Hands down THE best Vegan Banana Pancakes. They are soft, fluffy, super delicious and so simple to make, from scratch, in a blender. This is an essential, keep handy in your back pocket, recipe that everyone needs for an easy, yet decadent breakfast!
Today is dedicated to simple, made from scratch, soft, fluffy and delicious Vegan Banana Pancakes that are just the right amount of sweet, and are hands down, melt in your mouth, YUM.
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As you are probably well aware, the not so perfect vegan pancake situation is all too common, especially when you add extra moistness in the form of banana. They often end up gummy and slightly damp.
My banana pancake game is strong though, and the texture of these and their Chocolate Banana Pancakes spin-off is absolutely spot on.
We really do have breakfast heaven right here, and once you've tasted a plate of this hot, banana-y, syrup soaked fluffy goodness, your ordinary, plain pancakes might well become a thing of the past.
We're talking a maximum fluff situation. Just call me the fluff-master.
Ok, maybe not ...
These Vegan Banana Pancakes are:
- Thick, soft and fluffy
- Full of yummy banana, cinnamon and nutmeg flavour
- Super easy and quick to make
- Hearty
- Satisfying
- And I think the best pancakes I have ever made!
How to make vegan banana pancakes
For detailed measurements and instructions, see the printable recipe card.
Want to know how easy it is to make my Vegan Banana Pancakes?
Well here's how:
- Step 1 - Dump everything in a blender and blend it all up. If you don't have a blender, I have included instructions in the full recipe below for how to make them by hand.
- Step 2 - Leave the batter to sit for 10 minutes while you preheat the pan/griddle.
- Step 3 - Grease the pan/griddle. See my recipe notes regarding what works best.
- Step 4 - Pour the batter into rounds on the griddle/pan and let cook until bubbles form, then flip and cook a bit more.
Possible variations
Once the batter is fresh on the griddle/pan, if you want to you can add some optional extras. Chocolate chips or blueberries work particularly well. Just poke them into the uncooked batter before flipping.
Success tips
- Don't over blend/mix the batter. Just keep going until no dry flour is visible. A few small lumps are ok.
- Don't thin the batter. If you want thick and fluffy vegan pancakes the trick is to keep the batter thick.
- Cook the pancakes long and slow. Don't rush them. Vegan pancakes take longer to cook through and become fluffy than non-vegan pancakes do.
- Don't use more banana than the recipe calls for as it will affect the texture. The pancakes have been tested carefully and the amounts listed give the best results.
- Don't press the pancakes down with the spatula while they are cooking or you will push out the air and lose some fluff.
- For optimal visual appeal, I have found that vegan butter works much better than oil when cooking pancakes. You can see the difference between the 2 in my video and photos. The video pancakes were cooked using oil, the ones in the photos were cooked using vegan butter.
- These pancakes need the little bit of oil in them to have the perfect texture. If you omit it they won't be nearly as light and fluffy. Adding the nut butter as per my substitution suggestion provides a little bit of fat and helps somewhat for an oil-free version, but for the very best results, the oil is necessary.
- Measure the flour correctly. See below.
Measuring flour correctly
As always with any of my recipes involving flour, I highly recommend that you weigh it. Cup measurements are not accurate enough to get the best results.
If you do need to use cups, spoon the flour into the cup then level off the top with a knife without compacting it or shaking it down. By doing it like this you will get roughly the correct amount. If you scoop the flour up into the cup, you will end up with much more than is needed and it will affect the outcome of the recipe. Digital scales are available at most big superstores now and you can pick one up for around $10. They are a great investment and are so worth having!
How to serve
I usually like all the toppings when I eat pancakes but I like to serve these vegan banana pancakes quite simply. We're talking a generous knob of vegan butter and a heavy-handed drizzle of maple syrup. The banana flavour comes through really well and is enhanced by the cinnamon and hint of nutmeg. It's almost like eating sticky, syrupy, banana bread.
Other toppings that would work:
- vegan butter and maple syrup
- vegan yogurt
- fresh fruit
- date caramel
- chocolate sauce or chocolate chips
- vegan ricotta
- vegan whipped cream
Storage, freezing and reheating tips
Leftover vegan banana pancakes can be refrigerated for a day or two then reheated in a pan over medium heat, in the microwave, or in a toaster.
To freeze banana pancakes, allow them to cool completely on a cooling rack then stack them up with parchment paper between them so they don't stick together. I sometimes don't use the parchment paper and they stick together a little but are easily released. Place in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat in a toaster from frozen. You might need to put them in for a couple of rounds to make sure they are heated through properly. You can also microwave them on low until they are warmed through.
Hungry for more?
Love pancakes? Then be sure to check out my:
- Vegan Blueberry Pancake
- Vegan Spelt Pancakes
- Vegan Pumpkin Pancakes
- Vegan English Pancakes
- Vegan Sweet Potato Pancakes
Ooops. I think I might have a slight pancake obsession....
📖 Recipe
The Best Vegan Banana Pancakes
Author:Ingredients
- 240 ml / 1 cup unsweetened non dairy milk
- 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon oil of choice , or cashew butter for oil free but they won't be quite as light and fluffy
- 1 medium banana, peeled , weighing around 170 g in it's skin
- 200 g / 1½ cups + 2 tablespoons all purpose flour (plain flour in the UK) , Or spelt flour but you must weigh it and use 200g - the cup measurements given won't be accurate for spelt as it's lighter than all purpose flour)
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda (bicarbonate of soda in the UK)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT
INSTRUCTIONS
- Add all of the ingredients to a blender . It blends up much easier if you add the liquid ingredients first, followed by the dry ingredients. If you don't have a blender you can make them by hand. I will include instructions at the end.
- Blend the ingredients until smooth. Don't over blend. turn it off as soon as everything is smooth and combined. It should take less than a minute.
- Leave the batter to rest for at least 10 minutes. It will be thick. Don't be tempted to thin it. While it rests, preheat your griddle to medium (about 325 °f) or use a skillet or frying pan .
- Lightly grease (with a little oil or vegan butter) the pan/griddle with a brush, then pour the batter on in rounds, about 1 ladle full per pancake or roughly ⅓ of a cup. Leave to cook until bubbles appear all over the top and begin to pop, then flip very gently.
- Allow to cook for another 2 to 3 minutes until golden then remove from the pan and serve immediately.
To make by hand:
- Mash the banana really, really well until it is a puree consistency. Beat it together with the milk and oil until combined well.
- Add all of the dry ingredients to a bowl, whisk them together, then gradually pour in the milk, stirring as you go to work out the lumps. Stir until all of the flour is absorbed and the batter is smooth, then leave to rest for 10 minutes before carrying on as above.
NOTES
- Don't over blend/mix the batter. Just keep going until no dry flour is visible. A few small lumps are ok.
- Don't thin the batter. If you want thick and fluffy vegan pancakes the trick is to keep the batter thick.
- Cook the pancakes long and slow. Don't rush them. Vegan pancakes take longer to cook through and become fluffy than non-vegan pancakes do.
- Don't use more banana than the recipe calls for as it will affect the texture. The pancakes have been tested carefully and the amounts listed give the best results.
- Don't press the pancakes down with the spatula while they are cooking or you will push out the air and lose some fluff.
- For optimal visual appeal, I have found that vegan butter works much better than oil when cooking pancakes. You can see the difference between the 2 in my video and photos. The video pancakes were cooked using oil, the ones in the photos were cooked using vegan butter.
- These pancakes need the little bit of oil in them to have the perfect texture. If you omit it they won't be nearly as light and fluffy. Adding the nut butter as per my substitution suggestion provides a little bit of fat and helps somewhat for an oil-free version, but for the very best results, the oil is necessary.
- Measure the flour correctly. Weighing with a digital scale is always best for accurate results.
NUTRITION
Nutritional information is provided for convenience & as a courtesy. The data is a computer generated estimate so should be used as a guide only.
Stefanie says
Can these pancakes be made with Gluten Free flour? x
Melanie McDonald says
They haven't been tested with gluten-free flour so I don't know for sure. They might be ok with a good all-purpose GF flour like Bob's Red Mill 1 for 1 though.
Teli says
Hey, love your recipes!
Can I peeper the batter the night before and leave it in the fridge over night?
Melanie McDonald says
I wouldn't because the baking powder and soda will lose their power overnight. It literally takes 5 minutes to whizz up in a blender though!
Carolyn Rutherford says
This was the first vegan recipe that I ever made. I was so impressed, and it helped convince my husband and I that it was possible to have delicious vegan food. With sliced banana on top, maple syrup, a blob of vegan yoghurt, and a dusting of icing sugar, even our non-vegan friends and relatives remark that it is a good as anything in an up-market cafe. I have also used wholemeal flour for a healthier version. It also inspired me to buy your book.
Kennedy says
THESE ARE THE GREATEST PANCAKES IVE EVER MADE. Not just the best vegan pancakes. The best. Pancakes. Ever. Seriously after I found this recipe I made them 4 days in a row. Make these now they’ll change your life!
lilla says
Hello,
This recipe I would like to try out. I have a question..
"Should it really be 1 TABLESPOON of baking powder?"
This seems very much.
Regards
Lilla
Melanie McDonald says
Yes that is correct.
Cate says
Have never followed a recipe so precisely, and IT PAID OFF. These were fantastic. Great fresh and really good cold as leftovers with some butter spread on them! I've made them twice in three days.... will never use another pancake recipe ever again!
A Virtual Vegan says
Yay! I'm really pleased you enjoyed them Cate!
Alison says
Wow, these are fool proof! You weren’t kidding when you said the best ever. These are literally the best ever. Not just the best BANANA pancakes ever but, THE BEST pancakes EVER. I’m not one to make pancakes usually, I’m not one to eat a lot of carbohydrates but I had a banana and I didn’t know what to do with it I saw this recipe and thought I would try it out and I am so glad I did. I actually decided to use unsweetened applesauce in place of the oil. And it worked excellent! So for anyone who is interested in oil free applesauce is great in these!! I also replaced the sugar with Monk fruit. If ever I want a pancake again these will be my go to. So yummy!
Alison says
So I just wanted to say, made this recipe again, this time I tried using pumpkin! Not only that I also baked them! They came out great. I made about 1 1/3 of the recipe to fill a 9 x 13 Pyrex. Baked at 425° for about 12 minutes.
Helen Diamond says
Hi. These pancakes sound delish! Can they be made with coconut flour? I was given some and I don't know what to do with it!
A Virtual Vegan says
Definitely not. Coconut flour can never be used as a direct sub for regular flour. Don't make the mistake of using it instead of all-purpose flour in any recipe or it will be a complete disaster. You absolutely have to use recipes specifically created to use coconut flour and with pancakes and baked goods, it's really hard to find decent ones that don't have loads of eggs added because coconut flour literally sucks the life out of everything! ? This is a really funny article written by another blogger about coconut flour if you want a laugh: https://www.blissfulbasil.com/its-not-you-its-coconut-flour-19-times-coconut-flour-destroyed-something-delicious/
In the meantime I'm actually testing a cookie recipe right now that uses coconut flour so watch this space, and this fudge recipe uses it too: https://avirtualvegan.com/salted-maple-pecan-vegan-fudge/
Helen Diamond says
? OMDog!! I had no idea it would be so tricky to use! Thanks for the info and good luck with the cookies!?
Talia says
This has been my go to pancake recipe for at least a year now. Soooo yummy and versatile. Sometimes I add oats and frozen fruit, sometimes I add chocolate chips, and other times I add a bit more banana. Yumyumyum!!
mary beth says
Regarding measuring the flour. According to the King Arthur flour "ingredient weight chart" AP flour equals 120 grams versus Spelt flour equaling 99 grams per cup. The first time that I made these pancakes the texture was not right when I used 200 grams of WG spelt flour. I am planning on trying it again and I am not sure how much spelt flout to use to make them come out just right. What would you suggest? Thank you, Mary Beth
A Virtual Vegan says
You need to use 200 grams of spelt flour. I'm not sure from your comment whether you used cups or a scale, but if you want the very best results I don't recommend using cup measurements. They are horribly inaccurate. A digital kitchen scale is the only way to get accurate and consistent results.
And you are correct, spelt flour is lighter than all-purpose flour so the cup measurements given for the all-purpose flour won't be accurate for it. If using spelt I recommend weighing it to get exactly 200g.
If you must use cups though, I find when I've weighed 1 cup of spelt that it's about 115 g when spooned into the cup and levelled off without compacting, so that would be about 1¾ (1.75) cups.
Know that this batter is very thick though so if you were worried by the thickness, don't be. That's how they become so thick and fluffy! Hope that helps!
Versella Williams says
I made this recipe today. They were absolutely delicious and fluffy. My daughter commented on how pleasing they were to her palate.
Rita Radmer says
Hi Mel, I have made these pancakes before and they are amazing! My question is that I need to make some for about 30 people and in another comment you said not to refrigerate the batter overnight. What would you suggest? I won’t have time in the morning to make the batter and cook them.
A Virtual Vegan says
They won't fluff up anywhere near as much if you make the batter in advance. You will either need to cook the pancakes in advance and reheat them or cook them fresh. They do reheat really well. They aren't quite as soft as when fresh but they are still really nice.
Your other option is to make sheet pan pancakes. Line rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper, grease it with some vegan butter or oil just in case, then blend the batter and pour it on and level it out with a spatula. Then bake it and cut it into squares to serve. I've never tried it with this recipe but I would imagine it would be ok. 375 °F for about 15 to 17 minutes should do it. You could probably even make them the day before (making sure to cook them pretty lightly) then pop them in the oven on low to warm up before serving. Maybe if you have the chance have a practise session to check it works out ok?
Hope that helps!