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Easy Banana Pancakes Recipe – Simple & Delicious

ByLumina Liu August 10, 2025

It was one of those Sundays when you wake up with ambitious plans—maybe finally organizing that junk drawer, or tackling the pile of books on your nightstand—but your stomach has other ideas entirely.

I wandered into the kitchen with that familiar weekend hunger, the kind that demands something more substantial than toast but less complicated than a full production.

The fridge revealed its usual Sunday morning contents: a few eggs, some questionable milk (probably fine, probably), and a single, very ripe banana that had been giving me the stink eye for three days.

Now, I should mention that this banana had reached that perfect stage of ripeness where it’s too soft for eating but absolutely ideal for baking—you know the one, where the peel has those brown spots that make it look like it’s been through some things, but the inside is sweet and creamy and practically begging to be transformed into something delicious.

I’d been mentally earmarking it for banana bread all week, but standing there in my pajamas at 10 AM, the thought of measuring flour and waiting an hour for bread to bake felt about as appealing as doing my taxes.

That’s when I remembered this ridiculously simple banana pancakes recipe I’d bookmarked months ago and promptly forgotten about—the kind of recipe that seems too good to be true until you actually try it.

Simple Banana Pancakes Recipe for Lazy Sunday Mornings

What I love most about this banana pancakes recipe is how it completely abandons the traditional pancake playbook.

We’re talking no flour, no milk, no sugar—just a handful of ingredients that somehow come together to create something that tastes like a cross between a pancake and the world’s fluffiest banana bread.

It’s the kind of recipe that makes you wonder why we ever thought breakfast needed to be complicated in the first place.

The genius lies in the banana itself, which serves as both the primary flavor and the binding agent that holds everything together.

When you mash that ripe banana into a thick purée, you’re essentially creating a natural base that’s already sweet, already flavorful, and already the perfect consistency for pancake batter.

The eggs add protein and help create that tender, slightly custardy texture that makes these pancakes so satisfying, while a tiny pinch of baking powder gives them just enough lift to feel substantial without being heavy.

This American-style approach to banana pancakes has become increasingly popular among home cooks who’ve discovered that sometimes the best recipes are the ones that strip away everything unnecessary and focus on letting good ingredients shine.

It’s breakfast minimalism at its finest—and trust me, after you try these once, you’ll never go back to measuring out cups of flour for weekend pancakes again.

How to Make Perfect Banana Pancakes

The beauty of this banana pancakes recipe lies in its simplicity, but don’t let that fool you into thinking technique doesn’t matter.

Getting these pancakes just right requires understanding how each ingredient contributes to the final result, and honestly, a little patience with the mashing process.

Banana Pancakes Recipe: Ingredients You’ll Need

• 1 large ripe banana (the spottier, the better)
• 2 medium eggs
• 1 pinch of baking powder
• 1 sprinkling of vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon oil for cooking
• 25g pecan nuts, roughly chopped
• 125g fresh raspberries

Step-by-Step Instructions

Start by selecting the right banana—this is more important than you might think. You want a banana that’s ripe enough to mash easily but not so far gone that it’s turned to liquid.

Those brown spots on the peel are your friend here; they indicate that the starches have converted to sugars, which means maximum sweetness and the best flavor for your pancakes.

In a medium bowl, mash your banana with a fork until it resembles a thick purée. I know the recipe says “thick purée,” but let me be more specific: you want it smooth enough that there are no large chunks that will create uneven cooking, but you don’t need to obsess over getting every tiny bit perfectly smooth.

A few small lumps actually add nice texture to the finished pancakes.

This should take about 2-3 minutes of dedicated mashing—put on a podcast and enjoy the meditative quality of the process.

Once your banana is properly mashed, crack in your eggs and whisk everything together until well combined. The mixture will look a bit strange at first—kind of like scrambled eggs that have been invaded by banana—but keep whisking until it becomes cohesive.

Add your pinch of baking powder (and I really do mean just a pinch; these pancakes don’t need much lift) and a few drops of vanilla extract. The vanilla isn’t strictly necessary, but it adds a lovely aromatic note that complements the banana beautifully.

The Cooking Process

Heat a large non-stick frying pan or pancake pan over medium heat—and I cannot stress enough how important that “medium” part is.

These pancakes can go from perfectly golden to unfortunately burnt faster than you can say “weekend breakfast,” so resist the urge to crank up the heat.

Brush the pan with half your oil; you don’t need much, just enough to create a light coating.

Using half your batter, spoon two pancakes into the pan.

The batter will be thinner than traditional pancake batter, so don’t expect them to hold perfect round shapes—embrace the rustic, slightly irregular edges that make homemade pancakes so charming.

Cook for 1-2 minutes on the first side, watching for the edges to set and the bottom to turn golden brown.

These pancakes are more delicate than flour-based ones, so flip them gently and cook for another 1-2 minutes on the second side.

Tip the first batch onto a plate and repeat the process with the remaining oil and batter.

While you’re cooking the second batch, resist the urge to stack the first pancakes—they’re best when they can breathe a bit and maintain their texture.

Tips for Banana Pancake Success

After making this banana pancakes recipe more times than I care to admit (research purposes, obviously), I’ve learned a few tricks that can make the difference between good pancakes and absolutely stellar ones.

Choose Your Banana Wisely

The ripeness of your banana is crucial to the success of these pancakes.

Too green, and you’ll end up with starchy, not-very-sweet pancakes that taste more like banana-flavored eggs than the delicious breakfast you’re hoping for.

Too ripe, and the banana becomes watery and can make your batter too thin. Look for bananas with plenty of brown spots but that still hold their shape when you pick them up.

Master the Flip

These pancakes are more delicate than their flour-heavy cousins, which means the flip requires a bit more finesse.

Wait until you see the edges starting to set and the surface beginning to look less wet before attempting to turn them.

Use a thin, flexible spatula and commit to the flip—hesitation is the enemy of intact pancakes.

Temperature Control is Everything

Medium heat is your friend with this banana pancakes recipe. Too high, and the outside will burn before the inside has a chance to set properly.

Too low, and you’ll end up with pale, soggy pancakes that never develop that lovely golden-brown exterior.

If your pan starts smoking or your first pancake browns too quickly, turn the heat down and let the pan cool for a minute before continuing.

Don’t Overmix the Batter

Once you’ve added your eggs to the mashed banana, mix just until everything is combined.

Overmixing can make the finished pancakes tough—though honestly, with only banana and eggs, there’s not much gluten development to worry about, so this is more about texture than anything else.

Let Them Rest (If You Can)

If you have the patience, letting your batter rest for 5-10 minutes before cooking can help the ingredients meld together and create even better texture.

I rarely have this kind of restraint on weekend mornings, but when I do remember, the results are noticeably better.

Creative Variations on the Basic Recipe

Once you’ve mastered the basic banana pancakes recipe, the variations are endless—and this is where things get really fun. The simple base is incredibly forgiving and takes well to all sorts of additions and modifications.

Chocolate Chip Banana Pancakes

Fold in a handful of mini chocolate chips just before cooking for pancakes that taste like dessert but are still reasonable to eat for breakfast. The chips will melt slightly during cooking, creating lovely pockets of melted chocolate throughout each pancake.

Cinnamon Spice Version

Add a pinch of cinnamon, a tiny bit of nutmeg, and maybe a whisper of cardamom to your batter for pancakes that taste like banana bread in pancake form. This variation is particularly lovely on cold mornings when you want something that feels warming and comforting.

Protein-Packed Pancakes

Stir in a tablespoon of your favorite protein powder (vanilla works particularly well) to make these pancakes even more satisfying. You might need to add a tiny splash of water or milk to thin the batter slightly, but the result is pancakes that will keep you full until lunch.

Berry Banana Pancakes

Fold fresh blueberries or chopped strawberries directly into the batter, or scatter them on top of each pancake as soon as you pour the batter into the pan. The berries will burst slightly during cooking, creating beautiful color and additional sweetness.

What to Expect and Why These Work

I’m going to be completely honest with you about these banana pancakes: they’re not going to taste exactly like traditional pancakes, and that’s actually the point. They have a denser, more custardy texture that’s somewhere between a pancake and French toast, with a lovely banana flavor that’s present but not overwhelming.

The texture is tender and slightly creamy, and they’re naturally sweet enough that you might find yourself skipping the syrup entirely.

The first time I made this banana pancakes recipe, I was skeptical that something so simple could actually work. How could just banana and eggs create something pancake-like?

But the science is actually quite elegant: the banana provides natural sugars, moisture, and binding properties, while the eggs contribute protein structure and richness. The small amount of baking powder gives just enough lift to create a tender texture without making them fluffy in the traditional sense.

These pancakes are at their absolute best when eaten immediately, while they’re still warm from the pan. They don’t reheat particularly well (the texture becomes a bit rubbery), so plan to make only what you’ll eat right away.

That said, they cook so quickly that making multiple batches isn’t really a hardship—and honestly, standing at the stove flipping pancakes on a weekend morning is one of those simple pleasures that never gets old.

Top them with whatever makes you happy: the suggested pecans and raspberries are lovely, but so are sliced strawberries, a drizzle of honey, a sprinkle of cinnamon, or even just a pat of butter that melts into all the little crevices.

These pancakes have become my go-to weekend breakfast when I want something that feels special but doesn’t require a trip to the grocery store or a complex production in the kitchen.

Sometimes the best recipes are the ones that prove that good food doesn’t have to be complicated—it just has to be made with care and eaten with joy.