Bananas Foster French Toast Casserole is absolutely delicious. The combination of sliced bananas mixed with brown sugar and cinnamon made into a French toast recipe is simply scrumptious.
I love two things almost more than anything else – breakfast and dessert. Now, we don’t normally have dessert with breakfast, but what if – and go with me here – we had dessert FOR breakfast? Sounds pretty amazing, right? Well, that’s pretty much what we get with this delicious Bananas Foster french toast casserole. It’s loaded with the sweet, brown sugar goodness of Bananas Foster and the classic flavor of French toast. It’s the perfect brunch or breakfast recipe. What could be better? Nothing. The answer is nothing.
Bananas Foster French Toast Casserole
This delicious breakfast combines the rich, sweet flavor of Bananas Foster with the classic sensibilities of French toast, and then it takes it one step further. It’s all made in a casserole form. I’m a firm believer that if you can make something a casserole then you should, and this recipe is proof of that. It’s so delicious and so easy to make, you can have a breakfast that feels so fancy any time of the week, from a lazy weekend day to a hectic weekday morning. That’s because it sits overnight before you even make it. Prep it the night before and bake up a dish of deliciousness the next day.
Tips and Variations
This is such an easy recipe to make, there aren’t many tips to be had. That being said, even simple things have at least a couple of secrets to making them the best that they can be. I’ve also included some fun variations to help make this dish something unique every time you make it.
Tips
- Always spray your baking dish with nonstick spray. There’s nothing worse than a casserole that sticks!
- When coating your bananas, always toss them. Never stir them. Stirring them is a great way to end up with brown sugar mashed bananas, which isn’t what you want.
- Texas toast is key to this recipe. The bread needs to be thick so it stands up to being soaked in the liquid.
Variations
- Replace the Walnuts with any other favorite nut like almonds or pecans.
- Try toasting your nuts before adding them to the dish for deeper flavor.
- Serve with classic maple syrup or really go whole-hog on the dessert flavor and top it with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you have questions about this Bananas Foster French toast casserole, then read on. The following FAQ answered the most commonly asked questions about both Bananas Foster and French toast.
What is Bananas Foster French toast casserole?
It’s a combination of the classic bananas foster dessert and an easy French toast casserole. It’s loaded with bananas and brown sugar along with the classic French toast ingredients of eggs, cream, cinnamon, and vanilla.
Where does Bananas Foster come from?
Bananas Foster was invented at Brennan’s Restaurant on Bourbon Street in 1951.
What is Bananas Foster?
Bananas Foster is a dessert consisting of cooked bananas served in butter, brown sugar, and rum sauce.
Why is it called Bananas Foster?
This dessert was named in honor of Richard Foster, the chairman of the New Orleans Crime Commission at the time, and a close friend of restaurant owner, Owen Brennan.
What is the difference between Bananas Foster and bananas flambe?
The only real difference is the act of setting the alcohol in the dish on fire. Flambe is when alcohol is added to food and then ignited. Therefore, you can make Bananas Foster as either the traditional way or a flambe.
What is the best bread for French Toast?
Any thick, substantial bread will work. I use Texas toast, but you can also use thickly sliced Italian bread, Brioche, challah bread, and the like.
Storing and Reheating Bananas Foster French Toast Casserole
You can store this French toast casserole in the refrigerator in an air-tight container for up to 3 days.
To reheat it, simply cover it loosely with a paper towel and microwave it for about 45 seconds to a minute or until it’s as hot as you’d like.
Bananas Foster French Toast Casserole Ingredients
It only takes a few simple ingredients to make this delicious breakfast dish. Most of them are kitchen staples, and anything you don’t have can be easily found at your local grocery store.
- Butter
- Brown sugar
- Heavy whipping cream
- Cinnamon
- Cloves
- Nutmeg
- Walnuts, chopped
- Bananas, sliced
- Milk
- Large eggs
- Sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Texas toast
How to Make Bananas Foster French Toast Casserole
Making this breakfast casserole is just as easy as gathering up the ingredients for it. It only takes a few simple steps and a few minutes to put it all together. After that, simply let it sit overnight in the fridge and then bake it the next morning!
Step 1: Make the Bananas Foster
In a small saucepan over medium heat, add the butter and melt completely. Then, add the brown sugar, heavy cream, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and walnuts. Stir to combine. Then add sliced bananas and toss gently to coat. Transfer to a 13×9 baking dish sprayed with nonstick cooking spray and spread evenly.
Step 2: Make the French Toast Mixture
In a medium bowl, add milk, eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix using a handheld mixer to whisk until combined.
Step 3: Construct the Casserole
Top the Bananas Foster mixture with a layer of Texas toast, then pour half of the egg mixture over the bread and add another layer of bread and pour the remaining egg mixture over the top. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Step 4: Bake and Serve
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees, and bake the casserole, uncovered, for about 40 – 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center come out clean. Let stand for 10 minutes, then invert the dish, tap out the casserole, and serve with syrup or whipped cream.
Try This Delicious Bananas Foster French Toast Casserole Today
This Bananas Foster French toast casserole is one of the most decadent breakfasts you’ll ever make. It’s also one of the easiest, but your family doesn’t have to know that! Put it together the night before and then bake it up for a hot, sweet breakfast that everyone will love. With this combination of ease and flavor, you have to give it a try. Once you do, I know you’ll find yourself making it again and again!
Looking for More Breakfast Recipes
Butter Pecan Bread Pudding – A super quick and easy bread pudding recipe made with sweet challah bread, chopped pecans, and a secret ingredient that makes this bread pudding absolutely delicious and creamy.
Homemade Honey Buns – There’s nothing more delicious than a honey bun, aside from a homemade honey bun. The dough is fluffy, topped with a layer of cinnamon mixture, and topped with a delicious glaze.
Maple Cinnamon Rolls – These cinnamon rolls are fluffy, sweet, and topped with a delicious homemade maple frosting.
Try this Maple Pecan French Toast from Great Grub Delicious Treats. Large slices of Texas toast, topped with whipped maple pecan butter, chopped pecans, and maple syrup.
Bananas Foster French Toast Casserole
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon cloves
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 cup walnuts chopped
- 3 large bananas sliced
- 2 cups milk
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 12 slices Texas toast (which is thick bread)
Instructions
- Spray a 13×9 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a small saucepan, add butter and melt completely. Add in brown sugar, heavy cream, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and walnuts. Stir to combine. Add bananas and toss gently to coat.
- Pour into prepared baking dish and spread evenly.
- In a medium bowl, add milk, eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix together using an electric mixer until combined.
- Top the Bananas Foster mixture with a layer of Texas toast, then pour half of the egg mixture over the bread and add another layer of bread and pour the remaining egg mixture over the top.
- Cover with aluminum foil and place in refrigerator for 4 hours, or overnight if desired.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake, uncovered, until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean, about 40-45 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before inverting to serve.
Notes
Here are a few pics that are the perfect size for pinning to Pinterest.
