Best Sweet Breakfast You Will Ever Make
This is the best sweet breakfast recipe you can make in 5 minutes: warm pan-fried bananas topped with peanut butter, brown rice flakes, cinnamon, walnuts and dried fruit. It tastes like a fancy dessert, but it is completely vegan and packs everything a good breakfast should have — protein, fiber, slow carbs and healthy fats. If you want something sweet that still keeps you full, this is it.
I am so happy that I discovered this recipe. Well, actually I made it up, because I pretty much didn’t have anything else to eat for breakfast that day. That little kitchen emergency turned into the best sweet breakfast ever, and I now make this kind of sweet breakfast about four times a week. The other days I go savory, just to alternate the tastes, but whenever I crave something sweet in the morning, this is what I reach for.
I had been lightly frying bananas for a while, but never in this combo. My friends gave me the idea to saute them in a little coconut oil, and I took it one step further and piled on a bunch of awesome goodies. What I love about it is that it’s incredibly delicious, like eating a fancy dessert, yet it still ticks every box a real breakfast should.
What goes into this sweet breakfast
The ingredient list is short, and every item earns its place. Here is what each one brings and how to pick the best version:
- Bananas — the star. Choose ripe but still firm ones with a few brown speckles. They hold their shape in the pan and turn sweeter as they warm, without collapsing into mush.
- Peanut butter — this is where the dessert feeling comes from. I love the peanut butter from Solaris, a Romanian brand, and I have about ten jars in my pantry right now. Look for one with just peanuts (and maybe salt), no added sugar or palm oil.
- Brown rice flakes — another Solaris product I was glad to discover. They add a light, cereal-like crunch and a bit of whole-grain fiber. Rolled oats work too if that’s what you have.
- Coconut oil — just a teaspoon to fry the bananas. It gives a gentle warmth and lets the bananas caramelize at the edges.
- Walnuts and dried fruit — for crunch, good fats and little bursts of chewy sweetness. Use whatever dried fruit you like: raisins, cranberries, chopped dates or apricots.
- Cinnamon — warm, cozy and it makes the whole thing smell like a bakery.
How to fry the bananas just right
The only real technique here is the pan-frying, and it takes about two minutes. Heat the coconut oil in a small pan over medium heat until it shimmers, then add the peeled bananas whole and let them fry for about one minute per side. You are looking for a light golden edge, not a deep brown crust — bananas have plenty of natural sugar, so they color quickly and can go from caramelized to burnt fast. Medium heat gives you that soft, warm center with a slightly crisp surface. If you like, toss in a handful of chopped walnuts while the bananas cook so they toast a little too.
Once they are done, move the bananas to a plate right away so they don’t keep cooking in the hot pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon and rice flakes, add a spoon of peanut butter and your dried fruit, and eat this awesomeness while it’s warm. The whole thing comes together in about five minutes.
Easy swaps to make it yours
This recipe is more of a template than a strict formula, so lean into what you have:
- No peanut butter? Almond or cashew butter works beautifully, and tahini gives a nuttier, less sweet twist. If you want to reach for it less often, see my guide to healthy sugar alternatives for gentle ways to sweeten.
- Swap the brown rice flakes for rolled oats, or for a bigger crunch use a spoonful of my gluten-free muesli.
- Trade walnuts for almonds, pecans or pumpkin seeds, and use any dried fruit you love.
- Add a few berries or a drizzle of maple syrup if you want it a touch sweeter.
What to serve it with
On its own this bowl is filling enough for a full breakfast, but on slower mornings I like to round it out. A green drink alongside makes it feel complete — try my fiber-boom banana breakfast smoothie if you want to double down on that banana flavor, or one of my best green smoothie recipes for something lighter and fresher. And on the mornings when I want dessert-for-breakfast to go even further, this scratches the same itch as a bowl of easy chocolate mousse, minus the guilt.
Storage and make-ahead notes
This is a make-it-fresh kind of breakfast — fried bananas are at their best warm, straight from the pan, so I don’t recommend storing the finished dish. What you can do is prep ahead: keep your rice flakes, walnuts and dried fruit measured out in a little jar so all you have to do in the morning is fry the bananas and assemble. If you do end up with a cooked banana leftover, cover it and refrigerate for up to a day, then eat it cold or gently rewarmed. It won’t have that just-fried texture, but it’s still tasty stirred into oatmeal.
So, here it is, my best sweet breakfast recipe. Give the pan-fried bananas a try and let me know in the comments if you love this combo as much as I do — and if you swapped in a different nut butter or dried fruit, tell me what worked. Don’t forget to leave a star rating below if it becomes your new morning go-to!
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Best Sweet Breakfast You Will Ever Make!
Ingredients
- 2 bananas
- 3 Tbsps brown rice flakes
- 1 Tbsp peanut butter
- 1 Tbsp dried fruits of choice
- 1 tsp coconut oil
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 Tbsp walnuts
Instructions
- Heat the coconut oil in a small pan.
- Add the peeled bananas and let them fry lightly for about 1 minute on each side. You can add some chopped walnuts to the pan as well.
- Place the bananas on a plate and sprinkle with cinnamon and brown rice flakes.
- Add the peanut butter and dried fruits.
- Enjoy this awesomeness! 🙂
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Every ingredient is plant-based: bananas, brown rice flakes, peanut butter, dried fruit, coconut oil, cinnamon and walnuts. There is no egg, dairy or honey, so it is fully vegan as written. Just double-check that your peanut butter contains only peanuts and salt.
About 5 minutes from start to finish. Frying the bananas takes roughly one minute per side, and the rest is just assembling the toppings on a plate. It is one of the fastest warm breakfasts you can put together.
Ripe but still firm bananas with a few brown speckles are ideal. They are sweet enough to caramelize nicely yet hold their shape in the pan instead of turning to mush. Overripe, very soft bananas will fall apart while frying.
Yes. Rolled oats are a good stand-in for the brown rice flakes and add a similar light crunch and fiber. You can also use a spoonful of muesli if you want a bit more texture and mix-ins.
Almond butter, cashew butter or tahini all work well. Almond and cashew butter keep the sweet, dessert-like feel, while tahini gives a nuttier, less sweet result. Any smooth nut or seed butter you like will do.
It is a balanced choice for a sweet breakfast. Between the bananas, rice flakes, nut butter, walnuts and dried fruit, you get protein, fiber, slow-release carbs and healthy fats in one bowl. To keep it lighter, use unsweetened peanut butter and go easy on any added sweeteners.
What is brown rice flakes? It’s not instant rice is it? Or is it like the cereal?
It’s like cereal, they’re crunchy. 😀
I love sweet breakfasts but I never thought of using bananas like this! I’m in LOVE! So, so good, I sometimes make it as a snack too, even if I had it for breakfast already. Hehe.
Thank you for sharing this recipe with us, Ruxandra 🙂
You’re welcome! 😀
Hi, Ruxandra. I love your blog. Where do you get the Solaris butters?
Thanks Helena! 😀 Unfortunately, they currently deliver in Romania only, but I hope they will deliver in other countries as well. Their products are amazing!
What are “dry fruits”?
Frutis that are dehydrated. Dried fruits like raisins, dates, dry figs, etc.