Spiced Banana Citrus Pancakes

A new recipe today: Spiced Banana Citrus Pancakes?! This pancake recipe screams “Fall is here!” and they are a delicious way to welcome in the cooler temperatures.

If anyone asked me to name my favorite breakfast food, I would have a hard time deciding between pancakes or waffles. Both are just so fluffy and delicious (yes, I said fluffy!), that it’s hard to decide! But I promised a friend that I would feature a banana pancake recipe on the blog, so today, pancakes win out (but don’t worry waffle-lovers, I’ll make a waffle recipe soon!).

Pancakes or waffles…

Technically, I learned about pancakes long before I ever knew what a waffle was. That’s because my first introduction to “pancakes” were the banana fritters I used to make with my mom as a child in Jamaica. Our “pancakes” were a simple mix of mashed bananas and flour that we would form into long oval fritters and pan fry. Banana fritters are not as dense as pancakes (and we don’t add maple syrup) but even as I child, I knew Jamaicans were onto something with the banana and flour combination.

When I came to the U.S., I was introduced to the American version of pancakes through my friends in the states. It was love at first sight. Far from being limited to bananas, I discovered that the pancake possibilities are endless! There are blueberry pancakes, cornmeal pancakes, or more savory varieties like lemon ricotta pancakes. And don’t get me started on the maple syrup, which in my mind just elevates pancakes to a whole new level.

Because of my upbringing, banana pancakes will always have a special place in my heart. But today’s pancake recipe elevates the traditional banana pancake by adding some fall flavors, namely cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla extract, and all spice. All of these flavors remind me of fall and pair really well with bananas. I also added some citrus because hey, its not fall just yet!

These flavors are mixed together with whole wheat flour, oat flour, and coconut oil to form a pancake batter that wont make you feel too bad eating 4, or 5, or 6 pancakes at a time. I promise I won’t judge!

The recipe…

Trust me, these pancakes are so good, you will not be able to stop eating them! I cannot even adequately describe how good they are. First off, they SMELL great! It’s like you baked a spiced banana bread, without the 45 minute wait time. Beyond just smelling good, these pancakes also taste A-MA-ZING! No kidding. They taste like fall! And they have a little extra zing from the citrus that is unexpected, but oh so good!! And did I forget to mention that I topped these pancakes with a citrus-banana compote?! Though it sounds fancy, the compote is just sliced oranges and bananas cooked together with maple syrup, brown sugar, and some vanilla extract. It is very easy to make, but it takes this pancake recipe over the top.

OK, I’m done talking about these pancakes. Instead of wasting any more time reading about how good they are, you MUST go ahead and make this recipe ASAP!

Share this recipe…

If you make this recipe, be sure to let me know by rating it and leaving a comment below. I would love to hear from you. And don’t forget to tag #sweetandsorrel on Instagram!

Ingredients

Pancake Batter

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup oat flour
• 2 eggs*
• 1 cup almond milk
• 1 medium ripe banana
• 1/2 cup fresh squeeze orange juice
• zest of one medium orange
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp all spice
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp salt

Banana Citrus Compote

• 1/2 medium banana
• pulp of 1/2 a medium orange
• 2 tbsps maple syrup
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, oat flour, orange zest, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, all spice, nutmeg, and salt.
2. In a separate bowl, mash bananas and add eggs (or flax eggs), milk, orange juice, coconut oil, and vanilla extract. Next, mix wet and dry ingredients together until batter is just combined. Do not over mix. Cover batter and let rest in the fridge for 10-15 minutes.
3.  While the batter rests, prepare the banana citrus compote. Combine all the ingredients for the compote together in a small saute pan over medium-low heat. Let the mixture come to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Heat a griddle or non-stick skillet over medium heat and add butter, oil, or cooking spray. Using an ice-cream scoop or a 1/3 measuring cup, pour batter unto griddle and use the back of the scoop/measuring cup to gently swirl the batter into a circle. Cook until sides start to brown, approximately 2 minutes, then flip and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Repeat with the rest of the batter. [Tip: transfer pancakes to a 170 degree oven until you finish making all the pancakes so that they stay warm].
5. To assemble, stack pancakes and top with banana citrus compote. Drizzle with copious amounts of maple syrup, and enjoy!

makes 8-10 pancakes.

* You can substitute a real egg with a flax egg by mixing 2 1/2 tbsp of water with 1 tbsp flaxseed meal. Double for 2 eggs.