Banana Nut Pancakes
You show me a banana and I’ll show you my favorite pie, my favorite muffins, and now, my favorite pancakes.
A few weeks ago I was chatting with my mom Noni on the phone and she mentioned she’d been buying bananas every week, letting them get to the speckled stage, and then mashing and mixing them with pancake batter. It took me all of 14 seconds to get to my nearest grocery store and test out the technique this past weekend.
Forget topping your ‘cakes with banana slices, because once you try mashed, you’ll never go back. The banana flavor is just intense enough to be enjoyed in every bite, while the crunch of chopped pecans adds a welcome textural contrast. Just like the cake-freezing technique, the taco chips in the chili bowl tip and the espresso in chocolate cake trick, my mom never ceases to amaze me with her culinary ingenuity.
I’m currently enjoying a week in New York with both of my parents, who ventured east from the west coast for a visit. As you might imagine from someone who maintains a comprehensive Google spreadsheet of restaurants, we’ll be sampling our way through a handful of new and favorite Manhattan eateries. Raise your hand if you’re 25 and still take full advantage of your parents treating you to a meal … or seven. (Two hands in the air over here.)
From cakes and pies to muffins and tarts, what are your favorite ways for turning bananas into a stellar sweet or savory dish?
Banana Nut Pancakes
Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 40 min (includes resting)
Cook Time: 5 min
Ingredients:
1½ cups all-purpose flour
3½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon white sugar
2 ripe bananas
1¼ cups milk
1 egg
4 tablespoons butter, melted
½ cup chopped pecans
Vegetable oil, for pan-frying
Maple syrup, for servingDirections:
Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a large mixing bowl then set it aside.
In a separate bowl, mash together the bananas with the milk, egg and melted butter.
Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet, stirring to combine, then stir in the nuts. Allow the batter to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Heat a large sauté pan over medium-low heat and add just enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan, allowing it to heat for 2 to 3 minutes. (See Kelly's Notes.)
In batches, scoop 3 to 4 tablespoons of batter into the pan to form pancakes. Cook the pancakes on one side until bubbles appear in the center, then flip them once and continue cooking them until they're no longer doughy in the center. Serve the pancakes with your choice of toppings, including maple syrup, fresh fruit or whipped cream.
Kelly's Notes:
The true indication for when to flip a pancake is when tiny bubbles appear in the center. Flip it any sooner and you'll be left with a runny mess!
A fish spatula is my go-to gadget for flipping pancakes since it is small and flexible enough to easily maneuver in a pan.
There's no need to waste an entire pancake's worth of batter to determine if you oil is hot enough. Instead, simply add a tiny drop of batter to the pre-heated pan. It should sizzle immediately, otherwise your pan is not hot enough and the pancakes will become sponges soaking up any and all oil.
Pancake batter recipe adapted from Good Old Fashioned Pancakes.
Amy — October 19, 2011 @ 12:47 pm
These look amazing! Will have to try! My favorite banana recipe is probably banana bread with chocolate chips or banana cupcakes [muffins] with cream cheese frosting…or my grandma’s banana cake with cream cheese frosting! I love it all!
Kelly replied: — October 19th, 2011 @ 12:54 pm
Thanks so much for sharing, Amy! I cannot tell you how tempted I was to add chocolate chips to these bad boys (I figured the maple syrup would be enough of a sweet edge). And I’m glad to see we share an affinity for anything/everything involving cream cheese frosting… it’s one of my food groups
Alison @ Ingredients, Inc. — October 19, 2011 @ 1:13 pm
omg these look beyond amazing! Hope you’re doing well!
Kelly replied: — October 19th, 2011 @ 1:15 pm
Hi! Was just thinking about you since I got your package last night … you are too sweet! Emailing you now.
Bev Weidner — October 19, 2011 @ 4:12 pm
Iiiiiiinteresting! I’m so doing this, this weekend. Or right now.
Ali — October 19, 2011 @ 9:31 pm
Is that honey flowing down the pancake? no wonder banana pancake is your favorite, looks and sounds delicious. The photo is mouth watering, wish you could see how am salivating here
Kelly replied: — October 19th, 2011 @ 11:34 pm
It’s actually maple syrup, but honey would be just as good! I hope you get the chance to try these!
Marc @ NoRecipes — October 20, 2011 @ 1:24 am
Drool, I could eat that whole stack in one go.
Joanne — October 20, 2011 @ 6:56 am
I could smell the aroma of the banana nut pancakes from your picture!
On top of stealing this recipe away from you, I am going to have to copy your google spread sheet on restaurants idea.
BRILLIANT.
Kelly replied: — October 20th, 2011 @ 11:29 am
Thanks Joanne! I am slightly obsessed with what’s come to be known as “The List” among friends. It’s so practical!
Vivek @ Vivek's Epicurean Adventures — October 24, 2011 @ 2:27 pm
I love using bananas when they start getting all those spots! Recently, because I’ve been making a lot of homemade sausage, I’ve been trying out different types of mustard.
If you take these bananas and roast them in the oven (like 375) until they are completely black, scoop out the flesh, and mix it with whole grain mustard and a touch of honey, you get this really great flavored banana mustard, which is just as good on sausages as it is on a sandwich!
Laura (Blogging Over Thyme) — October 25, 2011 @ 1:03 am
I love the little-drop-of-pancake drip to see if the pan is ready–I’ve been doing that for years and it has saved me countless pancakes that used to be thrown in the traffic.
Love these flavor combinations! Some of the best, definitely. One of my favorite pancake recipes I’ve made is for quinoa pancakes–so delicious and different!
Kelly replied: — October 25th, 2011 @ 2:19 am
Quinoa pancakes?! You must point us in the direction of that recipe! I love anything and everything quinoa, and if pancake batter is involved, then sign me up.
carly {carlyklock} — October 27, 2011 @ 4:16 pm
Such a gorgeous shot!
I might give these a try, even though I’m no banana fan. I mean, I eat them. But banana-flavored things give me the heebie jeebies for some reason.
I know, I’m weird.
Lauren — February 12, 2012 @ 11:32 pm
We ust made these for dinner and they are stupendous! Thank you so much for sharing your recipe! So light and fluffy! Topped ours with a few milk chocolate chips and toasted hazelnuts. W-O-W! : )
Kelly replied: — February 13th, 2012 @ 12:32 am
I love having breakfast for dinner, and you can’t beat these pancakes
Chocolate chips are the perfect topper. So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
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Halle — May 14, 2012 @ 10:42 pm
Ohmygosh. I LOVE anything with bananas, and these look delicious! Thanks so much for sharing- I’m making these tomorrow morning!
-Halle
classicglamblog.blogspot.com
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Tom — February 3, 2013 @ 10:25 am
Made these this morning, awesome! Restaurant quality, thick & fluffy.
Ben — March 2, 2013 @ 3:44 pm
These pancakes were soooo good! Thank you so much for sharing the recipe.
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