Quick and delicious banana fritters

A quick, easy and delicious recipe for fried banana fritters. A great alternative for using those ripe to overripe bananas you have on your counter. Perfect breakfast option or even a quick snack.

We use bananas for a lot of things. We make banana smoothies and other drinks and make banana bread and muffins.

Today I’m going to introduce you to another option to use those bananas. A quick and easy breakfast option or a quick delicious snack.

These are the most perfect banana fritters. Nicely golden brown fried banana balls that are just delicious.

These are just as easy and delicious as my pumpkin fritters.

This recipe is easy and quick. If you have kids you can easily include them up to the frying part. An adult would have to do that part for safety reasons.

So the next time you have those leftover bananas there and they are turning black, DO NOT THROW THEM OUT.

What are fried banana fritters?

Banana fritters are basically banana mash, mixed with flour and spices, and fried till a nice golden brown. There are variations of these across the region.

I have seen these fritters in many forms. In Jamaican households, my friends make their Jamaican banana fritters fried flat like pancakes.

My family makes our fritters into fluffy balls.

Whatever way it’s made, in less than twenty minutes you are eating some banana goodness.

Sprinkle with some powdered sugar and additional cinnamon and you have the snack to satisfy the perfect sweet tooth.

Best bananas to use to make fritters

We usually always use the typical bananas to make fritters. The same bananas we eat as a fruit. This banana is called the Cavendish banana.

These types have varying stages (colors) of ripening, going from green to yellow to black. They are pretty firm for most of the “ripe” stage, then get softer as it gets riper.

Another great option is another variety of the cavendish banana called Musa acuminate. Locally we refer to it as buck buck, or buck banana. It’s a short and stubbier version. The color can range from yellow to red.

You can also use ripe plantains as an option.

How to make banana fritters

Ingredients for fried banana fritters

   The ingredients list is quite a basic list of items that are common pantry staples.

• Bananas – use ripe to over ripe bananas to make these.
• All-purpose flour
• Salt
• Baking powder
• Sugar – you can use granulated sugar or brown sugar, but I prefer to stick to granulated to not darken the batter too much
• Ground cinnamon
• Cooking oil for frying

Instructions

1. Remove the peel from the bananas and discard. Mash the banana pulp in a medium bowl.

2. In another bowl, mix the flour along with the baking powder, sugar, and cinnamon. All your dry ingredients.

3. Take your flour mixture and combine with the mashed banana mixture and combine well to a smooth consistency.

4. Add in your vanilla essence and combine.

5. In a deep pot, heat your oil on medium heat till heated through.

6. Using a spoon or a cookie scoop, drop batches of banana fritter batter into the oil. Frying for about 3 to 5 minutes.

You can use a spoon and roll them around in the oil to fry.

7. Remove from the pot, and place them to drain on paper towels to remove the excess oil.

8. Once completed, sprinkle with some powdered sugar if you wish.

9. Serve hot!

Tips

• Adjust sugar based on sweetness. Overripe bananas are sweeter, so you might need less sugar. Taste the mash before adding!
• Choose the right bananas. Ripe (not overripe) bananas with some firmness give you the best texture. Overripe ones make a softer, mushier fritter that takes longer to cook.
• Check your batter. If your batter feels too runny (especially with overripe bananas), sprinkle in a bit more flour until it thickens up. You want a scoopable—not soupy—mix.
• Mind the oil temp. Hot oil is key. Too cold, and your fritters soak up oil. Too hot, and they burn on the outside. Aim for around 360°F and check between batches.
• Use neutral oil. Go for oils with high smoke points like vegetable, canola, or peanut oil. No coconut oil here—save that for your skin!
• Don’t overcrowd the pot. Fry in batches—5 to 6 at a time depending on your pan. It keeps the oil hot and the fritters crispy. Also, scoop out any stray batter bits so they don’t burn and spoil the oil.

Storage

I am all for leftovers, but I think this is one type that needs to be eaten hot and fresh.

The longer these sit they get softer and not as crisp. So it’s best eaten as fried or as soon as possible.

If you want to fry large batches for a large party, while frying, put the completed fritters in an oven that is at the lowest (200 degrees) so that you keep them warm as you fry the rest.

Other than that I would not suggest making these too far ahead or even eating these too far out later on.

What to eat with banana fritters?

Not a thing. I just have a bunch of these alone. Nice and hot.

But I’m sure you might want to have a little drink. If this is a breakfast option for you, try it with some cocoa tea or some good herbal blend tea.

If it’s a treat, some fresh lime juice or guava juice would be a great option.

But I know someone mentioned they have theirs with ice cream. Banana fritters and mango ice cream anyone?

Love fried foods? Check out some of the other recipes

• Conch fritters
• Saltfish accra
• Banana chips
• Chicken balls

Recipe