Banana fritters are a popular African snack and breakfast food, but they’re loved in the Caribbean, too! And each household has its own variation. Some are made with milk and eggs, while others are not. These are vegan, without eggs or milk, yet taste just as good (or better😉). I’m not going to lie; making these was purely selfish on my part. It’s been a while…. And the peeps have no clue because I ate the whole batch before they got home. I’m hiding the pictures I took. I made two batches for the blog, one with coconut flakes and the other without. Yes, coconut and I have a thing going on. So if you’re a coconut addict like I am, then, by all means, throw some in. For everyone else, forget you saw this. No hard feelings.
Recipe Ingredients
You probably have everything you need on this extremely shortlist in your pantry already. Yay!Ripe Bananas: They need to be ripe (slightly overripe is better) as they give natural sweetness and enhance the banananiness (is that word?).Flour: Out of curiosity, I used half whole wheat flour and half all-purpose to see what would happen, and it worked beautifully. Although I love the nutty flavor of whole wheat flour, 100% can be overwhelming. All-purpose flour balances it, giving it a slightly nutty taste while maintaining the fluffiness.Brown Sugar: This ingredient sweetens, moistens, and adds a touch of molasses flavor to our banana fritters.Nutmeg: The subtle holiday-like flavor adds a deliciously sweet nuttiness. I adore nutmeg, but you may not feel the same way, so you can leave it out if you want.Vanilla: The mouthwatering aroma adds depth of flavor. And, of course, it’s even better when you make your own vanilla extract.Oil: I know this looks bad, but you need oil to deep-fry fritters. Once in a while won’t kill us.
How to Make Banana Fritters
Prepare the Batter
Puree Bananas: Mash bananas with a spoon or puree bananas in a food processor or blender.Add Remaining Ingredients: Mix mashed bananas, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Mix it well until it has the consistency of a creamy batter.Final Touch: Finally, add nutmeg and vanilla. Let it rest for 10 minutes.
Frying Them Up
Heat the Oil: Heat up a large skillet or cast iron with ½ inch of oil on medium-high heat (375℉/190℃) until hot but not smoking.Fry the Fritters: Take scoops of batter and fry them in batches, turning once, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Do not overcrowd the pan (it will cause the fritters to get soggy and absorb excess oil).Done: Using a slotted spoon, remove the fritters and place them on paper towels. Serve warm.
Recipe Variations
You could make it healthier by cooking it in an air fryer.
Line the air fryer rack with parchment paper and spray it lightly with cooking oil.Then scoop your fritter batter gently on the parchment paper, leaving enough space between so that they don’t stick together.Air fry them at 360℉/182℃ for about 8 minutes for each batch. Alternatively, you can bake them for 10 minutes in a preheated 400℉/205℃ oven.You can add cinnamon, ground cloves, ground ginger, or chopped nuts… Yum!!!
Tips and Tricks
A key factor here is the oil temperature; if it’s too low, it will soak up too much. But it will burn the outside before the middle is done if it’s too hot. I always do a taste test before proceeding with the rest of the batter.Use a pan that’s wider than your burner when deep-frying (less chance of getting burned), and fill it only half full or less with oil. If you’re unsure the oil is at the right temperature, an instant-read or candy thermometer will read 375℉/180℃.If you want super light dough, you can start with 1½ cup flour and add more as needed.Homemade fritters vary in size and shape, so don’t expect perfect cookie-cutter shapes.You may use all white flour instead of half whole wheat.
Make-Ahead Instructions
These instructions are for making it ahead of time, like the day before. Try typing “how to make banana fritters ahead” in the Google search bar.
Serving and Storage
Eat these warm because they become heavy and doughy once they cool (If they stay around that long!) In the unlikely case, you have leftovers, you can keep them in the fridge for a few days or freeze them for a few weeks. When reheating them, you can bake them in a preheated 350℉/177℃ oven for five minutes, toast them in a frying pan with just a little oil, or (my least favorite way) microwave them in 10-second blasts until heated.
What Goes With Banana Fritters
Ice cream is an excellent side for these guys, especially my rum raisin pineapple ice cream. Oh yeah!
More Incredible Banana Recipes to Try
Conclusion
This banana fritter recipe comes together so quickly that I usually find a few minutes to throw it together at least once a week. This recipe is a welcome addition to the menu when you have guests and a small budget. Have you tried this recipe yet? If you love it, please give it a 5-star rating.❤️
Watch How to Make It
[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”MsamPFYk” upload-date=”2022-05-24T15:09:49.000Z” name=”Banana fritters untitled.mp4″ description=”Banana Fritters are flavorful, crispy, melt-in-your-mouth bites of pure comforting goodness perfect for any snack or dessert. Such a heart-warming treat with a drizzle of syrup or spoonful of whipped cream! Plus, they’re the ideal way to use up your surplus bananas that are starting to head south.” player-type=”collapse” override-embed=”false”] This blog post was originally published in November 2015 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video.
