Banana french toast is a simple and decadent french toast made from buttery bread soaked in a rich banana custard, fried to golden perfection. It’s topped with caramelized bananas and chopped nuts. This quick and easy french toast with bananas makes the perfect indulgent breakfast or brunch.
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Why Should You Make This Recipe
I love wonderfully indulgent breakfast recipes. My Bread Pudding with Vanilla Sauce, French Toast Muffins, Brioche French Toast Casserole, Maple Donuts and Cinnamon Rolls with Heavy Cream are just a few of many that I love making when I want an extra special, but quick breakfast. This banana french toast recipe is no exception. I know you’ll reach for this easy french toast recipe over and over again.
- Easy to make, bake and eat: This banana filled french toast tastes like you just bought it from the best restaurant in town, but is so simple to make at home. This quick and easy banana toast recipe comes together in about 10 minutes. Simply mix, soak, fry, top and enjoy!
- Perfectly cozy and made for holiday breakfast and brunch. There’s nothing more satisfying than enjoying a deliciously indulgent breakfast everyone will love. This french toast with caramelized bananas is endlessly adaptable and the perfect canvas for all the toppings you love.
Ingredients
This easy french toast with bananas requires only a handful of simple ingredients to make and you probably already have them in your pantry and fridge. Here’s what you need.
Banana French Toast
Gather a buttery bread like brioche bread or challah bread, a large ripe banana, eggs, milk, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon and butter for frying.
Caramelized Banana Topping
Gather a couple of firm bananas, butter and light brown sugar.
Substitutions
This caramelized banana french toast recipe is as easy to make as it is delicious. Here are my recommended substitutions for this recipe.
- Buttery Bread: This banana toast recipe works well with any thick and buttery bread. Brioche bread, challah bread, texas toast, french bread or even cinnamon swirl bread all work.
- Ripe Banana: Make sure the banana is soft with lots of brown spots.
- Eggs: This recipe has not been tested without eggs.
- Milk: Whole milk is preferred, but feel free to use any milk you like.
- Vanilla Extract: This gives a lovely flavor boost to the french toast with bananas. Omit if you don’t have this ingredient.
- Ground Cinnamon: I love ground cinnamon with bananas. Feel free to use ½ - 1 teaspoon of any ground spices or spice blends you like.
- Butter: Feel free to use any butter or cooking oil you like.
- Firm Bananas: To make the caramelized banana topping, it’s important for the bananas to be firm enough to hold shape while cooking.
- Light Brown Sugar: Maple sugar or regular granulated sugar will also work well. Brown sugar is recommend because it brings a nice caramel flavor to the caramelized bananas.
Variations
- Peanut Butter Banana French Toast: Whisk 2 tablespoons of peanut butter into the mashed bananas. Follow the rest of the recipe as written.
- Peanut Butter Stuffed Banana French Toast: Prepare the banana toast recipe as written. Spread 2 tablespoons peanut butter on top of one slice, top with another piece of french toast, slice and enjoy!
How To Make
Learn how to make banana french toast in a few easy steps.
- In a large mixing bowl, mash the ripe banana until it is smooth with just a few lumps. Whisk in the eggs, milk, vanilla extract and ground cinnamon until smooth and well combined.
- Dip each side of each piece of sliced toast bread in the banana custard. Allow the slices of bread to soak in the custard for 5 minutes while the skillet, griddle or pan heats up.
- Place a slice of butter on a skillet, griddle or pan. Heat the pan over medium heat until the butter fully melts and begins to sizzle. Swirl the butter around the pan to fully coat the bottom of the pan. Place 2 - 3 slices of banana toast into the hot pan. Fry one side of the banana french toast for 2 - 4 minutes or until the toast is golden brown. Flip the banana toast bread and repeat. Transfer the banana french toast slices to a serving plate.
- Clean out the pan if needed. Melt the butter and brown sugar in the pan over low-medium heat until the butter fulls melts. The sugar will begin to bubble slightly. Once this happens, add the sliced bananas from a couple of firm bananas in a single layer in the pan. Cook the banana slices for 2 - 3 minutes, flip and repeat. If you would like to add some chopped nuts, add them at the end and cook an additional 1 - 2 minutes.
- Pour the caramelized bananas and nuts on top of the plated banana french toast slices. Dust with powdered sugar, top with warm maple syrup or a dollop of freshly whipped cream and enjoy!
How To Store, Freeze and Thaw
- Store: Fully cool the french toast with bananas. Transfer the banana nut toast to an airtight container to store in the fridge for up to 3 - 4 days. Store the caramelized bananas and nuts in a separate container in the fridge for up to 2 - 3 days.
- Freeze: Fully cool the banana french toast to room temperature. Wrap each slice in plastic wrap Transfer the slices of french toast to an airtight and freezer safe container. Keep in the freezer for up to 1 month.
- Thaw: Transfer slices of frozen french toast with banana to the fridge to thaw overnight. Heat in a microwave in 30 second intervals until heated through, top with your desired toppings and enjoy!
M’s Expert Tips
- Bring cold ingredients to room temperature: This allows the ingredients to mix together more evenly and easily resulting in a smoother banana custard filling.
- Use “day old” bread: French toast more easily absorbs the banana custard when the bread is a bit dried out.
- Allow time to soak the toast: Get more banana flavor by soaking the slices of bread in the banana custard for 5 - 10 minutes before frying.
- Top the french toast with your favorite toppings. Although this recipe for banana french toast tastes amazing without toppings, I love topping mine with caramelized bananas and nuts. Powdered sugar, maple syrup and whipped cream would also be delicious toppings.
FAQs
This recipe for banan french toast is just like classic french toast, just with mashed bananas mixed into the custard. The result is a nice background of banana flavor.
Bananas foster is a fancy phrase for caramelized bananas. To make bananas foster, caramelize butter and brown sugar, cook sliced bananas in the caramel sauce until the bananas become soft.
This happens when too much liquid is used to make the custard. Use slightly dried out bread, allow the bread to soak for 5 -10 minutes, then fry until golden brown.
Other Banana Recipes to Try
- Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Banana Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Banana Mini Muffins
- Banana Coffee Cake Muffins
- Pumpkin Banana Muffins
If you try this Banana French Toast recipe please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Doing so helps other readers decide if this is a great recipe to bake. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using @olivesnthyme so I can see what you’re baking! Happy Baking! -M
Banana French Toast Recipe
Equipment
- 1 mixing bowl
- 1 whisk
- 1 skillet
- 1 knife
Ingredients
Banana French Toast
- 4 - 5 slices of thick buttery bread like brioche, challah, or french bread
- 1 large very ripe banana
- 2 large eggs (US), room temperature
- ¼ cup (59 ml) milk
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter for frying
Caramelized Banana Topping
- 2 large firm bananas, sliced into rounds
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 tablespoons (50 g) light brown sugar
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, mash the ripe banana until it is smooth with just a few lumps. Whisk in the eggs, milk, vanilla extract and ground cinnamon until smooth and well combined.1 large very ripe banana, 2 large eggs (US), room temperature, ¼ cup (59 ml) milk, 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Dip each side of each piece of sliced toast bread in the banana custard. Allow the slices of bread to soak in the custard for 5 minutes while the skillet, griddle or pan heats up.4 - 5 slices of thick buttery bread
- Place a slice of butter on a skillet, griddle or pan. Heat the pan over medium heat until the butter fully melts and begins to sizzle. Swirl the butter around the pan to fully coat the bottom of the pan.2 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter for frying
- Place 2 - 3 slices of banana toast into the hot pan. Fry one side of the banana french toast for 2 - 4 minutes or until the toast is golden brown. Flip the banana toast bread and repeat. Transfer the banana french toast slices to a serving plate.
- Clean out the pan if needed. Melt the butter and brown sugar in the pan over low-medium heat until the butter fulls melts. The sugar will begin to bubble slightly.2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 4 tablespoons (50 g) light brown sugar
- Once this happens, add the sliced bananas from a couple of firm bananas in a single layer in the pan. Cook the banana slices for 2 - 3 minutes, flip and repeat. If you would like to add some chopped nuts, add them at the end and cook an additional 1 - 2 minutes.2 large firm bananas, sliced into rounds
- Spoon the caramelized bananas and nuts on top of the plated banana french toast slices. Dust with powdered sugar, top with warm maple syrup or a dollop of freshly whipped cream and enjoy!
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