Bananas Foster Waffles
Bananas Foster waffles pair fluffy brown sugar cinnamon waffles with caramelized bananas Foster topping for a breakfast that tastes like a classic dessert!
Bananas foster is a dessert that proves fruit can be every bit as decadent as your favorite chocolatey treats. The bananas are cooked in a buttery caramel-like sauce that’s infused with rum and, yes, set on fire. (Well, not really. The alcohol burns, not the bananas!)
We love turning classic desserts into breakfast-worthy treats, from German chocolate pancakes to banana split waffles, and bananas Foster is no exception. Pair them with homemade cinnamon-spiced waffles and you’ve got yourself a winning breakfast or brunch!
About this bananas Foster waffles recipe
This recipe for bananas Foster waffles can be a production, or it can be easy. Choose your own adventure!
If you want the dramatic flair of flambéd bananas, we’ve got instructions for it below. But you can also make a no rum version of this recipe and the sauce is every bit as delicious without the flame.
Another option is to use store-bought waffles so instead of making them from scratch and making the bananas Foster topping, you can just heat the waffles and focus all your attention on making the bananas. If you go this route, the Liége or Belgian style waffles they often sell fresh in the bakery section of the grocery store are perfect. The banana topping would also be fantastic with cinnamon pancakes or banana pancakes.
This Bananas foster waffles recipe is ideal for a special occasion brunch or breakfast (don’t forget the candied bacon and scrambled eggs!), but it’s the kind of dish that’s so good, you’ll want to put it in your regular weekend rotation too!
What you need
- For the waffles – Whole milk, eggs, butter, pure vanilla extract, all-purpose flour, light brown sugar, baking powder, ground cinnamon
- For the bananas Foster topping – Butter, light brown sugar, ground cinnamon, bananas, chopped roasted unsalted pecans (optional), dark rum (optional)
About the bananas: Normally when you’re cooking or baking, you want very ripe bananas, with peel that’s either completely brown or at least full of brown spots. Here, you want bananas that are just ripe or slightly under-ripe. This is because the bananas soften when cooked, so over-ripe bananas will turn to mush.
How to make them
Prepare. Preheat your waffle iron according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Make the waffle batter. Whisk the milk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla in a large bowl. Add the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and cinnamon, then whisk until no lumps remain.
Tip: Make sure to measure the flour using the spoon-and-level method, as adding too much can result in dry waffles.
Cook the waffles. Grease the waffle iron with butter or nonstick cooking spray. Add about ½ cup of batter to the center of the iron, then cook the waffle for 2 to 3 minutes, or until it is crisp and golden brown on the outside. Repeat with the remaining batter.
Tip: You can keep the waffles warm on a baking sheet in a 200ºF oven for up to 30 minutes.
Start the sauce mixture. Melt the butter in a large, deep skillet set over medium-high heat. Whisk in the brown sugar and cinnamon and cook for 1 minute, or until the mixture is thick and dark brown in color.
Finish the bananas Foster. Stir in the bananas and pecans (if using), coating them completely. To flambé, remove the pan from the heat and pour the rum over the top of the bananas without stirring it in. Very carefully use a long match to ignite the rum and gently shake the pan until the flame disappears.
Stir and serve over the waffles.
FAQs
Traditional bananas Foster is made with butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, dark rum, bananas, and sometimes banana liqueur. The mixture is served over vanilla ice cream.
Flambé refers to a cooking method, so bananas flambé could be any recipe that involves adding alcohol to bananas and then igniting the dish. Bananas Foster is a specific recipe that uses this method.
Bananas Foster was named after a friend of the restaurant owner where the dish was invented.
How to make these bananas Foster waffles your own
Here are some of our favorite ideas for customizing this recipe:
- Make bananas Foster pancakes. Spoon the flambéd banana waffle topping over pancakes instead of waffles. Try chocolate chip pancakes or brown sugar pancakes.
- Switch up the waffles. Banana waffles, chocolate waffles, or even cinnamon roll waffles would work here.
- Add some more toppings. Chocolate chips and whipped cream would be delicious additions to these bananas Foster waffles!
Make Ahead Ideas
You can make the waffles in advance and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Assemble the bananas Foster waffles just before serving.
Storage Suggestions
Bananas Foster doesn’t store very well, but if you do have leftover topping, you can refrigerate it for up to 2 days. The waffles themselves will last for 3 days in the fridge, or you can freeze them for up to 3 months.
Reheating Tips
Reheat the bananas Foster mixture in the microwave. You can warm up the waffles in the microwave, a toaster, toaster oven, or a 350ºF oven.
More waffle recipes
Get the Recipe: Bananas Foster Waffles
Ingredients
For the Brown Sugar Cinnamon Waffles
- 1 ½ cups whole milk
- 2 large eggs
- 4 tablespoons ¼ cup butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the Bananas Foster Topping
- 3 tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 large bananas, sliced into ½” thick coins
- ¼ cup chopped roasted unsalted pecans (optional)
- 2 tablespoons dark rum (optional)
Instructions
For the Brown Sugar Cinnamon Waffles
- Preheat a waffle iron according to the manufacturer’s instructions– these waffles can be made in either a standard or Belgian waffle iron (this choice will affect yield).
- Add milk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla to a large bowl. Whisk until combined.
- Add the flour, brown sugar, baking powder and cinnamon. Whisk until no large lumps remain, but don't over mix.
- If needed, grease your waffle iron with butter or nonstick cooking spray. Add about ½ cup of batter to the center of the iron (amount needed will vary based on type of waffle maker). Cook the waffle for 2-3 minutes, or until it is crisp and golden brown. Repeat with the remaining waffle batter until all the batter is used.
- If desired, keep cooked waffles warm on a baking sheet in a 200ºF oven for up to 30 minutes.
For the Bananas Foster Topping
- Add butter to a large high sided skillet set over medium-high heat. When the butter is melted, add the brown sugar and cinnamon. Whisk to combine. Allow the butter-sugar mixture to cook for 1 minute, or until it is thick and dark brown in color.
- Next add the bananas and pecans, if using. Stir to coat everything in the caramel sauce.
- Optional: Remove the pan from the heat and pour the dark rum over the top of the bananas (but don’t stir it in). Very carefully use a long match to ignite the rum and gently shake the pan until the flame disappears (about 10 seconds). When the flame is gone, stir the bananas and serve immediately (the bananas will get mushy as they sit, we recommend serving them immediately after they are prepared).
Notes
- Leftover waffles without banana topping can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.