While a cookout requires great mains and even better side dishes, there’s always room for dessert. Keep the grill fired up for grilled bananas, the ultimate treat for cookouts.

You may be familiar with bananas in banana bread or banana muffins, even banana pudding, but you’ve never had bananas quite like this. The grill imparts a wonderfully smoky, caramelized flavor on these favorite fruits. That pairs beautifully with ice cream, caramel sauces, whipped cream, and more, just like a banana split.

Here, learn how to grill bananas so you can turn the kid-friendly fruit into a family-friendly dessert everyone will love during summer and beyond.

Ingredients for Grilled Bananas

Grilled bananas are made with just four ingredients and will be ready in no time. After just a few minutes on the grill, you’ll end up with tender bananas packed with brown sugar flavor.

For this recipe, you’ll need:

• Light brown sugar: This will help sweeten and caramelize the fruit.
• Ground cinnamon: Optional, really, but we like the brown sugar-cinnamon duo.
• Bananas: You want firm, ripe bananas but not too ripe. If they’re overly soft, they could fall apart while grilling.
• Unsalted butter: To help adhere the sugar-cinnamon mixture.

You can serve the grilled bananas as is, off the grill, for a sweet and smoky dessert. Or dress them up with any toppings you’d like, such as whipped cream, caramel sauce, or vanilla ice cream.

How To Grill Bananas

Grilling bananas will be no big deal for experienced grillers. Whether you’re using a grill or a grill pan, follow these basic instructions. (The full recipe is below.)

• Step 1. Mix sugar and cinnamon: Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon while the grill preheats.
• Step 2. Prepare the bananas: Slice the fruit in half lengthwise. Brush with butter. Sprinkle the butter-brushed bananas with the sugar mixture.
• Step 3. Grill the fruit. Place the bananas peel side down on the preheated grill, and cook about 3 minutes. Then, flip the fruit and grill an additional 2 minutes.
  

Topping Ideas for Grilled Bananas

Serve them up on their own, in or out of the peel, or pair grilled bananas with a scoop of your favorite ice cream. You could even turn dessert into a sundae bar, with additional toppings to complete the dish, such as caramel or chocolate sauce, walnuts or pecans, or a drizzle of bourbon for the adults.

Southern Living