If you even remotely like banana bread then you will absolutely love these pancakes. And if you don’t like bananas then you can substitute another fruit (like blueberries or raspberries), but I think the banana is the secret ingredient that adds the right amount of sweetness to balance out the whole-wheat flavor. If you really want some berries in there consider adding them in addition to the bananas.
The other great thing about this recipe is that the leftover pancakes freeze beautifully (and we usually do have some leftovers). Just layer them in-between pieces of wax paper inside a freezer-safe zip lock bag. Then one morning when you are racing around trying to get the kids out the door for school just pull a couple of pancakes out of the freezer, heat for a minute or two and voila! I am all about convenience.
Whole Wheat Banana Pancakes
• 2 cups whole-wheat flour (I use King Arthur’s organic white whole-wheat flour)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
• ½ teaspoon of fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoon ground flaxseed (optional)
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 ¾ cups milk (you can use any kind – skim, 2% or whole)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted + butter for frying
• 2 ripe bananas, mashed
• 100% pure maple syrup for serving
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground flaxseed. Stir until well mixed and then make a well (hole) in the center of the bowl by spreading the flour mixture to the sides of the bowl. Pour the honey, eggs, milk, and 2 tablespoons of melted butter into the well, then gradually whisk from the center outward until the ingredients are well combined but still a little lumpy. Do not over mix the batter. Very gently fold in the mashed bananas (and/or other berries).
Preheat a non-stick or cast iron griddle (or sauté pan) over medium-high heat. Set electric griddles at 370 degrees F. Your cooking surface will be ready when a drop of water flicked onto the surface dances and evaporates instantly. Allow some butter to melt then ladle the pancake batter forming circles on the griddle or pan.
When the pancakes have begun to bubble in the center and the underside is golden brown, use your spatula to flip them. Cook until the 2nd side is golden brown, and then keep on a platter in a warm oven (200 degrees F) while you cook the remaining pancakes. Serve with warm maple syrup and a side of fruit. And freeze the leftovers for another day!
This is absolutely fabulous. My project for Sunday morning!
what brand of butter do you prefer?
Any brand as long as it is organic. I have seen organic at select Harris Teeters (our main grocery store), Trade Joe’s and Earthfare.
[...] Kids: fried eggs (from the farmers’ market), 2 slices of apples, half of a defrosted banana pancake, milk Me: defrosted banana pancakes with 100% pure maple syrup, blueberries, milk AM Snack Kids: [...]
[...] Whole-Wheat Banana Pancakes (freeze the leftovers!) [...]
I meant to tell you that we tried this with blueberries and loved it. Witt was thrilled to have “blue” pancakes, even though they didn’t look all that blue when they were cooked. We just pureed some organic frozen blueberries (that I had defrosted slightly in the microwave) and added them in place of bananas. They were a hit. So the next day we tried pink. On a whim I stuck all the ingredients and a couple big handfuls of organic fresh strawberries in the blender. It worked great! And it was so easy.
I’ve tried a lot of whole wheat pancake recipes, but this one was by far the easiest and best-tasting. Thanks for sharing.
(We may try it with peaches, but I’m worried they will be too juicy.)
I am so glad to hear that! Thanks again for leaving a review. And we actually added some small pieces of peach one morning (in addition to the banana) and it was really good! We also tried adding some leftover glazed nuts (from the salad with a twist recipe) and it was excellent. I love a recipe with variations!
Where do you buy your bananas since they aren’t grown in the US?
For the 100 days our fruit does not have to be local (although we prefer it to be whenever possible) so for bananas I just by organic ones from the grocery store. Here is the full list of rules that we are following…http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/real-food-defined-a-k-a-the-rules/
Lisa, if I don’t have ground flaxseed on hand, is there anything else I can sub?
You can just omit the flaxseed…I will add that to the recipe!
[...] Banana pancakes -> bananas [...]
I made these pancakes for my husband this morning and they were a hit! Loved, loved them! Texture, flavor, and especially how quick and easy they were to make. I should have thawed out the frozen blueberries a little because the areas that had blueberries seemed to not cook through as well…oups!
Has anyone made these with water instead of milk? My mother stays away from dairy due to her estrogen-receptor cancer, and I would love for her to be able to eat these, sans the milk.
So glad they were a hit! I have not tried it with anything other than milk, but have to wonder if almond milk or soy milk might be a better substitution? Let me know how it works out for you!
These we a hit with my kids! I love it. Have you ever tried to make waffles with this recipe?
Made these this morning and they were delicious! Great recipe!
So glad they were a hit!