These easy caramelised banana pancakes are simple, they’re fluffy, and they’re smothered in buttery caramel-y bananas. They’re a perfect romantic or casual breakfast for two – or more!
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(Don’t) hold the caramel
I grew up eating these thin English pancakes which you could say are a little like French crepes.
They’re absolutely delicious, but there’s no denying the appeal of fluffy American pancakes too. These easy banana pancakes adapted from a recipe from the ever talented Jamie Oliver happen to be my favourite. Here’s why.
- The perfect amount of sticky, caramel-y sauce! The first time I made this caramelised banana pancake recipe, I knew that there wasn’t nearly enough of the sticky caramel sauce for Mr. Scrummy. The next time I made them, I scaled down the recipe to feed just 2 of us, but, ahem, ‘forgot’ to scale down the sauce. Oops.
- They’re the best kind of fluffy pancakes! For the lightest, fluffiest pancakes for your delicious caramelized bananas and sauce, you whisk up the egg whites as you would if making meringue. Then gently fold them into the pancake batter.
- They’re very easy to make. Apart from the addition of the whisked egg whites, these are classic easy pancakes. The caramelised bananas are very easy to make too. Whisking up egg whites might sound like too much trouble, but you might actually find it quite therapeutic on a weekend morning!
So note that unlike some banana pancakes recipes, these don’t actually contain bananas in the batter. The pancakes are simple and fluffy and complemented perfectly by the sticky caramel banana topping.
What ingredients you need
Just a few notes about the ingredients:
Large eggs: Separate the eggs by cracking the shells and then moving the yolk from each half of the egg shell to the other until all the white drips into a bowl.
bananas: These can be ripe, or not so ripe. I find that if the bananas are riper, some of the ‘juice’ mixes in with the sauce and makes it a bit runnier. They can also break up a little in the pan though if they are too ripe. Medium ripeness is ideal, but it doesn’t matter too much.
Greek yoghurt: I didn’t include this in the photo above, but it’s delicious spooned on top of the pancakes to serve! If you prefer you can use ice cream, creme fraiche or even whipped cream.
How to make the fluffy pancakes
Step 1: You start by mixing together the egg yolks, flour, baking powder and milk. For the fluffiest pancakes, it’s important not to overmix.
Step 2: Whisk up egg whites until they are white and very fluffy. Then fold them carefully in to make a fairly thick batter.
Step 3: Cook the pancakes in a medium-hot pan with a knob of butter or drizzle of vegetable oil. For each pancake, add a small ladleful of batter to the pan. Wait until little bubbles appear on the top, they’ve risen a little and the underside is golden. They only take a few minutes to cook.
Step 4: Pop the pancakes into the oven on the ‘keep warm’ setting while you caramelise the bananas.
How do I caramelise bananas?
This is the fun part. But isn’t it a lot of trouble? Nope.
It’s easy. HOWEVER… I’ve made this recipe again and again, and the first few times I did actually mess up my caramelised bananas. The good thing is, even when my bananas and sauce weren’t perfect, they were still delicious.
So don’t be too hard on yourself if you don’t get it perfect the first time. Just give it another go, and I promise you you’ll get perfect caramelized banana pancakes eventually.
My tips for perfect caramelised banana pancakes
- Make your pancakes first and pop them in the oven to keep warm. Don’t make them at the same time as the caramelised bananas. Trust me, this is not the time to show off your multi-tasking skills. I’ve tried it and my caramel always ends up hard as nails or, worse, burnt.
- Let the butter and brown sugar melt in the frying pan/skillet for a few minutes ON A LOW HEAT.
- Cut your bananas in half across the width and place them cut side down in the pan.
- Turn the heat up to medium and let the sauce and bananas bubble away gently for another few minutes. You’ll find the bananas will release some of their ‘juice’ into the sauce (especially when they’re more ripe bananas). The butter will also seem to separate from the rest of the sauce for a while, which is fine.
- Flip the bananas over carefully (it doesn’t really matter if they break a little). The sauce is done when it’s lost that ‘separated butter’ look, is golden brown and starts to thicken.
As mentioned already, you end up with perfectly soft-but-not-too-soft bananas all drenched in the sticky sauce.
A couple of times I’ve let the sauce bubble for slightly too long and it’s ended up a bit crunchy in parts. Don’t worry too much if this happens to you. It’s still absolutely delicious!
How and when to serve them
The splodge of creamy stuff you can see on the top of my pancakes is Greek yoghurt.
I tend to put Greek yoghurt on top of a lot of things, but it really does go perfectly with these pancakes. The slight sourness of the yoghurt contrasts perfectly with the sweetness of the caramelised bananas.
Alternatively, you can serve them with ice cream, or a spoonful of creme fraiche or even whipped cream. It’s also nice to sprinkle over a few crushed nuts: pistachios, hazelnuts, almonds, macadamias or even peanuts.
The most important thing is to eat your pancakes immediately when they’re still fluffy and hot and delicious.
These pancakes are perfect for weekend breakfasts, but as the recipe is for two they also make a great Valentine’s Day brunch or breakfast-for-dinner. Although it’s easy to scale the recipe up for a family.
More things to know (recipe FAQ)
The bananas were probably too ripe. I think the best bananas to use are medium ripe bananas – so not too ‘green’, but not too ripe either – somewhere in the middle. This way they’ll relase lots of yummy juice which will help to make the sauce. But they’ll be less likely to fall apart. If they do fall apart though, don’t worry! They’ll still taste delicious.
Whoops. Sorry about that. The first couple of times I made these that happened to me, too. Next time, start the caramel off on a low heat. Then when the butter and sugar has melted, turn the heat up to medium. Keep a close eye on things! The caramel is ready when it’s just starting to thicken.
No worries – I bet they were still delicious! Next time, make sure you don’t overmix. Fold the whisked egg whites into the pancake batter very carefully, and only just enough to fully combine them. Then make your pancakes immediately.
For these pancakes – no, not really. It’s better to make the batter just before you want to make the pancakes for maximum fluffy-ness!
Leftovers? What leftovers? If you do happen to have any, you can cover the pancakes and store them in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat either in the microwave for 30 seconds (initially) or in a hot pan for 30 seconds (or so) on each side.
The caramelised bananas are best eaten immediately, but in a pinch they will keep for a couple of days in an airtight container in the fridge. Keep them separate from the pancakes. Just microwave gently to reheat! Yum!
More delicious pancakes and waffles!
You can also make WAFFLES to go with your caramelised bananas. Just as delicious as the pancakes, and possibly even a little easier to make (if you have a waffle maker of course). I just use a really basic waffle mixture and pile the gorgeous caramelised bananas on top! (See ‘notes’ section of recipe below for the recipe I use!)
Looking for something on the healthy side? Make these healthy banana bread waffles instead! You need just 3 ingredients and 10 minutes to make them. For another go-to breakfast treat, try these incredible gooey 1-hour cinnamon scrolls.
May I also suggest trying these thin English pancakes some time? They’re very different to fluffy pancakes (more like crepes) but JUST as delicious. Try them and see!
More yummy banana recipes
- 5-minute chocolate banana ‘nice cream’ (healthy ice cream!)
- really easy mini banana bread (oven or air fryer!)
- banana sheet cake with peanut butter fudge frosting (that frosting… mmmm!)
- peanut butter, banana and chocolate chip cake (one of my favourite cakes ever!)
- For dessert ’emergencies’ try this gluten free banana mug cake for two.
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Caramelised banana pancakes (for 2)
Equipment (affiliate links)
Ingredients (UK/Australia? Click below for grams/ml)
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup plain flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅓ cup milk
- small pinch of salt
- a little oil for cooking
- 4 tablespoons butter (or about ½ a stick)
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 bananas sliced across the middle lengthways
- Greek yoghurt or crème fraiche to serve (optional)
Instructions
- Separate the eggs, putting the yolks in one medium-sized bowl and the whites in another.
- Add the flour and baking powder to the bowl with the yolks in, then slowly add the milk, stirring well to avoid lumps.
- Now whisk the egg whites with the salt until fluffy and thick with an electric handheld whisk. Gently fold them into the batter in the other bowl.
- Drizzle a little oil into a frying pan on a medium high heat, then ladle about a quarter of the batter into the pan. Let cook for a couple of minutes until it’s nice and golden, then flip over carefully and let cook for another minute or two on the other side. Slide onto a plate and keep warm in the oven while you cook the other pancakes.
- Now melt the butter and sugar together in another pan and let cook on a lowish heat for a few minutes.
- Turn the heat up to medium, then add the bananas to the pan, cut side down, and let cook in the sauce for another few minutes. Then carefully slide the bananas over with a spatula to cook on the other side until they are nice and soft and golden.
- Serve the bananas and sauce on top of the pancakes with the yoghurt or crème fraiche (if using).
Denise says
A man after my own heart, the sauce/gravy/custard/cream is just so so important. This looks perfecto!
Helen says
Hello Denise! Really nice to ‘bump into’ you here! Thanks so much for passing by and glad you like the recipe! 🙂
[email protected] says
I hate bananas. And yet…I WANT this! Oh my GAWD, those bananas…those bananas…they look amazing Helen!
Helen says
Wow, what a compliment! I got a banana-hater to crave this recipe! I would suggest not using overripe bananas for this though if you ever do give them a go – they were much better with firm bananas that stayed whole. 🙂
Eva says
Je crois que maintenant je sais lequel sera mon petit déjeuner de demain ! So good and so sticky ! J’adore Helen!
Helen says
Merci beauoup, Eva! Nous avons mange ce petit dej. 3 weekends d’affilee! 🙂
[email protected] Olives & Garlic says
These are going to make a nice breakfast on Sunday. I can already taste the yumminess.
Helen says
Glad you like them, Kathy! They’re seriously addictive, I warn you!
Ala says
hehe, I’m a lot like your hubbie in that sense–totally down for the sauces! And boo for dry foods. I’m saving this pancakes recipe–it’s JUST the right amount of sauciness!
Helen says
Hello Ala! Really happy you like this enough to save it for later. Do let me know if you give it a go!
Thao @ In Good Flavor says
This looks divine! I love cooked bananas. This is a breakfast that would make me very happy. 🙂
Helen says
Thank you, Thao! I really hope you make these some time! 🙂
Kathleen | HapaNomNom says
Oh wow! This looks wonderfully decadent and perfect for Sunday brunch! You’re totally making my mouth water!
Helen says
Soon you’ll be able to make pancakes again, Kathleen! I’m sure it’s not long now … 🙂
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says
Wow do these pancakes look good, Helen! I love the caramel and banana combination. And this looks like the perfect amount for my husband and I. What a delicious breakfast!
Helen says
Thanks so much, Gayle! 🙂
Maggie says
I like pancake and these look SO delicious! The sauce just make them perfect. Can’t wait to try them out soon 🙂
Helen says
I must admit it’s the caramel sauce that makes these so delicious, Maggie … really hope you do give them a try!
Mira says
These look amazing Helen! I rarely make pancakes, because you know – crepes are our thing in Europe 🙂 I’ve been struggling with breakfast ideas, but these are perfect for a weekend treat! Pinning!
Helen says
Thank you, Mira! I promise you these aren’t difficult. I made them again this morning! Just make sure the bananas aren’t too ripe – these pancakes are better if the bananas stay whole when you cook them in the sauce!
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says
Hehe I am saucy too! And hubby loathes dry food! So we are saucy together and we’d love these 😀
Helen says
Oh, you’re so lucky that you’re saucy together, Lorraine! 😉
cheri says
Hi Helen, my husband is a sauce man too, though here I probably would eat more than my share as well, looks delicious!
Helen says
Thank you so much, Cheri! I made these again today and did indeed eat FAR too many! 🙂
June @ How to Philosophize with Cake says
That sounds like a divine breakfast! Caramelized bananas are just great, I really ought to make them again sometime…maybe for pancakes, like this!
Helen says
Hello June! I’ve got some overripe bananas hanging out in my fruit bowl again, so guess what’s for breakfast tomorrow? 😉 Really happy you like them – please do try!
Whitney says
These look absolutely amazing! I so want them right now!!
Helen says
Hello Whitney! Hope you give these a go some time – I’m addicted!
cheri says
Jamie always has the best recipes, I remember when he used to play guitar or basketball can’t remember and his wife was his girlfriend love his enthusiam. My husband is like Mr. Scrummy he loves his sauce. This looks delicious Helen!
Helen says
Thank you, Cheri! I love Jamie’s enthusiasm, too! He could get me all excited about a cheese sandwich, I think!
Bam's Kitchen says
What are pancakes without the sauce…! Loving the glazed bananas on top. My son just requested chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast tomorrow maybe I can twist his arm a little and see if we can swap it to your gorgeous banana pancakes with a delicious sauce… Pinned, shared, smoke signals sent.
Helen says
Hello! Mmmm – choc chip pancakes sounds gooood, but of course I’d be delighted if you made these instead. Let me know if you do! 🙂
[email protected] says
I have a saucy husband too and he would love these, of course so would I. 🙂
Helen says
Tee hee … 🙂
mila furman says
Ohhhh Helen this is so fantastic!!! My pastry chef in culinary school used to do this…I never thought it was the worth the effort until I tasted them… WOWZA! Thanks for reminding me!!! Have a wonderful weekend doll!
Helen says
Hey, Mila! These are hardly any effort at all, I promise! I’m making them again tomorrow – yum yum! Hope you have a great weekend, too!
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy says
This would be perfect for an indulgent Sunday morning breakfast. Those bananas look epic!
Helen says
Hey, Dannii! Glad you like them – they’re just delicious! 🙂
Chrissy says
Love Jaime Oliver…And these would be so perfect for pancake Sunday. With all the sauce.
Helen says
Thanks, Chrissy! Glad you like them!