Banana Pancake Bites
on Nov 14, 2021, Updated Sep 29, 2026
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These banana pancake bites are made by dipping fresh banana slices into a simple pancake batter and cooking them until golden and fluffy. Each bite has a warm banana center surrounded by soft pancake, making them such a fun way to switch up regular pancakes for breakfast or a snack!
The pancake batter is made with just 7 simple ingredients and comes together in minutes. Serve these bites on their own or pair them with yogurt, fresh fruit, peanut butter, or maple syrup for dipping. The bananas soften as they cook while the batter puffs up around the outside, giving you a little bit of warm banana and fluffy pancake in every bite.
Looking for more easy banana recipes? You’ll love these banana waffle bites, oatmeal banana pancakes, and peanut butter oatmeal pancakes for more fun breakfast ideas.
Table of Contents
What You’ll Need
Here is what you’ll need to make these banana pancake bites:
- Bananas: Use ripe but firm bananas that will hold their shape when dipped into the batter and cooked. Avoid very ripe, soft bananas since they can become mushy.
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides structure for the pancake coating.
- Baking Powder: Helps the batter puff up around the banana slices so the pancake coating is light and fluffy.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the other flavors.
- Egg: Helps bind the pancake batter together and gives it structure.
- Milk: Adds moisture and creates a smooth batter that easily coats the banana slices.
- Oil: Helps keep the pancake coating soft and tender.
- Maple Syrup: Lightly sweetens the pancake batter.
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Ingredient Substitutions & Additions
- Bananas: I recommend using yellow bananas that are ripe but still firm. Very ripe bananas with lots of brown spots will be softer and more difficult to dip and flip.
- Milk: You can replace the milk with your favorite unsweetened dairy-free alternative.
- Oil: I like using a mild-tasting oil such as avocado oil. Melted unsalted butter may also be used in its place.
- Maple Syrup: You can replace the maple syrup with honey if serving to little ones over the age of 1.
- Egg: For an egg-free option, you can try replacing the egg with a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water). Let it sit for 5–10 minutes to thicken before adding it to the batter. I would test this substitution with the new batter before adding it to the published post.
Step-by-Step Instructions
STEP 1: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
STEP 2: In a separate large bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, oil, and maple syrup until well combined.
STEP 3: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Be careful not to overmix. Let the pancake batter rest for about 5 minutes.
STEP 4: Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat and lightly grease it with butter or oil.
STEP 5: Peel the bananas and slice them on a slight diagonal into slices about ½-inch thick. Set aside.
STEP 6: Dip each banana slice into the pancake batter, making sure it is fully coated on both sides. Lift the slice out of the batter and let any excess drip off for a few seconds.
STEP 7: Place the coated banana slices onto the heated skillet, leaving a little space between each one. Cook for about 1½ to 2 minutes, or until the bottoms are lightly golden and the edges of the pancake coating look set.
STEP 8: Carefully flip each pancake bite and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, or until golden and cooked through. Repeat with the remaining banana slices, lightly greasing the pan and adjusting the heat as needed.
Storage Instructions
Let the banana pancake bites cool completely before storing them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat them in a skillet, toaster oven, or air fryer until warmed through. You can also microwave them, but the pancake coating will be softer. For longer storage, let the pancake bites cool completely and freeze them in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 2 months. For best results, freeze them in a single layer first before transferring them to a freezer-safe container. Reheat directly from frozen until warmed through.
Tips For Success
- Use ripe but firm bananas. You want the bananas to be naturally sweet while still being sturdy enough to dip into the batter. Very ripe bananas can become too soft once cooked.
- Don’t slice the bananas too thinly. About ½-inch thick works well so that the slices hold their shape while dipping, cooking, and flipping.
- Check the batter consistency. The batter should be slightly thicker than a traditional pancake batter so that it coats the bananas without immediately sliding off. If it seems too thick after resting, stir in 1 tablespoon of milk.
- Let the excess batter drip off. Hold each coated banana over the bowl for a few seconds before transferring it to the pan. This helps create an even pancake coating instead of a thick pool of batter around each slice.
- Cook over medium-low heat. The banana and maple syrup can cause the bites to brown fairly quickly, so lower heat gives the pancake coating enough time to cook through.
- Wait until they’re set before flipping. If the coating sticks or pulls away from the banana when you try to flip it, give it a little more time to cook.
Recipe FAQs
The batter should be thick enough to evenly coat a banana slice but still loose enough for the excess to slowly drip back into the bowl. If it becomes too thick after resting, stir in 1 tablespoon of milk.
Yes! Cook any leftover batter just like regular pancakes. Since the batter is slightly thicker for dipping, you can stir in a splash of milk first if you prefer a thinner traditional pancake batter.
More Banana Recipes You’ll Love
Banana Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins
Spinach Banana Muffins
Chocolate Chip Walnut Banana Muffins
If you tried these Banana Pancake Bites, please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below! I love hearing from you!
Banana Pancake Bites
Ingredients
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup milk
- 1 tbsp mild-tasting oil
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 medium ripe (but firm) bananas
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, oil, and maple syrup until well combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Be careful not to overmix. Let the pancake batter rest for about 5 minutes.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat and lightly grease it with butter or oil.
- Peel the bananas and slice them on a slight diagonal into slices about ½-inch thick. Set aside.
- Dip each banana slice into the pancake batter, making sure it is fully coated on both sides. Lift the slice out of the batter and let any excess drip off for a few seconds.
- Place the coated banana slices onto the heated skillet, leaving a little space between each one. Cook for about 1½ to 2 minutes, or until the bottoms are lightly golden and the edges of the pancake coating look set.
- Carefully flip each pancake bite and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, or until golden and cooked through. Repeat with the remaining banana slices, lightly greasing the pan and adjusting the heat as needed.
Notes
-
- Use ripe but firm bananas. You want the bananas to be naturally sweet while still being sturdy enough to dip into the batter. Very ripe bananas can become too soft once cooked.
- Don’t slice the bananas too thinly. About ½-inch thick works well so that the slices hold their shape while dipping, cooking, and flipping.
- Check the batter consistency. The batter should be slightly thicker than a traditional pancake batter so that it coats the bananas without immediately sliding off. If it seems too thick after resting, stir in 1 tablespoon of milk.
- Let the excess batter drip off. Hold each coated banana over the bowl for a few seconds before transferring it to the pan. This helps create an even pancake coating instead of a thick pool of batter around each slice.
- Cook over medium-low heat. The banana and maple syrup can cause the bites to brown fairly quickly, so lower heat gives the pancake coating enough time to cook through.
- Wait until they’re set before flipping. If the coating sticks or pulls away from the banana when you try to flip it, give it a little more time to cook.
I’ve been making this recipe for so long I can almost make it without looking. ALMOST 😂 opened it and started putting ingredients in my nutribullet and was like wait a minute this doesn’t feel right ! Thank you for sharing the old recipe though. Going to have to put it in my notes app
Did the recipe change? I’ve been making these for well over a year and I remember it being a mashed banana and way less flour. Still good though!
Hi Kassie! Yes, you are right! I recently updated this recipe to use a more traditional pancake batter because I found it a little easier to work with and more consistent when dipping the banana slices, but I’ll include the original version below if you’d like to reference that one as well😊 For the original batter I used 1 mashed banana, ¼ cup flour, 1 egg, ½ tsp baking powder, ¼ tsp cinnamon, and ⅛ tsp vanilla. I’m so glad you’ve been making them for so long and glad you like this version as well!❤️
my son loved them, fantastic recipe . thank you
I just made these for my 2 year old for breakfast. He loved them. We’re from Australia and they tasted like a healthier version of a banana fritter that our fish & chip shops do. So good, will absolutely be making again and again.
my 16 month old son love them, thank you
My 9 month old loved it
I tried this recipe and my son love it 😍
I’m so glad to hear that your little one enjoyed these pancake bites!😊
I love this recipe so much, but wanted to let you know that in the actual recipe portion at the bottom in the steps, it doesn’t say to add in the 1/2 tsp baking powder. I recognize that because I cook a lot and have a passion for it, but someone else may not notice especially if trying it for the first time.
Thank you for letting me know, I will update it in the recipe! I’m so glad you like these pancake bites!😊
These sound amazing!! Butter is dairy so maybe I’ll try with evoo.
Thank you!! Depending on the type of pan you use (if it’s a good nonstick pan) you may not need anything to grease it at all! I hope that your little one likes them if you try them out!😊
We love these banana pancakes. I used this recipe for the first time without the banana bites and they were also great on their own. I will be using these again!
I’m so glad that you loved the pancake recipe! Thanks for sharing your great review, Vanessa!😊