Cheater’s Bananas Foster, the Ultimate Glow-Up for Your Nightly Ice Cream

We won’t speak for anyone else, but there are some nights that we absolutely can’t (or um, don’t want) to go to bed without indulging in an impromptu ice cream sundae first. That usually means topping a scoop or two with whatever cookie crumbs and sprinkles we can round up in the pantry. But odds are you have all the ingredients to make something way more delicious that requires just as little effort: four-ingredient cheater’s bananas foster.

If you haven’t had the pleasure yet, bananas foster is a dessert that originated in New Orleans, Louisiana in the early 1950s. The O.G. recipe calls for flambéing the bananas in a caramelized rum sauce. Other authentic recipes also call for banana liqueur, nutmeg and sometimes vanilla extract or walnuts. Thankfully, you don’t need all those fancy ingredients (or alcohol-fueled flames) to reach banana nirvana.

We’ve stripped down the recipe to only include the essentials. Dark brown sugar is customary, thanks to its robust molasses flavor, but light brown sugar will work fine in a pinch. Feel free to slice the banana into rounds instead of halving it, too. We’re partial to serving this treat à la mode, but you can also use the decadent banana sauce on pancakes, waffles, French toast, cheesecake and any dessert that suits your fancy instead.