Bananas Foster French Toast in 30 minutes!
Step up your breakfast game with bananas foster French toast! The custardy brioche bread has crispy edges and a soft center. It tastes delicious with the caramelized banana topping and it’s ready in less than 30 minutes!
When it comes to French toast, it’s all about what you top it with. Am I right? This easy bananas foster topping is a must-try. The banana slices are caramelized in a brown sugar and butter rum sauce, which tastes amazing with crispy, golden French toast. It’s the perfect dish to serve up this Mother’s Day or Father’s Day!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Excellent use of ripe bananas and leftover bread!
- Ready in 30 minutes. Both the toast and the topping take less than half an hour to make.
- Plenty of flavor. The bread is coated in an eggy custard that is spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg. The topping has a splash of rum!
- Weekend brunch perfection. Whether it’s a special occasion, like Mother’s Day, or simply a rainy Sunday morning, this dish will hit the spot! Serve with a caramel brûlée latte and you’re in for a treat.
Ingredient Notes
- Bread: Use a thick, fluffy bread, such as Brioche or Challah.
- Eggs: Two whole eggs and two yolks create a custardy batter for soaking the bread.
- Milk: Whole milk also helps with a rich flavor in the batter.
- Butter: Unsalted butter is melted to make the bananas foster sauce.
- Rum: For a kick of flavor, add a few tablespoons of spiced rum to the sauce. It’s a popular ingredient seen in traditional bananas foster.
- Bananas: Use bananas that are ripe, but not mushy. If they are easy to eat, then they are likely to caramelize nicely.
Refer to the recipe card for full list of ingredients and measurements.
Recipe Variations
Try different bread. While challah or brioche are popular options, any bread works! Try Texas toast, French bread, sourdough or cinnamon raisin bread.
Substitute the rum. Use whiskey, bourbon or brandy instead. For a nonalcoholic option, omit the rum and add 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract.
Add extra toppings. Bananas foster tastes delicious with chopped nuts, toasted coconut or chocolate chips. You can also add a spoonful of yogurt, a scoop of vanilla ice cream or dollop of whipped cream too! Blueberry stuffed French toast is also popular.
How to Make Bananas Foster French Toast
- Make the batter. Combine all the batter ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk until well combined.
- Dip the bread in the batter. Coat both sides evenly.
- Add bread to the skillet over medium heat. Cook for 3 minutes per side or until golden brown. Set aside.
- For the bananas foster, add butter, brown sugar, rum and cinnamon to the skillet over medium heat. Cook until butter is melted. Add banana slices to the skillet. Cook about 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until caramelized. Spoon bananas foster topping over French toast and serve.
Expert Tips
Use day-old bread. It’s drier and therefore better at soaking up up all the liquid. It’s great in French toast casserole and bread pudding too!
Make sure the skillet is preheated. After the bread is dipped in the batter, you want to cook it right away. If the skillet isn’t pre-heated, the bread won’t cook right away. It will end up soaking up the liquid and getting soggy.
Don’t over-soak the bread. Each slice only needs to be dipped on each side for about 5 seconds. The timing will differ depending on how thick the bread is and how fresh it is.
Use firm, but ripe bananas. If the bananas are too soft, they will get mushy and won’t keep their shape when cooked. Look for a bright yellow peel with little to no brown spots.
Make Ahead and Storage Tips
Make ahead the batter and store covered in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours. French toast is best when eaten the day it is made. You can reheat the toast and topping on a warm skillet.
Recipe FAQ
A thick bread, such as brioche or challah, is best because it soaks up the egg mixture without falling apart.
The skin should be yellow and bananas soft enough to eat. You do not want green bananas or brown bananas that are mushy.
Most likely the bread absorbed too much of the egg mixture. You want to dip each side just for a few seconds until coated. It’s also possible the pan was not hot enough.
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Get the Recipe: Bananas Foster French Toast
Ingredients
French Toast
- 2 whole eggs
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
- 2 Tablespoons flour
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- Unsalted butter, for cooking
- 8 slices thick bread, such as challah or brioche
Bananas Foster Topping
- ½ cup (113 g or 1 stick) unsalted butter
- ½ cup (100 g) packed light brown sugar
- 3 Tablespoons dark spiced rum
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 large bananas, peeled and sliced into ½-inch thick slices
- Chopped walnuts or pecans for topping
Instructions
- Heat griddle or skillet to medium heat.
- In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, egg yolk and flour. Then add the milk, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and salt. Whisk vigorously until combined.
- Dip bread slices in mixture coating well, about 5 seconds per side (don’t soak).
- Grease hot griddle with butter and place bread slices on the griddle. Cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes, then flip and cook for another 2 minutes. Repeat with remaining bread slices greasing the griddle with butter between batches.
- Transfer French toast to a wire rack on a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven.
- In a skillet over medium heat, add butter, brown sugar, rum and cinnamon. Cook, stirring occasionally, until butter is melted and brown sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes.
- Add banana slices to the skillet and cook for 3 minutes or until golden brown on the bottom. Flip and cook until soft, about 2 more minutes.
- Spoon bananas with some sauce over French toast. Sprinkle chopped nuts on top and serve.
