I am beyond excited to share these banana coconut cream pancakes with you. And this is coming from someone whose first-pick flavor is rarely coconut. I’ve never disliked coconut, per se; coconut on its own has just never been the flavor to rock my socks off. However, with the right pairings, coconut has a way of becoming irresistible, and it creates some of the most indulgent flavor combos out there: coconut cream cake, German chocolate cake, seven-layer bars, coconut spiced rum, coconut & tropical fruit, crispy coconut shrimp with orange chili sauce… It’s an undeniable winner when on the right team, and, admittedly, the blog hasn’t been giving coconut the attention it deserves. As I’ve just opened a big bag of coconut flakes and a whole can of coconut milk, you can expect more coconut recipes soon. 🙂
batter breakdown
- Coconut milk – Creates a backdrop of subtle, delicate coconut flavor that’s enhanced with shredded coconut. The natural coconut taste is not overwhelming at all! You can use light or full-fat coconut milk.
- Buttermilk – For taste, texture, and the best rise. You want a thick variety so the batter isn’t too runny. Typically full-fat is your best bet, especially if using light coconut milk (although some brands make really thick reduced-fat versions that work great).
- Oil – Just a bit of oil is important for keeping the pancakes fluffy and moist in the middle and toasty on the outside. You can use melted unrefined coconut oil for even more coconut flavor, or a neutral oil like almond, avocado, canola, or refined coconut oil.
- Egg – Just whites or the whole egg.
- Sweetener – Adjust the amount of sugar to your taste. You can also keep this very low in sugar by subbing a natural calorie-free sweetener like monk fruit extract.
- Spices – A hint of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger and sea salt add a dose of Caribbean flavor without drowning out the delicate taste of the coconut and banana.
- Vanilla and rum – Just a splash! Both vanilla and rum pair beautifully with these tropical flavors. You can leave out the rum if desired.
- White whole wheat flour – My favorite for pancakes because it is heartier than AP flour with more protein and fiber, but lighter than regular whole wheat, leaving a perfectly light and fluffy crumb.
- Baking soda and powder – Baking soda (a base) reacts with the acid in the buttermilk for the ultimate rise and fluffy texture. Baking powder adds extra lift without adding more base to the flavor.
mix-ins
The fun part! Here I use:
- Banana – Rather than mashing overripe banana in with the wet ingredients as we do for “banana pancakes,” here we’re dicing firm, ripe banana and folding the pieces into the batter at the end. Thus, we have coconut pancakes starring big hunks of banana that you can taste in every bite. This makes the pancakes OUTRAGEOUSLY thick and so satisfying.
- Coconut – Sweetened or unsweetened, flaked (larger pieces) or shredded (finer cut). I used flaked unsweetened coconut here for added texture.
- White chocolate chips – White chocolate chips add little melty puddles of richness while complementing (rather than overshadowing) the other flavors. It is extremely rare for me to forego chocolate chocolate in anything even resembling a sweet concoction. But because the coconut, banana, vanilla, spices, rum, and cream can be easily overpowered and need to be appreciated, I honestly think white chocolate is the way to go in this case. If you don’t have white chocolate or would rather use dark chocolate chips, I won’t fight you.
other mix-in ideas
- Nuts – Chopped macadamia nuts would add a lovely crunch and go great with the tropical flavors.
toppings
This is where you put the “cream” in Banana Coconut Cream Pancakes. I went with a simple blend of 1 oz (2 Tbsp) mascarpone, 1 Tbsp maple syrup, and 1/4 tsp vanilla extract for a drippy, lightly sweet, smooth and creamy glaze to coat the cakes. You can easily sub softened cream cheese; it will just be a tad tangier and thicker. I adore this concoction for several reasons.
- It comes together instantly with no mixer, not even a whisk. I literally stir the glaze together in a tiny bowl with the measuring spoon I used for the syrup.
- You can make small, single-serving batches as you please.
- No mess to clean up.
- The creamy glaze stands up to heat. This is key for me, because I like my hotcakes hot. The sauce oozes beautifully over the warm pancakes and will not get destroyed if you want to reheat your plate.
- It tastes like heaven.
Don’t forget to finish with more coconut, white chocolate chips, and sliced banana if you like. If you want to pour on more maple syrup, I won’t fight you.
other cream options
For a more extravagant presentation and a big, fluffy mouthful of cream covering each pancake (think coconut cream cake), there are several options. Each of these makes more than needed for the pancakes as written.
- Whipped cream – Whip 1/4 cup cold heavy cream, 1-3 tsp powdered sugar (to taste), and 1/4 tsp vanilla extract with an electric mixer, starting on low and gradually increasing speed, until medium peaks form (3-4 minutes).
- Coconut whipped cream – Refrigerate a can of full-fat coconut milk or coconut cream for ~24 hours. When ready to use, open the can, spoon out the thickened cream layer only, and transfer to a chilled mixing bowl. Whip the coconut cream, 1-3 Tbsp powdered sugar (to taste), and 1 tsp vanilla extract with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy (2-4 minutes).
- Cream cheese whipped cream – A cross between whipped cream and whipped cream cheese, this is a great option for a fluffy filling that holds up better than plain whipped cream. In one bowl, whip 1/4 cup cold heavy cream with an electric mixer to medium peaks. In a separate bowl, beat together 1 oz (2 Tbsp) softened cream cheese, ~2 Tbsp powdered sugar (to taste), and 1/4 tsp vanilla extract until smooth. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until incorporated.
*Note: These whipped creamy options will melt when heated, so they are best just dolloped on top of hot pancakes. If you want to make a big fluffy stack layered with whipped cream, let the pancakes cool first. If you (like me) care too much about everything staying hot, go with the maple cream cheese glaze instead.
other syrupy options
I haven’t tried this, but if you’re looking for an extra sweet indulgence, I don’t think you could go wrong with warmed leftover maple caramel sauce (recipe in this post) or rum butterscotch (recipe in this post) to finish these pancakes off.
