Banana-Almond Flour Pancakes (Grain-Free, High-Protein)
Three ingredients at the core: banana, eggs, almond flour. That's the whole base. They're denser than traditional pancakes — closer to banana bread in griddle form — and two is genuinely enough for a full breakfast, which is saying something in a household where "enough" is a generous concept. We add vanilla, cinnamon, and a pinch of baking powder to round things out, and the result is a pancake that holds together, tastes like banana bread, and won't put you in a coma by 10 a.m. Kiana tops hers with fresh berries. Adam tops his with almond butter and a truly irresponsible amount of maple syrup.
- PRO
- VGT
- GF
- DF
- PF
- ≤30
Estimated macros per serving
Calories ~400 · Protein ~15g · Carbs ~23g · Fat ~26g
Ingredients
For the pancakes:
- 2 medium ripe bananas, peeled
- 3 large eggs
- 1½ cups blanched almond flour
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- Pinch of fine sea salt
- Coconut oil, for the pan (or ghee — by this book's rules ghee breaks the dairy-free tag, so use coconut oil to keep it DF)
For serving:
- Fresh berries (blueberries, sliced strawberries, or raspberries)
- Pure maple syrup
- Almond butter (optional)
Method
- In a medium bowl, mash the bananas thoroughly with a fork until mostly smooth; a few small lumps are fine and actually add nice texture to the finished pancake.
- Add the eggs and whisk vigorously until the mixture is well combined and slightly frothy. Stir in the almond flour, vanilla, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Mix until just combined: the batter should be thick but pourable — a little looser than a classic diner batter, with real body. If it runs like heavy cream, whisk in more almond flour a tablespoon at a time; if it's stiff enough to hold a peak, loosen it with a splash of water.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium-low heat. Add a thin layer of coconut oil or ghee.
- Pour about 3 tablespoons of batter per pancake onto the skillet. They'll spread a little as they settle, so leave 2 inches between them. Cook for 3 minutes without disturbing. Do not attempt to flip before 3 full minutes; these pancakes will not hold together if underdone. Look for edges that are fully matte and set (not shiny or wet-looking), and confirm the underside releases cleanly from the pan without sticking before you flip. Note: almond flour pancakes don't bubble the same way wheat-flour pancakes do — rely on edge color and the release test, not bubbles alone.
- Flip carefully with a thin spatula: these are more delicate than flour pancakes, so confidence and a swift wrist help. Cook for another 1–2 minutes, until golden on the second side.
- Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining batter, adding more oil to the pan as needed. Serve stacked with fresh berries, a drizzle of maple syrup, and almond butter if you're feeling it.
Variations & Notes
- Vegan Swap: Replace the 3 eggs with 3 "flax eggs" (3 tablespoons ground flaxseed mixed with 9 tablespoons water, rested 5 minutes). The pancakes will be more fragile: keep them small and be gentle when flipping.
- Extra Hungry: Make a double batch and eat four. Or serve alongside 2–3 turkey sausage links or a couple of eggs over easy.
- Add-ins: Fold ¼ cup of dark chocolate chips or chopped walnuts into the batter after mixing. Blueberries pressed into the top of each pancake before flipping are also excellent, and the blueberry compote from the Grain-Free Waffles → see recipe makes a great stand-in for syrup.
- Storage: Leftover pancakes keep in the fridge for 2 days and reheat in a toaster. They also freeze well: separate with parchment paper and store in a freezer bag for up to a month.