I'd heard rumors of these two-ingredient grain-free pancakes floating around for a few months, and I couldn't wait to give them a whirl. Made with only bananas and eggs, this pancake recipe couldn't be easier to make! Of course there are plenty of ways to doll it up to suit your tastes or to rotate different flavors for some variety, but at its core, it's just a marriage of two simple ingredients coming together to make a delicious, nutritious breakfast. (Or brunch. Or breakfast for dinner.)
Simply toss the bananas and eggs into a food processor or blender and whizz it around until you've got a smooth pancake batter. The bananas provide the starch you'd normally get from flour, while the eggs add a little fat and protein, plus they help hold it all together. (No cruel, factory-farmed eggs from hens in battery cages please.) And since there's no flour, these pancakes are gluten-free, grain-free, and Paleo-friendly! (Sub coconut oil for the butter to keep them dairy-free as well!)
Now then, it bears mentioning that these do taste quite a bit like bananas, so if that's not your thing, maybe this isn't the pancake recipe for you. But if you're like me and you do like bananas, you're in for a treat!
The Flavor Combinations Are Endless!
I wanted to keep the base pancake recipe fairly simply for my first try, so I just mixed in a few sprinkles of cinnamon and a dash of salt with the banana-egg batter... but the flavor combo possibilities are seemingly endless! I'm dreaming of mixing in a teaspoon of cacao powder and some toasted coconut mixed into the batter... or a touch of finely ground espresso with chopped pecans? Or a tablespoon of honey, a splash of vanilla, and some macadamia nuts? Or perhaps a tablespoon of Nutella or chunky peanut butter, topped with some warm jam as they come off the griddle? Or maybe put a small handful of fresh berries and/or chocolate chips on the pancakes just after the batter is poured? Fresh lemon zest and minced thyme for something savory? (Subbing pomegranate molasses for maple syrup could be fun for that one too!) The list is only limited by your imagination!Tips & Tricks for Perfect Banana Pancakes!
On the subject of flipping, it's worth mentioning that these banana pancakes can be a little tricky to flip compared to traditional pancakes, as the batter is quite different. Here are the tips I've found that helped ensure a successful pancake flip each time:* Make your banana pancake batter thick... thicker than you would for traditional pancakes; the batter shouldn't spread out very much when you pour it on the skillet. Thicken with more banana if necessary. You can also toss 1/4 teaspoon to 1/2 teaspoon of flax seeds or chia seeds into the food processor and blend it with the batter, which will gel and cause it to thicken even more after sitting for a few minutes.
* It's all about the spatula! I recommend using a wide spatula that isn't very thick, like the OXO Good Grips Silicone Flexible Pancake Turner.
* Keep your banana pancakes on the smaller side; two to three tablespoons of batter should make a nice three- to four-inch pancake.
* Cover your pan! This way the steam is captured, allowing the tops of the pancakes to firm up and hold together while the bottom browns from the direct heat of the pan.
RECIPE: Easy, Delicious 2-Ingredient Grain-Free Pancakes
Serves: 8 to 10 pancakesMade with just bananas and eggs, this easy recipe for 2-ingredient pancakes makes a delicious, nutritious start to your day. Grain-free, gluten-free, and dairy-free too if using coconut oil in place of butter!
- 2 medium ripe bananas
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt (optional)
- Butter or coconut oil, for cooking and serving
- Real maple syrup, for serving
Instructions
- Place the bananas, eggs, and salt in a food processor. Blend until a thick batter is formed (slightly thicker than traditional pancake batter) adding more banana to thicken, if necessary.
- Heat a large pan or griddle over a medium flame. Melt a pat of butter or coconut oil and allow it to heat up and spread around the pan.
- Drop 2 to 3 Tablespoons of batter into the pan to form each pancake. (Though these pancakes need nothing more, this is a great opportunity to sprinkle on any extras you like such as chocolate chips, sliced berries, chopped nuts, etc. See notes above in the blog post for more flavor ideas!)
- Cover the pan and allow the pancakes to cook until browned, about 5 minutes.
- Uncover the pan and check under the pancakes to see if they've browned. Slide your spatula underneath the pancakes gently to see if they hold their shape well enough to be flipped. Feel free to let them cook a little longer if you feel at all iffy.
- Flip the pancakes gently using a wide, thin spatula. Cover and let brown on the other side, about 3-5 minutes.
- Serve immediately or hold in a warm oven while cooking any remaining batter. (This recipe scales well; you can easily double or triple this recipe to serve a bigger crowd.)
- Serve with a pat of butter or coconut oil and a drizzle REAL maple syrup, grade B if you can find it. (None of that crappy high-fructose corn syrup-based "table syrups" here please.)
- Keep it simple or jazz it up with a few sprinkles of cinnamon, some fresh berries... whatever tickles your fancy!
About Me!
My name is Randy Clemens and I am the author of The Sriracha Cookbook, The Veggie-Lover’s Sriracha Cookbook, and co-author of The Craft of Stone Brewing Co. I am a graduate of the California School of Culinary Arts and am featured in the award-winning Sriracha—a documentary film by Griffin Hammond.
In early 2015, I moved from Los Angeles to participate in the Free State Project, a geopolitical movement getting 20,000+ libertarians to relocate to New Hampshire to decrease the size and draconian reach of the government while protecting individual liberties.
You can read more about me on my Steemit introduction post! And if one (or more) of the things I've written about here tickles your fancy, you can follow my musings on Twitter via @SrirachaBook and @RandyClemensEsq.
The text and images of this post were previously created for my Wordpress blog—RandyClemens.com—and are released for use for non-commercial purposes with proper credit/attribution/linking under Creative Commons CC-BY-NC-SA 4.0.