Last Updated on September 16, 2020 by Melissa Reome
Bananas Foster is a dessert that long ago, I would only be able to order in a fancy restaurant. French toast on the other hand is my favorite meal to have for breakfast. Combined together, my bananas foster French toast is sinfully delicious and comes together in no time at all.
Although I donโt top my breakfast with ice cream or whipped cream, it would be a delightful addition. Try this on pancakes which are just as quick and easy to make as French toast.
What is bananas foster?
The dessert version of bananas foster is made from caramelizing bananas in brown sugar with butter and cinnamon. I like to add banana liqueur (creme de banana), which I enjoy, especially if your bananas arenโt quite to the desired ripeness.ย The magic happens when rum is added to the skillet and ignited. Classically the dish then flambรฉed and the warm bananas served immediately over ice cream.
The history of bananas foster
The original bananas foster recipe was created in the 1950s in New Orleans. As a major port for bananas, a chef by the name of Paul Blange created the recipe and named it after Richard Foster. Foster was a friend of the restaurant owner and often dined at the restaurant. One taste and you can understand why it became so popular.
Breakfast on the grill
This dish is one of the many reasons I love to make breakfast on the grill. I have plenty of space to cook, and if I want to flambรฉ some bananas, I donโt have to worry about flames in my kitchen. Having said that, if you do decide to cook this indoors, never flambรฉ under a kitchen hood and remove the pan from the stove prior to igniting. It is okay to make it inside as long as you use proper precautions.
I love grilling breakfast because I can juggle multiple side dishes at once with no issues. Want to make some homefries? Cook them in a skillet or on a griddle. Bacon I love to cook on a griddle or a grill which has a flat top surface. I can lay down a pound of bacon and have it cooked in no time.
Breakfast can be made on any grill
Cook the French toast on a griddle, a skillet or directly on the grill grate. If you do cook the French toast directly on the grate, make sure you spray or oil the grate liberally with a paper towel beforehand. When I take the bread out of the egg mixture, I make sure to let the excess fall off prior to going on the grill.



Cook the bananas foster toppingย in a skillet on the grill because you are creating a sauce with the bananas. Cooking the bananas foster is a very quick process and will only take a few minutes.

Since you are cooking outside, you do not have to worry about the flames as long as you are being cautious. If you havenโt had a chance to flambรฉ before, there is no need to worry. I promise you, it is not difficult and it is so much fun! Itโs also a great way to impress your friends and family.
Please follow these easy tips to flambรฉ safely:
- Have all your ingredients ready prior to cooking
- Use a skillet with a long handle
- Never pour liqueur straight from the bottle into the pan. Pour the amount you will use into a little container.
- Remove skillet from grill when adding liqueur so it doesnโt prematurely ignite.
- Add liquor is to the pan and return to the grill.ย Ignite it immediately using a long match or barbecue lighter.
- Light the fumes at the edge of the pan, not the liquid. It will ignite quickly.
- Keep your head and body away from the pan.
- Let the flames go out by themself
- Keep a lid nearby just in case you need to stop the fire.
Make the French toast
Making French toast itself is quick and easy.ย Mix the egg with milk, cinnamon and nutmeg.ย Then dip thick-cut bread such as brioche, white bread or challah into the egg mixture and place on the grill or griddle. Cook just a couple minutes until the egg is set and lightly browned on each side. Remove from the grill and cover to keep warm until bananas are finished.
Pro Tip:
Take all of your ingredients out to the grill on a sheet pan so you can assemble and cook your French toast in the same spot.ย The recipe does not take long to cook, and you don’t want to have to run back into the house once you start cooking.

Barbecue Breakfast Day
I hope you enjoy this bananas foster French toast recipe as much I as I do. ย I enjoy grilling breakfast year-round but the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (HPBA) has declared September 5th “Barbecue your Breakfast Day”.ย This is certainly a day I will celebrating for years to come!
To learn more about HPBA:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HPBABarbecue/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hpba.barbecue/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HPBA_Barbecue
Website: https://www.whyigrill.org
Have a sweet tooth?ย Be sure to check out my recipe for grilled peaches with pistachio, honey and ice cream!


Bananas Foster French Toast
Ingredients
French Toast
- 1/2 cup milk preferably whole milk
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp fresh ground nutmeg (or 1/4 tsp pre-ground)
- 6 slices thick cut bread such as white, challah, brioche
Bananas Foster Topping
- 2 bananas, ripe
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 4 tbsp butter, salted
- 3 tbsp dark rum
- 2 tbsp banana liqueur
- 1/4 cup pecan halves, unsalted
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
Grill French Toast
- Preheat the grill to medium heat. If using a griddle or skillet, place on grill to preheat as well.
- Mix egg, milk, cinnamon, nutmeg together until well combined
- Dip both sides of bread into the egg mixture and place on a lightly oiled griddle or skillet. May also place directly on the grill grates (If putting directly on grate, carefully spray with grill spray or oil grate beforehand with a paper towel and tongs).
- Cook until the egg is set and lightly brown on both sides.
- After the french toast is cooked, cover to hold warm until bananas are finished.
Make Bananas Foster
- Cut bananas into slices, and have all ingredients prepped and alongside the grill ready to use.
- Heat skillet over medium heat. Add butter, cinnamon, and brown sugar to the pan.
- Stir until sugar dissolves.
- Stir in banana liqueur.
- Add bananas to the pan. Cook until softened and start to brown lightly. Add pecans if desired
- Pull pan off heat, slowly add the rum
- Cook for about 10 seconds until rum is warmed then ignite with a long match or grill lighter (at the edge of the pan). If for some reason it does not ignite, carefully return the pan to the grill and cook for a minute or two until the alcohol burns off.
- Bananas are finished once the flames go out. Spoon over French toast.
- If desired, top with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Serve immediately.
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This recipe is outrageously good and east to cook. Thanks for sharing such a good recipe.