This easy banana french toast recipe includes tender banana slices sandwiched between two slices of french toast that are covered in pecans and fried until golden brown. Add some syrup and you have the perfect breakfast or brunch treat.
When you were little, were there special dishes that someone made just for you as a special treat? Mama’s banana french toast with pecans is one of those for me. Mama used to make it to surprise me on mornings when I had a special day ahead. The tradition held throughout my life. It’s such a treat to make special things for your family. Little things like that remind them that they’re treasured and important, and the act itself brings us just as much (if not more) joy to us as it does to them.
Fortunately, this banana french toast recipe is super quick and easy to make. First, we need to make our french toast mixture by combining half and half, eggs, salt, confectioner’s sugar, and vanilla. Then we dip one slice of bread in it, cover it in banana slices, and add another dipped piece on top to make a sandwich. Cover both sides with chopped pecans and then fry the french toast sandwich until golden brown on both sides.
Serve your banana-stuffed french toast with a drizzle of maple syrup and you have a delicious breakfast or brunch treat. Told ya this is an easy recipe that’s sweet, savory, and so filling. Ready to give it a go?
Recipe Ingredients
- Thicker bread slices (such as challah, potato, or brioche bread)
- Bananas
- Half and half
- Eggs
- Confectioner’s sugar
- Vanilla
- Salt
- Chopped pecans
How to Make Banana French Toast
In a large shallow bowl, mix half and half, eggs, salt, confectioner’s sugar, and vanilla together well.
Dip only one side of one piece of bread into the batter.
Place the dipped slice, batter side down, on waxed paper.
Layer banana slices on top of the bread.
Dip *both* sides of the remaining piece of bread and place this on top of the bananas.
Place some chopped pecans on a saucer and lay the sandwich on top of them and press lightly with your hand to smoosh the pecans down in the bread a bit.
Flip the sandwich over and press into the pecans again to get them on the other side.
Like this.
Place a tablespoon or so of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
Put the sandwich in the skillet and cook until lightly brown on both sides.
Oh. My. Goodness. Are you ready?
If you like, you can sprinkle more confectioner’s sugar over it before serving but I like it just like this.
Top with your favorite syrup.
And enjoy your special treat of banana french toast with pecans!
Storage
This is one of those recipes best served hot immediately. But this makes three servings, so add or subtract the amount of each ingredient depending on how many serving sizes you need.
Recipe Notes
- I definitely don’t recommend trying this with your standard white or wheat bread. You really need sturdier bread for the deliciously toasted outcome we want with this recipe.
- Use full-fat dairy (whole milk, half-and-half, or equal parts milk and heavy cream). If you have used almond or coconut milk because you prefer non-dairy, let me know how it went in the comments.
- I find it’s best when you have equal parts egg and dairy, so aim for ¼ cup of dairy for each whole egg. 4 eggs = one cup of milk.
- If you want to add a little more flavor to the french toast mixture, add 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon and a pinch of ground nutmeg or ground cardamon. Another option is to use a teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice or apple pie spice.
- For a topping that’s extra crunchy, combine the chopped pecans with up to 2 cups of crushed cornflakes.
- For a more caramelized flavor, swap the confectioner’s sugar for brown sugar.
Recipe FAQs
What is the most common mistake when making french toast?
Here are some common mistakes when making french toast. But follow this recipe and you shouldn’t have a problem:
- Adding too much dairy and sugar to the custard.
- Not mixing the ingredients together well.
- Not using thick slices of brioche bread or something similar.
- Frying it on a heat that’s too low or too high.
- Not soaking the bread thoroughly enough.
- Not preheating the pan.
- Only using butter (see below for more info).
Why isn’t my french toast crispy?
French toast won’t get crispy or will be too soggy if the bread is too thin or too fresh. It will also get soggy if you soak the bread for too long in the custard mixture.
Is french toast better with butter or oil?
I recommend cooking french toast in butter AND oil or just oil. A cooking oil like coconut oil has a high smoke point, but no flavor if unrefined is used. If you like the taste of coconut used the refined version and you will get a hint of coconut in your meal. But if you aren’t a fan of coconut, butter sure does have flavor but will burn even at lower temperatures. I have added these two fats together at times (such as butter and canola or vegetable oil) for a tastier outcome. You wind up with golden French toast with crispy edges and an unforgettable treat.
What is the best bread to use for french toast?
You want thick bread slices, so your best choices are brioche, challah bread (a.k.a egg bread), French bread (a.k.a a French baguette), or potato bread.
Why add milk to eggs for french toast?
The milk makes the custard and softens the bread, while the egg binds the ingredients together.
What can I use instead of syrup for french toast?
Here are several serving suggestions for your banana-stuffed french toast:
- Drizzle with honey instead of maple syrup.
- Drizzle it with a different syrup. Caramel syrup will perfectly complement the banana flavor.
- Simply dust the toast with powdered sugar or coconut flakes.
- Serve it with a dollop of whipped cream, a dollop of plain yogurt, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
- Serve with a side of fruit salad or fresh berries, like strawberries or blueberries.
- Enjoy it alongside a spoonful of peanut butter or your favorite nut butter.
- Add a spread of Nutella to the bread before adding the banana slices.
- Add a spread of cream cheese to resemble our stuffed french toast recipe below.
You may also like these recipes:
Cinnamon Roll French Toast Casserole
Overnight Stuffed French Toast
French Breakfast Puffs with Fresh Strawberries
Ingredients
- 1 cup half-and-half or milk
- 4 eggs
- 1 pinch salt
- 1/4 cup confectioner's sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 thick bread slices
- 2 bananas, sliced
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- In a large shallow bowl, mix half and half, eggs, salt, confectioner's sugar, and vanilla together well.1 cup half-and-half or milk, 4 eggs, 1 pinch salt, 1/4 cup confectioner's sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Dip only one side of one piece of bread into the batter. Place the dipped slice, batter side down, onto waxed paper. Layer the top of that slice with bananas.6 thick bread slices, 2 bananas, sliced
- Dip a second slice of bread into the batter on *both* sides. Place on top of the banana layer, making a sandwich.
- Place pecans onto a saucer or small plate. Remove the sandwich from the waxed paper and place it on top of the pecans, pressing down lightly to help stick them into the bread. Flip the sandwich over and repeat.1 cup chopped pecans
- Heat 1 tablespoon or so of oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Place sandwich in skillet and cook until lightly brown on both sides. Repeat with the remaining slices to make two more servings.
- Serve with maple syrup.
Nutrition
This recipe appeared in my first cookbook: Southern Plate- Classic Comfort Food That Makes Everyone Feel Like Family.
This post is featured in Meal Plan Monday
My mom used to make Swedish pancakes every Saturday morning…one pancake at a time from scratch! One Saturday she didn’t for some reason and that day my brother was killed in an avalanche skiing that afternoon. She was so upset that she hadn’t fixed his favorite breakfast that day. I now fix Swedish pancakes for my dad every Sunday morning.
Oh goodness, that breaks my heart for your sweet Mama.
OH MY GOODNESS, that looks so good! When I was little, my grandma who is in heaven now, use to make me the best grill cheese sandwiches. My moms were good, and mine are good, but Grandmas was better somehow. I think it was the grandmas love she added. ~smiles at the memory~
You are so right Susan, I think it has to do with Grandmama’s love they have for us too!!!
That was supposed to say “ask your Mom”! Mimi is my grandma!
Sounds wonderful! The feelings and the food! I’m wondering why the dipping is only on one side of one piece of bread, and both sides on the other- is there a special reason? Ask your Mim, please!
She said because that’s how she was taught to make it
But I would think it would cause the inside to be a bit gooey if you did both sides.
THANK YOU so much for lightening up on the ads! I can now really enjoy your recipes and stories!!
LOVE this recipe for banana pecan French toast! Will definitely be making it!
Can’t remember a specific special occasion meal but one of my favorite memories is coming home from school in the winter and mom would have a beef roast in the oven. I remember the windows in the dining room being fogged up from the heat of the oven. You know how something makes you feel safe? Those particular days always made me feel cozy and safe. Thanks for reminding me of that today.
What a wonderful memory! I know the exact feeling you are describing 🙂
Hi Christy I have memories of my Dad making french toast for us for breakfast when I was a girl, our french toast was 2 eggs to 3/4 cup milk, beat together and dip slices of bread then carefully fry them in bacon grease and serve with salt and pepper, I still have this as a special treat occasionally. Another great memory from my young days is Dad arriving home from a 3 day work stint and picking Mum up in his arms and twirling her around the kitchen, he was always happy to be home with his family. Thank you for sharing your recipes and memories with us, it kind of makes you feel like family too, from Judi in Australia.
I consider y’all my family too Judi!! What great memories of your dad, he sounds like such a wonderful and special man!!!