Nutella Banana Pancakes with Strawberries

Mini Banana Pancakes with Chocolate-Hazelnut Spread

Makes 14 to 16 small pancakes · Prep: 10 minutes · Cook: 20 minutes · Total: 30 minutes

Small banana pancakes layered with Nutella and served with fresh strawberries

Nothing says breakfast like Nutella-covered pancakes! I always use the ugliest banana on my counter. Remember, the browner and spottier the banana, the sweeter your pancakes will be.

Ingredients

For the banana pancakes

1 very ripe medium banana, about ½ cup mashed
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¾ cup whole milk, plus more if needed
1 large egg
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Butter or neutral oil, for the pan

For serving

⅓ to ½ cup Nutella or another chocolate-hazelnut spread
1 cup fresh strawberries
Sliced banana, optional

Instructions

1
Mash the banana
Mash the banana in a medium bowl until mostly smooth. A few tiny pieces are fine, but large chunks can leave wet pockets inside the pancakes.
2
Mix the dry ingredients
Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
3
Mix the wet ingredients
Add the milk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla to the mashed banana. Whisk until the egg is completely blended in.
4
Make the batter
Pour the banana mixture into the dry ingredients. Fold gently just until no dry flour remains. The batter should be thick and a little lumpy. Let it rest for 5 minutes. If it becomes too thick to drop from a spoon, stir in another tablespoon of milk.
5
Heat the pan
Set a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium-low heat. Add a thin film of butter or neutral oil. Banana browns quickly, so resist the urge to turn up the heat. A smoking-hot pan will give you dark pancakes with gummy centers.
6
Cook the pancakes
Spoon about 2 tablespoons of batter into the pan for each pancake. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the edges look set and bubbles begin to appear near the center. Flip once and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. The pancakes should spring back when lightly pressed. Wipe out any dark butter between batches and add a little more as needed.
7
Add the Nutella
If the Nutella is too stiff to spread, warm it in the microwave for about 10 seconds. Spread a little between the warm pancakes as you stack them, then spoon more over the top. Add the strawberries and serve immediately.

Shortcuts and substitutions

Pancake mix

Use 1 cup of your favorite pancake mix in place of the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the mashed banana, egg, vanilla, and enough milk to make a thick but spoonable batter.

No Nutella

Any chocolate-hazelnut spread works. Peanut butter is also good with banana, although it obviously gives you a very different pancake.

Dairy-free pancakes

Use oat milk or another unsweetened nondairy milk, and cook the pancakes in neutral oil. Check the label on your chocolate-hazelnut spread if you also need the topping to be dairy-free.

Frozen banana

Thaw it completely, pour away any excess liquid, and mash it before measuring. Frozen bananas are often wetter than fresh ones, so you may need slightly less milk.

No strawberries

Use raspberries, blueberries, or sliced banana. Strawberries are nice here because their tartness keeps the Nutella from taking over the entire plate.

Whole-wheat flour

Replace up to half of the all-purpose flour with whole-wheat flour. Add another tablespoon or two of milk if the batter becomes too stiff.

Recipe notes

Make the pancakes small

Banana batter is heavier and softer than plain pancake batter. Three-inch pancakes are much easier to flip without folding them in half or launching one onto the stove.

Spread the Nutella after cooking

Nutella burns quickly when it touches the pan. Putting it between the finished pancakes gives you warm, melted chocolate without leaving a scorched mess behind.

Keep a batch warm

Place the cooked pancakes on a wire rack set over a sheet pan in a 200°F oven. The rack keeps the bottoms from becoming damp while you finish the remaining batter.

Freeze the extras

Let the pancakes cool completely, then freeze them in a single layer. Transfer them to a freezer bag with parchment between the layers. Reheat them in a toaster or a 350°F oven, then add the Nutella afterward.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are my banana pancakes gummy inside?

The banana may have been unusually large, the pancakes may be too thick, or the pan may be too hot. Measure about ½ cup mashed banana, make small pancakes, and cook them over medium-low heat.

How ripe should the banana be for banana pancakes?

Use a yellow banana covered with brown spots. It should mash easily and smell distinctly sweet. A firm, barely ripe banana will not blend into the batter as well.

Can I put Nutella directly in pancake batter?

You can, but it tends to sink, scorch, and stick to the pan. Spreading it over the warm pancakes is easier and gives you more control over how much goes into each serving.

Can I make banana pancake batter ahead?

Mix the dry ingredients ahead, but wait to add the wet ingredients until shortly before cooking. Baking powder starts working once the batter is mixed, so an overnight batter will produce flatter pancakes.

Can I make Nutella banana pancakes with pancake mix?

Yes. Add mashed banana to prepared pancake mix, then reduce the liquid slightly to account for the moisture in the fruit. The batter should drop slowly from a spoon rather than pour like cream.

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