BANANA PECAN PANCAKES with BUTTER SYRUP + TIPS FOR FLUFFY PANCAKES

Banana Pecan Pancakes.Butter with a Side of Bread

My clan can devour a batch of fresh pancakes in about 20 minutes flat. Yep, even my baby holds her own during the breakfast hour. Poor little thing is learning to eat faster, for fear there will be nothing left. Isn't that always how it is in larger families?! {especially ones with boys!}

This is one of my all-time favorite pancake recipes. I got it straight from Betty Crocker herself, being as, you know, Betty and I are on a first-name basis. OK, not really, but it came from my favorite Betty Crocker cookbook, which I can't even find on Amazon so it must mean I have the last copy on earth. I made some changes, because I can't leave a recipe alone and the end result? Delicious.

Banana Pecan Pancakes with Butter Syrup
adapted from the Betty Crocker cookbook

2 large eggs
2 cups flour {I use whole wheat}
2 cups buttermilk {or 2 cups milk + 2 TBSP lemon juice}
2 cups mashed ripe bananas {about 3-4}
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 TBSP baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup chopped pecans

Put your griddle on the stove on medium heat.

While the griddle is warming up, beat eggs in a medium sized bowl. Add remaining ingredients, except pecans. Use a whisk to get large lumps out of the pancake batter- but also know it doesn't have to be completely smooth. Add in pecans and fold into batter using a rubber scraper.

Allow griddle to heat up for an additional 2-3 minutes while the batter rests. Letting the batter rest is important and it really improves the texture of the pancake. {See my photo below where the batter has air bubbles popping on the surface? This is a good thing!}

If you'd like to take an extra step to get fluffy pancakes, separate the egg yolks from the whites. Beat the yolks, then add in remaining ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until frothy. Then fold them into the batter along with the pecans. Again, all in the quest for that light, fluffy pancake.

Spray the griddle with cooking spray or brush with melted butter. Ladle out about 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake. Flip pancakes after they puff up, have air bubbles all over and look slightly dry around the edges. Whatever you do, don't squash your pancakes while they're cooking. This is a sure-fire way that your pancakes end up as flat as a... pancake. {Please tell me you all saw that coming...}

Once the pancakes are done, transfer to a cookie sheet in a warm oven until you're ready to serve.

Top with butter and fresh homemade Butter Syrup.