’t have many snow days in the Carolinas, but when we do, it’s time for pancakes. Northerners always laugh about how we rush to buy milk and bread, but honestly, it makes sense. You need milk for tomato soup and bread for grilled cheese. That’s the whole snow-day meal plan right there.

However, a made from scratch breakfast is also a must on snow days. I always have bananas around to eat before my early morning runs so the last time it snowed, I grabbed some that were starting to get brown, and instead of another loaf or batch of muffins, I decided to add them into pancake batter.

Pro Tip: If you’ve got unripe bananas, just pop them (peel and all) on a baking sheet and bake at 250º for about 15 minutes until the skins turn black. Inside, they’ll be sweet and mash-ready.

These are so good, you don’t even need syrup.  I usually toss in chocolate chips for the girls and chopped walnuts for Mike and me, then finish with some butter and a dusting of powdered sugar.

Mostly Pantry Staples

You don’t need a long list just the basics and a few pantry staples. The full list and step-by-step are in the recipe card below.

It’s Easier Than You Think

Step 1: Combine wet and dry

Step 2: Grab a skillet

Step 3: Keep Warm

Place the cooked pancakes in the oven at 325º to stay warm while you cook the rest.

If you love cozy breakfasts, you might also like trying something with carrots and spice. I make a version that tastes like dessert for breakfast and it’s just as easy. Or browse through my favorite morning recipes if you’re planning a weekend brunch.

So whether it’s snowing outside or just one of those mornings when you want comfort food, grab a couple of ripe bananas and a mixing bowl.

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