3 Ingredient Banana Pancakes

It sounds too good to be true, but these 3 ingredient banana pancakes are fluffy, delicious, and ready in 10 minutes. Perfect for busy mornings or snacks!

Now I didn’t invent this concept, but it’s a trick that’s worth knowing and perfect use for a lone banana ripening on the counter: 3 ingredient banana pancakes! I’ll admit, like most internet “hacks” it sounds too good to be true. But take it from this real human who has made countless batches: it makes pancakes that are sweet and fluffy!

I’ve even whipped them up in a pinch with my toddler on my hip and let me tell you: these really work. Slather them with nut butter and they’re perfect for a quick breakfast or tasty afternoon snack! It goes with saying they’re great for kids too (we’re amazed at the speed our two kiddos can demolish them).

Jump to the recipe—now.

Why to make 3 ingredient banana pancakes

Who invented 3 ingredient banana pancakes? This trick has been making its rounds on the internet since 2017, when model Karlie Kloss shared this recipe on her YouTube channel with bananas, eggs, and oats. Like any good trend, it’s been made and remade thousands of times with different ingredients.

This version of 3 ingredient banana pancakes uses a ripe banana, eggs, and all purpose or whole wheat flour. We tried these years ago, but they had an odd texture and didn’t come out right. So we’ve finally perfected the correct ingredients and ratios! Like the original pancakes you can also use oats in banana pancakes, but for the best pancake texture we prefer blending the oats like in these Banana Oatmeal Pancakes.

These pancakes are nutrient-dense, made mostly bananas and eggs with a small amount of flour. They come together in 10 minutes and they fry up into a fluffy, satisfying texture that feels like more than the handful of ingredients!

These have become a lifesaver in our household: we make them for our two kiddos on the regular and they gobble them up. They’re great warm or saved as leftovers: you can eat them cold, room temp, or reheat them.

A few notes for cooking them

These 3 ingredient banana pancakes come together very quickly with just one bowl, a fork, and a griddle! I’ve made them holding my toddler when she wanted a snack, and they were easy enough to do with one hand (though I wouldn’t recommend that on the regular!). Here are a few tips for cooking the pancakes:

Use a very ripe banana. A ripe banana is what brings that signature fruity perfume to this recipe. It also makes the best texture. Don’t attempt this recipe with a banana that is underripe or just ripe.
Add a pinch of salt to bring out the flavors. This is not required, but it does bring out the flavors nicely. We typically don’t include salt in an ingredient count, since most cooks have have it on hand!
Use butter or coconut oil for cooking. Again it’s not technically in the ingredient list, but you’ll need a cooking oil for frying up the pancakes.
Check for browning. These pancakes have a slightly different texture from your typical pancake, and they brown slightly differently. To check for doneness, simply slide a spatula under the bottom and check for browning. Flip once they are golden brown; be careful not to overcook!

Substitutions for 3 ingredient banana pancakes

These 3 ingredient banana pancakes work best with all purpose flour or whole wheat flour. You can also make them gluten-free: we’d suggest using gluten-free one for one flour. Oat flour could also work well here.

Avoid substituting almond flour, since it makes such a delicate texture for pancakes. Try these Almond Flour Pancakes if you’re looking for a pancake recipe formulated for almond flour.

Ways to serve them

Make these pancakes for breakfast for quick morning meals, or we love them as a snacks topped with peanut butter or almond butter. They are perfect for kids or adults, and taste great at any temperature.

If you want to step them up, you can add any sort of pancake topping! Here are a few ideas:

Maple syrup and banana slices
Strawberry puree or strawberry compote
Blueberry syrup or blueberry sauce
Fresh blueberries, raspberries or blackberries
Nut butter like almond butter, peanut butter, pistachio butter or cashew butter

Leftover and storage info

Leftover banana pancakes last up to 3 days refrigerated and taste good cold, at room temperature, or gently reheated on the stovetop in a dry skillet.

3 ingredient banana pancakes with bananas silverware and napkins

A few more ripe banana recipes we love

When you’ve got ripe bananas, try one of these fun ideas for how to use them:

Make Banana Waffles with one banana, or Banana French Toast where banana stands in for egg
Go for fan favorite Banana Oatmeal Pancakes, Healthy Banana Muffins, or a Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie
Mix up other banana breakfasts
Bake up Our Best Banana Bread Recipe

Banana Waffles

Banana Oatmeal Pancakes

Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

11 Banana Breakfast Recipes

Dietary notes

These 3 ingredient banana pancakes are vegetarian and dairy-free. For vegan, go to Vegan Banana Pancakes. For gluten-free, go to Banana Oatmeal Pancakes.