Grain-Free, Sugar-Free Banana Pancakes
Do you ever find that a big bunch of bananas starts to get really ripe before you have the chance to eat them? I like my bananas to have a hint of green, and when they are all yellow and covered in the brown spots, I just can’t do it. I don’t even like them in smoothies that way! There’s always the faithful banana bread to turn to when the nanners are getting brown, but the other morning I felt inspired to whip up a quick banana pancake recipe that would use up those very ripe bananas on the counter, as well as some of the coconut flour I’ve been learning how to use.
The verdict? Easy and yum!
Disclosure: This post contains a referral link to Tropical Traditions. First-time customers may purchase through that link and receive a free book on virgin coconut oil, and our family is then blessed with a coupon, at no extra cost to you. Thank you very much!
From a nutritional perspective, these could be a great breakfast for someone who is grain-free, celiac, or just sensitive to gluten. The pancakes themselves have no added sugar since the bananas are so sweet on their own. They are also very filling with their generous amount of eggs and stick-to-your-ribs coconut flour. Topped with ample butter and a bit of raw honey or maple syrup, you’ve got yourself a nice breakfast that didn’t take any advance prep time. Woo-hoo!
Some notes about coconut flour:
- It’s like a sponge, which is why you use so little of it.
- You can not use an equal amount of wheat flour as a substitution. The two flours are very much not interchangeable. I made some cookies once that clarified that point for me!
- Coconut flour seems really expensive, but since you use so little of it in recipes, it really isn’t as pricey as it appears at first.
- I buy mine from Tropical Traditions (referral link) in case you’d like to try some yourself.
Grain-Free, Sugar-Free Banana Pancakes
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups fork-smashed, ripe bananas (about 5 regular-sized fruits)
- 8 eggs, fork-beaten
- 1 t. vanilla
- 2 t. cinnamon
- 1/2 t. each salt and nutmeg
- 1 T. ground flax seeds
- 1 t. baking soda
- 1/4 cup finely chopped nuts
- 1/2 cup coconut flour
- oil for frying (coconut oil {referral link} would be great, but lard or other heat-stable oil would be fine, too)
Instructions
- Mix together bananas, eggs, and vanilla in a medium mixing bowl until fully combined.
- Mix salt, spices, flax, baking soda, nuts, and coconut flour in a smaller bowl until fully combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until mixed well. You can set it aside for 10 minutes or so if it seems runny to allow the coconut flour to soak in the liquid, but this isn’t necessary.
- Heat a skillet or griddle over medium-low heat. Fry about 1/3 cup of batter on the hot surface with enough oil to prevent sticking. I found it helpful to use a spatula to help spread the batter out thinly.
- Allow the pancakes to gently cook and set on the first side for a few minutes until the top is no longer glossy, then gently flip over and cook the other side for a minute or two more. Repeat with the remaining batter.
- Top with lots of yummy butter or more coconut oil, and a little drizzle of maple syrup or raw honey!
These do take a little extra care on the first flip since they are a little softer than typical pancakes. I found that a slightly lower flame, more thinly spread batter, and a gentle touch helped keep them whole.
Even for me, one who does’t really care for banana bread or other foods with a taste of banana, these were quite good! My children and hubby were very happy with them, too, and I like knowing that I can turn to this recipe the next time our bananas start to turn!
Have you used coconut flour before? Do you have a favorite use for very ripe bananas?