Banoffee Pie Pancakes

Banoffee pie pancakes turn the classic English dessert into a breakfast stack. Fluffy banana pancakes sit under warm toffee sauce, whipped cream, fresh banana slices and crushed biscuit crumbs.

The toppings follow the layers of a real banoffee pie, but you skip the crust, the chilling and the long wait. The batter takes ten minutes to mix, and the whole plate is ready in about twenty five. It suits a weekend brunch or a small dessert for guests.

Ingredients

Pancakes

• 1 1/2 cups (190 g) all purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 ripe banana, mashed (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) milk
• 2 tablespoons melted butter, plus extra for the pan
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Toppings

• 1/2 cup (150 g) dulce de leche or thick toffee sauce
• 1 tablespoon milk, to loosen the toffee
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
• 2 ripe bananas, sliced
• 4 digestive biscuits, roughly crushed
• 1 tablespoon dark chocolate shavings

Why You’ll Love These Banoffee Pie Pancakes

• It tastes like banoffee pie, but you do not need to make a crust or wait for anything to set.
• The mashed banana inside the batter keeps the pancakes soft, and the sliced banana on top adds a fresh bite.
• The toffee, cream and crumbs each add a different texture, so every forkful is a little different.
• The batter is simple and uses pantry staples, and the toppings take only a few minutes to prepare.

Ingredient Notes

Bananas: Use ripe bananas with brown spots for the batter, because they are sweeter and mash easily. For the slices on top, choose bananas that are yellow and still firm, so the pieces hold their shape under the sauce. Slice them just before serving. Banana turns brown quickly once it is cut.

Dulce de leche or toffee sauce: Banoffee pie is traditionally made with toffee cooked from sweetened condensed milk, and a jar of dulce de leche gives the same flavor with no cooking. Check the label if you shop for a ready made toffee sauce. Some brands add gelatin or other animal ingredients, and a plain jar should list only milk, sugar and maybe vanilla. Warm the sauce in a small bowl with a spoonful of milk so it pours easily.

Cream: Heavy cream whips best when it is cold, so chill the bowl and the whisk for ten minutes first. Whip it to soft peaks, so it still spoons over the stack instead of standing stiff. A spoonful of powdered sugar sweetens it without making it grainy.

Biscuits: Digestive biscuits give the same crumb as a traditional banoffee crust. Graham crackers or any plain, lightly sweet cookie work in their place. Crush them by hand in a bag so you keep some larger pieces for texture.

Milk and eggs: This recipe is vegetarian but it is not vegan, because it uses dairy and an egg. Oat milk and a flax egg may work in the batter, but the toffee and cream would also need dairy free replacements to make the whole plate vegan.

How to Make Banoffee Pie Pancakes

Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. In a second bowl, mash the banana until it is mostly smooth, then whisk in the egg, milk, melted butter and vanilla. Let the melted butter cool for a minute first, so it does not cook the egg.

Pour the wet mixture into the dry one and stir with a spatula until you no longer see dry flour. This is the first step where a mistake ruins the dish. If you keep mixing until the batter is smooth, the pancakes turn flat and chewy. A few lumps are fine. Let the batter rest for 5 minutes while the pan heats, which gives the baking powder time to start working.

Heat a non stick pan or griddle over medium low heat and brush it with a thin layer of butter. Pour in about 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake and leave space between them. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until bubbles form on the surface and the edges look set. Flip once and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. The second step that matters is the heat. If the pan is too hot, the outside browns before the center cooks, and the middle stays raw.

Keep the finished pancakes on a plate in a low oven at 200 F (95 C) while you cook the rest. Cover them loosely with a clean kitchen towel so they stay soft instead of drying out.

Whip the cold cream with the powdered sugar until it forms soft peaks. Warm the dulce de leche with a tablespoon of milk until it pours easily. Do not boil it, because the sugar can burn.

Stack three or four pancakes on each plate and spoon a little toffee between the layers. Top the stack with banana slices, whipped cream, more toffee, the biscuit crumbs and chocolate shavings. Serve right away while the pancakes are warm.

Tips for Success

• Do not skip the rest time for the batter. Five minutes makes the pancakes noticeably lighter.
• Use a measuring scoop or a 1/4 cup measure so every pancake has the same size and cooks at the same speed.
• Wait for the bubbles. Flip only when bubbles on the surface start to pop and leave small holes.
• Warm the toffee sauce just before serving. Cold toffee is thick and tears the pancakes when you spread it.
• Add the crumbs and chocolate at the end. If they sit under the cream or sauce for too long, they turn soft.

Storage

Pancakes: Cool them completely, then store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Keep the toppings separate.

Freezer: Place parchment between the pancakes, put them in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat them straight from frozen in a toaster or in a 350 F (175 C) oven for about 8 minutes.

Toppings: Keep leftover toffee sauce in its jar in the fridge according to the label. Whipped cream keeps for a day in a covered bowl, though it loses some volume. Slice the bananas fresh each time.

FAQ

Can I make the batter ahead of time?

You can mix it the night before and keep it covered in the fridge, though the pancakes will be a little less fluffy because the baking powder loses strength over time. Stir it gently before cooking, and add a splash of milk if it has thickened.

What can I use instead of dulce de leche?

Thick caramel sauce or toffee sauce works. You can also use a can of sweetened condensed milk that has been cooked slowly in water until it turns brown, which is the traditional base for banoffee pie. Follow the safety instructions for that method closely and keep the can fully covered with water.

Why are my pancakes flat?

The most common causes are old baking powder, overmixed batter and a pan that is too hot. Test your baking powder by stirring a spoonful into hot water. It should fizz right away. Mix the batter only until the flour disappears.

Can I use buttermilk instead of milk?

Yes. Buttermilk makes the pancakes slightly tangier and softer. Because it is acidic, add 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda along with the baking powder for the best rise.

Can I make these gluten free?

A one to one gluten free flour blend can replace the all purpose flour. The batter may need a few extra minutes to rest, and the digestive biscuits should be swapped for a gluten free cookie.