Fried Bananas With Brown Sugar
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Fried bananas with brown sugar are one of the quickest sweet things you can make with pantry staples. The slices turn deep golden at the edges, the brown sugar melts into a glossy caramel with the butter and honey, and every bite tastes sticky, warm, and a little toasty. Ten minutes, one skillet, no mixer, no oven, simple enough for breakfast, good enough for dessert.
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If you’ve ever wondered how to make fried bananas at home, the good news is that it couldn’t be easier. A few simple ingredients and one skillet are all you need to turn ripe bananas into something that feels a little extra special.
This easy fried banana recipe is one of those simple wins that delivers every time. The bananas turn soft and golden, the brown sugar and honey make a light caramel-style sauce, and the whole thing comes together fast.
Why I Keep Making These Fried Bananas
- They’re quick. You can have fried bananas ready in about 10 minutes.
- They taste better than the effort suggests. The brown sugar and cinnamon make the bananas soft, glossy, and rich without needing much at all.
- They work in more than one way. I serve them as a quick dessert, but they’re just absolutely delicious spooned over pancakes, waffles, yogurt, or oatmeal.
- They rescue ripe bananas. This is one of my favorite ways to use bananas that are a day or two past the point where I’d want to eat them plain.
Ingredients You’ll Need
You’ll find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card below, but here’s a quick look at what you’ll need to make fried bananas.
A quick note on the bananas: ripe and spotted gives you the sweetest flavor, but firm bananas hold their shape in the pan. Sweet bananas that are heavily soft will turn to mush before they caramelize.
How to Make Fried Bananas with Brown Sugar with Step-By-Step Instructions
A complete printable recipe and the measurements in both US customary and metric are available in the recipe card below.
Making fried bananas with brown sugar is simpler than you might think. Follow these steps to whip up this delightful treat in no time:
Slice the Bananas
Peel the bananas and cut them crosswise into rounds about half an inch thick. I keep the slices a touch thicker than you might expect because thin rounds turn to mush before the sugar has time to caramelize.
SERIOUSLY GOOD
DESSERTS!
Dessert First is a collection of 61 RECIPES to show you that you can make beautiful, impressive desserts right in your own kitchen, no matter your skill level.
Immediate eBook download. No physical book available.
Includes ad-free recipes like:
∙ Lemon Pound Cake
∙ Key Lime Bars
∙ Boston Cream Pie
∙ No-Bake Chocolate Lasagna
∙ Raspberry Cheesecake
...and much more!
Build the Caramel Base
Set a nonstick skillet over medium heat and melt butter or warm the oil until it shimmers. You want hot oil before the sugar goes in; otherwise, the caramel never gets going. Once it’s melted and shimmering, stir in the water, honey, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Give it a quick stir so the sugar dissolves into the liquid before the bananas go in.
Fry the Bananas
Add banana slices to the pan in a single layer. Cook for two to three minutes per side, flipping carefully with a small spatula so the rounds stay whole. You’re looking for a deep golden brown edge and a glossy coating on each slice. If the sugar starts darkening fast, turn the heat down rather than rushing.
Serve Warm
Slide the bananas onto a plate and spoon the syrupy pan juices over the top. Serve immediately while the caramel is still warm and glossy; they’re a delicious treat over cold ice cream.
Use ripe (not overripe bananas) but firm bananas and pull them off the heat as soon as both sides are golden. Overcooking is what turns them to pulp, not the pan.
I wouldn’t for this recipe. Underripe bananas stay starchy and taste flat even with the caramel. Save those for banana bread once they ripen up.
A nonstick or well-seasoned cast iron skillet. The sugar syrup sticks badly to bare stainless steel, so save yourself the scrub.
Yes. Use coconut oil or a vegan butter alternative in place of regular butter, and swap the honey for maple syrup or agave. The caramel still comes together beautifully.
Ingredients
- 2 ripe bananas
- 1 tablespoon oil or butter
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Video
Instructions
- Peel the bananas and slice crosswise into ½ inch rounds.2 ripe bananas
- In a nonstick skillet over medium heat, melt butter or heat oil. Stir in water, honey, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt until combined. Add banana slices in a single layer. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side, flipping carefully with a spatula, until browned and caramelized on both sides. If browning too quickly, turn the heat down to prevent burning. Bananas should be golden brown when done.1 tablespoon oil or butter, 2 tablespoons water, 2 tablespoons honey, 2 teaspoons brown sugar, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon salt
- Serve warm banana slices drizzled with the delicious pan juices.
Notes
-
- Use ripe but firm bananas. Heavily spotted fruit tastes fantastic but turns to pulp the moment it hits the pan.
- Keep the heat at a steady medium. Too high and the sugar burns before the banana softens. Too low and you’ll never get real caramelization.
- Flip gently and only once if you can. Fried bananas are fragile, and each extra flip breaks them up.
- Taste and adjust the sweetness. If your bananas are very ripe, cut the honey back by a teaspoon so the dessert doesn’t tip into cloying.
- Try a different spice. A pinch of nutmeg, cardamom, or fresh ginger gives the caramel a warmer backbone. A splash of vanilla at the end works beautifully too.
- For extra indulgence, scatter a small handful of chocolate chips over the hot bananas so they soften into the caramel, or add chopped pecans for crunch.
Nutrition
SERIOUSLY GOOD
DESSERTS!
Dessert First is a collection of 61 RECIPES to show you that you can make beautiful, impressive desserts right in your own kitchen, no matter your skill level.
Immediate eBook download. No physical book available.
Includes ad-free recipes like:
∙ Lemon Pound Cake
∙ Key Lime Bars
∙ Boston Cream Pie
∙ No-Bake Chocolate Lasagna
∙ Raspberry Cheesecake
...and much more!
How to Store Leftover Fried Bananas
Fried bananas are really at their best the minute they come out of the pan, but leftovers still have a place in my fridge.
- Let the bananas cool to room temperature, then transfer them to an airtight container with the pan juices poured over.
- Store in the fridge for up to two days. The bananas soften further as they sit, so expect a jammier texture the next day.
- To reheat, warm them gently in a skillet over low heat with a splash of water to loosen the caramel. The microwave works too, but heat in short bursts so the bananas don’t turn to purée.
What to Serve with Fried Bananas with Brown Sugar
This delicious recipe works as well at breakfast as it does after dinner, so here are the ways I serve it most often.
Breakfast Bonanza
Over ice cream. A scoop of cold vanilla ice cream topped with warm caramelized bananas is the easiest dessert I know. The hot-cold contrast makes it feel much more special than it is.
On pancakes, waffles, or French toast. Spoon them over a stack at weekend brunch and use the pan juices as a built-in syrup.
With yogurt or baked oatmeal. Stirred into thick Greek yogurt or a warm bowl of oats, fried bananas turn breakfast into something that tastes like a treat.
On toast with peanut butter. A slice of toast, a thick layer of peanut butter, and a few warm banana slices on top is my favorite afternoon snack when I need something sweet and filling.
They would be delicious over ice cream!
I love how you give instructions while also giving the amounts. no more scrolling back and forth. anxious to make this recipe.
Yes, it always used to annoy me too having to scroll up and down. I am glad that you find following my recipes easy.