These bananas foster pancakes have caramelized sauteed bananas and pecans on top, the bananas are tender inside and crispy on the edges. They're perfect for a quick brunch or for Mother's Day.
[This bananas foster pancakes recipe was originally posted in March 2018. It has been updated with new cooking instructions, expert tips, FAQ, related recipes, and ways to repurpose/use up ingredients]
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These bananas foster pancakes are not only a special dish that is fit for your favorite people, but it's a great recipe to make with those favorite people. The recipe has a few easy steps that are great for guests or little kids to help with!
Make homemade Pancakes for One (double it!) them with a good pancake mix to save some time and energy. I've been loving Kodiak Cakes as well as Bob's Red Mill whole grain pancake mixes.
The bananas foster pancakes have extra fiber and nutrients with the whole grains, and all of the fluffiness of normal freshly made pancakes.
Ingredients
Scroll down to the bananas foster pancakes recipe card for the amounts of each ingredient, but here's a quick visual + description of what's in this recipe.
- Pancake mix: Use your favorite mix, or make it yourself. See suggestions above.
- Banana: Choose medium-slightly underripe bananas to hold their texture while cooking your sauteed bananas for pancakes.
- Brown sugar: Cooking your bananas in some brown sugar adds lots of caramel flavor.
- Butter
- Cinnamon
- Pecans: Use raw or roasted pecans, or other nuts.
- Syrup
Instructions
Scroll down to the bananas foster pancakes recipe card for more detailed instructions. Here's a quick overview + photos to see how to make this recipe in general.
1. To make these bananas foster pancakes, start by making Pancakes for One or preparing and cooking pancake mix, according to mix instructions.
2. Heat a small saucepan over medium heat to prepared sauteed bananas for pancakes. Once hot, add butter, brown sugar to pan. Stir until incorporated and bubbly. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
3. Add sliced ripe bananas to the butter and sugar mixture, lower heat to med-low. Stir occasionally until bananas are softened and coated evenly with butter and sugar mixture, about 3-5 minutes.
4. Add cinnamon after bananas are softened. Stir together.
5. Top your pancakes with the banana mixture and maple syrup. Add toasted pecans to bananas foster pancakes if desired. Enjoy immediately.
Storage/Reheating Tips
Store leftover pancakes and sauteed bananas for pancakes separately in airtight containers in the fridge for about a week. While the bananas and pancakes are best fresh, they both can be reheated.
Pancakes be frozen, but I wouldn't recommend freezing the banana topping, unless you want to defrost it, then stir into pancake batter. That would work.
To reheat, toast pancake or warm up then crisp on the stove. Reheat bananas in the microwave, or on the stove in some butter or oil to add some texture back to it.
Substitutions/Tips
- Make Pancakes for One (double it!) or use your favorite pancake mix for these bananas foster pancakes, my 2 favorites are Kodiak Cakes as well as Bob's Red Mill mix.
- Dark brown sugar has a lot of sweet molasses flavor which is great for this recipe. Use dark brown sugar if you have it!
- Make sure to use ripe bananas, they'll have more flavor, be sweeter, and have a softer texture than green ones.
- Don't overcook your bananas, they turn to a hard mush
- Other great add-ins: chocolate chips, cinnamon chips, whipped cream (topping), bacon would all be great with bananas foster pancakes.
FAQ
Bananas in these bananas foster pancakes are sauteed in a mixture of butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Rum is traditionally added, but I skipped it in this recipe.
These bananas foster top pancakes to add a sweet, caramel banana flavor. Plus the bananas are soft on the inside and crispy on the edges so it's got lots of crunch too!
You can use about ¼ cup mashed banana instead of eggs in these bananas foster pancakes, but your pancakes will likely be denser than if you use eggs in the recipe. Test with a small batch before.
Don't over mix the bananas foster pancakes batter, it's ok if the batter still has some chunks. And let it stand for longer. You'll notice pancake batter gets really bubbly as it sits.
Let it stand for 15-30 minutes to allow baking soda to rise.
What to do with leftover ingredients
- Pancake mix: Chocolate Waffles, or do a DIY Waffle Bar.
- Bananas: Add leftover bananas to this PB Banana Chia Pudding, add it to PB Overnight Oats, Regular Overnight Oats, Single Serving Banana Bread, or a smoothie like this Mixed Berry one.
Did you make these bananas foster pancakes? Leave me a comment & rating to share how they turned out!
Easy Bananas Foster Pancakes for Two
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- whisk
- Large Skillet/Griddle
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole grain pancake mix follow mix instructions
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1.5 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- pinch salt
- 2 ripe bananas sliced
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- pure maple syrup
- toasted pecans
Instructions
- Prepare and cook 1 cup pancake mix, according to mix instructions.
- Heat small saucepan over medium heat. Once hot, add 2 Tablespoons butter and 1.5 Tablespoons brown sugar to pan. Stir until incorporated and bubbly. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
- Add 2 sliced ripe bananas to butter and sugar mixture, lower heat to med-low. Stir occasionally until bananas are softened and coated evenly with butter and sugar mixture, about 3-5 minutes. Add ½ teaspoons cinnamon after bananas are softened. Stir together.
- Top pancakes with bananas and pure maple syrup. Add toasted pecans if desired.
Notes
- Make Pancakes for One (double it!) or use your favorite pancake mix, my 2 favorites are Bob's Red Mill pancake mix & Kodiak Cakes mix.
- Dark brown sugar has a lot of sweet molasses flavor which is great for this recipe. Use dark brown sugar if you have it!
- Make sure to use ripe bananas, they'll have more flavor, be sweeter, and have a softer texture than green ones.
- Don't overcook bananas, they turn to a hard mush.
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jill conyers says
I've never tried anything bananas foster. This recipes looks like a good place to start.
Rebecca says
yes! it's so easy 🙂