With just two simple ingredients, you can make soft and sweet Caramelized Bananas to go alongside pancakes, yogurt, waffles, or toast. And you don’t even need any added sweetener—they’re sweet enough as it is on their own!

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Caramelized Bananas

Whenever we have weekend banana pancakes, I almost always have the urge to top them with Caramelized Bananas. It’s one of my favorite things to do with ripe bananas because they tastes so darn good (and sweet!) with just a few minutes of cooking time.

They’re super soft and an easy finger food for babies and they’re a nutritious way to add extra nutrients to a breakfast that tastes downright indulgent.

You can pair this caramelized banana recipe with Yogurt Pancakes, Whole Wheat Waffles, Chia Seed Oatmeal, and Chocolate Chip Pancakes.

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Crispy Caramelized Bananas

These bananas just get a little bit crispy, so they remain a nice texture for little (and big!) kids to enjoy. You need to add a lot of brown sugar or honey to get that super crisp creme-brulee-type crunch, but I find these to be so delicious that you don’t even need to do it.

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Ingredients You Need

To make this super simple recipe, all you need is a ripe banana and butter. That’s it!

They tend to taste best if the banana has some brown spots, since that means it will naturally be sweeter, but since they do sweeten as they cook, it can work with straight up yellow bananas too.

If you’d like to use a non-dairy option, try using coconut oil.

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Step-by-Step Instructions

Here’s a look at how to make this recipe. Scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full information.

  1. Slice the banana into rounds.
  2. Warm the butter in a nonstick or cast iron skillet.
  3. Cook the bananas briefly on both sides.
  4. Serve!
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What kind of pan is best for these?

I like to use either a nonstick or a well-seasoned cast iron skillet (and by well seasoned I mean that it has a nice coating that makes it fairly nonstick) for this recipe. This helps to keep the amount of fat you need to use to cook the fruit rather low.

(Though I do like having some fat in the mix since little kids need it for proper brain development…and it just tastes good!)

Can I make vegan caramelized bananas?

If you have someone in your house who needs (or prefers) to eat dairy-free, you can replace the butter with coconut oil. The flavor will be slightly different but the results are similar.

TIP: Use a fork or a small spatula to flip the banana slices over.

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What should I serve these with?

We like to have these bananas with Banana Pancakes, over Vanilla Waffles, on Banana Bread Oatmeal, or with yogurt for babies. They’re also yummy with cottage cheese (shown above).

You could also serve them as a simple side dish to any breakfast or snack, depending on what your kids like most.

Can I add extra flavor to these Caramelized Bananas?

Sure! You could sprinkle with cinnamon if desired to add a hint of a spice. That would be a nice way to add more flavor to these sweet bananas without much more effort.

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Caramelized Bananas on Banana Pancakes

Best Tips for Success


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caramelized bananas

Quick Caramelized Bananas

You can easily double this recipe to feed more!
5 from 6 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 4 minutes
Total Time 9 minutes
Cuisine American
Course side
Calories 70kcal
Servings 2

Ingredients

  • 1 medium-size ripe banana
  • 1 teaspoon unsalted butter (or coconut oil)
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Instructions

  • Slice the banana into rounds about 1/2-inch thick.
  • Warm the butter in a nonstick skillet placed over medium heat. When melted, add the bananas making sure each is on a flat side. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until just starting to brown.
  • Flip over and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes. Serve warm over pancakes, yogurt, oatmeal, or as a simple side.

Notes

  • Use a fork or small spatula to flip the slices over.
  • Use coconut oil for a dairy-free option.
  • Sprinkle with cinnamon for a hint of spice.
  • Serve over pancakes, waffles, oatmeal, yogurt, or cottage cheese. Or serve on their own.
  • Double the recipe to make a larger batch.
  • These are best served warm out of the pan but can be reheated and served warm if needed.

Nutrition

Calories: 70kcal, Carbohydrates: 13g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 2g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 5mg, Sodium: 1mg, Potassium: 212mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 100IU, Vitamin C: 5mg, Calcium: 4mg, Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Rate in the comments and tag @yummytoddlerfood on IG!

This post was first published April 2019.

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