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Using pancake mix makes banana pancakes fast and easy, and with the ratios in this recipe, you’ll get a fluffy stack every time.
Making Your Favorite Pancake Mix with Bananas
I always make my fluffy banana pancakes from scratch, but my college-aged kid relies on pancake mix. This recipe lets you use any pancake mix, complete or not, and still get great banana pancakes with real banana flavor and a fluffy texture. It's an easy way to make breakfast feel homemade, even with a small kitchen or limited ingredients.
The Secret to Incredible Pancakes from a Mix
Whether you use a complete mix or one that calls for eggs and milk, the key ratio is 1 cup pancake mix to ½ cup mashed bananas for perfect, fluffy pancakes. For a homemade touch, add ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract (if you have it) per cup of mix.
More Ways to Enhance Pancake Mix
Your go-to pancake mix is the perfect base for blueberry pancakes, turning it into buttermilk pancakes, and even making protein pancakes!
Banana Pancakes with Pancake Mix
Ingredients
- 2 cups complete pancake mix
- 1 ½ cups water*
- 1 cup mashed banana, about 2 medium ripe bananas
Instructions
Make the batter:
- In a large bowl, combine the pancake mix with cold water. Mix until there's no visible flour left (more mixing isn't better, it yields chewy pancakes). Let the batter sit for 5 minutes. This helps the dry ingredients absorb the liquid, resulting in a consistent batter that yields great pancakes from start to finish.
- Meanwhile, mash 1 ½ bananas on a plate until they're almost pureéd. Fill a 1-cup measuring cup with the mashed banana. If you need a little more to fill the cup, slice the other half of the banana; if not, save it as a topping.
- Add the pureed bananas to the batter bowl and, using a silicone spatula, fold them into the batter gently, until just combined.
Cook the pancakes:
- Heat a large non-stick pan or griddle over medium heat. Once hot, grease it with oil, butter, or spray. Immediately pour ¼ cup of batter per pancake. Cook the first side for approximately 2 minutes, then flip the pancakes over and cook the other side for an additional minute or two. Avoid pressing down with the spatula; this makes pancakes dense.
- Remove the pancakes from the pan and serve them immediately, or keep them warm, covered on a plate or on a sheet pan in a 200F oven while you repeat the process with the remaining batter.
Store:
- Refrigerate unused batter, covered, for up to 2 days. Let it come to room temperature on the counter before cooking. Cold batter is thick and difficult to pour. Store leftover cooked pancakes in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or freeze them for up to 3 months.
Notes
- 1 – 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract when adding the liquid
- 1 ½ teaspoons of ground cinnamon when adding the mix
- ⅓ cup of chocolate chips to the batter when adding the bananas
Lisa says
This recipe took our mix to the next level!
Sarah says
Making breakfast for dinner tonight and came across this banana pancake recipe with a mix. I used a complete mix and they turned out really good. Kids ate them all.