Banana Whole Wheat Pancakes

Want to enjoy pancakes without a lot of added sugar? This recipe for Banana Whole Wheat Pancakes is packed with flavor. Bananas and cinnamon bring just enough sweetness to the party.

Serve these for brunch with Homemade Spicy Turkey Sausage Patties or pack them away for Meal Prep Breakfasts all week. Don’t forget Pancakes for Dinner is a great idea, too. You can even stash some extras in the freezer for later!

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• Banana Whole Wheat Pancakes

Got bananas? Then you’ve got the start of a fantastic breakfast! No need to go out for breakfast or brunch and pay $10/plate. You can make homemade Banana Whole Wheat Pancakes at home.

In fact, these homemade morsels, really like banana bread in pancake form, are an easy, 30-minute meal that’s perfect morning, noon, or night.

Unlike the flourless banana pancakes that you may see on the interwebs, these flapjacks feature whole wheat pastry flour, a hearty nutrient-dense flour that doesn’t taste too wheaty. They bring whole grains to the table in a very tasty way.

Why Make This

It’s a great way to use up ripe bananas. Those bananas that are a little too soft for eating out of hand are perfect in these banana bread pancakes.

It’s cheaper than breakfast out. At just $2/batch, you can easily splurge on some fun toppings to make a super fun banana pancake breakfast to rival your favorite diner or brunch hot spot.

They are delicious. This classic recipe is so tasty. Be sure to stash extras in the freezer for later. They are perfect for an Easy Brunch.

Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make Banana Whole Wheat Pancakes:

whole-wheat pastry flour – This recipe calls for whole-wheat pastry flour. Bob’s Red Mill is the easiest brand to find. You can buy it off Amazon or at your local health food store. If you can’t find it, don’t sweat it. Unbleached all-purpose flour works just fine, just without the whole grain element to it.

leavenings – You’ll need baking powder, baking soda, and salt to help these pancakes rise and get a fluffy texture. Remember there are some Baking Substitutions you can use if you run out of something.

ground cinnamon – I’ve purposely left out sugar in this recipe because bananas and cinnamon combine to give this recipe just enough sweetness. You don’t need a lot of ground cinnamon but include it if you can. It rounds out the flavors very nicely.

ripe bananas – This is the perfect recipe for using up bananas that are getting past their prime. Remember you can Freeze Bananas if you’ve got more you need to use. Then you can easily make these Banana Whole Wheat Pancakes anytime you want.

eggs – Eggs help give the pancakes their texture. If you need to, you can use a Flaxseed Meal Egg Substitute instead of the eggs. Otherwise, you can try my Eggless Pancakes.

milk – You can use whatever kind of milk you like, keeping in mind that the higher the fat content, the richer the flavor of the pancakes. For extra fluffy pancakes use buttermilk.

neutral oil – Use a neutral oil such as sunflower, canola, or avocado oil. In a pinch, you can use melted butter.

pancake toppings – These pancakes get loads of flavor from the cinnamon and banana so you don’t really need extra toppings, however, they are extra delicious topped with butter and maple syrup.

Variations

Make it fancy. There are lots of ways to jazz up these pancakes which are basically banana bread in flapjack form. Sprinkle blueberries, chocolate or butterscotch chips, or chopped nuts on the pancake batter after you pour it on the griddle. You can also offer these same mix-ins as toppings.

Make it vegan. It’s easy to make these pancakes vegan. Use the flaxseed substitute in the notes and use a plant-based milk.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Here’s how to make Banana Whole Wheat Pancakes:

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Whisk to blend.

2. In another large bowl, combine the bananas, eggs, milk, and oil. Whisk until smooth.

3. Add the dry team to the wet team and fold to incorporate. A few lumps may remain. That should be okay.

4. Heat your griddle and grease lightly with butter. Pour ¼ cup-fuls of batter onto the cooking surface and cook until the bubbles on top of the pancakes start to burst, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Flip the cakes and continue cooking until done, another 2 to 3 minutes. Serve with desired toppings.

Make-ahead Instructions

There are two ways that you can make pancakes in advance:

To make as a mix: Label a large ziptop bag or container with the name of the recipe and list the wet ingredients that should be added later as well as the baking instructions. Measure out the dry ingredients into the bag. Seal and store until ready to use.

To freeze: Wrap cooled, cooked pancakes in short stacks and place in a ziptop bag in the freezer. Reheat in the microwave or toaster oven to serve.

FAQs & Recipe Costs

Recipe Costs

Knowing how much it costs you to prepare a recipe can help you decide if it’s the type of recipe to make regularly or one you might want to save for special occasions. Let’s crunch some numbers and see how this recipe pencils out.

• whole-wheat pastry flour – $0.66
• leavenings – $0.05
• ground cinnamon – $0.05
• ripe bananas – $0.50
• eggs – $0.40
• milk – $0.34
• neutral oil – $0.10

While your costs may vary depending on where and how you shop, you can expect to pay about $2.10 for a big batch of Banana Whole Wheat Pancakes, about $0.53/serving.

More Great Banana Recipes

This post was originally published on April 9, 2015. It has been updated for content and clarity.