Hawaiian Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. 
Serving Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Banana Macadamia Nut Pancakes
Fluffy griddle cakes loaded with ripe banana slices and buttery, crunchy macadamia nuts — a tropical island breakfast that turns Sunday morning into something special.
Contains common allergens
In the app, Listahan checks these against your household automatically.
Good to know
- Ready in under 30 minutes
Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: 30-minute meals
Instructions
8 steps- 1
Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl.
- 2
In a separate bowl, whisk the milk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla until smooth.
- 3
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir with a few quick strokes just until combined; a lumpy batter makes a fluffier pancake, so do not overmix.
- 4
Fold in half the chopped macadamia nuts, reserving the rest for topping, and let the batter rest 5 minutes so the baking powder can activate.
- 5
Heat a griddle or nonstick skillet over medium heat and brush with butter.
- 6
Ladle about 1/4 cup batter per pancake onto the griddle, then immediately press 3 or 4 banana slices into the top of each.
- 7
Cook until bubbles form across the surface and the edges look set, 2 to 3 minutes, then flip and cook another 1 to 2 minutes until golden.
- 8
Stack the pancakes, scatter the reserved macadamia nuts over the top, and serve hot with warm syrup.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
73/100
Good fit for most families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving325
Calories
9 g
Protein
53 g
Carbs
9 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
Banana macadamia nut pancakes are a plantation-era breakfast staple that pairs two of Hawaii's biggest crops — bananas grown across the islands and macadamia nuts, which were introduced from Australia in the late 1800s and became a commercial Hawaiian crop by the early 1900s. The combination shows up on nearly every local diner menu as the signature "tropical" stack.
Listahan note
This version keeps the batter loose enough to stay tender, presses the banana slices and nuts into the batter right after pouring so they caramelize into the surface, and rests the batter briefly so the pancakes rise taller.
Technique cues
- Stop mixing while a few lumps remain — overmixing develops gluten and turns pancakes tough and rubbery instead of tender.
- Let the batter rest the full 5 minutes before cooking; this gives the baking powder time to start working for a taller, fluffier rise.
- Press the banana slices in immediately after pouring, while the batter is still wet — they need contact with the batter to caramelize instead of just sitting loose on top.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- Slice the bananas and chop the macadamias while the batter rests — both need to be ready to press in the moment the batter hits the griddle.
- Make-ahead
- Mix dry ingredients the night before; combine with wet ingredients fresh in the morning so the baking powder is still at full strength.
- Leftover move
- Reheat leftover pancakes in a dry skillet or toaster rather than the microwave to keep the macadamia pieces from going soft.
- Cleanup rhythm
- Wipe the griddle between batches — caramelized banana sugars stick and burn on subsequent pancakes if left behind.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Structural base
Purpose: Forms the crumb of the pancake — too little and they fall apart when flipped, too much and they turn dense.
Handling: Whisk with the baking powder and salt first so leavening is evenly distributed before liquid goes in.
Adaptation: A cup-for-cup gluten-free blend works; expect a slightly less springy texture.
2 tbsp sugar
Light sweetness
Purpose: Just enough sugar to balance the ripe banana without making the batter taste like dessert — most of the sweetness here comes from the fruit.
Handling: Whisk into the dry ingredients.
Adaptation: Can be reduced or omitted if the bananas are very ripe.
2 tsp baking powder
Leavening
Purpose: Gives the pancakes their rise — this is a quick-bread leavener, not yeast, so the lift happens entirely on the griddle.
Handling: Check that it is fresh; flat baking powder is the most common cause of dense pancakes.
Adaptation: No substitute that keeps the same quick rise.
1 1/4 cups milk
Batter liquid
Purpose: Thins the batter to pourable consistency and activates the baking powder once combined with the dry mix.
Handling: Whisk with the egg and melted butter before adding to the dry ingredients.
Adaptation: Oat or almond milk both work; almond milk adds a second tree-nut source alongside the macadamias.
macadamia nuts (chopped)
Signature crunch
Purpose: Macadamia is the ingredient that makes this specifically Hawaiian rather than a generic banana pancake — its buttery, mild crunch is the point.
Handling: Chop roughly so pieces are small enough to press into the batter without tearing the pancake.
Adaptation: Chopped pecans or walnuts work texturally but change the tree-nut allergen profile, not remove it.
Technique notes
- Stop mixing while a few lumps remain—overmixing develops gluten and makes pancakes tough.
- Let the batter rest 5 minutes so the baking powder activates for a taller rise.
- Wait for bubbles across the whole surface before flipping; flipping early collapses the structure.
Ingredient swaps
- macadamia nuts
- chopped pecans or walnuts - macadamia is a tree nut; pecans and walnuts are also tree nuts
- milk
- oat milk or almond milk - almond milk contains tree nut; oat milk is nut-free
- butter
- melted coconut oil - coconut is a tree nut allergen for some
Serve alongside
- Coconut syrup
- Fresh pineapple
- Crispy bacon
- Kona coffee
- Fresh orange juice
- Cold milk
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze in a single layer then bag up to 2 months; reheat in a toaster or 300°F oven.
- Reheat in a dry skillet, not the microwave, to keep the edges from turning rubbery.
Equipment
- Griddle or nonstick skillet
- Mixing bowls
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