Bananas Foster French Toast

Looking for a special breakfast treat? This Bananas Foster French Toast is one of my absolute favorite brunch recipes. It tastes more like dessert than breakfast!

Bananas foster is a warm dessert made with bananas and a sauce that includes butter, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and rum. Traditionally, it is served with just vanilla ice cream. But since it’s primarily fruit with a sweet and sticky sauce, it’s a great topping for things like pancakes, cheesecake, French toast, and so much more!

For this dish, we’re taking my classic French toast recipe to the next level by adding plenty of sweet and caramelized bananas foster sauce over top. You’re sure to love it!

Ingredients needed

There are quite a few ingredients needed to make this meal, but most of the ingredients are kitchen staples and items you probably already have. Here’s the list:

• Eggs. To make the rich egg custard you’ll need 3 large eggs.
• Milk. Any milk will work! You can use unsweetened almond milk, cashew milk, oat milk, coconut milk, or cow’s milk.
• Flavorings. To give this French toast a wonderful taste, we’re mixing ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt into the egg custard.
• Bread. You’ll need 8 thick-cut slices of bread for this recipe. I like using challah bread, but brioche bread is also a great option.
• Bananas foster topping. The topping is made with a mixture of butter, dark brown sugar, vanilla, rum, cinnamon, bananas and chopped nuts. Yum!

How to make this recipe

This breakfast may look fancy and taste incredible, but it’s actually super simple to make!

Here’s a quick rundown of the process, but for full (printable) instructions, reference the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

1. Make the custard. In a shallow dish, whisk together the eggs, milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and salt until fully combined.
2. Cook the bread. Over medium heat, spray a large skillet with cooking spray. Place the slices of bread in the egg mixture and let them soak on each side for a few seconds. Toast the bread in the skillet for about 4 minutes on each side or until it’s nice and golden brown. Set aside.
3. Make the topping. Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Once melted, mix in the brown sugar, vanilla, rum and cinnamon. Bring to a simmer and then add in the bananas and walnuts or pecans. Cook the bananas for 4 minutes, flip, and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes or until they’re caramelized on both sides. Be sure to watch the pan and gently move the bananas around a little so that they don’t stick.
4. Assemble and serve. Spread the bananas evenly across the tops of the French toast. Serve with a drizzle of maple syrup and ENJOY!

Tips for recipe success

• Mix the custard thoroughly. To avoid random bits of egg white or yolk showing up on your nicely browned French toast, be sure to briskly whisk together the custard mixture until the eggs, milk, and other ingredients are completely incorporated.
• Keep warm. When making up a large batch, you’ll want to keep your French toast warm when its not on the griddle or in the skillet. To do so, place the cooked slices on a baking sheet and place them in an oven heated to about 200 degrees F.
• Make ahead. The batter/custard mixture can be made a day before using. Store it in the refrigerator and stir again before dunking bread.
• Dunking slices. When you dip your slices of bread in the egg mixture, be sure to only soak them for several seconds on each side to avoid your French toast becoming soggy. If you’re using stale bread or something like a French loaf, you can soak it just a bit longer.

Variations

One of the best things about this recipe is it’s so easy to customize based on your preferences. Here are some suggestions:

• Bread. I highly recommend either using challah or brioche bread. French baguette is another option that’s denser, making for a chewier French toast. Texas toast is a great choice, too, due to its thickness. White bread or anything you have on hand will also work. Just keep in mind it will yield a different taste at the end!
• Toppings. This recipe is all about the bananas foster topping, but you can really add any topping you’d like. In addition to the bananas, try adding a drizzle of maple syrup, a dollop of Greek yogurt, shredded coconut, whipped cream, ice cream and/or powdered sugar.
• Make it vegan. Here is my vegan French toast recipe that has great reviews. You can use that base to make this recipe. Just be sure to use a plant based butter.
• Make it gluten free. Use any favorite gluten free bread in this recipe. A thicker, fluffier gluten free bread will work best.

Serving suggestions

Since French toast is a sweet breakfast, especially this bananas foster French toast, I like to balance that sweetness with something savory. Here’s some great side ideas:

• Breakfast potatoes, hash browns or vegan hash
• Sausage, bacon, or ham
• Eggs or vegan “egg” cups
• Tofu scramble or zucchini crust quiche