Banana Waffles

Brayden is fifteen weeks old. He is starting to laugh this week — not the gas-laughs of the early weeks but actual social laughs in response to specific stimuli (peek-a-boo, raspberry sounds, Dustin’s exaggerated faces). The laugh sounds like a small startled bird. Dustin records every laugh he can catch on his phone and has built a folder on his phone called “Brayden Laughs” that now contains forty-seven short videos.

Sunday was Dustin’s first Father’s Day. Mama was still in residence (she’s here for one more day before flying back Monday). I made banana waffles for brunch because Dustin’s low-carb-week was on hold for Father’s Day and I’d been wanting to use the over-ripe bananas on the kitchen counter that had been sitting there for too long.

The technique: three over-ripe bananas mashed with a fork in a large bowl. To the mashed banana, add two large eggs, three tablespoons of melted butter, a half-cup of buttermilk, a teaspoon of vanilla, two tablespoons of brown sugar. Whisk smooth. To the wet mixture, add one and a half cups of all-purpose flour, two teaspoons of baking powder, a half-teaspoon of baking soda, a half-teaspoon of salt, a teaspoon of cinnamon. Whisk to combine.

The batter should be slightly thicker than standard waffle batter because the banana adds moisture. If too thick, splash in another tablespoon of buttermilk; if too thin, a tablespoon more flour.

The waffle iron preheated to high. A generous brush of melted butter on both grids. About a half-cup of batter per waffle. Cook five to six minutes until deep golden.

Served with maple syrup, sliced banana on top, a sprinkle of toasted pecans, and a small pat of butter. Dustin had three waffles. Mama held Brayden during breakfast. The first Father’s Day was the kind of small celebration that didn’t require announcement.

Over-ripe bananas mashed. Slightly thicker than standard waffle batter. High-heat iron. Here’s the build.

Banana Waffles

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes | Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 2 ripe bananas, mashed
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 large eggs
• 1 3/4 cups buttermilk
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Non-stick cooking spray or butter for the waffle iron

Instructions

1. Mash the bananas. In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mash the ripe bananas on low speed until smooth with only a few small lumps remaining, about 30 seconds.
2. Add the wet ingredients. With the mixer still on low, add the eggs, buttermilk, melted butter, and vanilla extract to the mashed bananas. Mix until just combined.
3. Combine the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, and cinnamon.
4. Fold together. Add the dry ingredients to the mixer bowl and mix on low just until the batter comes together — do not overmix. A few streaks of flour are fine; the batter should look slightly lumpy.
5. Rest the batter. Let the batter rest for 5 minutes while your waffle iron preheats to medium-high. This gives the baking powder time to activate.
6. Cook the waffles. Lightly grease the waffle iron with cooking spray or butter. Pour enough batter to just fill the iron (about 3/4 cup depending on your iron’s size). Close and cook until the waffle is deep golden brown and releases easily from the iron, about 4–5 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter.
7. Serve warm. Serve immediately topped with sliced fresh banana, a drizzle of maple syrup, and a pat of butter if you’re feeling generous — which, after a week like that, you should be.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 390 | Protein: 10g | Fat: 13g | Carbs: 58g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 480mg