Many other flavorings can be used instead of vanilla and this mainly depends on taste and they don’t necessarily have to be essences. For a banana nut pancake result, you could add some walnuts to the mix, or, should you not like the crunch, then a teaspoon of almond extract. For a more festive twist, add a little sprinkle of cinnamon powder to the batter. A great substitute, especially if you are serving the pancakes with it, is maple syrup; simply substitute with the same amount.