Banana Pancakes Recipe

Prepare bananas

Peel the ripe bananas and place them in a large mixing bowl. Mash with a fork or potato masher until mostly smooth with a few small lumps remaining (about 1 cup mashed bananas from 2 medium bananas).

Add the eggs, milk, vanilla extract, melted butter, and maple syrup (if using) to the mashed bananas. Whisk until combined and smooth.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon until evenly distributed.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the wet banana mixture into it. Gently fold with a spatula or wooden spoon until just combined. Do not overmix; a few small streaks of flour are okay. Batter should be thick but pourable. If too thick, add up to 2 tablespoons milk to reach desired consistency.

Heat a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat. Add about 1 teaspoon of butter or oil and spread to coat the surface. Reduce heat to medium-low if the pan is getting too hot.

For each pancake, pour about 1/4 cup of batter onto the hot skillet, leaving space between pancakes. If desired, press 2–3 banana slices into the top of each pancake immediately after pouring.

Cook until bubbles form across the surface and the edges look set, about 2–3 minutes. Carefully flip with a spatula and cook the second side until golden brown, another 1–2 minutes. Adjust heat as needed to prevent burning.

Transfer cooked pancakes to a warm plate and keep loosely covered while you cook remaining batter, adding more butter or oil to the pan as needed.

Stack pancakes on plates. Top with additional sliced bananas, a drizzle of maple syrup, and a dusting of powdered sugar if using. Serve immediately.