There is something cozy about buttery banana bread, and these sourdough banana pancakes have all the flavor and warmth of a perfect loaf. Finish the fluffy pancakes with warm maple syrup and banana slices for a comforting breakfast.
Make banana carrot muffins or sourdough discard brownies for even more sourdough flavor.
Ingredients You’ll Need
The sourdough banana pancake recipe is a great way to use a sourdough starter, active or unfed, that you may have to throw away otherwise. Here’s what you need to get started.
- Milk: You can use any milk, like dairy, oat, soy, or coconut milk. I prefer almond milk for this recipe because it complements the banana flavor and makes the sourdough banana pancakes taste even more like banana bread.
- Sourdough Discard: Sourdough starter gives the pancakes a delicious tang. I use fed, room-temperature sourdough discard to make this recipe because the yeast in the starter gives the pancakes more of a rise.
- Greek Yogurt: Include full-fat yogurt in the batter for additional moisture.
- Bananas: The riper the bananas, the sweeter the pancakes will be. Mash the bananas before adding them to the wet ingredients. If you don’t have overripe bananas but want to make the recipe, I’ve got your back. Preheat the oven to 250°F (121°C). Place the bananas (peel and all) on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 30-40 minutes until they darken. Let the bananas cool first before including them.
- Egg: Use eggs to bind the ingredients.
- Butter: Using melted butter results in a more delicate crumb. You can replace it with olive oil or vegetable oil.
- Sweetener: Use vanilla extract and maple syrup to sweeten the batter.
- Flour: All-purpose flour is a staple in most pantries. You can also use whole wheat flour or gluten-free flour to meet your dietary needs, though I haven’t tested the pancake recipe with those variations.
Additions and Substitutions
- Try a different dairy. Replace the Greek yogurt with non-dairy yogurt, sour cream, or cottage cheese like I use to make cottage cheese banana bread.
- Add a flavorful twist. Get creative with mix-ins like chopped walnuts, chocolate chips, unsweetened coconut flakes, fresh blueberries, dried cranberries, raisins, chopped pecans, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds.
- Use unfed sourdough discard. The pancakes will taste delicious, but they might not be as fluffy. If you keep extra discard stored away for recipes (I collect mine in a separate jar in my fridge), remove the discard 30 minutes before you’re ready to prepare the pancakes.
Tools Used to Make this Recipe
Prepare the pancakes on a cast iron skillet or hot griddle to ensure even cooking. You can use a non-stick skillet, but you may end up with dark on the outside and undercooked on the inside pancakes.
How to Make Sourdough Banana Pancakes
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Add the milk, Greek yogurt, and active sourdough starter to a small bowl and whisk to combine. Set it aside.
Step 2: Combine the mashed banana, egg, melted butter, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and ground cinnamon in a large mixing bowl.
Step 3: Add flour to the wet ingredients and stir with a spatula until just combined, careful not to over-mix.
Step 4: Warm a skillet over medium-low heat. Once the surface is warm, use a ¼ measuring cup to pour the pancake batter onto the pan. Cook the pancake for 1-2 minutes.
Step 5: When bubbles start to form on the top, flip the pancake and cook for another 1-2 minutes until golden brown. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
Expert Tips
- Use room temperature ingredients for the best results, especially the eggs.
- The riper the banana, the sweeter your banana sourdough pancakes will be. Mash the bananas with a fork before including them in the batter.
- Avoid over-mixing the batter so you don’t end up with dense sourdough pancakes.
- Adjust the heat to ensure the middle of the pancake cooks without burning the outside.
If you enjoy the sourdough pancakes, try one of these breakfast recipes!
Serving Suggestions
Serve the fluffy sourdough banana pancakes piping hot with a small pat of butter, maple syrup, banana slices, and your favorite toppings.
- Maple Syrup, Honey, Fig Jam, Whipped Ricotta Dip
- Bananas, Strawberries, Blueberries, Raspberries
- Chocolate Chips, Cocoa Nibs
- Seed Butter, Nutella, Nut Butter
- Shaved Almonds, Coconut Flakes
What to do with the Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Should you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
- Freeze: Let the pancakes cool and transfer them to a freezer-safe container or bag. The sourdough pancakes with bananas will freeze for 3-4 months.
- Thaw: Remove the pancakes from the freezer and reheat them from frozen.
- Reheat: If the pancakes are frozen, pry them apart (or separate them with parchment paper when you freeze them) and warm the pancakes in the microwave for a quick breakfast. You can also reheat them in the oven at 350°F (176°C) for about 5 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use frozen bananas?
If you are like me, you have bags of frozen bananas in your freezer that your kids (or you) swore they wanted at the grocery store. Let the bananas thaw, then mash them with a fork and pour off any excess liquid before including them in the batter.
More Pancake Recipes:
Sourdough Banana Pancakes
- Small Bowl
- ¼ cup milk
- 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
- 1 cup active sourdough starter or sourdough discard
- 2 medium ripe bananas
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ cup all purpose flour
- Add the milk, Greek yogurt, and active sourdough starter to a small bowl and whisk to combine. Set it aside.
- Combine the mashed banana, egg, melted butter, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and ground cinnamon in a large mixing bowl.
- Add flour to the wet ingredients and stir with a spatula until just combined, careful not to over-mix.
- Warm a skillet over medium-low heat. Once the surface is warm, use a ¼ measuring cup to pour the pancake batter onto the pan. Cook the pancake for 1-2 minutes.
- When bubbles start to form on the top, flip the pancake and cook for another 1-2 minutes until golden brown. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
- For best results, use room temperature ingredients; this especially applies to the eggs.
- The riper the banana, the sweeter your banana sourdough pancakes will be. And make sure to mash the bananas well with a fork before including them in the batter.
- Avoid over-mixing the batter, as it can result in dense sourdough pancakes.
- Adjust the heat to ensure the middle of the pancake cooks without burning the outside.
- The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice.