With a caramelized exterior and coated in cinnamon-brown sugar, this Fried Bananas recipe is the best guilt-free snack or dessert made in just minutes! Enjoy as is or over crepes, pancakes, french toast, ice cream, or even cottage cheese for a healthier treat.
Easy Pan Fried Banana Recipe
Bananas in their natural state are easily my least favorite fruit. But I sure do love them in desserts – banana pudding, banana cream lush, banana turon, and a classic banana split immediately come to mind. And most definitely fried bananas.
Unlike banana bread where brown-spotted bananas are ideal, pan fried bananas are best with slightly under-ripened fruit. After that, you only need a few other ingredients and a couple minutes to make them.
You can enjoy these caramelized bananas on their own, over ice cream for a dessert, or with cottage cheese for a healthy high-protein treat. They’re also amazing on top of crepes or pancakes.
Why We Love This Fried Banana Recipe
- Great use of bananas. This is another fantastic use for bananas other than banana bread and banana muffins.
- Quick and easy. They’re so easy to make and cook up in less than 5 minutes.
- Crispy caramelized exterior. The bananas get an amazing, crispy caramelized layer – it’s heavenly.
- Not overly sweet. The combo of the honey, brown sugar, and cinnamon provide just the right amount of sweetness, but not overly so.
Ingredients Needed
This banana recipe calls for just 5 items, plus water.
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)
- Banana – It should be slightly under-ripened, peeled, cut into 3/4-inch slices.
- Honey – A key ingredient for sweetness and needed to produce the caramelized exterior on the banana slices.
- Brown sugar – This provides sweetness and notes of molasses. Either light or dark brown sugar is fine.
- Cinnamon – For a nice warm flavor.
- Water – To thin out the honey and create more of a liquid so it’s pourable in the pan.
- Butter – Melted in the pan for richness and needed for that crispy crust on the bananas.
How to Make Pan Fried Banana
These caramelized bananas couldn’t be easier to make in just a few minutes.
(Scroll to the bottom for our easy printable recipe with the complete directions, and don’t miss the video below.)
- Make the glaze. Whisk together the honey, brown sugar, cinnamon, and water.
- Melt butter. In a small nonstick pan, melt the butter over medium-high heat.
- Pan fry the bananas. Place banana slices in the melted butter in a single layer; cook for 1-2 minutes per side, until a golden crust forms (keep an eye on them and adjust the heat if they brown too quickly.)
- Remove pan from heat. Off the heat, pour honey mixture over the banana slices. Allow to cool slightly.
- Enjoy. Eat on its own or serve over yogurt, cottage cheese, or ice cream!
Tips for Success
- Use slightly under-ripe bananas. Bananas that are yellow, but have a tinge of green and no brown spots are needed for pan frying. Bananas that are too ripe turn to mush when you fry them.
- The thickness matters. You want the banana slices about 3/4-inch thick. Too thick and they won’t soften in the pan, too thin and they’ll get mushy.
- Leave them undisturbed for a bit before flipping. Once you’ve put the bananas in the pan, don’t touch them for the first minute or two. This allows them to get that nice golden crust.
- Allow the honey mixture and bananas to cool slightly off the heat. You want to give the flavors time to meld together a bit.
Recipe Variations
- Try using maple syrup. Instead of honey, use pure maple syrup for a different flavor.
- Top them with some toasted nuts. This provides a nice textural crunch.
- Make them boozy. Add in some rum, so it’s closer to Bananas Foster. Yum!
Video: Fried Bananas
What Goes with Fried Bananas
You can enjoy these friend bananas in many different ways for an indulgent or healthier treat. Here are a few things we love to pair them with:
- Homemade Ricotta Cheese
- Vanilla Ice Cream
- Cottage Cheese
- Plain Yogurt
- Put them on top of some crepes or pancakes!
Proper Storage
- Storing leftovers. Fried bananas are best enjoyed fresh, but if you do have leftovers, they can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheat. The easiest way to reheat honey bananas is in the microwave on medium power until warmed through.
- Can you freeze Pan Fried Bananas? Yes, these can be kept frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. However, their texture is not ideal, so it’s recommended you put them to use in things like smoothies or banana bread.
More Banana Recipes:
- Banana Oatmeal Cookies
- Walking Banana Pudding
- Frozen Banana Split Bites
- Ultimate Banana Bread
- Coffee Banana Smoothie
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Pan Fried Bananas
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 tablespoon butter
- 1 large banana , slightly under-ripened, peeled, cut into 3/4-inch slices
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, water, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Set aside.
- Melt butter in a small pan over medium-high heat. Place banana slices in the pan in a single layer; cook for 1-2 minutes per side, undisturbed, until a golden crust forms (keep an eye on them and adjust the heat if they brown too quickly.)
- Remove pan from heat and pour honey mixture over the banana slices. Allow to cool slightly.
- Eat on its own or serve over ice cream, yogurt, cottage cheese, crepes, or pancakes!
Can you make this in a lower carb version? Is it okay to use sugar free honey and maybe swerve brown sugar? I’m going to make your version for the rest of my family.
I can’t see why not. Try it!
So simple yet so yummy! I appreciate recipes like this very much!
Love this recipe! Add a little cinnamon!
Great recipe will make again. Topped mine with whipped cream no ice cream on hand.
This was a delicious recipe, it satisfies my sweet tooth, and tastes so good I paired it with peach yogurt u must try it!!!!!
This was a great little after dinner treat. I served it over ice cream for my kids and yogurt for me. Loved it.
It was very tasty
My girls and I loved this so much. Gimme all the caramelized bananas!!
My husband and I are trying to stop the desserts every night and watch what goes into our mouths. Easier said than done! Unlike you, we love bananas and also have them on the counter ready to eat any time day or night. This was a lovely treat without hating ourselves afterward. I served it over Greek yogurt.