These caramelized honey bananas with cinnamon are pan-fried, crispy, gooey, and made under 10 minutes. They're delicious as-is or served as a topping on ice cream, yogurt, pancakes, and more.
These honey caramelized bananas are pan-fried perfection! They're cooked in honey, butter, and cinnamon and are sweet, nutty, and delicious. They make the perfect topping for oatmeal, waffles, and more but are also so good on their own with a dollop of whipped cream.
Caramelized bananas could not be easier to make. You can make them in under 10 minutes with only 4 ingredients!
If you're looking for a recipe to use these bananas in, check out my caramelized banana French toast. It uses this recipe for the caramelized bananas and is insanely delicious. Also try my chia seed banana bread.
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Why You'll Love This
- Naturally sweetened- The natural sweetness of the banana is enhanced with honey. There are no refined sugars in this recipe.
- Easy to make- You only need 4 simple ingredients and 10 minutes to make this recipe.
- Versatile- You can enjoy the fried bananas on their own or use them as a topping on toast, chia pudding, custard, and more.
- Customizable- You can add so many different ingredients to this recipe to customize the flavor like rum, nuts, and different spices.
What is Caramelization?
Caramelization is the process of heating sugar in cooking. When the sugar is heated, the water evaporates and the sugar breaks down. It turns brown and gains a delicious nutty flavor.
Bananas will caramelize on their own when pan-fried since they have sugar naturally present in them. However, adding butter, honey, and cinnamon makes them extra gooey and indulgent. The honey and butter will also brown and add more richness to the flavor profile.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here are some notes about the ingredients used. For the full list of ingredients, see the recipe card below.
- Bananas- I recommend that you use bananas that are slightly underripe. Bananas that are too ripe will fall apart while they are cooking. Underripe bananas are less soft and will keep their structure when heated.
- Salted butter- This is so you don't have to add any additional salt to the recipe. You can use unsalted butter with about ¼ teaspoon sea salt in a pinch.
- Honey- Honey is used to naturally sweeten the bananas. Any kind of honey works, but I prefer raw, light-colored honey like this clover honey because of its floral taste and health benefits.
Substitutions
- Salted butter: Use vegan butter instead to make the bananas dairy free and vegan. Vegan butter sticks or spread works.
- Honey: To make this recipe vegan, use maple syrup. This will change the flavor slightly; the bananas will taste toffee-like.
Helpful Equipment and Tools
- Medium frying pan- I have been using these non-stick pans from All-Clad for years. They have held up beautifully.
Instructions
These honey caramelized bananas are super easy to make. You'll need a cutting board, sharp metal knife, medium frying pan, spatula, and measuring spoons.
Quick Overview
- Slice the bananas.
- Melt the butter, honey, and cinnamon.
- Cook the bananas.
- Serve.
Step by Step Instructions
STEP 1: Slice the bananas. Using a sharp metal knife, slice the bananas into round coins about ½ inch thick. Then, set aside.
TIP - The bananas should be yellow, perhaps with a slight green tint. Save your brown, spotted bananas to make banana bread!
STEP 2: Melt the butter, honey, and cinnamon. Add the salted butter, honey, and cinnamon to a medium skillet on medium heat. Then, whisk the ingredients together, letting them heat until fragrant and simmering.
STEP 3: Caramelize the bananas. Add the bananas coins to the pan in a single layer. Let them cook in the bubbling honey butter mixture for about 3 minutes or until the bottoms look crunchy and golden brown. You can lift the bananas with a fork to check. Then, flip them with a spatula and let them caramelize for another 3 minutes. Watch the bananas carefully, making sure they don't burn.
TIP - Don't touch your banana slices while they're cooking. Leaving them alone allows for the caramel-y layer to form.
STEP 4: Serve. Remove the bananas from the heat. Then, spoon the warm bananas and caramel sauce over crepes, oatmeal, ice cream, cheesecake, or whatever you like. You can also use the honey bananas as a filling for cakes, cupcakes, or puff pastry.
Expert Tips
- The bananas can be sliced into coins or lengthwise strips. Make sure the slices are the same size so they will cook evenly.
- Don't overcrowd the pan with banana slices. This will make them difficult to flip.
- Keep a close eye on the bananas while they are cooking. Honey and butter burn quickly, so be cautious.
Additions and Variations
There are many different ingredients you can add to this recipe for extra flavor. Here are some of my favorites.
- Rum (for bananas foster)
- Bourbon
- Whiskey
- Pecans
- Walnuts
When making pan fried bananas with alcohol, I recommend using about 2 tablespoons of it. The alcohol will burn off as the banana cooks.
Storage and Reheating
The caramelized honey bananas are best eaten right away because they will start to lose their crunch when stored. For this reason, I wouldn't recommend making them ahead of time. Here are some tips for storing and reheating the leftovers.
Storage
- Refrigerator- Store the bananas and caramel sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. You can reheat them or eat them straight out of the fridge cold.
- Freezer- I don't recommend freezing the actual bananas because they will freeze together and turn into mush. However, you can freeze the leftover caramel sauce in an airtight container or Ziplock bag for up to 1 month. Thaw the frozen caramel by placing the bag or jar in a bowl of warm water until it loosens up.
Reheating
- Microwave- Place the bananas in a microwave-safe container and microwave on high for 20-30 seconds or until warm.
- Frying pan- Grease a non-stick skillet with spray or butter and place over medium heat. Add the bananas to the pan in a single layer. Cook for about 5 minutes until they are warm and fragrant. Flip the banana slices over and cook for an additional minute.
- Oven- Preheat the oven to 300F and line a small baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the leftover bananas in a single layer and bake for about 5 minutes.
- Air fryer- Line the air fryer with parchment paper and heat the bananas at 300F for 2-3 minutes until warm.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! For the microwave, add the honey, butter, and cinnamon on top of the banana slices in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for about 1-2 minutes on high. Make sure the bowl is covered. This is the quickest and easiest way to make caramelized bananas, however the bananas might get mushy and the sauce will not thicken.
Yes! Add the banana slices to a small, oven-safe dish. Melt the butter and pour it, the honey, and cinnamon on top and coat the banana coins with the mixture. Bake at 400F for about 10-15 minutes. Make sure to keep a close eye on the sauce so it doesn't burn. The honey sauce won't thicken like it does on the stovetop but it will still be delicious.
Nope! Cooking the bananas burns off the alcohol content, and you should only use a small amount of alcohol to begin with. If you decide to use alcohol, only use about 1 tablespoon of rum, brandy, or whisky.
Yes, you can. Doesn't matter how you slice them!
More Breakfast and Brunch Recipes
📖 Recipe
Caramelized Honey Bananas
Equipment
- 1 non-stick pan
- 1 spatula
Ingredients
- 1-2 banana large
- 2 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Read the ingredient and recipe notes before beginning.
- Slice the bananas into round coins about ½ inch thick. Set aside.1-2 banana
- Add the salted butter, honey, and cinnamon to a medium skillet on medium heat. Whisk the ingredients together, letting them heat until fragrant and simmering.2 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon salted butter, 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- Add the bananas coins to the pan in a single layer. Let them cook in the bubbling honey butter mixture for about 3 minutes or until the bottoms look crunchy and golden brown.
- Flip the bananas. Let them caramelize for another 3 minutes. Then remove from the heat and serve.
Lucy
Just when I thought I couldn't get any more obsessed with banana, I read this blog 😂 I'll definitely be having some caramelised bananas with porridge at some point this week. Thanks for sharing!
Gabi
This sounds delicious! As someone who always has banana on hand, I'll have to try this out soon. 🙂
Kelly
Ahhh I have to try this! Sounds delicious especially with being at home and having more time to make breakfast 🙂
Josie D.
**Omg I think I replied under someone else by accident, but this is my comment, please remove this text if you can**
Every week I have bananas in my house, I never thought to carnelian them lol. Omg what have I been missing? Will definitely try this, thanks for sharing xxx
Melissa | The Homemade Life
Excited to try this recipe! I love breakfast and especially a healthy one! Thanks for this recipe!