This is the tastiest and best Easy Bananas Foster recipe you’ll ever make! It requires very few ingredients, is quick to throw together, but tastes like it’s a fancy dessert. Skip those pricey ice cream shops and make this spicy and creamy dessert instead!
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I’m not going to lie, I had heard of Bananas Foster countless times, but it always looked like it was so fancy. I would always overlook it when preparing desserts because I always needed something quick and easy. I didn’t think it was the best choice, and now I know that I was very wrong.
Some of my other favorite desserts such as the DIY Cotton Candy Burrito or Homemade Whipped Cream I had the same reaction to. I would tell myself, “Don’t even try, they’re not going to be simple to tackle at all.” It seems I am wrong a lot about the simplicity of dessert recipes. So, I’m here to tell you, things are often simpler than they seem and I’m going to prove it with this Easy Bananas Foster.
How to Make Bananas Foster
Start the sugar mixture - Melt the butter before adding the brown sugar and stirring until dissolved. Add in the cinnamon and rum extract. Stir well. Bring to a slight boil.
Add the bananas - Slice the bananas and add them to the sugar mixture. Gently stir to coat. Cook for another 7 minutes. Gently fold in the walnuts. Allow to cool.
Spoon over ice cream - Place about ¾ cup vanilla ice cream in 4 serving dishes and spoon the banana mixture over the top. Serve and enjoy!
Tips and Variations for Bananas Foster
- Storage - Store the banana mixture separate from the ice cream. Store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer. Store in the fridge for up to a week and in the freezer for up to a month.
- Reheating - Reheat in the microwave or over the stove in a small pan. The best way to reheat it from the freezer is to let it thaw naturally, then warm it in the microwave.
- Make it keto - If you want to make this recipe keto, simply use a brown sugar substitute that’s keto-friendly. You’ll need to use a keto-friendly vanilla ice cream as well. I often make my own at home.
- Rum extract substitute - If you prefer to not use rum extract or rum itself, you can use vanilla extract in the same amount. I sometimes use a little more vanilla if it’s not pure.
- Allow the bananas to cool - If you don’t let the mixture cool a bit, it will melt the ice cream quickly. Unless you want soup for a base, add the mixture with the ice cream once it’s had a chance to cool off.
- Does the alcohol cook off? - With this type of dish, it doesn’t cook very long. So, it will retain about 75% of the alcohol content. If you need a substitute, use the one listed above.
Common Questions About Easy Bananas Foster
How Ripe Should Bananas Be for Bananas Foster?
You don’t want them as ripe as you might use for banana bread. However, you don’t want them to be green either. I like using a banana that has gained a few speckled black spots, but hasn’t rotted on the inside yet. These will be extremely flavorful, but still plenty solid to hold up when being cooked. If you use a banana that’s too ripe, you’ll end up with banana mush.
What Does Foster Mean in Bananas Foster?
The word “foster” doesn’t have some fancy underlying meaning like some dishes do. Foster is actually the last name of a police chairmen from New Orleans that the dish was named after. A well-known restaurant in the area had an owner who was friends with the chairmen. The owner decided to name one of his creations after his friend. That’s where the famous dessert gained its name.
If you decided to try this Easy Bananas Foster recipe and loved it or have any questions, please feel free to use the comment section below and let me know!
More Dessert Recipes You’ll Love:
Easy Bananas Foster
Ingredients
- 2 medium bananas
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts
- 2 tablespoons vanilla Extract
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- ½ Tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 3 cups vanilla ice cream
Instructions
- In a small pot, melt the butter then add the brown sugar and stir until dissolved. This will take about 3 minutes. Add the rum extract and cinnamon, mixing well.
- Slice the bananas then add them to the pot once the mixture starts bubbling, about 5 minutes. Mix well.
- Allow to cook for another 7 minutes then remove from heat, stir in walnuts, and allow to cool a bit to thicken.
- Place about ¾ cup vanilla bean ice cream in 4 separate dishes.
- Equally distribute the banana mixture between the four dishes and serve immediately.
Notes
- Make it keto - If you want to make this recipe keto, simply use a brown sugar substitute that’s keto-friendly. You’ll need to use a keto-friendly vanilla ice cream as well. I often make my own at home.
- Rum extract substitute - If you prefer to not use rum extract or rum itself, you can use vanilla extract in the same amount. I sometimes use a little more vanilla if it’s not pure.
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