Mixed Berry and Banana Pancakes

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Ripe banana mashed straight into the batter makes these diner-style pancakes tender, fragrant and sweet enough to need very little syrup. The berries never touch the batter bowl — you scatter them onto each pancake once it's already setting in the pan, so they stay whole and jammy instead of bleeding purple streaks and scorching on the griddle. It's the small trick that separates a clean stack from a soggy one.

Ingredients

• 2 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tbsp granulated sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp fine salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 very ripe bananas (heavily speckled)
• 1 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 2 large eggs
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 1 cup fresh raspberries or blackberries, halved if large
• 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar (for the berry topping)
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tbsp neutral oil or clarified butter, for the pan
• maple syrup, for serving
• powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)

Instructions

1. Toss half of each berry (about 1/2 cup blueberries, 1/2 cup raspberries, 1/2 cup sliced strawberries) in a bowl with 1 tablespoon sugar and the lemon juice. Set aside at room temperature to macerate while you cook — this becomes the spooned topping. Keep the other half of the berries dry and separate in a second bowl; these are the ones that go into the pan.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
3. In a second bowl, mash the bananas with a fork until mostly smooth with a few small lumps — you want about 3/4 cup of purée. Whisk in the buttermilk, eggs, melted butter and vanilla until evenly combined.
4. Pour the wet mixture into the dry and fold with a spatula just until no dry flour remains; the batter should be thick and lumpy. Do not beat it smooth. Let it rest 10 minutes at room temperature so the flour hydrates and the baking powder activates.
5. Heat a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat until a drop of water sizzles and skates, about 3 minutes. Brush lightly with oil and wipe off the excess with a paper towel — a nearly dry pan gives even browning.
6. Ladle scant 1/3-cup portions of batter into the pan, spacing them 1 inch apart. Cook undisturbed for 60 to 90 seconds, until the edges look matte and bubbles begin to break the surface.
7. Now scatter the dry berries over the top of each pancake — about 8 to 10 blueberries plus a few raspberry or strawberry pieces per pancake — pressing them in very gently with a fingertip so they sit half-submerged. Because they never mix into the batter, they won't stain it grey or sink and stick to the pan.
8. Cook another 30 to 60 seconds, until the underside is deep golden and the surface is set around the berries, then flip. Cook 1 1/2 to 2 minutes more, adjusting to medium-low if they are browning faster than that. The berry side will caramelize lightly but should not burst and leak.
9. Transfer finished pancakes to a wire rack set on a baking sheet in a 200°F oven to hold — stacking them on a plate traps steam and softens the crust. Wipe the pan, re-oil lightly and repeat with remaining batter and dry berries; you should get about 12 pancakes.
10. Stack the pancakes berry-side up, spoon over the macerated berries and their syrup, dust with powdered sugar if you like, and serve with warm maple syrup.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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