Usually, when you think of show-stopping, special occasion desserts, you don’t think of something quick and easy, but bananas Foster is an exception. Only a few simple ingredients and a few minutes are needed to prepare this mouthwatering New Orleans staple. Everyone enjoys this dish, with the exception of those who set their homes on fire.
| Prep Time: | 10 mins |
| Cook Time: | 10 mins |
| Total Time: | 20 mins |
| Servings: | 2 |
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- 2 bananas, peeled and halved lengthwise and crosswise
- 2 fluid ounces rum
- 1 fluid ounce banana liqueur
- 2 pinches ground cinnamon
- 2 scoops vanilla ice cream
- 2 small sprigs of mint
Instructions
- Heat butter and brown sugar in a skillet over medium-high heat until butter melts and mixture begins to bubble, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Place bananas, cut-side down, into the brown sugar mixture. Cook until just golden, about 30 seconds; flip and cook until golden on the other side, about 30 seconds. Turn off the heat.
- With the heat off, pour rum and banana liqueur into the skillet. Turn the heat to medium-high or high; cook until alcohol ignites and flames, 1 to 3 minutes. Carefully add cinnamon. When the flames die, remove from the heat.
- Scoop vanilla ice cream into two bowls. Divide banana mixture between the bowls and garnish with mint sprigs.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 497 kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 59 g |
| Cholesterol | 55 mg |
| Dietary Fiber | 4 g |
| Protein | 2 g |
| Saturated Fat | 13 g |
| Sodium | 27 mg |
| Sugars | 45 g |
| Fat | 20 g |
| Unsaturated Fat | 0 g |
Reviews
Excellent recipe of one of my favorite desserts. I’ve tried this recipe with several different combinations of alcohol and the absolute best is Goslings black rum and 99 Bananas liqueur. It leaves a bit of a punchy alcohol flavor (which I prefer) but you can get a softer flavor with less alcohol by subbing a banana cordial in the 30 proof range.
The perfectly delicious exit for three bananas on their way out. I substituted raw honey for brown sugar, cashews for walnuts, no ice cream (I’d have used it if I had it), and lots more spiced rum. Outstanding.
Delicious! It did not ignite after 3 min on high, so I stopped cooking. I did not have the banana liquor, so instead of white rum I used Bumbu rum which has a tropical flavor to it – went perfectly with it. THis is truly enough for 4 over ice cream. THere was too much for the two of us.
Simple. Easy. Delicious! Didn’t have any banana liquor on hand so just went with dark rum. The flambé was fun and the sparkling cinnamon was very cool. Can’t wait to make it again! Cheers!!!
Excellent and a joy to make. I don’t keep banana liquor on hand, but butterscotch schnapps works wonderfully in its place.
Delicious! I didn’t have banana liquor so I added another oz. of rum. I also added pecans while I browned the bananas. Sooo good!
4/23/20 – was excited to try but my first attempt at the butter & brown sugar step burned, so after opening windows, I started over, cooked more slowly and panicked my husband when I lit it on fire. The flames got close to the microwave but no damage. Served over vanilla ice cream. Sauce was good but thin, tasted strongly of alcohol. Hubby and daughter are not fans. Not quite what I’ve had in restaurants and hubby asked me not to do this again!
Such an amazing dessert and so easy! It was a hit. I didn’t have banana liquor, so I just substituted with another ounce of white rum. I will definitely be making this again!
So quick and yummy! I used 4 Tbsp of brown sugar and 4 Tbsp of butter. Will consider trying to add a little vanilla or molasses like some other reviewers, just for variety, but it was perfect just as Chef John describes! Have all your ingredients out and ready because it cooks quickly!
Originally I used light brown sugar, regular captain and Carmel vodka. It didn’t turn out well. It was too sugary. I made it again as the recipe says except for salted butter and it turned out perfect. I was hoping to find some other liquors to use but didn’t happen. Love banana’s foster and it is an easy dish to make.
Mmm so good, yet so fast and simple. This recipe is a keeper for sure. I can’t have too much sugar so used Xylitol + a bit of molasses to sub for brown sugar, and it was amazing.
A relatively quick and easy dessert, with ingredients that are usually on hand. Ice cream scooped out and in bowls in the freezer before dinner helped to minimize the timing between dinner and dessert. Our exception to following the above recipe was banana liqueur, which we didn’t have; Butterscotch Ripple Schnapps was the substitute. I’ll possibly add a dribble of that over the ice cream when serving next time – to boost the yum factor. Really, almost any flavored liqueur (or even vanilla extract) would likely work here. Perhaps we didn’t wait long enough for the rum to self-ignite, but we ignited it with a BBQ lighter to prevent the bananas from overcooking. Will try for more success on that part next time! Clean up was easy too. Thanks so much for sharing your recipe.
Absolutely wonderful. Didn’t change a thing!
Great recipe! Made without changes. Was great with Blue Bell vanilla bean vanilla.
Great recipe. . My wife said it was one of the best desserts she has ever tasted. I left out the banana liqueur. Thanks Chef John.
This is a delicious dessert and one that is really, really hard to mess up. You must use butter, brown sugar, and rum for the sauce to cook the bananas (the rest is just additional flavor)and it is wonderful over vanilla ice-cream, pound cake, waffles. Something that I always add is vanilla extract.
Question: The first few times I made the banana flambé, it was delicious, easy perfect. The last three times my brown sugar didn’t dissolve in the butter and hardened, separated in the sauce. Not good. What did I do different? Maybe I used different brand of brown sugar, would light brown sugar or salt free butter mak that difference? Help please.
Very good. My husband and I watched the video before making in. The recipe was very easy to make and tasted very delicious. We had ours with sweetened with cream and waffles. Divine! If I had to change anything, I probably would more brown sugar the next time I make it so the sauce I s little bit thicker.
I’ve searched for this recipe fir a long time. I recall my dad making this on special occasions when I was little. I remembered watching him and i remembered the ingredients but not the exact measurements. I tried on my own and came close but never quite got it. THIS WAS IT! Thank you, thank you, thank you. A delicious blast from my past.