Banana Buttermilk Pancakes with Candied Walnuts

Banana buttermilk pancakes are light, fluffy and delicious. Topped with candied walnuts and maple syrup, they’re a wonderful start to the day.

(Looking for more ideas for breakfast and brunch? Check out this ultimate list of breakfast ideas for recipe inspiration.)

Do you know that Jack Johnson song, Banana Pancakes? That’s my song. 

Waking up slow is the very definition of me in the morning. (Some people say that song is about something else but I run a family friendly blog here so we will ignore those people lol!)

Some days though, we get hit by the pancake bug and we are suddenly up at a respectable hour expected of responsible adults on a Saturday, fussing in our kitchen making pancakes. 

And buttermilk banana pancakes are one of our favourite pancakes to make. 

Light, fluffy and so good! Throw in some candied walnuts and let me tell you, you’d become a morning person too.

Why you’ll love making this recipe

• Making banana pancakes is an easy way to use up those overripe bananas. No need to bake banana bread or banana buttermilk muffins.
• Speaking of buttermilk, this recipe is also a great way to use up leftover buttermilk.
• Banana buttermilk pancakes also freeze well. So you can make them tonight and enjoy pancakes every morning next week.
• This banana pancake recipe is also very customizable. Add your favourite mix-ins and toppings. I have some delicious ideas in the FAQs below.

(Love starting the day with bananas? Try bananas foster French toast!)

What you’ll need

Making pancakes from scratch is almost as easy as using the box mix. You simply need to get your ingredients together yourself.

Ingredients

And the ingredients for this buttermilk banana pancake recipe are simple to find. You’ll need:

• All purpose flour
• Granulated sugar
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Salt
• Buttermilk
• Almond milk (or whatever milk you prefer)
• Eggs
• Mashed ripe bananas
• Unsalted butter
• Oil or butter for frying (canola oil, vegetable oil or coconut oil works)

Candied walnuts are optional but highly recommended. They’re such a great topping for these pancakes! To make them, you’ll need:

• Walnuts
• Granulated sugar
• Unsalted butter

Tools

You really don’t need any special tools to make pancakes. Just bowls, measuring cups and spoons, a frying pan or pancake griddle, and a turner or pancake flipper.

If making candied walnuts, you’ll also need a skillet and a baking sheet.

How to make banana buttermilk pancakes

STEP 1. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and  salt. Set aside.

STEP 2. In a separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk, almond milk, eggs, mashed bananas and melted butter. Set aside.

STEP 3. Put a medium sized pan or a pancake griddle on your stove over medium heat. You know it’s ready when small amounts of water sprinkled over it sizzles and evaporates immediately.

STEP 4. At this point, you can pour your buttermilk mixture into your flour mixture and gently stir. Do not over do it — the batter doesn’t have to be a smooth mixture. You want a coarse batter with bits of flour remaining.

STEP 5. Put a little oil or butter on your pan and start dropping your pancake mixture about ⅓ cup at a time. Cook about 3 minutes per side, or until bubbling and the edges are golden brown.

STEP 6. Serve warm topped with candied walnuts and maple syrup, or your favourite toppings.

How to make candied walnuts

STEP 1. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper. Set aside.

STEP 2. Using a skillet over medium heat, stir walnuts, sugar and butter together until the sugar is melted and all walnuts are coated (4-5 minutes). Make sure to stir constantly so your sugar doesn’t burn.

STEP 3. Transfer mixture to your baking sheet and spread evenly so the walnuts don’t stick together. Wait for the sugar to cool and harden (1-2 minutes) before serving.

I often have a jar of candied walnuts that I snack on. It’s also great with oatmeal and salads.

Expert tips for fluffy pancakes

Frustrated with flat and rubbery pancakes? Here are some tips I’ve picked up along the way for soft, fluffy pancakes every time:

• Combine your wet and dry ingredients at the last minute, just when you’re ready to fry them. I know some recipes ask you to chill or rest the batter but I’ve found that resulted to flatter pancakes for me.

• Do not over mix the batter. You don’t want a smooth batter but a lumpy one. Again, I know other recipes suggest mixing the batter in a blender but I prefer to do it by hand so I have more control. I only usually use my blender when making lemon sugar crepes.

• Watch the temperature. You want the your pan to be hot enough, but not too hot to burn the pancakes before they’re properly cooked. Sprinkle some water on your pan and if it sizzles, you’re there. You don’t necessarily need a pancake griddle; a non-stick pan that distributes heat evenly works well too.

• Don’t flatten. Once you pour the pancake batter on your pan, leave it alone. Don’t swish it around, don’t flatten it, resist the urge to peek underneath. You’ll know when it’s time to flip when the edges are set and bubbling.

And did you know you can meal prep pancakes?

Recipe FAQs

Other pancake recipes

Pancakes make every morning special. Make them for Mother’s Day, Thanksgiving morning, Christmas morning, or for someone’s birthday breakfast in bed.

This weekend, get up early and reward yourself with fluffy banana pancakes. They will make you feel great about being up before noon!

Or you can make some sourdough crumpets, they’re pancakes and English muffins in one.

Of course, who said pancakes are just for breakfast and brunch? Go ahead and make these pancakes at midnight. They will be just as delicious.

Happy pancake making!

Did you make fluffy banana pancakes? I’d love to hear from you in the comments section below.

And if you love to start the day with bananas, try bananas and cream oatmeal.