Decadent caramelized banana French toast is the gourmet breakfast of your dreams. Thick and rich challah bread is dipped in a cinnamon vanilla milk bath - creating a luscious custardy interior - cooked until golden brown, and topped with bananas sauteed in butter and brown sugar. It's sure to become your favorite French toast recipe!
This caramelized banana French toast recipe is rich, decadent, and perfect for a holiday or any ol' weekend where you let yourself sleep in. The caramelized bananas really set this apart from your average French toast. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and it could easily be called Bananas Foster French toast.
For perfectly crispy French toast, we balance the right amount of milk and eggs in the custard mixture, so no soggy French toast here! We give our bread a quick dip and then cook it until the edges become crisp and golden brown.
If you can get your hands on egg-y bread (like challah), it really makes all the difference between good French toast and amazing French toast. Enjoy!
Jump to:
⭐️ Why This French Toast is the Best
Quick & easy - With just 10 minutes of prep time and detailed step-by-step instructions, this French toast with caramelized bananas is easy enough for a weekday morning and rich enough for a weekend indulgence.
Delicious - Rich, eggy, bread is dipped into a milk and egg custard infused with warm cinnamon and vanilla, and cooked until golden brown. And the addition of caramelized bananas make it a game changer.
Indulgent - You must treat yourself to a special breakfast every once in a while, like chocolate old fashioned donuts, buttermilk biscuits, or cinnamon rolls.
Freezer-friendly - Make a double batch and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. See the directions below on how to easily freeze and reheat your French toast.
🍞 Ingredient Notes
- Milk - You can use whole, 2%, or any plant-based milk, like almond or oat milk.
- Vanilla extract - Provides a richer and deeper flavor.
- Ground cinnamon - Adds warm flavor with subtle spiciness.
- Egg-y bread (like challah) - Using an egg-y bread like challah makes for richer French toast. Challah is a traditional yeast bread that contains eggs and honey. It has a beautiful braid and is often used for the Jewish Sabbath. Brioche bread can be used as a substitute.
- Bananas - Adds both creaminess and sweetness. Make sure your bananas are ripe but still slightly firm. You don't want to use overripe bananas or they will turn into mush when cooking. (If you have overripe bananas to use, try my peanut butter banana oatmeal cookies!)
- Unsalted butter - Using unsalted butter helps you control the amount of salt in your cooking.
- Light brown sugar - Using brown sugar for the caramel mixture adds deeper flavor because it contains molasses. Granulated sugar will work here as well, but the flavor won't be as rich.
- Maple syrup - Always use real maple syrup, not pancake syrup, which is primarily made of corn syrup. If you're out of maple syrup, try one of my recommended maple syrup substitutes.
🍌 What Are Caramelized Bananas?
Caramelized bananas are bananas that have been cooked in butter and sugar. The mixture turns into a caramel sauce, and the sugars in the bananas develop a deeper nuttier flavor while also becoming slightly crispy on the outside.
Make a large batch of caramelized bananas and add them to overnight oats, ice cream, or granola!
📝 Variations & Substitutions
- Fruit. If you're not a fan of bananas, peaches, pears, or plums would all be delicious here.
- Bread. Although I recommend using a rich bread like challah or brioche for best results, you can also use a thickly sliced French bread or Texas toast.
- Nuts. Substitute your favorite toasted nuts to add a delicious crunch. Hazelnuts or walnuts would both be delicious.
- Dairy-free French toast: Substitute plant-based milk (e.g. soy milk, almond milk, etc.) and vegan/plant-based butter for a dairy-free version.
- Gluten-free French toast: Substitute gluten-free bread to make a gluten-free version.
🔪 How To Make Caramelized Banana French Toast
Make the French Toast:
In a 13x9-inch baking dish, whisk together milk, eggs, vanilla extract, and cinnamon.
Place four slices of challah bread into the baking pan in a single layer and let them soak for 1 minute. Flip bread over and let soak for an additional minute.
Place a large skillet over medium heat and melt 2 Tablespoons of butter. Add all four slices of challah bread to the pan and cook until golden, about 3 minutes. Flip the bread and cook for an another 3 minutes. (Repeat soaking and cooking process for all 8 slices of bread.) Transfer French toast to a large plate or baking sheet and tent with foil to keep warm.
Make the Caramelized Bananas:
Wipe out skillet and melt 2 Tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add sugar and water and stir until sugar dissolves. Continue stirring until mixture is foamy, about 2 minutes. Add rum (if using) and cook for an additional minute.
Add banana slices and cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl.
Serve french toast immediately, topped with caramelized bananas, maple syrup, and pecans (if using).
👩🏼🍳 Expert Tips
- Make ahead instructions: Caramelize your bananas up to 4 hours ahead of time. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Storage: Place in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- How to freeze: Wrap each piece (after completely cooled) in foil and place in a plastic freezer bag. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To thaw, place in the fridge overnight.
- How to reheat French toast: Place frozen slices (do not thaw before reheating or toast will get mushy) on a baking sheet and warm in a preheated 350 degree F. oven for 10-15 minutes.
- Use thick and eggy bread. Using a rich, egg-y bread like challah (or a buttery bread like brioche), and slicing it thickly, really makes a difference between good French toast and out-of-this-world French toast!
- Don't oversoak. Keep an eye on your bread while it's soaking in the custard bath, and aim for 1 minute. Soaking it for more than a minute can lead to soggy French toast.
- Cook until golden brown. For perfectly cooked French toast, cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes per side, until the outside is golden brown, the insides are cooked through, and the custard is set.
💬 Frequently Asked Questions
First, choose an egg-y and rich bread, like challah or brioche, and cut it into thick slices. Next, create a custard with the correct ratio of milk to eggs. In general, you want to use 1 cup of milk for every 4-5 eggs. You should only soak it for 1 minute to avoid soggy French toast. Finally, cook French toast over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, until golden brown on the outside and the custard is set.
For crispy French toast, it's a delicate balance of the right amount of milk and eggs in the custard mixture. Too much milk (and soaking for too long) will lead to soggy French toast. In this recipe, we give our bread a quick dip and then cook it until the edges become crisp and golden brown. In addition, make sure your flame is hot enough to get a crispy exterior.
Use your spatula to lift up a piece: it should be golden brown and crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside, with custard set completely.
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add sugar and water and stir until sugar dissolves. Continue stirring until mixture is foamy, about 2 minutes. Add rum (if using) and cook for an additional minute. Add banana slices and cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes.
Using the wrong kind of bread is the most common mistake. For perfectly soft and fluffy French toast, use a rich bread, like challah or brioche, and cut it into thick slices.
🥞 More Breakfast Recipes
Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. You can also stay in touch with us through social media by following us on Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, and Facebook.
Subscribe to my email newsletter to get my FREE Guide on Money Saving Tips on Buying Groceries, and get new recipes delivered to your inbox!
Banana French Toast Recipe
Equipment
- 1 large skillet or saute pan
- 1 13"x9" baking dish
Ingredients
For the French toast:
- 1 cup milk (whole, 2%, or plant-based)
- 4 large eggs
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- pinch of salt
- 8 (1-inch thick) slices of egg bread (like challah)
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- maple syrup, for serving
For the caramelized bananas:
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 Tablespoons light brown sugar
- 4 Tablespoons water
- 3 large, ripe but firm bananas, peeled and sliced into ½-inch rounds
- 2 Tablespoons dark rum (optional)
- ½ cup toasted pecans, chopped (optional)
Instructions
Make the French toast:
- In a 13x9-inch baking dish, whisk together milk, eggs, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt.
- Place four slices of challah bread into the baking pan in a single layer and let them soak for 1 minute. Flip bread over and let soak for an additional minute.
- Place a large skillet over medium heat and melt 2 Tablespoons of butter. Add all four slices of challah bread to the pan and cook until golden, about 3 minutes. Flip the bread and cook for another 2-3 minutes. (Repeat soaking and cooking process for all 8 slices of bread.) Transfer French toast to a large plate or baking sheet and tent with foil to keep warm.
Make the caramelized bananas:
- Wipe out skillet and melt 2 Tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add sugar and water and stir until sugar dissolves. Continue stirring until mixture is foamy, about 2 minutes. Add rum (if using) and cook for an additional minute.
- Add banana slices and cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl.
- Serve French toast immediately, topped with caramelized bananas, maple syrup, and pecans (if using).
Video
Notes
- Storage: Place in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- How to freeze: Wrap each piece (after completely cooled) in foil and place in a plastic freezer bag. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To thaw, place in the fridge overnight.
- How to reheat French toast: Place frozen slices (do not thaw before reheating or toast will get mushy) on a baking sheet and warm in a preheated 350 degree F. oven for 10-15 minutes.
- Use thick and eggy bread. Using a rich, egg-y bread like challah (or a buttery bread like brioche), and slicing it thickly, really makes a difference between good French toast and out-of-this-world French toast!
- Don't oversoak. Keep an eye on your bread while it's soaking in the custard bath, and aim for 1 minute. Soaking it for more than a minute can lead to soggy French toast.
- Cook until golden brown. For perfectly cooked French toast, cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes per side, until the outside is golden brown, the insides are cooked through, and the custard is set.
Sharon
This is my kind of breakfast. The caramelized bananas and pecans are the perfect topping for French toast.
Gastronotherapy
Yes, bananas and pecans pair so well with the rich and eggy French toast!
Mrs Teresa A KIRHNER
Best recipe ever! Make it all the time now!!
MaryAnne
So happy to hear that, Teresa! Thanks for leaving a review! 😊
Biana
Looks delicious! French toast and bananas is the perfect combination.
Gastronotherapy
Thanks, Biana! Yes - it's a great combination, and when you caramelize the bananas, it's another level of deliciousness! 🙂
Shashi
This is perfect for a weekend morning - so tasty and delicious! BTW - I recently tried to caramelize bananas and they ended up a soupy goop - yours look amazing!
Gastronotherapy
I wonder if your bananas were too ripe to caramelize? It's best to use bananas that are still a bit firm when you caramelize them, as they will soften in the pan. I hope you try this recipe - caramelized bananas are so incredibly tasty!
Jessie
This sounds like delicious breakfast idea!
Kristen
The french toast was fab! And the bananas totally took it over the top. Thank you for the recipe!
Gastronotherapy
So glad you enjoyed it, Kristen! Yes - it's definitely a special French toast!