Drunken monkey banana rum jam features sugared bananas, a splash of rum, and a dash of lemon for a jam that is so good, it makes anything you put it on taste just like dessert. Your toast, pancakes and even your ice cream won’t be able to get enough of this adventurous topping!
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Did you know there’s a right and a wrong way to peel bananas? I did not. There I was in my happy little banana-lovin’ world, just peeling them from the stem
And in pops a kid, “Mom, you know you’re doing that wrong, right?”
Isn’t that the story of my life? Here I am, thinking I’m rockin’ this parenting thing, and my kid has got to come along and gleefully burst my bubble.
While they’re also usually wrong, my web search proved they were right.
Technically, I was peeling my bananas the wrong way because you should peel from the bottom?? Apparently it was so easy and obvious even monkeys could do it.
I am not changing my banana peeling ways despite being technically wrong, because you know what? There’s more than one right way to do something.
Take this jam for example. There’s nary a berry in sight in this banana based concoction, but it is sweet and delicious and just a little naughty.
It’s perfect smearing on toast and most definitely a right way to do jam that doesn’t involve berries.
What is drunken monkey banana rum jam?
This jam may have a funny sounding name, but don’t let that keep you from trying it!
This isn’t your typical jam. Instead of the more traditional berry base or berry blend we mentioned earlier we brazenly threw caution to the wind, and went a more exotic route.
Sugar, spice, and everything nice, right?
Drunken monkey banana rum jam is sweet with hints of cinnamon, rum, and chunks of ripe bananas. It’s the best addition to any breakfast or brunch, and super simple to whip up.
And for a welcome change, it’s just a wee bit racy with its hint of rum.
Ingredients
To make this adventurous spread, you’ll need:
- Bananas– Make sure they are overly ripe, kind of like the ones you’d use for banana bread.
- Lemon juice– Fresh is best but bottled is fine too.
- Sugar– You’ll need a combination of granulated sugar and brown sugar.
- Water– To use as the base for the jam,
- Flavorings– Vanilla extract (real vanilla is best!), cinnamon and rum or rum extract all give this so much delicious flavor!
How to Make
Making this is pretty easy!
To do it, peel the bananas using any method you like. I promise I won’t tell if you peel them the wrong way like me!
Then, put them in a medium sized bowl and use a fork to smash them or roughly ‘chop’ them up.
Drizzle the lemon juice over the bananas and set the bowl aside.
Add the water to a medium-large sized skillet over medium-high heat.
Whisk in the sugar until it dissolves and bring the sugar water to a low boil.
Once the sugar water is gently boiling, stir in the bananas, vanilla, cinnamon, and rum.
Reduce to low heat, and allow the mixture to gently simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Mash up the bananas as it cooks.
As it cooks, the syrup will thicken up nicely until it easily coats the back of a spoon.
When it easily coats the back of a spoon, transfer the syrup into glass mason jars and refrigerate. The mixture will continue to thicken as it cools.
Spread it over toast, a generous dollop over a stack of pancakes or waffles, or spoon over scoops of vanilla ice cream and enjoy!
Storing
Make sure to store this in an air tight container in the fridge for up to a month. We always go through this faster than that though!
How to Use Banana Rum Jam
I’ve already told you that I love smearing this on toast or using it as an ice cream topping. Here are a few other suggestions for using it:
- stirred into oatmeal
- in a peanut butter sandwich for a cross between a pbj and a peanut butter banana sandwich
- as a filling for stuffed French toast
- smeared on English muffins
- spread on crackers
- and finally (my personal fav!) warmed up & spooned over scoops of vanilla ice cream
And of course, you could always eat it by the spoonful!
Other Easy Jam Recipes
This drunken monkey banana rum jam is a hit anytime I make it! Make some the next time you need to use up some ripe bananas.
Looking for other easy jam recipes? Try these:
If you’ve tried this DRUNKEN MONKEY BANANA RUM JAM, or any other recipe on the site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!
Drunken Monkey Banana Rum Jam
Ingredients
- 3 large overly ripe bananas
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tbsp rum or rum extract
Instructions
- Peel the bananas and place them in a medium sized bowl. Use a fork to roughly 'chop' them up. Drizzle the lemon juice over them, and set the bowl aside.
- Add the water to a medium-large sized skillet over medium-high heat. Add in the sugar, whisking consistently to dissolve, and bring the sugar water to a low boil.
- Whisk in the bananas, vanilla, cinnamon, and rum.
- Reduce to low heat, and allow the mixture to gently simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, and mashing up the bananas as it cooks.
- The syrup will thicken up nicely as it cooks, up until it easily coats the back of a spoon. At this point, transfer the syrup into glass mason jars and refrigerate. The mixture will continue to thicken as it cools. Spread it over toast, a generous dollop over a stack of pancakes, or over several scoops of vanilla ice cream.
Notes
Nutrition
originally published March 2, 2016
This post may contain affiliate links. As an amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. See my full Disclosure Policy for details. As always, all opinions are my own.
Lily says
OMG, this jam looks like too much fun. What a great way to start the day or perk up your day. Thanks for sharing:)
4sonsrus says
This is a perfect morning pick-me-up. Pair it with a good cup a Joe and my morning is made!
Sandra says
Oh my gosh, this looks so amazing! I’m thinking I have got to try this on pancakes or waffles… yum!
4sonsrus says
Yes, Sandra– this is a perfect alternative to syrup as a topping on a warm stack of either fresh pancakes or waffles.
Frugal Hausfrau says
I just had to pop over from Throwback Thursday as soon as I saw the name, lol! This looks marvelous!
Mollie
4sonsrus says
Thanks, Mollie! lol– I totally understand 😉
Kirsten Wright says
Amazing!!! I used limes and bananas from my own trees. OMG it’s a keeper for sure ❤️ I wish I could add a picture. It’s beautiful jam.
Ruben Kappler says
how long will it last if i seal the jars
4sonsrus says
I haven’t tested this as far as actual canning goes. However, we seal the jars and have refrigerated them for up to a month before using. Once opened though we use within a week.
June Robbs says
I’ve seen other recipes for this using coconut. Do you recommend?
4sonsrus says
Coconut what? Extract?
Heide says
Hi there,
I use unsweetened flaked coconut.
Niyatee Ravipati says
If we wanted to add pectin to thicken more easily how much should we add?
Heide says
Hi there,
Because there is not that much sugar, I used Pomona Low Sugar/No Sugar pectin. You can also use a box of low sugar pectin (Certo, SureJell, etc.) but just make sure that it is not the regular sugar kind.
E_man says
Made this the other day with some ripe bananas 🍌 the wife was gonna toss out. OMG was it easy to put together I didn’t us Rum I D’Usse Cognac VSOP gave it a amazing smooth taste love on my morning English muffins
4sonsrus says
Thanks for taking the time to come back to tell everyone what worked for you! I love when recipes can be adapted to what I have on hand.
Joette says
We love the Drunken monkey banana jam! can I increase the amount and use pectin to water bath it? Right now I make more and refrigerator them. Would make my life so much better if it would stop my husband from bugging me.