Banana Fritters

5 from 10 votes
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These family-friendly Banana Fritters are perfectly spiced with nutty nutmeg, fried to golden-brown perfection, and ready in 30 minutes!

You’ll love this recipe for serving as an appetizer, breakfast, or afternoon snack.

Banana fritters on a platter, one opened up to show texture.

I am continuing to share my love for epic breakfast recipes with my recipe for the very best quick and easy fritters made with bananas.

They are crunchy on the outside, soft, fluffy, and sweet on the inside, but not overwhelmingly sweet (no added sugar!). The flavor in these fritters really comes through.

Also, check out my African Twisted Doughnuts and my guide on How To Make Puff Puff.

Fritters in a basket.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

There are many reasons to love these Banana Fritters recipe and add it to your recipe rotation. You’ll love this recipe because:

  • It is family-friendly! I tell you, it is hard to stop at one banana fritter. Everyone loves these bites that taste like banana bread and doughnuts had a baby.
  • It is quick and easy! Ready in 30 minutes from start to finish, these can be made at the spur of the moment.
  • It is customizable! Yes, you can add other spices you may like like cinnamon, allspice, and cloves. Got some vanilla extract? Feel free to add it in!
  • It is tasty! The flavor these fritters yield is incredible.
  • It is the perfect way to use up overripe bananas! Don’t let those overripe bananas go to waste. Use them to make some easy fritters.
Overripe bananas with black spots.

For more recipes with bananas, check out this Banana Bread In Bundt Pan and Banana Pancakes.

Ingredients

To make banana fritters, you only need a few ingredients that are mostly pantry staples. Here is what you need:

Ingredients for banana fritters.
  • Ripe bananas: Fairly ripe bananas won’t cut it here. If the bananas are so ripe that they have developed black spots and some parts of the banana are mushy on the inside, then my friend, you have the perfect bananas for some banana fritters!
  • Flour: All purpose or plain flour works here. Please do not use self-rising flour.
  • Baking powder: To serve as a raising agent which enables the batter puff up as it fries.
  • Salt: Balances the sweetness in the bananas.
  • Eggs: Eggs add richness and flavor.
  • Milk: Milk help thins out the batter to the right consistency. (not pictured)
  • Nutmeg: Ground nutmeg boosts the flavor profile of banana fritters. Go for freshly grated nutmeg for the best flavor. I grate whole nutmeg easily using a Microplane grater.
  • Neutral oil for frying: Any flavorless oil like canola or vegetable oil would work. (not pictured)

For the full list of ingredients with measurements, check out the recipe card below.

How To Make Banana Fritters

Here is how to make banana fritters in 3 easy steps:

  1. Mash some bananas with a fork to form a paste.
Mashed bananas in a mixing bowl.
  • 2. Add in some flour, eggs, milk, salt and ground nutmeg. Mix everything to combine and form a batter.
Fritters batter in a mixing bowl.

3. Heat up oil and drop in tablespoonfuls of the batter to deep fry until golden brown.

Fritters deep-frying in a cast iron pot.

Place the fritters on paper towels to absorb the excess oil. And there you have it! Quick and easy banana fritters!

Fritters on paper towels.

Variations

Now let’s talk about the ways you can vary the ingredients in banana fritters to make it your own.

  • Sweeter fritters: Add some brown sugar to the batter if you prefer sweeter fritters.
  • More spiced: Add more some cinnamon and cloves for a more spiced batter.
  • Cinnamon sugar: Toss the fritters in cinnamon sugar as soon as you are done frying them.
  • Vanilla extract: Consider adding vanilla extract for more flavor.
  • Plantain fritters: Replace the bananas with overripe plantains for plantain fritters.

Expert Tips For Banana Fritters

  • Mix the batter until just combined. Do not overmix.
  • To test if the oil is hot enough, drop in the first spoonful of batter. If it rises to the top of the oil, then the oil is hot enough.
  • Don’t make the oil too hot as it will result in the fritters burning on the outside without being cooked through.
  • The oil temperature should be around 365 degrees F. If the oil temperature is too low, the fritters will absorb the oil and turn soggy.
  • Use a cast iron pot for frying as it holds heat well.
  • Serve warm for the best flavor.
Brown fritters on a serving platter.

Serving

These fritters are so versatile. You could eat them with a lot of sides.

  • Serve with jam or chocolate sauce for a sweet option.
  • Serve drizzled with maple syrup or honey.
  • Sprinkle powdered sugar on them before serving.
  • For a savory option, pair with this spicy African Pepper Sauce.
Banana Fritters served with African pepper sauce.

Recipe FAQs

What are banana fritters made of?

Banana fritters are made up of bananas, flour, eggs, milk, baking powder, salt and sweet spices like nutmeg or cinnamon.

Do you put egg in banana fritters?

Yes, egg adds richness to the banana fritter batter.

What do Americans call fritters?

What Americans call fritters is deep-fried cakes or deep-fried chopped or grated food like apple fritters or corn fritters.

Can banana fritters be vegan?

Yes! Banana fritters can be made vegan. Simply omit the eggs and milk then thin out the batter with some water. Without eggs or milk, you can still make great banana fritters!

Where did Banana Fritters originate?

It’s hard to tell where banana fritters came from because they are eaten in Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean. Each region has its variation to these fritters and the Caribbean banana fritters are fried flat like pancakes. Banana fritters have such a universal appeal.

Banana Fritters Video

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YouTube video

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Banana fritters on a platter with one opened up to show texture

Banana Fritters

5 from 10 votes
These banana fritters are the perfect way to use up your overripe bananas. They are sweet, but not overly sweet as they do not contain any added sugar. They are soft, fluffy with a rich flavor from the bananas. Enjoy for breakfast, snack time or dessert. They pair well with tea or coffee!
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Servings: 38 fritters

Ingredients  

  • 4 medium overripe bananas
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • Flavorless Oil for frying Vegetable or canola oil works well.

Instructions 

  • Peel the bananas and place in a large bowl. Mash with a fork or potato masher to form a paste (it will have lumps in it and that's okay).
  • Add the rest of the ingredients into the bowl except the oil for frying. Mix until just combine to form a batter. The batter will be light and drippy.
  • Place oil in a pan up to 3 inches then heat up on high heat to 365 degrees Fahrenheit. Reduce the heat to medium (this is important because very hot oil will result in the fritters burning on the outside without cooking through.
  • Place tablespoonfuls of the batter into the pan (if you have a small cookie scoop, use it to drop the batter into the oil). Do not overcrowd the pan. Let the fritters cook until golden. Flip to the other side and let them cook until golden too. Remove and place on paper towels to absorb the excess oil. Repeat process with the rest of the batter, allowing the oil to heat up a little more each time.
  • Enjoy for breakfast with some tea, or as a snack, or serve sprinkled with powdered sugar as a dessert.

Notes

1. Use a small cookie scoop to easily drop the batter into the oil.
2. These fritters are best eaten warm but they could easily be reheated in the microwave. Reheat in the microwave for only about 30 seconds at a time. If you leave them too long in the microwave, they will turn rubbery.
3. Sprinkle confectioner’s sugar on the fritters if you want to enjoy them sweet. They could also be served with sweet dipping sauces like chocolate sauce or caramel sauce.

Nutrition

Serving: 1fritter | Calories: 54kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Trans Fat: 0.001g | Cholesterol: 0.4mg | Sodium: 177mg | Potassium: 68mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 14IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 1mg

Additional Info

Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: Afro-Carribean
Calories: 54
Tried this recipe?Mention @preciouscore or tag #PreciousCore!

About Precious

Welcome to my core! I am Precious Nkeih, the recipe developer and writer right here on my blog, Precious Core. My goal is to show you insanely delicious recipes you can replicate in your kitchen. And I love to tell stories too. Hope you find recipes here that will make cooking easier for you! Check me out on YouTube at YouTube.com/PreciousKitchen.


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45 Comments

  1. Made these banana fritters this afternoon & I wasn’t disappointed!! Yummy!! So flavorful & tender ! I made some with pecans & some with raisins. Both are delicious ! This recipe will definitely be a keeper, plus it’s so easy! Thank you Precious !

  2. It was delicious!! I halved the recipe, sieved the flour and added about 1/3 cup of light brown sugar and some cinnamon fried it and had it with vanilla ice cream. It was light and fluffy. This will my new go-to recipe for banana fritters.

  3. Hi made them just now. They are so good i could eat them all. But. Will make them last for two days. Thanks for the recipe
    Billy