If you haven’t gotten your fill of banana bread yet, wait’ll you try it in fryable, flippable form. Banana Bread Pancakes make a fun and fluffy meal of the internet’s reigning favorite treat. Soft, sweet bananas and chocolate chips in a buttery, brown sugar cinnamon batter is always seasonal and always satisfying.

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If you’ve been following any social media at all – especially over the past year – you’ll know how intensely people clamored for comforting, home-cooked content. And, of course, those recipes also had to look Insta-worthy. From sourdough starters to cast iron skillets, everyone was embracing their inner chef. And as more and more foamy whipped coffees, cloud eggs, and chaffles popped up, it seemed like lots of folks were looking to breakfast to be their emotional-support meal.
So I was a little bit surprised to see banana bread popping up seemingly everywhere. I mean, banana bread is good – and bless it for being one of the few ways you can use up old bananas with no food-waste guilt – but I wouldn’t call it “impressive,” and if I needed something on my inside to make me feel like I’ve been wrapped in a fuzzy blanket on the outside, like, it wouldn’t even be a blip on the radar.
But banana bread pancakes on the other hand… now these are a frickin’ bear-hug-of-a-meal. These are a breakfast, a breakfast-for-lunch, and a breakfast-for-dinner. These are hugs from your kids and kisses from your spouse. In fact, after I shared my banana bread brinner foray on my own Instagram story, I’ve never had so many people tell me they were about to show up at my house for supper.
If you haven’t already instituted a “brinner on Monday” policy in your own house, I highly recommend. We all know Mondays suck. But they suck less with pancakes, and extra-less with banana bread pancakes.
How to Make Banana Bread Pancakes
Brinner has gone bananas! If you thought banana bread was just for bakers, think again. This classic quickbread is griddle-ready with only a few adjustments. Wholesome Banana Bread Pancakes make for a super simple breakfast – or dinner – anytime you’ve earned a treat!
For a condensed post, click to view the web story for this pancake recipe.
- Whisk together dry ingredients in medium mixing bowl.
- Mash bananas in large mixing bowl, mix in wet ingredients until well combined.
- Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients until just barely combined. Lumps are ok!
- Stir in (optional) chocolate chips.
- Heat griddle or skillet over medium-low heat until hot enough for drops of water sizzle and evaporate, then mist the surface with cooking spray or add butter.
- Ladle ¼ cup batter into the skillet and cook undisturbed, about 4 minutes. Flip and continue cooking 2-3 minutes.
- Remove the pancakes and keep warm in a 200°F oven until ready to serve.
- Serve warm with sliced bananas, chopped walnuts, and maple syrup.
Tips for Perfect Pancakes
- Use very ripe bananas – the browner the better!
- Properly heat the skillet or griddle – it’s right once a few drops of water skid across the surface then evaporate.
- Adjust the skillet heat as you go. If you find the pancakes are cooking too quickly, lower the heat just a bit.
- ¼ c batter pours are the perfect size – not too big, not too small. An ice cream scoop is the perfect portion size! Measuring cup or soup ladle works too.
- Don’t sweat the technique – the first pancake always sucks.
- Flip at the right time – see below for more details!
When To Flip Pancakes
Two things: look for bubbles that have burst through the center (aka, “holes” have formed) AND look for edges that are set. For most recipes, this should take about 4 minutes.
After flipping, the pancakes are cooked through when you can gently press in the center and the pancake springs right back. They’ll only take about 2 minutes on the other side.
We Love Pancakes
Did you make these banana bread pancakes? I’d love to know how they turned out! Leave a comment and a rating below.
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Recipe
Banana Bread Pancakes
Print Recipe Rate this Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
- 2 c all purpose flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2 very ripe bananas, mashed
- 1 c milk
- 3 large eggs
- 4 tbsp butter, melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ⅓ c mini chocolate chips, optional
- chopped walnuts, for serving
- sliced bananas, for serving
- maple syrup, for serving
Instructions
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a medium mixing bowl.
- Mash the bananas in a large mixing bowl. Add the milk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract to the mashed bananas. Stir until very well combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and fold until just barely combined; some lumps are okay.
- Stir in the chocolate chips, if using.
- Heat a griddle or non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. The skillet is fully heated once a few drops of water skid across the surface before evaporating. Lightly mist the surface with cooking spray or a small amount of butter.
- Ladle the batter into the skillet in ¼ c portions. (An ice cream scooper is the perfect portion size!) Cook undisturbed until bubbles form on the surface and the edges are set, about 4 minutes. Use a spatula to gently flip the pancakes and continue cooking 2-3 minutes more, or until the pancakes lightly spring back when pressed in the center.
- Remove the pancakes from the skillet and keep warm in a 200°F oven until ready to serve.
- Serve warm with sliced bananas, chopped walnuts, and maple syrup.
Leanne
These pancakes are the best thing since sliced banana bread!