Mash the bananas. In a large bowl, peel and mash the bananas with a fork until mostly smooth. A few small lumps are fine.

Whisk in the wet ingredients. Add the egg, milk, vanilla, and melted butter to the bowl. Whisk until well combined and creamy.

Mix the dry ingredients separately. In another bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. This helps distribute the leavening evenly.

Combine wet and dry. Pour the dry mixture into the banana mixture. Stir gently with a spatula just until the flour disappears. Don’t overmix; a few streaks and small lumps are okay.

Fold in the chocolate chips. Gently stir in the mini chocolate chips so they’re evenly spread through the batter.

Rest the batter for 5 minutes. This short rest allows the flour to hydrate and the batter to thicken slightly, which makes fluffier pancakes.

Preheat your pan. Heat a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat. Lightly grease with butter or oil. The pan is ready when a drop of water sizzles on contact.

Portion the batter. Scoop about 1/4 cup of batter per pancake onto the hot surface. Space them out so they don’t run together.

Cook the first side. Let the pancakes cook for 2–3 minutes, until bubbles form on top and the edges look set. If the bottoms darken too fast, lower the heat.

Flip and finish. Carefully flip and cook another 1–2 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through. Repeat with remaining batter, greasing the pan as needed.

Serve warm. Top with sliced bananas, a pat of butter, and maple syrup. A sprinkle of extra chocolate chips never hurts.