Banana Pancakes with Strawberry Cream (AIP, Paleo, GF)
These fabulous banana pancakes are the perfect meal for a lazy Saturday morning when you're craving something a little indulgent that doesn't require a ton of effort. These are comforting and completely delicious while still being fairly healthy. They are paleo and AIP compliant, gluten-free, and dairy-free.
The Pancake Dough
Yes, it’s more of a dough than a batter. I first tried to make a thinner, batter-like substance by adding coconut milk but the pancakes wouldn’t set up correctly when I tried to cook them. They were just a mushy mess. To make this recipe work, I had to go with more of a dough. You can mix the dough up with a fork as long as the bananas are fairly ripe.
Once the dough is mixed, you’ll just form them into small dough balls, then press and roll them out between two sheets of parchment paper. I would recommend transferring them from the parchment paper to the pan using a spatula to make sure they don’t break.
Cooking the Pancakes
If you’re using a non-stick pan, you might be able to get away with using no oil but just to be safe, I’d recommend using a small amount of coconut oil.
Due to the composition of these pancakes, they tend to brown very easily. Keep the heat around medium (maybe even a little lower) and watch them closely to prevent burning.
The Strawberry Cream
The strawberry cream sauce for these pancakes is pretty simple and so yummy. When I made it initially, I just blended the coconut cream, maple syrup, and strawberries in a blender and then poured it over the pancakes. It turned out really good and tasted fabulous. You can do it the simple way by just blending all the strawberry cream ingredients or you can do a fluffier version of it (see below).
For Fluffier Strawberry Cream:
- Use the Let's Do Organic Heavy Coconut Cream shown below (I recommend using it for either method because it’s guar gum free and very creamy)
- Refrigerate it overnight
- Use the thickest cream from the top of the can and whip it with a hand mixer according to the instructions on the can until it’s fluffy
- Blend the strawberries and maple syrup separately in a blender, then carefully fold the berry mixture into the whipped topping.
I’m not sure if all coconut cream can be whipped into a fluffy topping like this because I’ve only tried this particular product for it.
*Note the strawberry cream show in my pancake pictures is from doing the simpler version, not the "fluffy" version.
Storage
These are best eaten fresh as most pancakes are, but they can be kept in the fridge for a day or two and then reheated if needed. The strawberry cream holds up for a couple days in the fridge too (it should be stored separately from the pancakes).
These can also be frozen and then reheated later. Just be sure to freeze them on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet first so they don’t stick together. Then just store them in a sealed container or freezer bag.
Conclusion
I hope you enjoyed this recipe. If you made it, leave a comment below and let me know what you thought. I'd love to hear from you!
This post was shared on the AIP Paleo Recipe Roundtable
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Ingredients
- 160 g ripe bananas about 2 medium bananas
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp +1 tsp gelatin
- 2 tbsp +2 tsp warm water
- 1/2 cup cassava flour
- 1/4 cup coconut flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/16 tsp sea salt
- 1-2 tbsp coconut oil (for greasing the pan)
Strawberry Cream
- 1 cup fresh strawberries
- 1 cup coconut cream (use the thickest part at the top of the can)
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
Toppings
- sliced bananas and/or strawberries
Instructions
- In a medium-sized bowl, mash the bananas. Mix in the maple syrup and vinegar.
- In a separate small bowl, dissolve the gelatin in the water and mix till smooth. Add gelatin mixture to the banana mixture and mix thoroughly.
- In another medium bowl, mix dry ingredients together then mix in with the wet ingredients to form a dough.
- Form 4-5 dough balls then place each one between two sheets of parchment paper, flatten and roll them out one at a time to about 1/4 inch thickness with a rolling pin. Then set each pancake aside on another sheet of parchment paper until ready to cook.
- Once ready to cook, heat 1-2 tsp of coconut oil in a pan over medium heat. Carefully transfer the first pancake to the pan with a spatula. Heat for 2-3 minutes on the first side until it is slightly browned (*note they brown easily- if you notice the are becoming too brown or even starting to burn, turn down the heat). Flip the pancake and do the other side for an additional 1-2 minutes. Repeat the process with the other pancakes. *Note cook times will vary depending on the thickness of your pancakes, the type of pan used, and the type of stove you have.
Strawberry Cream
- For a quick strawberry cream sauce- Blend the strawberry cream ingredients in a blender until smooth.
- For a fluffier strawberry cream: Use the heavy coconut cream linked in the blog post, follow instructions on the can which say refrigerate the coconut cream overnight, use the thickest cream at the top of the can, whip it with a hand beater to get a fluffy cream. (This process may work with other coconut creams as well, but I haven't tried it). Blend the stawberries and maple syrup separately in a blender then carefully fold the strawberry mixture into the fluffy coconut cream.
- Top the pancakes with the strawberry cream and fresh strawberries or bananas, then serve!
