Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 35 mins
Total: 50 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Yield: 10 to 12 pancakes
These sweet, fluffy plantain pancakes take well to warming spices and make a delicious addition to breakfast and brunch menus as well as delightful desserts.
The batter has no added sugar because of the sweetness of the ripe plantain—the riper they are, the sweeter and more tender the pancakes.
They are delicious with a chocolate sauce, but also work well with maple syrup or caster sugar—sprinkled over the top or a squeeze of lime or lemon juice.
Ingredients
For the Pancakes:
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1 medium ripe plantain, soft with blackened skin
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1 1/2 cups milk
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1 large egg
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1 tablespoon unsalted butter, browned, or oil
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1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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1 teaspoon ground ginger
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1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
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1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
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1 teaspoon baking powder
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1/4 teaspoon sea salt
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1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
For Garnish:
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1/2 cup chocolate sauce
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1/2 cup strawberries, chopped
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Fresh mint, chopped
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients.
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Peel the plantain.
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Cut it into small chunks.
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In a blender, combine the plantain, milk, eggs, butter or oil, vanilla extract, ground ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, baking powder, and sea salt. Pulse until well combined, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
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Add the flour and blend again. Stop and scrape down the sides and blend again.
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Pour the batter into a bowl and let it stand for 10 minutes.
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Place a large non-stick pan over low-medium heat. Grease with a little oil or butter.
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With a 1/4 cup measuring scoop, measure out pancakes into the pan to cook. Allow the pancakes to cook until the edges are set and you see bubbles on the surface, about 2 to 3 minutes.
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With a fish slice or spatula, flip and cook the other side till brown, another minute or so. Keep pancakes warm in a 200 F oven or cover with a kitchen towel.
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Repeat with the rest of the batter till you’re done and have a stack.
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Serve with chocolate sauce, strawberries, and mint. Enjoy!
Recipe Variations
- You can make them thick—as is here, or thin the batter with milk for more crepe-like ones. Feel free to substitute with your favorite alternative milk.
- Want some heft? Blend with 2/3 cup of flour, pour into a bowl, and fold in 1/4 cup of fine yellow cornmeal. Feel like using whole grain flour instead? Go ahead, but note you might need to increase the amount of milk as whole grain flours tend to absorb more liquid.
- Fancy making them savory? Go ahead and explore your favorite blends from Nigerian suya spice to Chinese five spice.
- Turn a thinner version of these pancakes into a crepe cake, layered with whipped Mexican crema, toasted cumin seeds and chopped cilantro. Whatever you decide, enjoy them.
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 4 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 389 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 7g | 8% |
| Saturated Fat 2g | 8% |
| Cholesterol 51mg | 17% |
| Sodium 343mg | 15% |
| Total Carbohydrate 74g | 27% |
| Dietary Fiber 4g | 14% |
| Total Sugars 33g | |
| Protein 9g | |
| Vitamin C 20mg | 98% |
| Calcium 209mg | 16% |
| Iron 3mg | 18% |
| Potassium 599mg | 13% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
