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Updated: December 28, 2021 / First Posted: December 28, 2021 Amy Palanjian 1 Comment

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!

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 easy for little kids to eat and they’re a nutritious way to add extra nutrients to a breakfast that tastes downright indulgent.

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.

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.

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!

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.

What should I serve these with?

We like to have these bananas with Banana Pancakes, over waffles, on oatmeal, or with yogurt. 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.

Best Tips for Success

I’d love to hear what you thought of the recipe if you’ve tried it, so please chime in below in the comments!

This post was first published April 2019.

Filder Under:Baby Food, Breakfast, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Gluten-Free, Nut-Free, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian