Caramelized Bananas Foster

Scoops of vanilla ice cream topped with caramel sauce, surrounded by caramelized banana slices in a delightful Bananas Foster style, and sprinkled with chopped nuts. A spoon rests in the rich, saucy mixture.

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Classic Bananas Foster features caramelized bananas in a rich rum sauce, served with vanilla ice cream for a decadent dessert.

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Flavor Profile: Buttery, caramelized bananas with a deep molasses-like sweetness, warm cinnamon spice, and a hint of boozy richness from the rum. All balanced out with cool, creamy vanilla ice cream. Pure indulgence.
Difficulty Level: Easy! Just a few simple steps, but if you’re lighting it up (aka flambé), take it slow and be careful.
What You’ll Need: Unsalted butter, dark brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, dark rum, ripe but firm bananas, vanilla ice cream, chopped pecans.
Equipment: Medium-high skillet, spoon for basting, lighter (if flambéing), serving bowls.
Top Tip: If flambéing, turn off the burner first before adding the rum, then light it with a long lighter. Safety first!
Make Ahead Note: Best enjoyed fresh, but you can prep the bananas by slicing them in advance. Keep them covered to prevent browning.
Time-Saving Hack: Skip the flambé and just let the sauce simmer a little longer to cook off some of the alcohol. Still insanely delicious.
Ingredient Swap: No dark rum? Try bourbon for a slightly deeper caramel flavor or use vanilla extract for an alcohol-free version.

Bananas Foster

Indulge in the rich, buttery flavors of Bananas Foster! Caramelized bananas blend with warm cinnamon, brown sugar, and dark rum for a decadent treat, served over creamy vanilla ice cream.

5 from 1 vote

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 5

Total Time: 10

Serves 4

Ingredients

▢ 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
▢ ½ cup dark brown sugar (firmly packed )
▢ 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
▢ ¼ cup dark rum
▢ 4 bananas (ripe but firm, peeled and cut in half lengthwise)
▢ Vanilla ice cream for serving
▢ Chopped pecans for serving

Instructions

Melt the butter in a medium-high skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt, stirring until the sugar dissolves and the mixture begins to bubble.
Reduce the heat to low and add the bananas.
Spoon the sauce over the bananas and cook for about a minute.
Remove the pan from the heat and add the rum.
Return to the heat and swirl the pan. If you’re feeling showy, carefully ignite the sauce to burn off the alcohol.
Serve the bananas with vanilla ice cream and chopped pecans.

Tips

Use ripe but firm bananas. Super ripe bananas will turn mushy in the sauce. You want that perfect balance—sweet, but still holding their shape.
Melt the butter first. Let the butter fully melt before adding the sugar. This helps everything combine smoothly for a silky sauce.
Low and slow for the bananas. Once they’re in the pan, cook them on low heat for just a minute—too long, and they’ll break apart.
Turn off the heat before adding rum. This prevents accidental flare-ups! Add the rum, then return to the heat and swirl to mix.
Want to flambé? Use a long lighter and always step back slightly. The flame will burn off quickly, leaving behind that deep caramelized flavor.
No alcohol? No problem. Swap the rum for a mix of apple juice and vanilla extract for a similar depth of flavor.
Toast the pecans. A quick toast in a dry pan brings out their natural sweetness and makes them extra crunchy.

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Nutrition

Created by Erren Hart

I just got back from New Orleans, and let me tell you… I tried Bananas Foster for the first time, and WOW. Life = changed. Warm, caramelized bananas swimming in a buttery, cinnamon-spiced caramel sauce with a dreamy splash of rum? All piled over vanilla ice cream? It’s pure magic. I always thought it would be super complicated to make, but it turns out it’s so simple! Butter, brown sugar, rum, bananas – boom. New Orleans, you’ve officially spoiled me, and now I’m hooked for life.

How To Make Bananas Foster

First things first, grab 8 tablespoons of butter—yep, we’re going all in. Melt that in a skillet over medium-high heat until it’s looking glossy and smooth. Now, add ½ cup of dark brown sugar, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Give it a stir and let it all melt together into this thick, gorgeous, bubbling caramel sauce.

Caramelized brown sugar bubbles over low heat in a non-stick pan, merging into a thick, glossy syrup reminiscent of Bananas Foster. The uneven textures dance across the pan, with light reflections highlighting its gleaming surface.

Time for the bananas! You’ll want 4 ripe but firm bananas, peeled and sliced in half lengthwise. Gently lay them into the sauce and spoon that buttery goodness right over the top. Let them soak up all that flavor for about a minute.

Sliced bananas are artfully arranged in a frying pan with melted butter and brown sugar, creating the perfect base for a Bananas Foster dessert.

Now for the fun part—¼ cup of dark rum. Take the pan off the heat, pour it in, then return it to the stove. Give it a swirl to mix it in. If you’re feeling fancy, carefully ignite the rum with a long lighter to burn off the alcohol—totally optional, but super impressive.

Sliced bananas simmer in a pan with bubbling caramel sauce, creating a glossy, golden-brown appearance—a delightful dessert reminiscent of classic Bananas Foster.

And that’s it! Scoop some vanilla ice cream into a bowl, spoon those caramelized bananas right on top, drizzle over all that extra sauce, and finish with a handful of chopped pecans.

Caramelized bananas in a skillet, reminiscent of Bananas Foster, are drizzled with sauce and sprinkled with chopped pecans. A bowl of additional pecans is in the background for garnish.

It’s buttery, sweet, warm, cold, crunchy, creamy—all the best things in one bite. You’re gonna want to make this one again and again. Enjoy!

A spoon drizzles caramel sauce over a Bananas Foster-inspired dessert featuring fried bananas and vanilla ice cream in a white bowl. The recipe is garnished with chopped nuts, with another similar dessert visible in the background.

Erren’s Top Tips

Use ripe but firm bananas. Super ripe bananas will turn mushy in the sauce. You want that perfect balance—sweet, but still holding their shape.
Melt the butter first. Let the butter fully melt before adding the sugar. This helps everything combine smoothly for a silky sauce.
Low and slow for the bananas. Once they’re in the pan, cook them on low heat for just a minute—too long, and they’ll break apart.
Turn off the heat before adding rum. This prevents accidental flare-ups! Add the rum, then return to the heat and swirl to mix.
Want to flambé? Use a long lighter and always step back slightly. The flame will burn off quickly, leaving behind that deep caramelized flavor.
No alcohol? No problem. Swap the rum for a mix of apple juice and vanilla extract for a similar depth of flavor.
Toast the pecans. A quick toast in a dry pan brings out their natural sweetness and makes them extra crunchy.

Storage & Freezing Instructions ❄

Refrigerate: Store the bananas and sauce in an airtight container for up to 24 hours. The bananas will soften but still taste great.

Reheat: Warm the sauce in a skillet over low heat. Add a splash of water or cream if it’s too thick. Avoid microwaving—the bananas can turn mushy.

Freezing? Not recommended. Bananas don’t freeze well once cooked, and the sauce can turn grainy when thawed.

Indulge in a Bananas Foster-inspired dessert featuring caramelized banana slices topped with a scoop of ice cream, drizzled with decadent caramel sauce, and sprinkled with chopped nuts, all elegantly served in a white bowl.

FAQs

Can I make Bananas Foster without alcohol?

Yes! Swap the rum for apple juice, orange juice, or a mix of water and vanilla extract for a non-alcoholic version.

Why won’t my sauce thicken?

Make sure you’re cooking the butter and sugar long enough before adding the bananas. The mixture should be bubbling and slightly thick before you move to the next step.

What kind of rum should I use?

Dark rum is best because it has a deep caramel-like flavor, but light rum works too. Spiced rum adds an extra layer of flavor!

How do I flambé safely?

Turn off the heat before adding the rum, then light it with a long lighter while standing back. The flame will burn off quickly. Never pour rum straight from the bottle near an open flame!