Chocolate Chip Banana Pancakes with Caramelized Bananas

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A stack of tender buttermilk pancakes shot through with melting chocolate chips and coins of banana that caramelize right in the pan, so every bite has that browned-butter, griddle-sweet edge you only get at a good breakfast counter. The batter comes together in one bowl in about ten minutes, and a spoonful of brown sugar in the pan does all the caramelizing work for you.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tbsp granulated sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1 3/4 cups buttermilk, well shaken
• 2 large eggs
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

• 3 ripe but firm bananas
• 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 3 tbsp light brown sugar
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, for the pan
• pinch of flaky sea salt

• warm maple syrup
• softened butter
• powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 200°F and set a wire rack on a sheet pan inside; this is where finished pancakes wait so the stack stays hot and the chocolate stays melty.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined and no lumps of baking soda remain.
3. In a second bowl, whisk the buttermilk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla until smooth. Pour the wet mixture into the dry and stir with a spatula just until no dry flour patches remain — about 12 to 15 strokes. The batter should look thick and lumpy. Let it rest 10 minutes while you prep the bananas; this hydrates the flour and gives you a taller pancake.
4. Peel 2 of the bananas and slice them into 1/4-inch coins. Peel the third banana, slice it into coins as well, and keep it separate — this one goes into the pan to caramelize. Stir the chocolate chips into the rested batter, then fold in the coins from the first 2 bananas with 3 or 4 gentle strokes so they stay whole.
5. Heat a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until a drop of water sizzles and skates. Add 1 teaspoon of the pan butter and swirl to coat.
6. Sprinkle a scant teaspoon of brown sugar into the buttered pan for each pancake you're about to cook, then lay 4 or 5 reserved banana coins directly onto the sugar. Cook undisturbed for 60 to 90 seconds, until the sugar melts and the banana undersides turn deep golden.
7. Immediately pour a scant 1/3 cup of batter over each cluster of caramelized bananas, spreading it gently to a 4-inch round. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, until the edges look dry and matte and bubbles break through the surface.
8. Slide a thin spatula fully under each pancake and flip once. Cook 1 1/2 to 2 minutes more, until the caramelized banana side is glossy and dark golden and the center springs back when pressed. Transfer to the rack in the oven, caramelized side up.
9. Wipe the pan with a paper towel between batches to remove burnt sugar, then add fresh butter and brown sugar and repeat with the remaining batter. You should get about 12 pancakes. Adjust the heat down slightly if the sugar is scorching before the batter sets.
10. Stack the pancakes caramelized-banana side up, finish with a pinch of flaky salt, a pat of butter, a dusting of powdered sugar if you like, and plenty of warm maple syrup. Serve right away.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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