If the internet has taught us anything over the past few weeks, it's that banana bread is a lot of people's ULTIMATE COMFORT FOOD.
And what are banana pancakes if not all the comforting flavor of banana bread, but in a perfectly acceptable breakfast form? Plus, they're way faster to whip up than a loaf of bread.
And you can (and definitely should) eat them while listening to that Jack Johnson song.
This is kind of a bare bones pancake recipe. No extras that aren't needed! Because an uncomplicated recipe is never more important than in a breakfast food. With some twists thrown in - bananas! vanilla! cinnamon!
And a high-fluffiness return for a relatively low-effort investment.
To make these extra easy, you can whip up a big batch of the dry ingredients, then add 1 1/2 cups of the dry mix to the wet ingredients listed below when you're ready for pancakes.
Bananas are such a delicious addition to pancakes! The cinnamon and vanilla make these a whole warming package.
How to get smooth pancakes
The key to the perfectly smooth pancake is a very minimal greasing job. (necessary caveat to say I have only ever tried this on nonstick pans/griddles. Unsure if it's the same on other cooking surfaces!)
I put a thin pad of butter on a hot griddle and then spread it around with a paper towel - wiping most of the butter off. Repeat between batches. It makes all the difference!
Cooking pancakes
Pancakes should only be flipped once! The brunt of the cooking is done before pancakes are flipped. You want them to cook nearly all the way through on the first side (this will take 2-3 minutes). You'll know they're ready to flip when the tops are covered in bubbles and you can see a distinct/not-wet looking edge forming.
Flip them and cook for another minute or so until they're browned on the second side.
Leftover pancakes
The banana in these helps them keep really well! Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Banana Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cup all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 large, overripe banana
- 1 egg
- 1 1/4 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Butter, for the pan
- For serving: butter, syrup, ground cinnamon
Directions
- Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl.Mash the banana in a medium bowl until almost smooth. Mix in the egg to incorporate well, then stir in the milk and vanilla. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour in the banana mixture and fold until no dry flour is visible. The mixture will still be lumpy, don't overmix!Heat a griddle or skillet over medium heat. Lightly grease with butter and add 1/4 cup mounds of batter to the skillet or griddle. Batter will spread out and bubble up. Once bubbles are evenly distributed over the whole pancake (about 2-3 minutes), flip and cook another minute, until cooked through and browned on both sides. Repeat until all the batter has been cooked.Serve hot with butter, syrup, and more ground cinnamon.
Notes
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