Simple Banana Macadamia Nut Pancakes
There are very few things that taste as delicious as fluffy homemade macadamia nut pancakes in the morning. Today, I’m sharing an easy pancake recipe using bananas and macadamia nuts for those mornings when you want pancakes with a bit of a crunch.
Pancakes are a staple breakfast in our house. They are delicious and use simple ingredients, which is a plus in my book!
When my kids wake up and smell the skillet heating up, they know that pancakes are on the menu for breakfast.
During the Christmas season, you will find me flipping our Christmas cinnamon pancakes that are, basically, a cinnamon roll made simple.
If you want a basic pancake recipe, you will love this fluffy pancake recipe that doesn’t use buttermilk. I try to keep things as simple as possible with this recipe.
Every once in awhile, I like to create a new pancake to shake things up a bit.
I like to find ways to add simple, healthy proteins to create a pancake that sticks with them longer than an hour.
Our family loves pancakes, so finding different ways to serve the same dish is a strategy I use to keep things simple in our home.
The best part about this recipe is that it uses a base pancake recipe that creates the fluffiest pancakes and adds in simple additions to make them feel new and special.
Why you’ll love Banana Macadamia Nut Pancakes
- They use a basic pancake recipe that produces fluffy, donut like pancakes by combining simple ingredients.
- The bananas give a natural sweetness without adding a bunch of additional sugary ingredients.
- Macadamia nuts provide these pancakes with an extra boost of protein so they last longer in you belly.
Ingredients for Banana Macadamia Nut Pancakes
- Milk– You can use whatever milk you have on hand. I have even used almond milk before with good success. You milk have to add a couple of tablespoons of flour to thicken up the batter if you use a nut milk, but the pancakes will still be yummy.
- Flour– I use an all-purpose flour for our pancakes.
- Sugar– You may use cane sugar, maple sugar, honey, or maple syrup. I have used a variety of sweeteners and the results are still great.
- Baking powder– This is used for the rise of the pancakes.
- Salt– As with every good recipe, you must have a salt to balance and bring out the sweet.
- Egg– Eggs create a fluffy texture and give structure to baked goods.
- Oil- You may use an oil or butter to give this recipe some fat content, which helps to create a fluffy pancake.
- Sliced Bananas– The best bananas for this recipe are those that are perfectly yellow. They hold their structure while being cooked and offer a hint of sweetness to the pancakes.
- Macadamia Nuts– These are the star of the show in this recipe. You will want to do a rough chop of the nuts so that you get a crunch with every bite.
Make Macadamia Nut Pancakes in 4 Easy Steps
- Mix wet ingredients.
- Mix dry ingredients, including the macadamia nuts, and add to the wet ingredients.
- Ladle 1/4 cup of the batter onto a preheated griddle, place a few slices of banana on the batter.
- Flip the pancake once the bubbles in the batter are popping and the outside of the batter looks like it’s set up.
How to Cook Macadamia Nut Pancakes
You will add your macadamia nuts to the pancake batter before you pour the batter onto your skillet.
While the first side cooks, lay sliced bananas on the batter.
Flip when the first side is cooked, bubbles are popping in the wet batter, and the outside is slightly set up.
Substitutions for Macadamia Nuts in Pancakes
If you don’t have macadamia nuts or cannot find them at your local store, pecans work great as a substitute in this recipe.
Toppings for Banana Macadamia Nut Pancakes
- Maple Syrup– Maple syrup tastes amazing with these pancakes. The nutty flavor of the macadamia nuts paired with the sweetness of the bananas and syrup pair perfectly together.
- Browned butter– This butter is, essentially, cooked in a pan until browned. This creates a rich, deep flavor profile that is amazing for pancakes.
- Peanut butter– If you put any nut butter on top of a hot pancake, it will melt down and be divine. Plus, it gives added protein along with the macadamia nuts.
- Fresh Fruit– A sweet berry is always good atop pancakes- strawberries, raspberries, blueberries. Strawberries taste the best when paired with bananas and macadamia nuts.
- Whipped Cream– This is best when accompanies by above fruit.
- Powdered Sugar– A quick shake of powdered sugar makes pancakes a bit sweeter.
- Coconut– Shaved coconut is a wonderful addition to this recipe and makes you feel like you’re in the tropics. Toast your coconut to get even more depth of flavor!
Tips and Tricks for making the best Macadamia Nut pancakes
- When should you flip pancakes? Be patient and wait until the outside edges are beginning to set up and the inside is bubbly. Flip using your wrist.
- How to freeze pancakes: Freeze them on a cookie sheet so they don’t stick together. After 15 minutes, place them in a ziplock until ready to use. Reheat in a microwave or toaster.
- Don’t over stir. When you see your batter bubbling, do not stir the bubbles out. The bubbles give rise to the pancake batter.
- Even heat. A great way to burn your pancakes on one side and have raw pancake batter on the other is to not have even heat. Make sure you allow your griddle to come to full heat before pouring, or scooping, your batter onto the griddle. This also allows for the pancakes rise time.
- Proper Temperature. The best temperature for cooking pancakes is 350°F-375°F.
- Use butter. Many recipes call for cooking spray to prevent sticking. That works great, but if you want extra crispy edges that taste like you’re eating pancakes at the local diner, toss a pat of butter on your griddle. The butter makes the outside absolutely delish.
Coconut Syrup for Macadamia Nut Pancakes
If you would rather make your own syrup and add a more tropical taste to your macadamia nut pancakes, whip up a small batch of coconut syrup.
Ingredients for Coconut Syrup
- 1 can coconut milk- 13.5 ounces
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
How to make coconut syrup
- Whisk together coconut milk and cornstarch in a bowl until lumps are dissolved.
- Add to a saucepan and put on medium heat.
- Whisk in sugar, salt, corn syrup, and shredded coconut stirring constantly so the syrup doesn’t burn. It should start to thicken up.
- Remove from heat and add in the vanilla. Allow the syrup to cool for 5 minutes so it can thicken a bit more.
The best pan for cooking pancakes
This might be a disputed issue on the web, but it is not a disputed issue in our home.
The cast iron skillet is the only way to make a pancake.
You can cook them on a large, electric griddle or a non-stick pan, but you will never get the crispy outer edge or flavor that comes with cooking on a cast iron.
I shared all of my tips and tricks for cooking pancakes on a cast iron, along with some great pan options, if you’re interested.
Can I make this batter ahead of time
Yes, if you want to make your morning even easier, make this batter in a large mixing bowl the night before and store in the refrigerator. Be sure to cover it with plastic wrap.
If you want to make this batter the night before, combine all of the ingredients, but leave out the Baking Powder.
Add the baking powder the morning you are making your pancakes about 5 minutes before you’re ready to cook them.
If you add the baking powder the night before, you will have to add more because it is the leavening agent and it will “fall flat” if it sits too long before being cooked.
- Night Before– Mix up everything for your pancake batter, except the baking powder
- Morning of– Add in the baking powder and let it activate for 5 minutes before cooking the pancakes.
Frequently Asked Questions
The best pan to cook pancakes in would be a properly seasoned cast iron skillet. If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, the next best thing is an electric griddle so you can make several pancakes at once.
You can store leftover, cooled pancakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Or, you can layer cooled pancakes in a ziplock and freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheat by microwaving for 15 seconds or by toasting in the toaster.
Other breakfast recipes you’ll love
- Best Greek Yogurt Banana Bread
- Make a Simple Pumpkin Sourdough Bread
- Easy Make Ahead Breakfast Ideas
- How to make a Croffle
Banana Macadamia Nut Pancake Recipe
Banana Macadamia Nut Pancakes
Equipment
- Knife
- Cutting board
- griddle or skillet
Ingredients
- ¾ cup milk
- 1 cup flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons oil or melted butter
- ½ cup macadamia nuts, roughly chopped
- 1 yellow banana, sliced
Instructions
- Combine wet ingredients in a mixing bowl- combine milk, egg, and oil/butter.
- Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not over mix the batter.
- Fold in the macadamia nuts gently.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and coat with cooking spray or butter.
- Pour 1/4 cupfuls of batter onto the skillet and lay a few banana slices on the wet batter. Flip once bubbles begin to pop in the batter and let the second side cook.
Notes
- When should you flip pancakes? Be patient and wait until the outside edges are beginning to set up and the inside is bubbly. Flip using your wrist.
- How to freeze pancakes: Freeze them on a cookie sheet so they don’t stick together. After 15 minutes, place them in a ziplock until ready to use. Reheat in a microwave or toaster.
- Don’t over stir. When you see your batter bubbling, do not stir the bubbles out. The bubbles give rise to the pancake batter.
- Even heat. A great way to burn your pancakes on one side and have raw pancake batter on the other is to not have even heat. Make sure you allow your griddle to come to full heat before pouring, or scooping, your batter onto the griddle. This also gives time for the pancakes rise.
- Use butter. Many recipes call for cooking spray to prevent sticking. That works great, but if you want extra crispy edges that taste like you’re eating pancakes at the local diner, toss a pat of butter on your griddle. The butter makes the outside absolutely delish.
