The best banana walnut pancakes, made from scratch and loaded with chocolate chips, no mashing required. Top with pure maple syrup and you’ll never go back to pancake mix again!
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Move over banana bread, there’s a new favorite banana breakfast in town!
I’m all about the sweet, carb-loaded breakfast, but need plenty of protein to keep my blood sugar from dropping before lunch.
I developed this recipe when I was pregnant with one of my babies because I needed an excuse to eat a slightly healthier pancake breakfast. I found that adding bananas, walnuts, and chocolate chips was just what I needed!
You might be surprised, but a lot of people wonder if pregnant women can eat pancakes. The answer is yes! Of course you’ll need to consult with your doctor on your individual dietary needs, but for the vast majority a stack of loaded pancakes makes a great pregnancy breakfast recipe.
These banana nut pancakes are simple to make, fluffy, and full of texture. They’re perfect for a lazy weekend breakfast, or make a bunch and freeze them to have pancakes any day of the week!
What makes this recipe special is there’s no mashed banana. You just mix up your pancake batter from scratch, spoon it onto a hot griddle, and top with banana slices, walnuts, and chocolate chips.
This lets the banana slices get nice and caramelized on the hot griddle while ensuring that each pancake gets the exact mix-ins you want in every bite!
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Whole wheat flour
- Granulated sugar
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Buttermilk
- Butter
- Vanilla extract
- Banana
- Walnuts
- Chocolate chips
How to make banana walnut pancakes
- Whisk together dry ingredients in a large bowl
- Whisk eggs and buttermilk together in a glass measuring cup
- Slowly whisk melted butter and vanilla into the buttermilk mixture
- Pour wet ingredients into the dry and fold together with a rubber scraper until just incorporated
- Pour ½ cup batter per pancake onto a hot griddle
- Sprinkle with banana slices, walnuts, and chocolate chips
- Flip and cook the other side
- Serve with butter and maple syrup
Top tips and questions
Do I need to use whole wheat flour?
It’s ok to replace the whole wheat flour in this recipe with regular, all-purpose flour. You may need to add slightly more flour since whole wheat flour is more absorbent. Be sure to look at your batter to see that it matches the texture in the photos.
How to avoid tough pancakes
Don’t over mix! You want to fully incorporate the wet ingredients into the dry without removing every lump. Fold gently and leave a few lumps in there for perfectly, fluffy pancakes.
Why are my wet ingredients curdled and lumpy?
We’re adding melted butter to cold buttermilk and eggs. If you don’t do this slowly, the butter will seize up and get cold before incorporating.
Be sure to add your butter slowly. Alternatively, you could bring your buttermilk and eggs to room temperature before incorporating.
Tips for customizing
- Swap the bananas for another fruit like thinly sliced ripe peaches or nectarines, raspberries, or blueberries
- Skip the walnuts or swap them with pecans
- Use carob chips or cacao nibs instead of chocolate chips
- Use all-purpose flour for all of the flour instead of making some of it whole wheat
- Drizzle cooked pancakes with your favorite nut butter for even more protein
More breakfast recipes
- Pumpkin Waffles
- Cornmeal Pancakes
- Cardamom Ricotta Pancakes
- Double Chocolate Banana Muffins
- Banana Oat Muffins
More healthy pregnancy recipes
- Vegan Cookie Dough for One
- Watermelon Lime Mocktail
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites
- Vanilla Almond Butter Baked Oatmeal
If you make this recipe, be sure to rate it, leave a comment, or tag #theliveinkitchen on Instagram!
Recipe
Banana Walnut Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup whole wheat flour
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk
- 2 eggs
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted and slightly cooled
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ripe banana, peeled and chopped
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
- ¼ cup semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat a griddle on medium heat.
- In a large bowl, whisk together dry ingredients.
- In a glass measuring cup, whisk together buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla. Slowly whisk the butter into the egg mixture.
- Add liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and combine using a rubber scraper or wooden spoon with a few swift strokes. It's ok if there are lumps.
- Pour ½ cup batter per pancake onto the hot griddle. Sprinkle with bananas, walnuts, and chocolate chips, pressing lightly to adhere. Cook several minutes, until edges begin to dry and bottom is golden brown. Flip and cook a few minutes more.
- The pancakes are delicious on their own, or serve with butter and maple syrup, if desired.
Notes
Tips for customizing
- Swap the bananas for another fruit like thinly sliced ripe peaches or nectarines, raspberries, or blueberries
- Skip the walnuts or swap them with pecans
- Use carob chips or cacao nibs instead of chocolate chips
- Use all-purpose flour for all of the flour instead of making some of it whole wheat
- Drizzle cooked pancakes with your favorite nut butter for even more protein
Papa says
Congrats Lins, now that ,that cat is out of the bag so to speak, I’ll be telling people also. I hope thats ok. Eat healthy!!!! CYA
Zara says
Hi! I made these this morning! Have to say, they were best pancakes ever!
Lindsay Moe says
Wonderful to hear! Thanks for sharing.
Jackie says
I love this recipe! It hits the spot now that I’m pregnant, and I love that it’s healthier.
Where did you get your plates? Love them!
Lindsay Moe says
I’m so glad you enjoyed them! The plates used to belong to my grandmother!