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 the ultimate comfort breakfast. Try sourdough banana muffins or banana carrot muffins for even more banana flavor.
Why Use Sourdough Starter in Pancakes?
- The addition of sourdough starter provides a delicious tang.
- The sourdough banana pancake recipe is a great way to use a sourdough starter, active or unfed, that you might have to throw away otherwise.
What You Need to Make this Recipe
- Milk: You can use any milk, like dairy, oat, soy, or coconut milk. I prefer almond milk for this recipe because the nuttiness complements the banana flavor and makes the sourdough banana pancakes taste even more like banana bread.
- Active Sourdough Discard: 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: For added moisture, include full-fat yogurt in the batter.
- Bananas: The riper the bananas, the sweeter the pancakes will be, without additional sugar or sweetener. Mash them 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 using them.
- Egg: Eggs provide structure and bind the ingredients together.
- Butter: Using a little melted butter results in a more delicate crumb. You can substitute 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 this recipe with those variations.
Additions and Substitutions
- Replace the Greek yogurt with non-dairy yogurt or sour cream.
- Mix-Ins: Add-ins like chocolate chips, chopped walnuts, or pecans can make the pancakes even more delicious.
- Sourdough Starter Discard: If you use unfed leftover sourdough discard rather than an active starter – go for it! The pancakes will taste delicious, but they might not be as fluffy. If you keep your aged discard (I collect my discard in a separate jar in my fridge, adding to it when I feed my starter) in the refrigerator as I do, remove the jar 30 minutes before you’re ready to prepare the pancakes to let the mixture to come to room temperature.
Tools Used to Make this Recipe
Use 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. The only way I can avoid this using a non-stick skillet is to maintain a low temperature.
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
- 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.
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Serving Suggestions
Serve the fluffy sourdough banana pancakes piping hot with a small pat of butter, maple syrup, banana slices, and your favorite toppings.
- Pure Maple Syrup, Honey, Fig Jam
- 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. Then, transfer them to a freezer-safe container or bag. The sourdough pancakes with bananas will freeze for three months, but I doubt you can wait that long.
- Thaw – When you’re ready to eat, 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 fridge that your kids (or you) swore they wanted at the grocery store. Let the bananas thaw full, then mash them with a fork and pour off any excess liquid.
More Pancake Recipes:
Sourdough Banana Pancakes
- Small Bowl
- Whisk
- ¼ cup milk
- 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
- 1 cup active sourdough starter
- 2 ripe bananas, mashed in a bowl
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons melted butter, plus more for serving
- 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.