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It is true! 3 ingredients are all you need to make these light and fluffy pancakes with self-rising flour. They are perfect for busy mornings or those days when you just need a quick and delicious meal for you and your family.
The Best 3 Ingredient Pancakes
I’m all about keeping things simple in the kitchen. As a busy mom of two littles and a pediatric registered dietitian, my main mission is to make tasty and nutritious meals achievable, especially on those super hectic days.
So, I absolutely had to share this 3-ingredient pancake recipe with you.
Self-rising flour simplifies the cooking and baking process as it already contains a leavening agent. It ensures consistent results, is versatile for various recipes, and can be a cost-effective and convenient choice for spontaneous baking.
It works beautifully in this banana bread, high protein pizza dough, and these fluffy pancakes!
They freeze like a dream, making them the perfect make-ahead breakfast. And if you have some rolled oats, you should totally try these 3 ingredient banana oat pancakes also!
Table of Contents
Ingredients
I am highlighting just the ones that need further explanation. The complete list is in the recipe card below.
- Self-rising flour – this is a blend of all purpose flour with baking powder and salt. My personal favorite is one from King Arthur.
- Bananas – use over-ripe bananas with plenty of brown spots. And if you often have more ripe bananas than you know what to do with, here’s a collection of healthy banana recipes that you’re going to love!
- Eggs – use room temperature eggs for best results. I take them out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes prior to baking.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, peel and mash the bananas using the back of a fork or a potato masher. Try to get it as smooth as possible but small lumps are fine.
Step 2: Add the self-rising flour, eggs, vanilla, and cinnamon. Gently mix the pancake batter with a spatula until it’s just combined. There will be small lumps and that’s OK! do NOT over mix!!
Step 3: Heat a large non-stick pan or griddle over medium heat. Add batter and cook on medium-low heat. You will start to see air bubbles appear on the surface.
Step 4: Carefully flip the pancakes and cook for another minute or two, until golden brown.
Tips for Success
- Do not over mix! Otherwise you will end up with tough and dense pancakes.
- Wipe out the pan between batches, especially if you are using butter, which tends to burn easily.
- Don’t rush it! You will know when they are ready when the bubbles form and the edges look set. To get that perfect flip, shove your spatula all the way underneath and turn them over quickly and confidently.
Substitutions and Variations
- No self-rising flour? You can make it at home with just flour, baking powder, and salt. Refer to the FAQ section below
- Stir-in peanut butter or nut butter (sunflower seed butter if there’s an allergy), fresh fruit (like chopped strawberries, grated apples, and blueberries), chocolate chips, or grated carrots
Equipment
I honestly didn’t think I needed an electric griddle until the husband gifted me one for Christmas two years ago, and I’m SO glad he went against my wishes :).
It definately saves me time, and I love that this one holds a consistent temperature (so less chance of burning the pancakes) and is super easy to clean.
I’ve also been using it to make eggs, cheese quesadillas, grilled cheese, quinoa wraps, tofu…it’s amazing.
Serving Suggestions
While delicious as is, you can top these self-rising flour pancakes with:
- Maple syrup or honey
- Fresh fruit (e.g. more banana slices or fresh blueberries)
- Fruit jam (try this no added sugar strawberry jam or mango chia jam )
- Date syrup
- Yogurt
- Peanut/nut/seed butter (thinned out for babies)
- Unsweetened applesauce
Storage
Store in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the fridge or cool completely on a wire rack and freeze for up to 3 months.
Here’s how to freeze pancakes as well as reheat them so they taste just as good as the day you made them.
FAQ
Combine 1 cup of all purpose flour with 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Make sure your baking powder hasn’t expired.
I love whipping up a big batch and freezing it for a fast and easy breakfast down the road. There are several ways you can reheat. You can microwave in 15-20 second increments, place In the oven at 350°F for about 8-10 minutes, or warm in the skillet over low heat.
According to epicurious, Self-rising flour is not exactly the same as self-raising flour, which is commonly found outside of the United States. Self-raising flour doesn’t contain salt and has more baking powder.
More Homemade Pancakes
Did you make this recipe? Leave a rating below and let me know how you liked the recipe! Your feedback means so much to me!
3 Ingredient Pancakes with Self-Rising Flour
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 medium bananas (230g without peel)
- 1 cup self-rising flour
- 2 eggs, preferably at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, peel and mash the bananas using the back of a fork or a potato masher. Try to get it as smooth as possible but small lumps are fine.
- Add the self-rising flour, eggs, vanilla, and cinnamon. Gently mix the pancake batter with a spatula until it's just combined. There will be small lumps and that's OK! do NOT over mix!!
- Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Add batter and cook on medium-low heat. You will start to see bubbles appear on the surface.
- Carefully flip the pancakes and cook for another minute or two, until golden brown.
Notes
- Store in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the fridge or cool completely on a wire rack and freeze for up to 3 months.
Too good!! I added blueberries to mine (pressed in during cooking) and the result tasted much like a blueberry muffin! The sweetness of the bananas makes these especially yummy. I didn’t have self-rising flower so I included 1 1/2 tsp of baking powder in the flour (I used white whole wheat). My 2.5 year old ate 3 pancakes – as is, nothing on them 🙂
Tot smashed those pancakes!
Thanks!
They are so fluffy and my 20 month old likes it! I’ve made 3 batches already. Love how they freeze super well too. Thanks Min!
Love it!! Thank you so much for taking the time to share!
Quick question, in the notes you say that if we don’t have self rising flour then we can add 3 tsp of baking powder to the flour. But in the FAQs it says 1 1/2 tsp per cup of flour. Which one should I use for this recipe?
Thank you and love all your recipes!
Ah! so sorry! Just corrected it. 1 1/2 tsp! Thank you for pointing that out!