My family loves these buttermilk banana pancakes! Mashed banana adds so much flavor, and the buttermilk makes them deliciously tangy. If you don’t have buttermilk, I’ve got you covered with an easy substitute in the recipe.
We have many pancake recipes on Inspired Taste, but these buttermilk banana pancakes are my son’s favorite! He’s on to something because I have to tell you, these are truly fantastic.
If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, don’t worry! I’ve included my quick DIY buttermilk recipe in the tips section below our recipe. For more inspiration, see our original fluffy buttermilk pancakes. If you want to make pancakes with milk, I highly recommend these easy fluffy pancakes.
Key Ingredients
- Banana: I use 1 large banana and mash it with a fork in the bottom of my mixing bowl. The riper your banana, the better these pancakes will taste. This recipe is perfect for those brown, speckly bananas sitting on your counter (the same goes for our banana bread and these banana muffins).
- Buttermilk: This adds a lovely tangy flavor to our pancakes, which is incredibly delicious, especially when combined with something sweet (like maple syrup). If you don’t have buttermilk, you can still make these pancakes. See my tips for an easy buttermilk substitute below the recipe (it’s a mixture of milk and vinegar or lemon juice).
- Flour: I use all-purpose flour, but whole wheat, spelt, or even your favorite gluten-free flour blend will work in this recipe.
- Baking Soda and Baking Powder: I use both for these easy pancakes. The baking soda reacts with the acid in the buttermilk, and the baking powder adds a little extra lift for fluffiness. I do the same for these fluffy buttermilk pancakes.
- Sugar, Spices, and Vanilla: These make our pancakes taste amazing. I love a little cinnamon and nutmeg in the batter, which goes so well with the banana.
- Butter: I love buttery pancakes, so I’m generous with butter. I also cook my buttermilk banana pancakes in melted butter for crispy edges.
What to Serve with Buttermilk Banana Pancakes
Buttermilk pancakes are already one of the best breakfasts, but I’m in heaven when you turn them into banana buttermilk pancakes. I love topping mine with extra sliced bananas, chopped walnuts, and maple syrup. For something different, try whipped cream or dairy-free coconut cream (delicious!), easy apple butter, or some of our homemade pumpkin butter.
Also, don’t forget a side of crispy baked bacon, scrambled eggs, or sausage. See more of our breakfast recipes.
Buttermilk Banana Pancakes
- PREP
- COOK
- TOTAL
These buttermilk banana pancakes with warm cinnamon and nutmeg are perfect on a sleepy morning. They come together quickly and taste incredible! If you do not have buttermilk, we have provided a note below sharing how to make buttermilk at home (all you need is dairy or non-dairy milk and an acid like white vinegar or lemon juice).
Buttermilk tends to vary in thickness, so you might need more to achieve the right batter consistency. Our recipe below shares a visual cue to get it just right.
You Will Need
1 ½ cups (354ml) buttermilk, see tip for substitute
3 tablespoons (42g) unsalted butter, plus more for skillet
1 large banana, mashed, about 1/2 cup
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cups (195g) all-purpose flour, see tips below for how to measure flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon finely grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon fine sea or table salt
Directions
1If you do not have buttermilk and need to make a buttermilk substitute, do it now and set it aside.
2Melt 3 tablespoons of butter, and then set aside.
3In a medium bowl, mash the banana into a paste, and then whisk in the buttermilk, egg, vanilla extract, and melted butter. (Don’t worry if the butter solidifies slightly).
4In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt together until well blended.
5Create a well in the center of your dry ingredients. Pour in the banana buttermilk mixture and stir gently with a fork until the flour is just incorporated. A few small lumps are okay.
6When you lift the whisk or fork from the batter, it should slowly run back into the bowl. If this does not happen and the batter is too thick, add an extra splash of buttermilk.
7Place a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Sprinkle in a few drops of water to test if it’s ready. You want them to dance around a bit and evaporate.
8Brush the skillet with melted butter (this creates crispy edges, but you can skip it if using a quality nonstick pan).
9Scoop the batter onto the skillet using a 1/4 cup measure or large cookie scoop, and spread each pancake into a 4-inch circle.
10After 1 to 2 minutes, the edges will look dry, and bubbles will form and pop on the surface. Flip the pancakes and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes until lightly browned and cooked in the middle.
- Storing
1Store buttermilk banana pancakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week or freeze them for up to 2 months. If freezing, line the pancakes on a baking sheet and freeze for about 30 minutes. Then, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag with parchment paper between each pancake to prevent sticking.
2To reheat them, place them on a microwave-safe plate and cook for 20 seconds per pancake (add more time for multiple pancakes). Or wrap the pancakes in foil and bake at 350°F for about 10 minutes.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Buttermilk substitute: Combine 1 ½ cups of milk (dairy or non-dairy) with 1 ½ tablespoons of white vinegar or fresh lemon juice. Set aside for 10 minutes before using the recipe above.
- Measuring flour: Fluff the flour in its container, then gently scoop it into your measuring cup until slightly mounded. Level off the top with a knife for accurate measuring. For even more accuracy, use a scale and measure the flour by weight (in grams).
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.
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Great Recipe! will gladly make these again.
These were great! I added a little whole wheat flour (.75 cup white,.25 cup w/w) and they were delicious. Light and fluffy. Thanks for a great recipe.
These were absolutely delicious. In order to get a thinner more tender pancake I needed to add more buttermilk, about 1/4 to 1/3 cup for 1 batch. And I added a teaspoon of vanilla extract. Perfection!
Outrageously delicious. Had to use milk and lemon juice as an alternative to buttermilk. Recipe as is made 7 small to medium pancakes. Enough for the two of us 🙂