Banana Pancakes with Cinnamon Swirl

Banana Pancakes with Cinnamon Swirl make the best breakfast for a special occasion – or just for Sunday morning! This easy-to-make recipe is lightly flavored with banana and features a pretty cinnamon swirl on each pancake.

Table of Contents

• A Special Pancake Recipe The Whole Family Will Love
• What You’ll Need
• How to Make Banana Pancakes with Cinnamon Swirl
• Do Pancakes Cook Better in Butter or Oil?
• Why Are My Banana Pancakes Soggy?
• Recipe Notes
• Serving Suggestions
• Will Banana Pancakes Keep in the Fridge?
• Freezing Instructions
• Get the Recipe
• More Sweet Breakfast Recipes

A Special Pancake Recipe The Whole Family Will Love

If I haven’t said it enough already, there is just something special about pancakes. Sunday mornings should always start with sleeping in and a pancake as big as your face. Because of this obsession, I have tried more pancake flavors than most normal people. It always starts Saturday night as I am falling asleep. Most people would think about their day, or their plans for the next week, but not me. I plan breakfast.

The idea for these pancakes came into my head when I was out of sour cream and buttermilk, two ingredients I often use to moisten pancake batter. I did have two over-ripe bananas on the counter though… and the rest is history! Sweet banana pancakes got a cinnamon swirl that day (inspired by these cinnamon roll pancakes from Recipe Girl). Isn’t it fun? And it’s no hassle to make – just portion out a little of the pancake batter, give it some extra cinnamon, and put it in a piping bag.

(For more pancake ideas, be sure to check out this classic Fluffy Pancakes Recipe and these Low Carb Keto Pancakes, too!)

What You’ll Need

Two ripe bananas give these pancakes a noticeable, but light banana taste. It’s the perfect balance between banana and pancake – reminiscent of banana bread, but not quite as banana-y.

• Flour: Use plain all-purpose flour, not self-rising flour.
• Baking Powder: A lot of pancake recipes call for baking soda, but this one uses baking powder, so be sure to reach for the right one.
• Salt
• Bananas: You’ll need bananas that are generously speckled with brown flecks, or even big brown spots.
• Sugar: You can use regular granulated sugar, or try light brown sugar for a hint of warm molasses.
• Egg: A large, whole egg helps bind the pancake mixture together and gives it a little structure.
• Oil: Vegetable oil helps keep the pancakes moist, but light.
• Milk: Whole milk gives the pancakes a certain richness.
• Cinnamon: Ground cinnamon, for the swirl.
• Maple Syrup and Butter: For serving.

How to Make Banana Pancakes with Cinnamon Swirl

These are the steps for making luscious, melt-in-your-mouth banana pancakes. You’ll want to make them every day! For the best results, be sure not to overmix the batter once the dry ingredients are added to the wet ingredients, or the pancakes will be tough.

1. Whisk the Dry Ingredients. To get started, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl, and give this a whisk (or stir it with a fork) to combine and break up any lumps. If the baking powder still seems lumpy, I recommend sifting the mixture to get the lumps out.
2. Mix the Wet Ingredients, Except Milk. Next, get out a large mixing bowl, and whisk together the mashed bananas, sugar, egg, and vegetable oil. Whisk well until you have a good, smooth batter (other than some bits of banana).
3. Combine the Dry Ingredients and the Milk with the Wet Ingredients. Now you’ll whisk half of the flour mixture into the wet mixture. Follow this with half of the milk, whisking to combine. Repeat this process to add the remaining flour mixture and milk.
4. Get the Cinnamon Swirl Mixture Ready. For the cinnamon swirl, scoop about 1/3 cup of the pancake batter into a separate bowl or cup, and whisk in the cinnamon. Pour this into a piping bag, or a zip-top bag with a tiny bit of the corner cut off.
5. Make the Pancakes. To make a banana pancake with cinnamon swirl, pour or ladle 1/4 cup of the regular batter onto a heated griddle. Immediately, use the cinnamon batter to pipe a swirl design onto the top of the pancake. Once little bubbles have started popping up over the surface of the pancake, flip it over and cook the other side. Repeat with the rest of the pancake batter.
6. Enjoy! Serve the pancakes warm, with maple syrup and butter.

Do Pancakes Cook Better in Butter or Oil?

What should you use to grease your griddle or skillet? Butter adds a gorgeous flavor to pancakes, of course, but unfortunately, it’s not great for actually cooking them. The creamy milk solids in butter tend to scorch at higher temperatures, which can give your pancakes (and your kitchen, and your house) a burnt smell – not good. I recommend using a high-heat, neutral oil like vegetable oil or refined coconut oil for the cooking part, and adding butter for serving.

Why Are My Banana Pancakes Soggy?

No one likes soggy pancakes, and I’ve certainly made my share of pancakes that looked fine on the outside but were not fully cooked on the inside. So disappointing! To avoid this, I’ve learned that you have to really regulate the heat source you’re using, whether that’s a griddle or a skillet on the stove. Either way, it should be hot enough that the pancakes “fry,” but not so hot that they begin to burn on the outside before they cook through on the inside. Go for medium to medium-high heat.

Next, watch the pancakes closely. You can tell that they’re starting to cook through when little bubbles pop up on the surface, not just on the edges, but also in the middle of the pancake. That’s when you go ahead and flip them. It should take roughly the same amount of time to cook the second side as it takes to cook the first side.

One final test? A cooked pancake should feel sort of springy and cakey when picked up with a pancake turner. If it seems overly floppy, moist, or squishy, it probably needs to cook a bit longer.

Recipe Notes

I hope you enjoy making this easy recipe. If you decide to give it a try, check out these helpful tips, as well. They will ensure that your pancakes turn out Sunday-morning-worthy – and it doesn’t get any better than that!

• Baking Powder vs. Baking Soda. A lot of pancake recipes call for baking soda, but this one uses baking powder, which is an important difference. Baking soda works well with recipes that contain acidic ingredients like sour cream. The acid activates the baking soda. Since these banana pancakes don’t contain much acid, baking powder is a better choice. It activates itself once it is mixed with liquids.
• Bananas: Banana ripeness is key to making sweets and baked items. A plain yellow banana might be best for snacking (we can debate that later), but there’s no doubt that baked goods do well with over-ripe bananas. Look for lots of brown flecks, big brown blotches, or just a brown banana! The only ones that are too old to use are bananas that have soft, liquidy, sunken-in areas and/or mold.
• Un-Swirled Pancakes: If you decide that you don’t want to go through the effort of swirling in the cinnamon, you can still enjoy these pancakes. Just stir the cinnamon into the bowl of batter without separating any out or using a piping bag. It will still taste fantastic!
• Mix-Ins: If you want to add some chopped pecans, chopped walnuts, mini chocolate chips, or other mix-ins, go for it! Just stir those into the regular batter and enjoy.
• Don’t Overmix: The secret to making really good pancakes is pretty simple: start with a good recipe, and don’t overmix. If you find that your pancakes turn out a little bit on the tough side, try mixing the batter a little less once you’ve added the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. A few lumps are okay!

Serving Suggestions

Let’s be honest: sometimes pancakes and coffee are all you need. Am I right? But if you want to add another breakfast item or two to your pancakes, that’s great too – and I’ve got you covered. Here are a few easy recipes to try:

• Breakfast Casserole: To add some protein to the pancakes, try serving them alongside this Slow Cooker Low Carb Breakfast Casserole. Put the ingredients in your crockpot the night before, and turn it on in the morning.
• Bacon: No need to watch two skillets at the same time – see this easy tutorial for How to Cook Bacon in the Oven. It’s a no-mess, no-hassle recipe that delivers perfectly crisp bacon slices every time.
• Coffee: While we’re making things that are easy but fancy, you need to try this Vanilla Cinnamon Iced Coffee. It’s so flavorful, sweet, and creamy, and you can make it ahead to use throughout the week!

Will Banana Pancakes Keep in the Fridge?

Sure! You can store these in your refrigerator for 1 – 2 days. They may keep a little longer than that, but the quality will probably not be as good. To store them correctly, cool them down to about room temperature (don’t leave them out for more than an hour, please) and then place in an airtight container or zip-top bag in the fridge. Reheat on a griddle, in the microwave, or in a 350°F oven

Freezing Instructions

You can also freeze pancakes for later, which is great for a fun breakfast that you can make on the fly. Just cool the pancakes down, and stack them with small sheets of parchment or wax paper in between. Place the stack in a freezer bag, mark it with the date, and store it in your freezer for up to three months. Reheat directly from frozen, by baking them in a 350°F oven until hot (about 10 minutes).

4.5 from 2 votes

Print Pin Recipe

Yield: 6 large pancakes

Banana Pancakes with Cinnamon Swirl

Banana Pancakes with Cinnamon Swirl are the perfect Sunday breakfast! Easy to make, with a delicate banana flavor and pretty cinnamon spiral on each pancake.

Prep Time15 minutes minutes

Cook Time15 minutes minutes

Total Time30 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 over ripe bananas, mashed
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• maple syrup & butter for serving

Instructions 

• In a small mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk mashed bananas, sugar, egg and vegetable oil together until smooth. Add flour mixture, alternating with milk, and stir until combined.
• Transfer 1/3 cup batter to a small bowl. Whisk in cinnamon until combined. Transfer to a piping bag or a ziplock bag with the tip cut off.
• Pour 1/4 cup of the regular batter onto a heated griddle. Immediately, pipe a swirl design onto the top of the pancake using the cinnamon batter.
• Once little bubbles have started popping up, flip pancake and cook through. Continue process with all pancake batter. Serve warm with maple syrup and butter!

Notes

• Storage: Store in the refrigerator for 1 – 2 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
• Baking Powder vs. Baking Soda. A lot of pancake recipes call for baking soda, but this one uses baking powder, which is an important difference. Baking soda works well with recipes that contain acidic ingredients like sour cream. The acid activates the baking soda. Since these banana pancakes don't contain much acid, baking powder is a better choice. It activates itself once it is mixed with liquids.
• Bananas: Banana ripeness is key to making sweets and baked items. A plain yellow banana might be best for snacking (we can debate that later), but there's no doubt that baked goods do well with over-ripe bananas. Look for lots of brown flecks, big brown blotches, or just a brown banana! The only ones that are too old to use are bananas that have soft, liquidy, sunken-in areas and/or mold.
• Un-Swirled Pancakes: If you decide that you don't want to go through the effort of swirling in the cinnamon, you can still enjoy these pancakes. Just stir the cinnamon into the bowl of batter without separating any out or using a piping bag. It will still taste fantastic!
• Mix-Ins: If you want to add some chopped pecans, chopped walnuts, mini chocolate chips, or other mix-ins, go for it! Just stir those into the regular batter and enjoy.
• Don't Overmix: The secret to making really good pancakes is pretty simple: start with a good recipe, and don't overmix. If you find that your pancakes turn out a little bit on the tough side, try mixing the batter a little less once you've added the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. A few lumps are okay!

Nutrition

Serving: 1, Calories: 263kcal, Carbohydrates: 45g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 37mg, Sodium: 363mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 15g

© Jessica – The Novice Chef

Cuisine: American

Category: Pancakes & French Toast

More Sweet Breakfast Recipes

• Cuban Bread French Toast
• Mantecadas
• Easy Apple Cinnamon Muffins

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