How To Make 2-Ingredient Banana Pancakes
Makes8 small pancakes
Prep5 minutes to 10 minutes
Cook2 minutes to 3 minutes
These pancakes are bananas. No, I mean they are literally made from bananas. And eggs. Eggs and bananas, and that’s it. I can see that look you’re giving me right now, but you just have to trust. These two ingredients, whisked together and given a little skillet love, are truly something magical.
Don’t believe me? Take a look at our step-by-step recipe and decide for yourself. Meanwhile, I’ll be over here with the rest of these pancakes, licking my plate clean.
How Do These Only Have Two Ingredients?
These two-ingredient banana pancakes have been floating around the internet for several years now, first on fitness sites (protein! low fat!) and then on parenting sites (toddler-friendly!). Sightings finally reached critical mass, and I had to try them for myself. Needless to say, I’m hooked.
These pancakes are gluten-free and dairy-free — they really are made with just bananas and eggs, no tricks. It seems like you’d just end up with scrambled banana-eggs (yuck), but the final product truly resembles a pancake. Piping hot and golden brown, with crispy edges.
Do They Really Taste Like Pancakes?
These are pancakes in the sense that they’re cooked on a stovetop and are lovely drenched with syrup, but they are definitely not a replacement for your favorite traditional pancake recipe. But don’t be disappointed — they’re something more.
Sara Wells of Our Best Bites describes them as being like “the middle of a piece of French toast,” and I will second that description. They are very custard-like with a soft, yielding texture and a creamy melt-in-your-mouth quality. I would also describe them as being like thick crêpes.
They also definitely taste like bananas, so if you’re not a fan of that flavor, this recipe won’t be for you. There are also dozens of ways to dress them up if you’re willing to add a few more ingredients. A pinch of baking powder will make them fluffier, and a bit of vanilla or honey helps round out the flavor.
How To Flip Banana Pancakes
While these pancakes are incredibly simple, there is one place where I think things can get tricky — flipping them on the stovetop to cook the second side. The pancakes are very liquidy and the structure is fairly delicate, so if you do a quick scoop-and-flip like you do with regular pancakes, these tend to crumple up or break apart.
Keep them small.
First of all, keep your pancakes fairly small. Not only will they cook more quickly, but they’re easier to flip. I use about two tablespoons of batter for each pancake, which makes a 3- to 4-inch pancake.
Flip Tips
When it comes to flipping, here’s what works for me:
- Let the pancakes cook on the first side until the underside is fairly golden-brown (lift a corner and peek), and until the edges are starting to look set but the middle is still loose like barely set Jell-O.
- Gently work a spatula about halfway under the pancake, then lift until the unsupported half of the pancake is just barely lifted off the skillet.
- Lay the pancake back down on the skillet on its other side. Some of the loose batter will probably spill onto the skillet as you do this; just be sure to lay the pancake on top of the spill.
- Once the second side is set, the pancakes are much easier to scoop and flip, if additional flipping is needed.
Use a thin spatula.
Using a very thin spatula helps here, too. This is the one I like:
Adding Nuts, Chocolate Chips, and More!
These pancakes are awesome on their own, but they also welcome some company. To these pancakes, try adding chopped nuts, chocolate chips, fresh blueberries, or even a handful of leftover granola. Sprinkle these extras over the pancakes on the griddle as the first side cooks.
And of course, when you pile these on your plate, don’t forget the syrup. Or a smear of jam. Or maybe some Nutella (try a homemade Nutella copycat). It’s your stack of pancakes — you can eat them however you want.
2-Ingredient Banana Pancakes
Prep time 5 minutes to 10 minutes
Cook time 2 minutes to 3 minutes
Makes 8 small pancakes
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 1
ripe banana
- 2
large eggs, lightly beaten
Butter or oil, for cooking (optional)
Maple syrup, jam, powdered sugar, or any other toppings, for serving
Optional mix-ins (choose a few!):
- 1/8 teaspoon
baking powder, for fluffier pancakes
- 1/8 teaspoon
salt
- 1/4 teaspoon
vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon
unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon
honey
- 1/2 cup
chopped nuts, chocolate chips, or a mix
- 1/2 cup
granola
- 1 cup
fresh fruit, like blueberries, raspberries, or chopped apples
Equipment
Small bowls
Dinner fork
Cast iron or nonstick griddle or skillet
Very thin, wide spatula, like a pancake spatula or fish spatula
Instructions
Mash the banana. Peel the banana and break it up into several big chunks in a medium bowl. Use a dinner fork to thoroughly mash the banana. Continue mashing until the banana has a pudding-like consistency and no large lumps remain; a few small lumps are okay. You should have 1/3 to 1/2 cup of mashed bananas.
Add flavorings if desired. These pancakes are pretty great on their own, but a few extras never hurt. Add 1/8 teaspoon of baking powder for fluffier, lighter pancakes, and whisk in salt, vanilla, cocoa powder, or honey to flavor the pancakes. Save any chunky, heavy ingredients — like nuts or chocolate chips — for when the pancakes are on the griddle.
Stir in the eggs. Pour the eggs over the banana and stir until completely combined. The batter will be very loose and liquidy, more like whisked eggs than regular pancake batter.
Heat a pan over medium heat. Heat a cast iron pan, nonstick frying pan, or griddle over medium heat. Melt a little butter or warm a little vegetable oil in the pan if desired.
Drop the batter on hot griddle. Drop about 2 tablespoons of batter into the pan. It should sizzle immediately — if not, turn up the heat slightly. Repeat with dropping more batter into the pan, leaving at least an inch or two between pancakes.
Cook for about 1 minute. Cook the pancakes until the bottoms look browned and golden when you lift a corner, about 1 minute. The edges should also be starting to look set, but the center will still be loose, like barely set Jell-O.
Sprinkle with toppings. Sprinkle any loose toppings, like nuts or chocolate chips, over the top of the pancakes as the first side cooks.
Flip the pancakes. I've found it best to do this very gently and fairly slowly — the opposite of regular pancakes. Gently work a thin, flat spatula about halfway under the pancake, then lift until the unsupported half of the pancake is just barely lifted off the skillet. Flip the pancake. Some of the loose batter will probably spill onto the skillet as you do this; just be sure to lay the pancake on top of the spill and nudge any excess back under the pancake.
Cook for another minute or so. Cook until the other side is also golden-brown, about 1 minute more. You can flip the pancakes a few times if you need to in order to get them evenly browned. (Flipping is much easier once the second side is set!)
Continue cooking the pancakes. Transfer the cooked pancakes to a serving plate and cook the rest of the batter. Keep the finished pancakes warm in the oven if cooking more than a single batch.
Serve warm. These pancakes are best when eaten fresh off the griddle and still warm. Serve with maple syrup, honey, jam, or any extra toppings you'd like.
Recipe Notes
Leftover pancakes: These banana pancakes will keep in the refrigerator for a few days and can be warmed in the microwave in 30-second bursts until hot. They're not as delicious as when they're fresh, but they make a nice snack.
Larger crêpe-like pancakes: Blend the bananas and eggs in a blender until perfectly smooth. Make slightly larger pancakes and use a very thin spatula to flip.