Banana Walnut Pancakes Recipe

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

In a separate medium bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork until mostly smooth with a few small lumps remaining (about 1 cup mashed from 2 medium bananas).

Add the eggs to the mashed banana and whisk lightly to combine.

Stir in the milk, yogurt (or buttermilk), melted butter (cooled slightly), and vanilla extract until the wet mixture is homogeneous.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet mixture. Gently fold the ingredients together with a spatula until just combined; small streaks of flour are OK. Do not overmix to keep pancakes tender.

Fold in 1/2 cup of the chopped walnuts, reserving the remaining 1/4 cup for topping or sprinkling into pancakes while cooking.

If the batter seems very thick, add up to 2 tablespoons additional milk to reach a pourable but thick batter (should drop slowly from a spoon).

Heat a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat until hot. Lightly grease with about 1 teaspoon of butter or a thin brush of oil; wipe away excess so pancakes brown evenly.

For each pancake, pour about 1/4 cup (60 ml) of batter onto the skillet, spacing comfortably. If desired, place a few walnut pieces and a banana slice on top of each pancake immediately.

Cook until bubbles form on the surface and the edges look set, 2–3 minutes. Carefully flip and cook until the second side is golden and cooked through, another 1–2 minutes. Adjust heat as needed to prevent over-browning.

Repeat with remaining batter, adding small amounts of butter to the pan between batches. Keep finished pancakes warm on a baking sheet in a 200°F (95°C) oven while you finish cooking the rest.

Stack pancakes, sprinkle with the reserved chopped walnuts, top with additional banana slices if using, and serve warm with maple syrup and a pat of butter if desired.

Leftover pancakes can be cooled completely, layered with parchment, and refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 1 month. Reheat gently in a toaster or oven.