Banana Walnut Pancakes with Tart Cherry-Maple Syrup
12-14 pancakes and ½ cup syrup
This recipe is a wonderful comfort food and is relatively healthy, including many ingredients to help you recover from your run or workout. Greek yogurt and milk provide protein, calcium and Vitamin D; the antioxidants in tart cherries help with muscle soreness; whole grain flour replenishes carbs, protein and fiber; bananas have potassium to stop muscle cramping; walnuts have good fats, protein and omega-3’s; eggs are lean protein also with omega 3’s which are good for brain and heart health.
Directions:
Hardware: 2 large mixing bowls, measuring spoons, dry measuring cups, liquid measuring cups, ¼ cup measure for sizing the pancakes, whisk, fork (for mashing banana), rubber spatula, nonstick pan, pancake turner, warm oven (180ºF) if not serving immediately, small saucepan, paper towels, plate or baking dish to hold finished pancakes
Ingredients
2 cups King Arthur White whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 ¼ cups milk or plant-based milk
¾ cup smashed very ripe banana
½ cup roughly chopped walnuts
¼ cup pure maple syrup
2 eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 tablespoons vegetable or melted coconut oil
Nonstick canola spray for cooking (or butter if you prefer)
For the syrup:
½ cup tart cherry juice
¼ cup maple syrup
Method of Preparation
- Allow any chilled items (banana – if smashed from frozen, milk, yogurt, eggs) to sit out until room temperature. By allowing them to warm from chill, they mix better for a smoother batter that will make fluffier pancakes.
- Meanwhile start the tart cherry reduction. In a small saucepan, cook the tart cherry juice on medium high heat until it reduces by half (or even further if you want a thicker syrup). Add the maple syrup and whisk together. Set aside or in refrigerator to cool.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, walnuts.
- In the other large mixing bowl, whisk together the wet room temperature ingredients: yogurt, milk, smashed banana, eggs and vanilla first and then whisk in the oil last.
- Make a well in the dry ingredients and then pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients using the rubber spatula to gently fold together from the bottom of the bowl until there are no dry spots. It will be a thick batter that may be a bit lumpy – and that is okay.
- Allow the batter to sit for at least 5 minutes to rest.
- On a medium stove setting, heat the nonstick pan. Once it is hot, make one pancake with the ¼ measuring cup. The first one is always a tester, so don’t waste the batter until you get this one done. Cook the pancakes until the edges start to look set and lightly bubble holes around the outside show up, then flip and cook on the other side another minute or two. After this tester one, make as many in batches as fit well in your pan, wiping out the pan with paper towels and re-adding pan spray or butter to melt for cooking.
- Hold pancakes in a warm oven, or eat immediately with the tart cherry-maple syrup. Enjoy!
Editor’s note: We made a few adjustments, since we can’t leave well enough along. We used almonds rather than walnuts, and we doubled the syrup recipe added whole cherries.