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.

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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

Originally Published On: May 16, 2022

Last Updated On: August 29, 2023

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
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 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

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.

28 thoughts on “Sweet Baked Plantains with Cinnamon Rum Sauce”

  1. Mmmm yes, please! Looks so good. In the Philippines, we have a similar version of these sweet baked plantains. It’s super yummy and very satisfying.

  2. 5 stars
    This sounds like such a delicious treat. I’m a huge fan of plantains. I buy them all the time, in fact. I’m going to give this a try.

  3. 5 stars
    This is great. Eating this plantains makes me remember my childhood. In grade school, we used to buy this food stuff on the way home. Its so filling. In the Philippines, we dont bake them, instead, we caramelized the sugar on a low heat fire and put in the banana (or plantains) until the caramelized syrup stick on the banana.

  4. 5 stars
    I’ve not seen a sweet plantain recipe. This sounds lovely, especially with the cinnamon and nutmeg. That would be lovely with vanilla ice cream.

  5. Jennifer Prince

    I just got back from Guatemala, and we had baked plantains so much. I need to try to make them at home. So good!!

  6. 5 stars
    Sweet Baked Plantains have so much flavor and it looks so delish. It’s hard to resist a recipe that makes life easy, healthy, and delicious.

  7. 5 stars
    This dish looks absolutely delicious and yummy! Perfect for an afternoon snack while having that great chat with family/friends! The finished product and its texture make it enticing and tempting!

  8. This is one of my favorite snack! here in our country we call this “banana que” traditionally, they put the banana on a stick before frying! taste really gooooood! This is something that I want to try – baking instead of frying as a healthier choice

  9. I’ve had them fried and they taste almost like potato chips! I haven’t had them baked but I’m willing to give it a go.

  10. Jazmine Hazegawa

    5 stars
    This recipe is soooo good! Thanks for sharing the step-by-step directions. Because of that, it’s easier to follow the recipe.

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