Banana Pancakes

1. Preheat Skillet

Begin by preheating your medium nonstick skillet over medium heat, ensuring it's ready for when your batter is mixed.

2. Combine Dry Ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt. This combination of dry ingredients will provide the structure for your pancakes.

3. Mix Wet Ingredients

In a separate bowl, beat together the buttermilk, mashed banana, eggs, and melted butter until smooth. This wet mix will add moisture and flavor to the pancakes, with the banana offering a natural sweetness.

4. Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, stirring gently. Stop as soon as you see a lumpy batter; it's the secret to light and fluffy pancakes. Resist the urge to overmix, as doing so would develop the gluten too much and result in tough pancakes.

5. Cook Pancakes

Melt a tablespoon of butter in the preheated skillet. Ladle in portions of the pancake batter, leaving enough space between each pancake for easy flipping. When bubbles form on the surface and the edges appear set, about 2 minutes, flip the pancakes carefully. Cook for an additional 2 minutes or until golden brown. If needed, wipe the pan between batches to avoid burning any leftover bits.

6. Serve Warm

Transfer the cooked pancakes to a wire rack to keep them warm. Repeat with the remaining batter, adding butter to the skillet as necessary. Serve the banana pancakes warm, topped with a pat of butter and drizzled with maple syrup, if you like. Enjoy the comforting flavors of ripe banana in each fluffy bite.