This recipe for Vegan Banana Pancakes is one that I've turned to for years. It's easy to make and creates a delicious fluffy pancake full of real bananas. Leftovers can be frozen for later, so they're also great for make-ahead meal prep. If you like banana pancakes, you'll love this recipe!
What I love most about this recipe is that it only requires a tablespoon of sugar and gets most of its sweetness naturally from the banana. Fruit-sweetened foods are a great way to reduce your intake of added sugar for health reasons.
The pancakes are light and fluffy without eggs and don't call for powdered egg replacements or flax. We like to top ours with fresh sliced bananas or prepare them Bananas Foster Style.
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Ingredients
You only need a handful of simple ingredients to make these pancakes, and the batter comes together quickly. I've tested this with various milk substitutes and they all worked perfectly. My almond milk of choice is one that I make using Joi almond milk concentrate.
Here's a look at what you'll need (see the recipe card below for full ingredient list and instructions):
- all-purpose flour
- sugar
- baking powder
- salt
- cinnamon
- almond milk (or the milk of your choice)
- banana
- vanilla extract
Instructions
Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Mash the banana with a fork and add it to your dry ingredients.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and mix just until the batter is combined.
Cook the pancakes in a skillet over medium heat, about 2 minutes per side, until lightly browned.
Storing Leftovers
Leftovers freeze beautifully, so I always make a double batch to freeze some for later. They're perfect to have on hand for busy weekdays before school, to pack in lunchboxes, or for when you're craving breakfast for dinner. To heat the pancakes from frozen, put them on a microwave-safe plate, sprinkle them with a small amount of water, and microwave for about one minute or until heated through. You can also leave them in the refrigerator overnight and pop them in the toaster for a few minutes in the morning to warm.
Tips for making these dairy free pancakes
- The more ripe the banana is the better. This is a great chance to use up that browned banana because it'll be soft and sweet.
- Mash the banana well. A few lumps are okay, but you want to try to get the banana mixture as smooth as possible since it provides moisture and sweetness to the pancakes.
- Don't let your pan get too hot or the outside of the pancakes will burn and the middle won't cook through.
Other recipes to try
Vegan Pancakes with Banana
Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 dash cinnamon
- ¾ cup milk substitute I use almond milk
- 1 banana ripe and mashed.
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Heat your skillet over medium low heat.
- Mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl with a fork.
- In a separate bowl, mash your banana and add it your dry ingredients.
- Combine the “milk” and vanilla and add it to your dry ingredients and banana.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry and combine well. Add a splash more “milk” if the batter is too thick.
- Add about ½ tablespoon of nondairy butter or coconut oil to your skillet and let it melt.
- Pour about ¼ cup of batter onto your heated skillet. I like to use a ladle for easy pouring and to get a nice round shape.
- Cook over medium heat until lightly browned and bubbles begin forming on the underside. Flip and cook until the second side is browned and the pancakes are cooked through.
- Drizzle with syrup and enjoy!
Matt says
We tried these today and loved them! Really liked the bananas. Great site!
milkfreemom says
Thanks, Matt! So glad you liked the pancakes.
Maxine James says
My boys and I love these pancakes! They are easy to make and delicious!!
Barbara says
14 tsp of salt really? That seems like a lot.
milkfreemom says
Holy cow! That would be a lot. It's supposed to be 1/4. Thanks for letting me know. I've corrected the typo.
Kelly says
I make these all the time for my 10 month old, husband and myself. I use a combo of canned coconut milk and water for the milk substitute. I sometimes sub maple syrup for the brown sugar and have added all sorts of things such as blueberries, enjoy life chocolate chunks, carrot purée and pumpkin. Thanks for sharing!
maura says
Is Almond Milk considered a substitute? Sorry may be a dumb question. . lol
milkfreemom says
Hi Maura! Yes, almond milk would be a great substitute in these.
Laura says
I have a 4 year old with multiple allergies (including milk and eggs). I've tried making "safe" pancakes before, and he never liked any of them. Just tried these this morning and they were a winner for him! 🙂 Thank you for the recipe!
Stephanie says
These are amazing! I added applesauce when I wanted to triple the recipe. Better than the milk/egg version and no gross over full feeling! Thank you!!!! Yum!
Rebecca says
Do you know if I could use Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour in place of the regular flour? THanks! 🙂
Crystal says
We tried these this morning with Gluten-Free All purpose Flour and with almond milk. I had to add more almond milk because it was so thick.
Also, we did them in the waffle maker vs pancakes. The kids love waffles over pancakes!
Overall kid and mom rating was pretty good!
We will likely make these again and change up the fruit added.
Stacy @Stacy Makes Cents says
These were so good! I loved the texture. I did have to add more milk (almond), but not a ton. Very easy and very tasty! Thanks. 🙂
Jacqueline Lopez says
Could I use breast milk as a substitute? Also, do these freeze well? If so, how would I go about thawing them? Microwave perhaps? I'm looking to make a bulk amount to store and thaw as needed.
Samantha says
My 7 year old was just diagnosed as allergic to dairy and egg whites yesterday. He loves pancakes and I have been struggling for dinner ideas between his new allergies and my husband's diabetes. So glad I found this and I am sure I will be back for more recipes. Thanks!
Christine says
Instead of the banana can we use apple sauce? would 1 cup be enough?
My son hates bananas LOL so I need to find alternatives to that as well!!
milkfreemom says
Applesauce is a bit thinner than banana, so
I would try adding it in 1/4 cup at a time until the consistency looks good. Let me know how they turn out!
Josh says
This is our favorite pancake recipe! So easy and fluffy! I love that since the batter is thick, there isn't a bunch of liquid that has to cook off and that makes them cook super fast!
Ashley says
Can I substitute in formula for the "milk"? And can I freeze? How do I thaw?