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Banana Fritters are crispy, golden little fried dough bites with sweet banana flavor in every bite, dusted in powdered sugar and made for dunking in caramel. I whip these up when our bananas get a little too spotty and the girls swarm the kitchen before they even cool. If you love fried treats, try our crowd-favorite funnel cake next.
With a few pantry staples and some overripe bananas, you can fry up a whole batch of these irresistible little bites in minutes.
Banana Fritters Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 5 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 25 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 55 fritters
- ⚡ Calories: 34kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Sweet and banana-y, crispy outside and fluffy inside
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy frying like our deep fried Snickers
Quick Answer
Mash ripe bananas, then whisk in buttermilk, eggs, brown sugar, oil, and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt to make a thick batter and let it rest 10 minutes. Drop tablespoon-sized dollops into 350 degree oil and fry until golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes, flipping occasionally. Drain, dust with powdered sugar, and serve with caramel for dipping.
Jump to:
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Ripe bananas bring natural sweetness. The spottier the bananas, the sweeter and more banana-forward your fritters taste.
- Buttermilk keeps them tender. Buttermilk adds moisture and a subtle tang that keeps the inside soft and fluffy.
- Resting the batter. Letting the batter sit 10 minutes lets the baking powder activate and the flour hydrate for a lighter fritter.
- Frying at 350 degrees. The right oil temperature gives you a crisp golden shell while the center cooks through without absorbing grease.
- Small dollops cook evenly. Tablespoon-sized scoops fry quickly and evenly so the centers are done by the time the outsides are golden.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- They are a quick, crowd-pleasing way to use up overripe bananas.
- Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, they are basically little banana doughnut holes.
- They come together fast and fry in minutes, like our deep fried Snickers.
Key Ingredients
A handful of simple pantry staples plus ripe bananas is all you need for these crispy fritters.
- Ripe Bananas: The star. Use spotty, overripe bananas for the sweetest, most banana-forward flavor.
- Buttermilk: Adds moisture and a subtle tang that keeps the fritters tender inside.
- Brown Sugar and Vanilla: They deepen the sweetness and add warm, cozy flavor.
- Flour and Baking Powder: The structure and lift that give the fritters their fluffy interior.
- Powdered Sugar and Caramel: Optional but classic for dusting and dipping.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
These banana fritters are easy to switch up. Try one of these ideas.
- Add warm spices: Stir in cinnamon or nutmeg for a cozy, spiced flavor.
- Add chocolate: Fold in mini chocolate chips for banana chocolate chip fritters.
- Swap the dip: Serve with chocolate sauce, honey, or a simple glaze instead of caramel.
- Add nuts: Stir in chopped pecans or walnuts for crunch.
- Make them tropical: Add a little shredded coconut to the batter.
How to Make Banana Fritters
- Start heating 4 inches of oil in a Dutch oven or large pot to 350 degrees. Meanwhile, mash the bananas in a large bowl, then whisk in the buttermilk, eggs, brown sugar, oil, and vanilla.
- Whisk the wet ingredients together well until smooth and combined.
- Add the flour, baking powder, and salt to the bowl.
- Stir until just combined with no dry patches, then let the batter rest for 10 minutes.
- Carefully drop tablespoon-sized dollops of batter into the hot oil without overcrowding. Fry until golden brown, flipping occasionally, about 3 to 5 minutes, then drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Transfer to a wire rack while you fry the rest. Once done, dust with powdered sugar and serve with caramel sauce for dipping.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Use very ripe bananas. Spotty, overripe bananas mash smoothly and bring the most natural sweetness.
- Keep the oil at 350 degrees. Too cool and the fritters get greasy. Too hot and they burn outside before cooking through.
- Do not skip the rest. Letting the batter sit 10 minutes gives you lighter, fluffier fritters.
- Use a cookie scoop. It makes uniform dollops that fry evenly and are easy to drop in the oil.
- Do not overcrowd the pot. Frying in batches keeps the oil temperature steady for crisp results.
- Dust while warm. Powdered sugar clings best to fritters that are still slightly warm.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
These banana fritters are best served warm and fresh, piled high and dusted with powdered sugar. Set out a little bowl of caramel sauce for dipping and watch them disappear.
They make a fun dessert or a sweet brunch treat next to other favorites like our funnel cake or a batch of cream horns. A drizzle of chocolate or a scoop of vanilla ice cream turns them into a full dessert.
Banana fritters are best the day they are made, but you can reheat leftovers in the air fryer or oven for a few minutes to bring back the crisp exterior.
Banana Fritters FAQs
Banana fritters are made of mashed ripe bananas, flour, buttermilk, eggs, brown sugar, baking powder, vanilla, and salt, fried into golden little dough bites and dusted with powdered sugar.
A neutral oil with a high smoke point, like vegetable, canola, or peanut oil, is best for frying banana fritters. Heat it to 350 degrees for the crispiest results.
Greasy banana fritters usually mean the oil was too cool. Keep it at a steady 350 degrees and fry in small batches so the temperature does not drop.
Banana fritters are best fresh, but you can reheat leftovers in the air fryer or oven to re-crisp them. You can also mash the bananas and measure the dry ingredients ahead.
Use very ripe, spotty bananas for banana fritters. The riper they are, the sweeter and more flavorful your fritters will be.
These are designed for deep frying for the classic crispy shell, but you can air fry spoonfuls at 375 degrees for a lighter version. The texture will be more cake-like than fried.
Craving more fried favorites? Try our crispy funnel cake next.
Love fried sweets? Pipe up a batch of our homemade mini churros next.
Easy Deep Fried Banana Fritters Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups mashed banana about 3 medium bananas
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- oil for frying
- powdered sugar for dusting optional
- caramel sauce for dipping optional
Instructions
- Start slowly heating 4 inches of oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-low to medium heat to 350°F.oil for frying
- Place bananas in a large bowl and mash well until smooth.1 1/2 cups mashed banana
- Add the buttermilk, eggs, light brown sugar, oil, and vanilla into the bowl and whisk well until combined.1/2 cup buttermilk, 2 large eggs, 1/4 cup light brown sugar, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add the flour, baking powder, and salt to the bowl and stir until combined with no dry patches.2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- All the mixture to rest for 10 minutes before frying.
- Once the oil is hot, carefully drop 1 tablespoon-sized dollops of batter into the oil. I like to use a cookie scoop for this. Try not to overcrowd the pot, I do about 8-10 per batch.
- Allow to fry until golden brown, flipping them every so often so they evenly cook, about 3-5 minutes. You can test one by inserting a toothpick into the center, and if it comes out clean, they are ready.
- Immediately place them onto a paper towel-lined plate to absorb any excess grease.
- Place them onto a wire rack over a sheet tray while you fry the remaining fritters.
- Once done, dust with powdered sugar and serve with caramel sauce for dipping if desired.powdered sugar for dusting, caramel sauce for dipping
Notes
- Mash bananas in a large bowl with a potato masher.
- Check oil temperature with a candy thermometer—350°F for golden brown!
- Scoop with a small cookie scoop, they are all the same size that way.
- Fry on medium heat—too hot, and they’ll burn.
Nutrition
Love This Recipe?
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These were so much fun to make and tasted delicious.