Three ingredients. No flour. No sugar. No fuss. I know that sounds too good to be true — but these banana pancakes are genuinely one of the best things I make for breakfast, and they take under 15 minutes from fridge to plate.
The secret is the banana. You need it properly ripe — I mean covered in brown spots, almost embarrassingly overripe. That's when the natural sugars are at their peak and the texture mashes down to something almost custardy. An underripe banana will give you a starchy, bland result. Don't waste good pancakes on a green banana.
I started making these when I was looking for something quick, genuinely nutritious, and kid-friendly. What I didn't expect was that I'd end up eating them myself most weekends. They're that good.
- ✅ 2 very ripe bananas (brown-spotted)
- ✅ 2 large eggs
- ✅ Pinch of cinnamon
- ✅ 1 tsp coconut oil or butter
- ✅ Honey or maple syrup to serve
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1Mash the bananas wellIn a bowl, mash both bananas with a fork until completely smooth. You want zero chunks — lumps will make the pancakes uneven and hard to flip.
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2Add eggs and cinnamonCrack in both eggs and add the cinnamon. Whisk everything together until fully combined and slightly frothy. The batter will be thinner than normal pancake batter — that's correct.
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3Heat your pan gentlyPlace a non-stick pan over medium heat. Add the coconut oil and let it melt. Test the heat by dropping a tiny bit of batter in — it should sizzle gently, not aggressively.
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4Cook in small roundsDrop tablespoon-sized rounds of batter into the pan. Cook for 2 full minutes without touching them. You'll see the edges set and small bubbles form on top.
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5Flip once, cook brieflyFlip each pancake carefully — a thin spatula helps enormously here. Cook for just 1 more minute on the second side until golden.
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6Serve immediatelyStack them up and serve straight away with honey, maple syrup, or fresh berries. They don't keep well — eat them while they're warm.
Make them small — about the size of a digestive biscuit. Small pancakes are much easier to flip cleanly and they cook through faster without burning on the outside.
The most common mistake is cooking on heat that's too high. Medium heat only. These pancakes have no flour to protect them, so they burn quickly on the outside while staying raw inside.
No coconut oil? Regular butter works perfectly. Want more protein? Add a tablespoon of peanut butter to the batter before cooking — it adds a beautiful nutty flavour.
If the pancakes are falling apart when you flip them, give them longer on the first side. They need to be fully set underneath before you attempt the turn.
Per serving (about 4 small pancakes): 220 kcal · 9g protein · 30g carbs · 7g fat. Naturally gluten-free and dairy-free.