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This Bananas Foster French Toast features buttery French toast topped with caramelized bananas in a rich brown sugar sauce spiked with rum (or not). It is decadent, luxurious, and feels restaurant-worthy, yet is easy enough to make in your own kitchen.
Love French Toast? Don't miss my recipes for Classic French Toast and Overnight French Toast Casserole.
Kristen's Keys for Bananas Fosters French Toast
To deliver a brunch that rivals any restaurant, let me share with a few pro-tips I have learned make a big difference when making both French Toast and Bananas Fosters sauce.
- Use slightly stale, thick-cut bread. Day-old challah or French bread absorbs the custard without falling apart. Fresh, soft sandwich bread will turn mushy fast and no one wants that.
- Finish the French toast in the oven at 350°F. After browning it in butter, baking for about 8-10 minutes ensures the center cooks through evenly. This keeps the center creamy, not soggy.
- Choose slightly under-ripe bananas. They hold their shape when sautéed. Overripe bananas will break down and become too soft in the sauce.
- Opt for dark rum or omit altogether. The rum is optional. But if adding, opt for plain dark rum, not not white rum or flavored varieties.
- Skip nonstick pans for the sauce. If using rum and flambéing, stick with stainless steel or cast iron. High heat and open flame are not friends with nonstick coatings.
How to Prepare French Toast with Bananas Fosters Sauce
Begin this recipe by preparing French toast, so that while it finishes cooking in the oven, you can devote your attention to preparing the sauce. This allows both components to be hot and ready at the same time -- and makes you look like a pro in the kitchen. 😉
Step One: Prepare French Toast
In a large, shallow dish, whisk together the half and half, vanilla, eggs, cinnamon and vanilla together.
Preheat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat, add butter to melt. While the pan is preheating and the butter is melting, dip the sliced bread into the prepared custard. You want to let each slice soak 5-10 seconds per side, so that they are saturated, but not falling apart or soggy. Thick slices are key here.
Working in batches if needed to not overcrowd the pan, cook the soaked bread in the butter for 2-3 minutes per side, or until golden. We are looking to caramelize the exterior, but not cook the French toast through.
Step Two: Finish French Toast in Oven
Transfer the browned slices to a baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 15 minutes. This method allows the centers cook through gently without the surface over browning.
Step Three: Prepare Bananas Fosters Sauce
Wipe out the skillet used to brown the French toast, and the return to the stove. Add butter and melt over low heat. Once melted, add brown sugar and cook, whisking constantly, until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is bubbly, about 2-3 minutes.
Add the sliced bananas to the sauce and cook for 1-2 minutes per side. Use a gentle hand flipping, as the bananas are delicate. Once caramelized, remove the bananas from the pan.
If using dark rum, remove the pan from the heat, add the rum, then carefully return the pan to the stove. Turn the heat back to medium, keeping in mind that if you are using a gas stove, the sauce may ignite briefly. The flame burns off the alcohol, leaving deep flavor behind. But that flame is not necessary, you can simply simmer for 2-3 minutes to allow the sauce to intensify and the alcohol to cook off.
Step Four: Serve
Spoon the caramelized bananas and sauce over the baked French toast. Pair with a latte and candied bacon for a memorable brunch or top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and call it dessert. No one will argue. 😉
Recipe FAQs
Most of it cooks off during the simmering process, but not all of it. If serving children, I would skip it. I promise it will still be delicious.
Not at all. Adding dark rum to the bananas fosters sauce is classic, but you can omit it and still have a rich, memorable breakfast. I would suggest finishing the sauce with a teaspoon of vanilla extract for depth.
No! In fact, unless you are using a gas stove or a take a lighter to the sauce, it should not ignite. Simmering the rum and butter together will help the alcohol cook off without the theatrics.
Challah is ideal because it's rich and sturdy. French or Italian bread works well too. Just slice it about ¾ to 1-inch thick.
More Delicious Brunch Recipes
Bananas Foster French Toast
Video
Ingredients
For French Toast
- 6 large eggs
- ½ cup half and half , or cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 8 slices challah or french bread, 1-inch thick slices
For Bananas Foster Sauce
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 2 large underripe bananas, sliced on bias into 1-inch thick slices
- ¼ cup dark rum, optional
Instructions
French Toast
- Preheat oven to 350℉ (175℃).
- In a large, shallow mixing bowl, whisk together 6 large eggs, ½ cup half and half , 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon salt together.
- Preheat a large cast-iron or stainless steel skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon unsalted butter. Let the butter melt.
- Dip the bread into the egg custard, allowing each sliced to soak for 5-10 seconds per side, or until saturated but not soggy. Remove the bread from the custard, shake off excess, and place it onto the buttered skillet, working in batches if needed. Brown for 2-3 minutes per side, or until a golden crust forms.
- Once browned on each side, remove the bread from the skillet and place onto a baking sheet, repeating the process until all the slices are browned. Then transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake for 15 minutes to finish cooking through.
Bananas Foster Sauce
- Wipe out the skillet used to make the French toast, then return to the stove. Add 5 tablespoons unsalted butter to the skillet and let melt over low heat. Once melted, add in ⅓ cup brown sugar and whisk constantly, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is bubbly.
- Once the sugar is dissolved and the butter begins to bubble and brown, add the sliced banana in a single layer to the skillet. Cook for 1 minute on each side. Remove the caramelized bananas from the pan to a serving dish and turn off the heat.
- Remove the pan from the stove and add in ¼ cup dark rum. Carefully return to stove and turn the heat back to medium. If using a gas stove, the sauce may ignite, which is fine. Cook over medium heat until the flame dies out or the sauce is nice and bubbly, about 2-3 minutes.
- To serve, place 2 slices of the french toast on a plate, top with a few slices of the caramelized bananas, and a bit of the syrup.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This post was originally published in 2017 and updated in 2026.
Would rum extract work?
I would skip the rum extract, as it is really overpowering. You can instead add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract to the sauce for depth. Hope that helps
This was the absolute BEST French toast! The rich bananas foster sauce took them over the top and made each bite absolute perfection. My whole family loved it!
Truly amazing! I think I just might surprise my kids and make it again next weekend. Great recipe!