Banana Nut Pancakes
Perfect fluffy banana nut pancakes, just like the ones you get at IHOP—but you can make them at home anytime you want!
If you’re not a fan of nuts in pancakes and baked goods, we’ll direct you to our banana pancakes, banana cream pie pancakes, and 2-ingredient banana pancakes. But if you love your pancakes studded with toasted, crunchy nuts, these banana nut pancakes are for you!
Banana nut pancakes used to be on the menu at IHOP, but now if you want to get your fix, you have to make them yourself. Luckily, we’ve cracked the code and come up with the perfect copycat recipe.
About this banana nut pancake recipe
When you’re mixing these up, you’ll notice the batter is suuuuper thick, and this is a good thing—it’s how you get thick, fluffy pancakes! Basically, think of these banana nut pancakes as banana bread in pancake form (we also have those without nuts, check out our banana bread pancakes).
Walnuts are the usual choice for pairing with bananas in bread, pancakes, and muffins, but you can switch things up with hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, or anything else you like or happen to have on hand. Make sure you save a little extra to sprinkle on top of the pancakes after drizzling them with maple syrup! You could also drizzle these with homemade almond butter or homemade nutella. Homemade chocolate syrup is always an option, too!
P.S. Go bananas and serve banana nut pancakes with a healthy banana smoothie!
What you need
- Wet ingredients: Mashed ripe bananas, eggs, granulated sugar, melted butter, pure vanilla extract, milk
- Dry ingredients: All-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt
- Chopped walnuts
About the bananas: Mash the bananas with a fork, then measure them in a measuring cup. Bananas vary in size, so it’s important to go by the measurement of mashed bananas in a recipe, not the number of bananas called for. This will ensure that your banana nut pancakes turn out perfect!
How to make them
Prepare. Heat a griddle or large skillet over medium heat.
Make the batter. Whisk together the mashed bananas, eggs, sugar, oil, vanilla, and milk in a mixing bowl.
Add the dry ingredients on top of the wet mixture, then gently mix them before stirring them into the wet ingredients.
Fold in the chopped walnuts.
Tip: Alternatively, you can sprinkle the chopped walnuts on top of the pancakes when you pour the batter onto the griddle instead of folding them into the batter. This will give you a more even distribution.
Make the pancakes. Grease or butter the griddle, if desired, then drop 1/4 cup of batter onto the pan for each pancake. Cook the pancakes for 5 to 6 minutes, or until bubbles appear and the edges of the pancakes are set and dry. Flip the pancakes and cook for 4 to 5 minutes more on the opposite side.
Tip: If the pancakes are cooking too quickly on the outside, you can reduce the heat slightly to ensure that the pancakes cook through completely.
FAQs
Walnuts are one of the healthiest nuts you can eat! Because walnuts are rich in healthy fats, they’re good for cardiovascular health. They also contain alpha-linoleic and linoleic acids, which are believed to have anti-inflammatory effects that support the health of blood vessels. And, like all nuts, walnuts are a good source of protein and minerals.
Absolutely! Ripe bananas are the best choice for pancakes because they add lots of natural sweetness without adding processed sugar. In addition, riper bananas have a more pronounced banana flavor. If you have a surplus of them, you can freeze brown bananas.
How to make these banana nut pancakes your own
Here are some of our favorite ways to customize this banana nut pancake recipe!
- Add chocolate. Swap one-third of the nuts with mini chocolate chips for the perfect balance of nutty and chocolatey. Top with homemade chocolate syrup or chocolate whipped cream.
- Make them decadent. Top your banana nut pancakes with whipped cream (or cinnamon whipped cream!), caramel sauce, banana slices, and candied nuts.
- Make them healthy. Swap half the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour and top the finished pancakes with sliced bananas, vanilla Greek yogurt, and a drizzle of honey.
Make Ahead Ideas
Banana nut pancakes can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Storage Suggestions
Freeze these banana nut pancakes in an airtight storage container or a freezer bag with parchment paper between the layers to keep them from sticking to each other.
Reheating Tips
Microwave banana nut pancakes until they’re warmed through, or place them on a sheet pan, cover it with foil, and heat them in a 350ºF oven for about 10 minutes. If you’re reheating the pancakes from frozen, simply add a few more minutes to the cooking time.
More banana pancake recipes
- Brown Butter Banana Pancakes
- Peanut Butter Banana Pancakes – Whole Wheat
- Healthy Banana Pancakes – naturally sweetened
Get the Recipe: Banana Nut Pancakes Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3)
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup milk
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat a griddle over medium heat.
- In a large bowl, whisk together mashed bananas, eggs, sugar, oil, vanilla and milk.
- On top of wet ingredients, add dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt). Gently mix the dry ingredients together before stirring in to wet ingredients until just combined. Do not overmix. Fold in chopped walnuts (see note).
- If desired, grease or butter your griddle.
- Drop batter by 1/4 cup portions onto preheated griddle and cook for 5-6 minutes or until bubbles appear and pancakes have a cooked/dry appearance around the edges. Flip and continue to cook for 4-5 minutes or until cooked through. Reduce heat to medium-low if they are cooking too quickly on the outside.
Notes
- Makes about 20 pancakes
- This is a thick batter and they take a little longer to cook than thinner pancakes. You also may not see as many bubbles develop on the surface before flipping.
- If desired, you can sprinkle walnuts on top of the batter when you pour them on the griddle for a more even distribution.
- Leftover pancakes can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Freeze with parchment paper between the layers of pancakes to keep them from sticking to each other.
- Microwave leftover pancakes until they’re warmed through, or place them on a sheet pan, cover it with foil, and heat them in a 350ºF oven for about 10 minutes. If you’re reheating the pancakes from frozen, simply add a few more minutes to the cooking time.