Classic Bananas Foster

Nov 3, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Pantry Sauces syrups glazes Easy

Bananas sautéed in butter, brown sugar and cinnamon, flamed with rum and banana liqueur, and served warm over vanilla ice cream. It is the signature New Orleans dessert. Makes 4 servings in about 20 minutes.

Prep 10 min

Cook 10 min

Total 20 min

Servings 4

Diet Gluten free

Ingredients

Adjust yield

servings

¼ cup (57 g)unsalted butter
½ cup (110 g)dark brown sugar, packed
¾ tsp (2 g)ground cinnamon
4firm ripe bananas, peeled, split lengthwise, halved crosswise
¼ cup (60 ml)banana liqueur
¼ cup (60 ml)dark rum
3 cups (720 ml)vanilla ice cream, 6 scoops

Fresh ingredient guides

Baking tools for this recipe

Convert to grams Scale it Change the pan

Instructions

Scoop the ice cream into 4 bowls and return to the freezer.
Melt the butter with the brown sugar and cinnamon in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring until bubbling and smooth, about 2 minutes.
Add the bananas cut side down and cook 1 to 2 minutes per side until just tender and glazed.
Remove the pan from the heat. Add the banana liqueur, then add the rum.
Carefully tilt the pan toward the flame or use a long lighter to ignite the alcohol, standing back with hair and sleeves clear. Let the flames burn out, about 30 seconds, gently shaking the pan.
Spoon the bananas and sauce over the ice cream and serve at once.

Tips

Use bananas that are yellow and still firm, not spotty.
Take the pan off the heat before adding the alcohol, keep a pan lid nearby to smother flames, and never pour alcohol straight from the bottle into a hot pan.
Skip the flame by simmering the sauce 2 minutes with the alcohol to cook it off.
Good with vanilla ice cream.

Made this?

Log it to keep your bakes, ratings and notes together in My Kitchen.

Be the first to share one.

Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make classic bananas foster?

Plan on 10 minutes of prep and 10 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes 4 servings.

How should I store classic bananas foster?

Best eaten at once. Refrigerate leftover sauce and bananas up to 2 days and rewarm gently; the bananas will soften.

Can I make classic bananas foster ahead?

It is at its best the day it is made; prepare it a few hours before serving.

Can I use a different form of vanilla?

Yes. This recipe uses 3 cups vanilla ice cream, 6 scoops (720 ml). Each teaspoon of pure vanilla extract can be swapped for 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste, the seeds of half a vanilla bean, or 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla powder. Paste and seeds add the classic dark specks.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 4 servings this recipe makes.

586 Calories / serving

22.8g Fat

81.5g Carbs

5.0g Protein

64.8g Sugar

Whole recipe (4 servings): ~2344 cal · 91g fat · 326g carbs · 20g protein · 259g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.