If you're looking for a simple reminder of home, this recipe for four-ingredient pancakes might be just the thing.

The first couple weeks of classes mark a period of mixed feelings. After spending the past four months of summer vacation being as sessile as a sea sponge, I am overjoyed to be back at Wes with my college family and wonderfully overbooked schedule. But I would be lying if I said I didn’t miss the comforts of home at all.

For me, the home sickness typically hits during times of hunger, when I am forced to satisfy myself with the provisions of Wesleyan’s on-campus dining. I will admit that with venues like ’Swings and S&C, Wes food options aren’t too shabby.

At the end of the day, however, nothing can truly replace the delight of feasting on a home-cooked meal in the comforts of my family’s kitchen. As a devout worshipper of all things yummy, this culinary wistfulness is a very real struggle, so adapting homemade comforts into dorm room delights is consistently a must.

The recipe for these Four Ingredient Peanut Butter Pancakes was among the first I developed to satisfy the needs of the collegiate cook. I am absolutely obsessed with pancakes. Some might even call me a pancake maven. However, because they are typically made with recipes that produce a large amount and usually require two bowls, multiple measuring cups, and a list of about 8 ingredients, they are not always the most convenient for the circumstances of time-pressed, space-deficient college students.

But these pancakes solve all those problems. In addition to being delicious (and actually pretty nutritious), these pancakes require only four —I repeat, FOUR—ingredients (banana, peanut butter, oats, and egg), and one—I repeat ONE—medium-sized bowl, allowing them to be made quickly and easily within the constraints of any dorm kitchen. The recipe’s single-serving yield makes them even more of a collegiate godsend, as you don’t have to worry about the prospect of finding storage space for leftovers.

As a self-confessed pancake addict, this recipe honestly brings me so much joy, and I invite you to try it out for breakfast, brunch, and everything else. I hope you enjoy these little guys as much as I do.

 

Serves 1

Ingredients:

1 medium ripe banana, mashed

1-2 tsp. peanut butter (or the nut, seed, or legume butter of your choice)

2 tbsp. rolled oats

1 egg

 

Optional:

Vanilla extract, about 1 tsp.

Cinnamon, about 1 tsp.

Unsweetened cocoa powder, about 1 tsp.

Extra sweetener (honey, maple syrup, agave, etc.)

Chocolate chips (distributed in cakes as they cook)

 

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together banana, peanut butter, oats, egg, and whatever other yummy ingredients you choose to incorporate.

2. Heat oil (coconut oil is my personal favorite) in a griddle. Once the oil is hot, pour batter to form small pancakes (about 2-3 inches in diameter).

3. Flip cakes once bubbles appear at the surface and remain open. Cook until both sides are golden brown.

4. Top with your preference of syrup, honey, favorite fruits, nut butters, cinnamon sugar, etc., and enjoy while warm.