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Banana Pancakes PP
Instructions
I prepare the ingredients. Overripe bananas (with brown spots on the skin) work best — they're sweeter, softer, and mash to a smooth puree easily. Less ripe bananas can be used too with extra effort to mash, and they give a more pronounced banana taste in the finished pancake. Avoid green-tipped bananas — too starchy, not enough sweetness.
I peel the banana and break it into chunks for easier mashing.
I mash the banana with a fork. A blender works too but produces a uniform smooth puree without any small pieces — those small pieces give the pancakes a pleasant rustic texture and bursts of intense banana flavour. Hand-mashing with a fork is the better choice here.
I add the egg to the mashed banana and stir until the egg is fully incorporated.
In a separate small bowl, I combine the dry ingredients: rice flour, baking powder, and the pinch of salt. Mixing dry ingredients first ensures even distribution of the leavening agent.
I add the dry mixture to the wet banana-egg mixture, stirring as I go to prevent flour pockets.
After mixing with a fork or spoon, I get a thick mass — too thick to pour cleanly. The next step thins it.
I gradually add the milk to thin the batter to a pourable consistency.
The finished batter should be fluffy (thanks to the baking powder) and the consistency of thick sour cream — pourable but with body, holding mound shape briefly when dropped from a spoon.
I heat a dry non-stick pan over medium heat. I drop 2 tablespoons of batter per pancake into the pan, cover with a lid, and cook for 2-3 minutes. The lid traps steam and helps the pancakes puff evenly.
I flip the pancakes, cover again, and cook another 2-3 minutes. After this batch comes off, I wipe any small crumbs from the pan with a paper towel before adding the next batch — old crumbs burn and leave bitter spots.The PP banana pancakes are best served warm with fresh berries (raspberries, blueberries, sliced strawberries), a drizzle of honey or maple syrup if not strict-PP, and a glass of cold oat milk or hot coffee. The texture is finely porous and fluffy with strong banana flavour throughout — a satisfying breakfast that won't trigger a sugar crash.
Tips
- 1
RIPER BANANAS = SWEETER PANCAKES. The banana is the only sweetness source in this recipe — its sugar content directly determines the finished pancake's sweetness. Use bananas with significant brown spotting or even nearly-black skin (the blacker, the sweeter). Slightly green or yellow bananas give noticeably less sweet pancakes. For maximum sweetness without adding sugar: ripen bananas in a paper bag with an apple for 2-3 days before using.
- 2
THE LID IS NON-NEGOTIABLE. Cooking covered traps steam from both the batter's moisture and the banana's water content, helping the pancakes puff evenly and cook through to the centre. Uncovered cooking gives pancakes that are golden on the outside but raw in the middle — particularly with the dense rice flour batter. The 2-3 minutes per side under a lid is the calibrated timing. For another banana-based pancake variation worth comparing, see Pancakes with Banana and Chocolate.
- 3
RICE FLOUR ALTERNATIVES. The recipe specifies rice flour for the gluten-free angle. Other gluten-free flours work with slight variations: oat flour gives a heartier, slightly nutty pancake; buckwheat flour gives a darker, more savoury pancake; almond flour gives a denser, richer pancake (use 60 g instead of 90 g). Standard wheat flour breaks the gluten-free claim but gives slightly fluffier pancakes — substitute 1:1.
- 4
ADD-INS WORK BEAUTIFULLY. The basic batter welcomes additions: a teaspoon of cinnamon (warm spice complement to banana), a tablespoon of cocoa powder (chocolate-banana pancakes), a handful of fresh blueberries (folded in just before cooking), or a pinch of cardamom (Middle Eastern lean). Each gives a different breakfast experience without changing the technique. For another milk-and-banana pancake to compare textures, try Banana pancakes with milk.
FAQ
Are these really sugar-free? +
Effectively yes — there's no added sugar. The banana provides all the sweetness, which translates to about 12-15 g of natural fructose per banana. For diabetics, this is a significant amount of sugar (just from a different source than table sugar) and should still be counted toward daily limits. The recipe is "no added sugar" rather than "sugar-free" in the strict sense. Use less ripe bananas for slightly lower sugar content if needed.
Why are my pancakes falling apart? +
Two usual causes. First, the egg-to-flour ratio was off — too much milk thins the batter past binding capacity. Stick to the recipe quantities. Second, the pan was too hot — high heat browns the surface before the batter sets, so flipping breaks the still-liquid centre. Medium heat with a lid is the right setup. If your batter feels right but pancakes still break, add another tablespoon of rice flour to thicken it slightly.
Can I make these without milk? +
Yes, easily. Substitute any plant milk (oat, almond, coconut, soy) for a vegan-friendly version. Water also works in a pinch, though the result is slightly less rich. For an even richer non-dairy version, use full-fat coconut milk — it adds body and a subtle coconut flavour that pairs beautifully with banana. Whatever liquid you choose, keep the volume at 30 ml; more makes the batter too thin, less makes it too dense.
How do I store and reheat leftover pancakes? +
Refrigerated in an airtight container, the pancakes keep 2-3 days. They can be eaten cold (great for lunchboxes — they're surprisingly good cool with a small jar of yogurt for dipping) or reheated. To reheat: 30 seconds in the microwave per pancake (fastest), 1 minute per side in a dry pan over low heat (best texture), or 5 minutes in a 150 °C oven (best for batch reheating). Frozen pancakes keep 2 months — reheat directly from frozen using the microwave for 60 seconds.
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