Banana Waffles
This easy recipe for Banana Waffles bursts with real banana flavor. This homemade waffle recipe creates a crisp, golden exterior with fluffy centers in under 30 minutes. Makes 10 waffles.
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The Year of the Waffle continues today… with BANANAS.
As discussed in my Banana Muffins post, I’m allergic to bananas.
My husband and our kids took the lead on this banana waffle recipe, which we really wanted to bring to life because, well, they love ‘em and the world deserves them.
Also, they feel strongly about a banana waffle actually having banana in the batter.
More on this in a bit..
Why we love this recipe:
These Banana Waffles are an easy breakfast that are utterly delicious and relatively easy to make. They are a fun twist on a classic waffle recipe that the whole family will love.
They start out with our classic buttermilk waffle base. Not only does buttermilk add an awesome gentle tanginess to waffles, but it is acidic. So when you combine that with baking soda, it gives the batter a little extra lift and fluff. (Hello, kitchen chemistry!)
Then we add mashed banana. Because, well, if you’re going to have a banana waffle, there should be banana in the waffle itself, as well as on top, right? This is what gives these waffles their banana flavor, and they really sing with the natural sweetness of bananas.
The texture of these waffles is perfect because the exterior is crispy and the interior is tender, moist and fluffy. And you also get hints of the vanilla in the batter paired with the sweet banana.
Much like all my other waffle recipes, we use pantry ingredients as the base for this, plus a few refrigerated ones.
While you might need to make a special trip to the store for buttermilk, you will not need to whip egg whites to provide extra fluff to these waffles. The buttermilk does that heavy lifting for us.
My girls love mixing and making waffles in our kitchen, so I highly encourage involving the kids in your life in the making of this recipe. It’s also really fun to smash up those bananas with the wet ingredients, which is another fun tasks for kids.
Other waffle recipes you might enjoy: The Best Waffles | Blueberry Waffles | Chocolate Chip Waffles | Red Velvet Waffles | Chocolate Waffles | Strawberry Waffles | Peanut Butter Waffles
What you need to make this recipe:
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- Large bowl
- Small mixing bowl or liquid measuring cup
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula
- ½ cup measuring cup
- Waffle iron or waffle maker
- Silicone pastry brush or nonstick cooking spray
Let’s talk ingredients!
In addition to the tools above, you’re going to need some ingredients to make this recipe, too! Chances are, you might already have some of them in your fridge or pantry. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full measurements and instructions.
In addition to these tools, you’ll need a few ingredients from the grocery store or your pantry:
- All-purpose flour — we always have unbleached AP flour at our house, but the regular kind works, too! I have not tried these with a whole wheat flour or a whole wheat pastry flour, so I cannot recommend that swap.
- Granulated sugar — also known as white sugar, this adds sweetness to the waffle batter.
- Leaveners — we’re using a combination of baking powder and baking soda. Make sure yours are fresh.
- Kosher salt — medium grain kosher salt is my go-to. Diamond Crystal is my favorite brand. You may use a similarly sized sea salt. Keep in mind that table salt is saltier than kosher.
- Buttermilk — this makes an impact on the texture of these waffles. If you don’t have buttermilk at your house, you can make a buttermilk substitute easily with whole milk and white vinegar or lemon juice. Use almond milk or another dairy free milk to make a vegan buttermilk substitute.
- Bananas — you’re going to need three medium bananas for this recipe. Make sure they’re super ripe! You could also use overripe bananas for this recipe.
- Eggs — large eggs or extra large eggs are what I use in all baking recipes. Let them sit on the counter for 20-30 minutes to come to room temperature because they’ll mix better.
- Flavorless oil or melted butter — avocado oil, vegetable oil or canola oil are perfect. If you’re using melted butter, make sure you give it a little time to cool so it won’t scramble the eggs!
- Vanilla extract — the real deal pure vanilla extract is where it’s at. This adds amazing flavor.
You could also add a pinch of spices to these to make them taste a little more like banana bread. Think about adding cinnamon and nutmeg for that awesome warming spice combination.
How to make homemade Banana Waffles
First, let’s make the batter for our homemade waffles.
Measure the dry ingredients into a bowl. This is the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk them together until combined and set aside.
Mash the bananas. Do this before mixing the wet ingredients. These are an integral part of this recipe.
Pour the buttermilk into a liquid measuring cup or a smaller mixing bowl. Add the mashed bananas, eggs, oil and vanilla. Whisk them or stir them with a fork until everything is combined.
DID YOU KNOW?
We mix this vigorously because if you don’t give them a good mix, there will be ribbons of egg white in the cooked waffles. It’s not a pleasant look or texture, so please learn from my mistakes.
Once the wet ingredients are well combined, pour them directly into the dry ingredients.
Use a rubber spatula to gently stir them together until just combined.
If you overmix the batter, the waffles will become tougher, so just stir until the flour is incorporated. It’s OK if this homemade batter has lumps.
Set the homemade waffle batter aside, and let it rest for 5-10 minutes. It can rest up to 30 minutes. You’ll notice that the batter almost immediately starts expanding, thanks to the chemical reaction between the buttermilk and the baking soda.
While the batter rests, preheat the waffle iron and give it a spritz of nonstick cooking spray or brush it with melted butter.
This is especially important because the ripe bananas in this batter makes them more sticky.
Use a cookie scoop or a measuring cup to pour batter onto the hot iron.
We use a ½ cup scooper for these waffles.
Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until your waffle iron alerts you that the waffle is done. Open the waffle iron and remove when golden brown and delicious.
Serve your waffle with your favorite waffle toppings. We went with sliced banana, a little whipped cream and warm maple syrup.
How to store and freeze
Leftovers store and freeze well! Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat in the oven or a toaster oven on a lower heat until crispy.
To freeze, line a sheet pan with wax paper or parchment paper. Lay out the leftover waffles in a single layer. Transfer to the freezer, and freeze until frozen. Transfer to a plastic freezer bag and keep frozen for up to 3 months.
To reheat, defrost in the refrigerator OR defrost for 30 seconds in the microwave, then toast until crispy.
Erin’s Easy Entertaining Tips
Banana Waffles are great for sharing, and I can imagine these would be fawned over during an at-home breakfast or brunch.
Making waffles for a crowd requires a little patience, planning and working ahead. Because if you’re like me, you’re not going to want to make each waffle individually for your guests. You might also consider borrowing a waffle iron or two from a friend to make this a quicker endeavor.
Here are a few tips and tricks to transforming these waffles into a brunch centerpiece:
- Depending on the amount of people you’re serving, you can double this recipe.
- Make the waffles before guests arrive, and keep them warm in the oven. We put ours on baking sheets* (affiliate link) and keep them warm in a 200°F oven. You could also reheat them in a toaster oven for an extra crispy exterior.
- Make a waffle bar! Offer your favorite toppings. I highly recommend trying these waffles with real maple syrup, sweetened whipped cream, sliced bananas, strawberry syrup, fresh berries, hot fudge sauce or chocolate chips, peanut butter and more. Let guests dress their waffles to their hearts’ content.
Frequently Asked Questions
In my opinion, to secret to fluffy waffles is using the combination of buttermilk and baking soda. I also believe that mixing the wet and dry ingredients separately so you don’t overmix the batter is important. Also, making sure your leaveners are fresh so that the waffles puff up!
To get a crispy exterior on your waffles, your waffle iron needs to be warmed up, as well as have a little fat on it. We brush ours with butter, but you can also spritz it with nonstick cooking spray.
Quick Tips and Tricks for the Best Waffles
- Don’t overmix your batter! Just mix the batter until it has just come together. Lumps are OK. If you mix until it’s smooth, the waffles won’t be as fluffy.
- Use a cookie scoop or measuring cup to ensure all your waffles are similarly sized.
- Leftover waffles? Freeze ’em! Line a baking sheet with wax paper, place the completely cooled waffles on the paper in a single layer and pop them in the freezer for 4-6 hours. When the waffles are fully frozen, transfer to a freezer baggie. Reheat in the toaster oven, toaster or the oven until warmed through.
Want to make this banana waffle recipe? Check it out…
Banana Waffles
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour 270g
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 32g
- 1 tablespoon baking powder 14g
- 1 teaspoon baking soda 8g
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt 2g
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1 ¼ cups mashed banana from 3 bananas, about 290g
- 2 large eggs ~100g
- ¼ cup flavorless oil avocado, vegetable, canola all OK (60g)
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract 9g
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Instructions
- Mash the bananas with a fork or a muddler in a separate bowl. Set them aside.
- Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Whisk to combine. Set aside.
- Pour the buttermilk, mashed bananas, eggs, oil and vanilla extract into a liquid measuring cup. Whisk thoroughly until combined. (The eggs need to be completely incorporated.)
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
- Stir until just combined. The batter does not need to be completely smooth, so do not mix it until it is smooth or it will be overmixed.
- Pour ½ cup of the waffle batter into a greased, hot waffle iron. (This will be dependent on the size of your waffle maker, so you might need more or less, and depending on this, you will have more or less waffles.)
- Close the waffle iron, and cook until crispy and cooked through, about 3-4 minutes per waffle. This cook time is dependent on your waffle iron.
- Repeat until all the waffles have been made and enjoy with your favorite toppings.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
About the Author:
Erin Parker is a Southern gal living in Texas with her husband and two daughters. She started The Speckled Palate to share what she was cooking as a newlywed… and over the years, it’s evolved to capture her love for hosting. Specifically, the EASIEST, lowest key entertaining because everyone deserves to see their people and connect over good food. Learn more about her…
These were delicious, and didn’t stick with a little bit of oil.
We blended the bananas with the wet ingredients and added to the dry.
Try a peanut butter topping: 1/3 c smooth peanut butter, 2T of powdered sugar, microwaved for 30 secs, adding a little milk (1-2T, as needed) to thin to a spreadable consistency. Delicious, adds a little protein! Or, maybe Nutella next time….
So happy to hear these turned out for you, Ingrid. Thanks for taking the time to leave a review!
Also, your peanut butter topping sounds absolutely delicious. We’ll have to try that next time we make these. 🙂