While eating a banana on its own is nothing to write home about, these banana desserts in New York will have you thinking about them days later. Luckily, bananas are extremely healthy, which makes up for all that dessert surrounding them. From the the classic banana pudding to banana splits with a modern twist, this list is literally BANANAS.
You’ve had Magnolia Bakery’s banana pudding, right? It’s good, but not at the same life-changing level as the banana pudding at Sugar Sweet Sunshine Bakery. This one is wonderfully thick and creamy, packed with as many fresh banana slices and nilla wafers as humanly possible. The tubs are available in small, medium and large, but the only reason you should get a small is if you’re sampling all the other puddings (red velvet, chocolate, s’ mores – just putting that out there).
You know the banana split you ordered as a kid and could never finish? The Meatball Shop does a way better, grown-up version of that old-school classic, which you will definitely devour in one go. The banana is bruléed, adding a sweet and crackly layer on top, while the ice cream is topped with a crunchy cookie crumble, a drizzle of caramel & chocolate sauce, and of course, whipped cream and a cherry. It’s only available in their Hell’s Kitchen location, so if you’re looking for a reason to be in that area, this banana dessert is it.
Whenever I tell others I can’t do anything because I’m meeting another friend, it’s probably Billy (‘s bakery) – oops. From all the things on your to-eat-list, Billy’s banana cake should be top priority. The cake is super moist, separated by thick layers of oh so smooth cream cheese frosting. I have nothing else to say than: you need it in your life, NOW.
Hands down, the best banana French toast in New York. Penelope is already one step ahead of the game by swapping basic bread with buttery baguette. Each slice is smothered in cinnamon, and topped with caramelized bananas that remind you bananas taste a hundred times better when caramelized. And on the weekend, the French toast gets an upgrade for brunch, replacing the cinnamon with a warm chocolate hazelnut filling.
Georgetown packs all the flavors from a banana split into one small cupcake. Inside the banana cupcake you’ll find a rich fudge core, while the top features everything from a vanilla cream cheese frosting, sundae toppings (nutty sprinkles and chocolate sauce) and a super sweet maraschino cherry. It’s only available in August, but maybe we should start a petition to get it all year round.
There aren’t a lot of banana donuts in New York, but this one at Underwest Donuts definitely hits the spot. Expect a soft and cakey donut, with a milky cream banana flavor and a dusting of cinnamon, while topped with a banana chip and a sweet raisin. How pretty and Instagram-ready can a donut be?
