Banana Pancakes with Caramelized Bananas and Toasted Pecans

Banana Pancakes for Breakfast

As if it weren’t enough to add bananas to the pancake batter, we've gone ahead and added plenty of bananas caramelized in brown sugar to the top then drizzled it all with real maple syrup. Definitely a sleep-in, pretend-it’s-the-weekend kind of treat. Get the whole gang in on the mixing, flipping and pouring. Even the littlest hands can get in on the fun—those bananas won’t peel themselves!

Ingredients to Make Easy Banana Pancakes

Our basic banana pancake batter comes together in under five minutes and the caramelized bananas easily cook down while the hotcakes are on the griddle. Here’s what you’ll need to whip up these bananas foster pancakes:

• Bananas. *Just* in case it isn’t obvious. We like to stash overripe bananas in the freezer, that way we always have some at the ready for when the weekend pancake craving strikes. Just be sure to defrost them first, and only use them in the batter—frozen bananas are too mushy to caramelize.
• Butter. Don’t even think about subbing in some other “healthy” oil. Use unsalted butter, or omit the salt in this recipe if you only have salted butter (we won’t judge).
• Whole milk. Or a mix of half-and-half (you’ve got some for coffee, right?) and 2%.
• For toppings: Pecans, maple syrup, and more butter (because why not?)

How to Make Banana Pancakes

Want the fluffiest of fluffy banana pancakes? Follow our recipe for these easy banana pancakes, and you’ve got pillowy, cloud-like pancakes for days or maybe just one meal. We never manage to have leftovers with these.

• Start by separating the eggs. According to Baking Bible goddess Rose Levy Beranbaum, the best way to make pancakes is to treat the egg yolk and egg whites as two separate ingredients. Doing so gives your pancake a greater puff because adding the whipped whites at the end lends more support to your pancake batter.
• Beat the bananas to a near-puree before adding any other ingredients. You’re going for a consistent banana essence throughout the cakes, not misshapen chunks in every other bite.
• Use room-temperature milk and eggs. Not only do room temperature eggs help give the overall pancakes more lift, but making sure the milk is also room temperature helps ensure the melted butter mixes evenly throughout the batter, instead of clumping in cold, hardened chunks.

Tools To Make The Best Banana Pancakes

If you’ve cooked pancakes or waffles of any sort we’re guessing you’ve got all the tools you’ll need, like:

• Electric hand mixer. Or a wire whisk (if you’ve got very, very strong wrists—and patience to match).
• Griddle. We’ve used an electric one and a griddle pan. Both work great, though you have the advantage of being able to cook more at a time with the electric version.
• Heavy-bottom frying pan. We adore our All-Clad for any time we’re caramelizing.

Need Some Savory Sides …

… To go along with these sweet banana pancakes? Try these:

• Six-Minute Eggs. Soft-centered eggs in just six minutes? That’s bananas.
• Patatas Bravas. Because every pancake breakfast deserves a potato encore.
• Breakfast Egg Muffins. Make them in advance and serve warmed up or at room temp.

Breakfast Done Better

Love our easy banana pancakes recipe as much as our little monkeys? Show us your pillowy breakfast puffs and tag us @themodernproper and #themodernproper.