These Banana Nut Pancakes bring a little extra crunch to the classic. Greyson says these ones remind him of banana bread. He especially loves when Uncka stacks 'em up with lots of extra nuts on top so we can be a little nutty together!
I love a nutty pancake, and bananas and walnuts live in perfect harmony. While there is an array of nuts that can make these banana nut pancakes, walnut is my choice.
If you like to be a little extra with your banana pancakes, check out THIS RECIPE. Also, be sure to always serve them with WARM maple syrup, the real kind!
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Ingredients
For these banana nut pancakes, I like to use a blend of really over-ripe, and just a little over bananas. One gets really mushy and one stays a little chunky to give the pancakes texture. And be sure to have an extra 1 or 2 for slicing and topping the pancakes when serving.
What you need:
- Walnuts
- Unsalted Butter
- Whole Milk
- Vanilla Extract
- Over-Ripe Bananas
- All-Purpose Flour
- Granulated Sugar
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Kosher Salt, Morton’s
- Cinnamon, ground
- Nutmeg, freshly grated
- Eggs
- Whipped Irish Butter
- Maple Syrup
See the recipe card for full quantities.
Use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top of the post, or scroll to the bottom of the post to see the full recipe card with ingredient measurements and instructions.
Method
The first thing you should do is toast the walnuts. I typically do this in a skillet on the stove over medium-low heat to ensure they don't burn. As soon as you can smell them, take them off the heat and remove them from the pan or they will burn.
Then melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat on the stove. Add the milk to the pan and just continue warming until no lumps of butter remain, the milk does not need to simmer or boil. When adding cold milk it can make the butter lump up, just warm it enough that the butter becomes liquid again.
Next, mash the bananas in a large bowl, then add the warm butter and milk to the bowl. Stir in the dry ingredients and eggs and mix until a slightly lumpy batter has formed. It is ok for pancake batter to have a few lumps. You can't see it in the photo below, but fold in some walnuts here too!
To cook the pancakes, heat a griddle over medium heat on the stove, and be patient. Heat it for at least 5 minutes to get fully warm. Then drop 2-ounce ladles of batter on the hot griddle and cook till it gets very bubbly and the bubbles begin to pop. Flip and cook 30-45 seconds longer.
I like to stack the pancakes up to ensure they finish cooking, the same way you'd stack tortillas and put them in a warmer or cloth to finish. Pancakes finish cooking all the way through in the same way. Top each stack with some sliced bananas, more toasted and chopped walnuts, and a hearty drizzle of REAL maple syrup!
Substitutions
Let's chat about how to make these pancakes gluten, or dairy-free if you or someone you love needs to follow those dietary guidelines for their health.
- Flour - If you need to make these banana pancakes gluten-free, use a quality cup-for-cup flour swap. The one I linked here is really high quality and has great results.
- Milk - If you are dairy-free, you can use almond milk, but my suggestion is cashew for its higher fat content. Pancakes may stick a bit when using almond milk, and you may need to grease the griddle or pan more often during the cooking of your pancakes.
- Butter - You can use a vegan butter substitute or plant-based butter. A bit of a more economical swap is vegetable or canola oil.
- Walnuts - If you have a nut allergy, be sure to leave them out, or make our regular banana pancakes, or chocolate chips variety.
Equipment
Be sure to first toast your walnuts in a skillet, or in the oven if you have it turned on. Just till fragrant, and be sure to stir or toss them often to prevent burning.
My number one, most favorite tool for perfect pancakes is a Cast-Iron griddle. They build up a strong, natural, non-stick coating over time and make for BEAUTIFUL pancakes.
Be sure to season a new griddle, every time you use and wash it (with soap) with this cast-iron oil to build THE BEST non-stick surface.
I like a really sturdy, metal spatula for flipping pancakes. It helps them not stick to it, and makes for a perfect flip, no floppy half-turned pancakes, it's got to be THIS spatula for me!
The use of a 2-ounce ladle makes THE perfect-sized pancakes, in my opinion. They are just the right size and easy to flip.
Storage
While pancakes won't spoil if left on the counter overnight, they are just like a cake, biscuit, or cookie in this way. I do prefer to place them in a zip-top bag or air-tight container in the fridge.
Reheat leftover banana nut pancakes in a toaster, or toaster oven for best results.
Top Tips
Be sure to toast the walnuts first, then let them cool a bit before adding them to the pancake batter. If they are too hot they can begin to cook the eggs.
When making the pancake batter, ensuring it rests for 10 minutes is a HUGE gateway to SUPER FLUFFY pancakes. This allows the leavening agent to fully develop and lets the gluten strands in the flour relax.
Exercise patience and let the griddle get really warm before you start cooking. A griddle that is too cool will cause the pancakes to stick to it. I use a really Well-Seasoned cast iron griddle that requires no buttering due to the amount in the actual pancakes.
If you can use a small amount of high-heat oil like vegetable or grapeseed to grease your griddle if needed. You should only need to do this once before you start cooking. Use a paper towel to spread an even and thin layer over your griddle.
I prefer to cook on medium, to just under medium heat so my pancakes can cook quickly. I also prefer to only cook 2 pancakes at a time so I have plenty of room to flip.
Be sure to stack your pancakes after cooking. This allows them to stay soft as well as allowing the middles to finish cooking while also staying a little JAMMY SOFT. That's what I call it anyway. It helps create super tender pancakes.
FAQ
Pancakes can become rubbery if you over-mix them. This is often why you will see recipes state to mix the batter till some lumps remain so that you do not overwork the flour. Overworking it can create too much gluten and make them rubbery.
Bananas are wonderful little health bombs in and of themselves. They are high in potassium, fiber, and many other essential nutrients. The eggs also infuse the pancakes with a healthy amount of protein too. The walnuts also offer an array of nutrients too!
Baking Soda. It is what gives the pancakes their rise. The boost ensures a super fluffy, light, and airy finished pancake.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
More Great Banana Recipes
If you LOVE bananas, check out these other great recipes!
Banana Nut Pancakes
These Banana Nut Pancakes bring a little extra crunch to the classic. Greyson says these ones remind him of banana bread.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup Walnuts, toasted and rough chopped
- 8 tablespoons Unsalted Butter, melted
- 1 ¼ cups Whole Milk
- 1 tablespoon Vanilla Extract
- 3 large Bananas
- 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
- ¼ cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Baking Powder
- 2 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt, Morton’s
- 2 teaspoons Cinnamon, ground
- ½ teaspoon Nutmeg, freshly grated
- 2 lg Eggs, lightly beaten
- Whipped Irish Butter, for serving
- Maple Syrup, for serving
Instructions
- In a small skillet on the stove, heated over medium-low heat, add the walnuts to the pan, and with a watchful eye, toss them around over the heat for about 5 minutes till fragrant and they begin to turn golden brown. Set aside to cool while you prepare the pancake batter.
- In a 2-quart saucepan on the stove, melt the butter over low heat. Add the milk to the pan and heat just till warm and any butter that solidified is liquid again. Do not boil. Let cool for 5 minutes, then stir the vanilla extract into the milk mixture.
- In a large bowl, mash 1 and ½ of the banana in the bottom, then whisk the milk mixture into them until well combined.
- Place the flour, sugar, baking powder, soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg into the bowl and whisk just till a few streaks of flour remain.
- Crack the eggs into the bowl and whisk just till incorporated, a few flour lumps may still remain.
- Roughly chop the walnuts you toasted and set aside to cool in the first step and gently fold ½ cup into the pancake batter. Reserve the remainder for topping finished pancakes with.
- Let the pancake batter rest on the counter for 10 minutes.
- After the batter has rested for 5 minutes, warm the griddle on the stove, over medium-heat I suggest a cast iron griddle. It is important to let it get hot till it beings to smoke the tiniest bit, then you know it is ready to be cooked on.
- Turn the heat down two marks on the stove dial, just between medium, and medium-low.
- Using a 2-ounce ladle, drop 2 rounds of batter on the griddle at a time. Cook for 30-45 seconds, just till the edges begin to set.
- Flip and cook a further 45-60 seconds, then remove to a platter.
- Pancakes can be kept warm in a 200˚F oven if needed.
- To make whipped Irish butter, beat 4 tablespoons in the bowl of a stand mixer, I like to use my flex edge flat beater it gets the butter extra fluffy, and beat for 3-4 minutes on medium-high, with a pinch of kosher salt.
- Serve the pancakes with a dollop of butter on top and top each stack with a few slices of the remaining bananas, the reserved nuts, and a drizzle of warm maple syrup, the real kind!
Notes
Substitutions
Let's chat about how to make these pancakes gluten, or dairy-free if you or someone you love needs to follow those dietary guidelines for their health.
- Flour - If you need to make these banana pancakes gluten-free, use a quality cup-for-cup flour swap. The one I linked here is really high quality and has great results.
- Milk - If you are dairy-free, you can use almond milk, but my suggestion is cashew for its higher fat content. Pancakes may stick a bit when using almond milk, and you may need to grease the griddle or pan more often during the cooking of your pancakes.
- Butter - You can use a vegan butter substitute or plant-based butter. A bit of a more economical swap is vegetable or canola oil.
- Walnuts - If you have a nut allergy, be sure to leave them out, or make our regular banana pancakes, or chocolate chips variety.
Top Tips
Be sure to toast the walnuts first, then let them cool a bit before adding them to the pancake batter. If they are too hot they can begin to cook the eggs.
When making the pancake batter, ensuring it rests for 10 minutes is a HUGE gateway to SUPER FLUFFY pancakes. This allows the leavening agent to fully develop and lets the gluten strands in the flour relax.
Exercise patience and let the griddle get really warm before you start cooking. A griddle that is too cool will cause the pancakes to stick to it. I use a really Well-Seasoned cast iron griddle that requires no buttering due to the amount in the actual pancakes.
If you can use a small amount of high-heat oil like vegetable or grapeseed to grease your griddle if needed. You should only need to do this once before you start cooking. Use a paper towel to spread an even and thin layer over your griddle.
I prefer to cook on medium, to just under medium heat so my pancakes can cook quickly. I also prefer to only cook 2 pancakes at a time so I have plenty of room to flip.
Be sure to stack your pancakes after cooking. This allows them to stay soft as well as allowing the middles to finish cooking while also staying a little JAMMY SOFT. That's what I call it anyway. It helps create super tender pancakes.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 519Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 85mgSodium: 709mgCarbohydrates: 74gFiber: 3gSugar: 40gProtein: 8g
Food Safety
There aren't many concerns when it comes to pancakes, but here are a few tips to help ensure the best experience with your pancakes.
- Ensure your pancakes are fully cooked, as eating raw pancake batter is not advised because it contains raw eggs.
- The USDA advises to not leave cooked foods at room temperature for longer than 2 hours, 1 hour if the environment is above 90˚F.
- That said, pancakes contain the same ingredients as cakes, biscuits, and cookies so they can be stored at room temperature.
- I personally advise keeping them in an air-tight container or zip-top bag and warming them in a toaster or microwave before eating leftovers.
- Never leave cooking food unattended.
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove.
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