In a large bowl, mash the banana with a fork until it resembles a paste. You can also place the bananas in a zip bag, smash them in the bag, and pipe the creamy bananas out of one corner. To the banana bowl, add the egg, milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Break up the egg first with a fork, and then begin to mix it with the liquids in the bowl.

In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Set aside. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients bowl and mix until the flour is just incorporated. Some of the visible lumps are the mashed banana.

If you want tiny tidbits of chopped walnuts in the pancakes, fold them into the batter now.

Heat a non-stick griddle or large pan over medium heat. Once hot, grease, spray, or melt butter on the hot surface. When using an electric griddle, heat it somewhere between 300 and 350F.

Immediately, pour ¼ cup of pancake batter onto the greased pan. For a fancier look, place a couple of thin banana slices on top of the batter. Cook the pancakes for about 2 minutes on the first side, until the edges begin to look defined and bubbles form.

Flip the pancakes over and cook for an additional 2 minutes on the other side. Avoid chewy and dense pancakes by not pressing them down with the spatula after flipping. Remove the pancakes from the pan onto a plate and keep them warm while you cook the remaining batter.

Serve these pancakes topped with banana slices, chopped walnuts, and maple syrup.