Sweet Baked Plantains with Cinnamon Rum Sauce

Sweet baked plantains are a fun, easy, tropical dessert. Mix sugar, seasonings, and a rum sauce over sliced plantains for a taste of summer.

Summer is the best time of the year for me. I enjoy the warmth, the sun, and all the tropical flavors that come with it. We enjoy trying new recipes and especially new desserts. 

Making them in this rum sauce reminds me of the rum cakes we would get when we go to some of the Caribbean islands on cruises and our trip to the Dominican Republic. The rum cooks out, so there isn’t a worry about kids having the dessert. 

Just like using regular ripe bananas in a recipe, you can have plantains with brown and black spots. Most of the time, those have the sweetest taste. Just make sure they are still firm enough to slice. 

There are a few types of plantains. Make sure you get the right plantain for this easy recipe. Green plantains are unripe plantains and won’t work for this recipe. You want ripe sweet plantains. 

What Are Plantains?

Plantains are similar in looks to the type of banana we are used to seeing in grocery stores. They are very different, though. Plantains are a good source of resistant starch which is “a type of dietary fiber that helps you feel full, doesn’t raise blood sugar levels, and feeds the good bacteria that keep your gut healthy”. (https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/plantains-overview)

Plantains are commonly found in the tropical regions of the Caribbean, South and Central America, and Africa. They cannot be eaten raw, but they are versatile and easy to cook with. While this is a sweet dessert recipe, there are many ways to use them in savory dishes, too. Oftentimes you’ll find them as a delicious side dish in Puerto Rican meals. 

When a plantain is green and very raw, it can be difficult to peel because they have a much thicker peel than a banana. The easiest way is to get plantains that are bright yellow and start to get brown spots. They will be easier to peel and take less effort. 

Where do I find Plantains?

Most grocery stores in the United States will carry plantains in the same area as other fresh fruit. They are typically similar in price to bananas. 

If you can’t find them fresh, look for a frozen variety called platanos maduros. They are similar to fresh and can be thawed and cooked similar to the fresh plantains in this recipe. 

Sweet Baked Plantains Step by Step

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/4 cup rum
• 3-4 medium-sized very ripe yellow plantains

Preparation

In a small bowl, stir together sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt, then set aside.

Place butter in a 9×13 baking pan.

Set the oven to 350 degrees F, and while it preheats place the dish with the butter in the oven to melt the butter. If you don’t have a nonstick pan, you may want to line it with parchment paper or aluminum foil before heating the butter. 

Sprinkle melted butter evenly with the sugar mixture.

Drizzle the rum on top as evenly as possible.

Peel and slice the plantains with a lengthwise slit. Cut off the ends of the plantains. Place the plantain slices on top of the sugar-laden dish, flat side down, in a single layer.

Cover the baking dish with foil and bake plantains for 20 minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven and carefully flip the plantains.

Place back in the oven, uncovered, for about 15-20 minutes, or until the mixture is bubbling and golden brown.

Plantains are done when a fork or spoon will slice with minimal resistance.

Let plantains cool until mixture is no longer bubbling, but serve warm to taste the soft sweet centers. You can drizzle the caramelized sugar over like a dipping sauce.

Sweet Baked Plantains Leftovers

These oven-roasted sweet plantains don’t keep for very long. Our leftovers did not reheat well, so I suggest only making as many as you will eat. If you do want to save them, place them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 day. The best way to reheat is in the oven until just warmed through. If they get dry, add a small amount of butter to the pan. 

Recipe

Sweet Baked Plantains

Sweet baked plantains is a fun, easy, tropical dessert. Mix sugar, seasonings, and a rum sauce over sliced plantains for a taste of summer.

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Course:

Dessert

Cuisine:

American

Keyword:

dessert

|

plantains

|

rum

Dietary Needs:

Egg-Free

|

Gluten-Free

Servings: 8 plantain halves

5 from 14 votes

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup rum
• 3-4 medium-sized very ripe plantains

Recommended Equipment

• Mixing Bowls – Stainless Steel
• Glass Baking Dish
• Aluminum Foil

Instructions

• In a small bowl, stir together sugar, spices, and salt, then set aside
• Place half a stick of butter in a 9×13 baking pan
• Set the oven to 350, and while it preheats place the dish with the butter in the oven to melt the butter
• Sprinkle melted butter evenly with the sugar mixture
• Drizzle the rum on top as evenly as possible
• Peel and slice the plantains lengthwise and place them on top of the sugar-laden dish, flat side down
• Cover baking dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes
• Remove pan from oven and flip plantains
• Place back in the oven, uncovered, for about 15 minutes, or until the mixture is bubbling and golden brown
• Plantains are done when a fork or spoon will slice with minimal resistance
• Let plantains cool until mixture is no longer bubbling, but serve warm

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Nutrition Facts

Sweet Baked Plantains

Amount Per Serving (1 each)

Calories 177 Calories from Fat 54

% Daily Value*

Fat 6g9%

Saturated Fat 4g20%

Trans Fat 1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 1g

Cholesterol 15mg5%

Sodium 151mg6%

Potassium 340mg10%

Carbohydrates 29g10%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 18g20%

Protein 1g2%

Vitamin A 933IU19%

Vitamin C 12mg15%

Calcium 15mg2%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutrition content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.

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