These 20-Minute Banana Fritters are a quick and delicious way to satisfy your sweet tooth! Made with ripe bananas and a simple batter, these golden-brown fritters are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Perfect for breakfast, dessert, or an afternoon snack, they come together in no time and are a great way to use up overripe bananas.
Dust them with powdered sugar or drizzle with boozy caramel sauce for an extra touch of sweetness, and enjoy a warm, comforting treat that’s sure to become a family favorite!
Table of Contents
Step aside, banana bread bars. Move on over, banana bundt cake. Fried banana fritters are stealing the dessert spotlight! These mashed banana fritters pack all the classic flavors of banana bread into a cake-like, almost beignet-esque golden brown bite. Imagine if a beignet met a fried doughnut hole, and you’ll have these sweet banana fritters—a perfect blend of soft, pillowy insides with a crisp, golden exterior.
Making these banana doughnuts is as easy as mixing up a simple banana bread batter, then dropping spoonfuls into hot oil until they’re golden and irresistible. The best part? They’re ready in just 20 minutes! Serve them warm with a dusting of powdered sugar or a drizzle of butterscotch sauce for an extra touch of indulgence.
And if you’re as obsessed with banana treats as I am, be sure to check out my go-to recipes to make with overripe bananas. Let’s dive into the details so you can get these golden bites of heaven on the table in no time!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Vegetable oil: This neutral-flavored oil has a high smoke point, making it ideal for frying. It ensures that your fritters cook evenly and develop a crisp exterior without burning.
- Very ripe, darkly-speckled bananas: The riper, the better. See How to Quickly Ripen Bananas.
- Eggs: They provide structure for the batter.
- Sour cream: The essential tang for flavor and extra-moist texture. If you don’t have sour cream, you can substitute Greek yogurt.
- Unsalted butter: For flavor and moisture. It also contributes to a tender crumb and helps achieve a golden-brown color during frying.
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Sugar: Just a touch to enhance the natural sweetness of the bananas.
- Baking soda
- Ground cinnamon: I’m a big fan of cinnamon with bananas—it’s like a match made in flavor heaven. If you’re feeling adventurous, a pinch of nutmeg also adds a lovely touch of warmth.
- Kosher salt
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Banana Fritters
- Add oil to a large stock pot. I’m all for a good air fryer or oven swap when a recipe calls for traditional frying, but this is one of those scenarios where a tub of boiling oil really is the way to go. The batter is too loose and not designed to sit in an air fryer basket or atop a baking sheet. Bottom line? Bring that oil to a boil and enjoy the fruits of your fried labor!
- Whisk together the wet ingredients. Combine the mashed bananas, eggs, sour cream, melted butter and vanilla extract.
- Combine the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
- Fry the fritters in batches. Once the oil reaches 325°F, use a small ice cream scoop (or two spoons) to add heaping 1-tablespoon scoops of dough to the hot oil. Add several scoops of dough to the pot while being careful not to overcrowd it.
- Flip them as needed, until they are golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Remove from the oil. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the fritters to a paper towel-lined plate to drain off any excess oil. This keeps them crispy and light.
- Return the oil to 325°F between each batch and repeat the frying process with the remaining dough.
These homemade banana fritters are best enjoyed warm, straight out of the fryer. The contrast between the crispy exterior and the soft, warm interior is what makes them irresistible! Pro tip: Roll the freshly fried fritters in a cinnamon-sugar mix while they’re still hot. It creates a delightful sugary crust, just like my churro recipe, adding that irresistible sweet crunch!
Kelly’s Recipe Tips
- Use a deep-fry thermometer. Deep-frying is one scenario where a thermometer really is essential to success. If the oil is too hot, the fritters will burn on the outside and still be raw in the center. If it’s too cold, they’ll soak up excess oil and never get crispy.
- Use an ice cream scoop. This ensures all of your fritters will be the same size and cook at the same rate.
- Don’t overcrowd the pot. It may be tempting to rush the frying process and pile in the fritters, but it’s best to work in batches so that the oil maintains the correct temp.
Frequently Asked Questions
Don’t have a deep-fry thermometer (or meat thermometer) on hand? No need to sweat. One of the safest, easiest ways to test if your cooking oil is ready for frying is to dip in the bottom of a wooden spoon. If bubbles disperse around the spoon, it’s ready for frying. You can also use a wooden chopstick! Just make sure it’s a gentle bubble rather than a rolling boil; You might need to cool your oil down a bit before frying.
Yes! While deep-fried foods are generally best enjoyed hot, these can be made ahead of time and rewarmed in the oven or an air fryer so they maintain their crispy exterior.
No. The batter is too loose and not designed to sit in an air fryer basket or atop a baking sheet.
Store the completely cooled fritters in an airtight container at room temperature.
Both are deep-fried dough, and both can be made sweet or savory, so it depends on the specific recipe as to what is named a “fritter” versus a “doughnut.”
More Recipes to Make with Overripe Bananas
- Greek Yogurt Banana Bread
- Chocolate Chip Banana Bars
- Mini Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Buttermilk Banana Bread
- Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies
Equipment
- Deep-fry thermometer
Ingredients
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- 3 very ripe, darkly-speckled bananas
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- Confectioners’ sugar, for serving
- Caramel sauce, for serving
Instructions
- Add 4 inches of oil to a large heavy-bottomed stock pot set over medium heat. Attach the deep-fry thermometer to the side. Line a large plate with paper towels.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the mashed bananas, eggs, sour cream, melted butter and vanilla extract.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir just until combined. (The batter should be stiff.)
- Once the oil reaches 325°F, use a small ice cream scoop (or two spoons) to add heaping 1-tablespoon scoops of dough to the hot oil. Add several scoops of dough to the pot while being careful not to overcrowd it.
- Fry the fritters, flipping them as needed, until they are golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer the fritters to the paper towel-lined plate.
- Repeat the frying process with the remaining dough, returning the oil to 325°F between each batch.
- Dust the banana fritters with confectioners’ sugar then serve.
- ★ Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to give it a star rating below!
Nutrition
Shoutout
Did you try this recipe?
Share it with the world! Mention @justataste or tag #justatasterecipes!
This post may contain affiliate links.
Could you bake them in a oven?
Hi Laura! No, the batter is too loose.
LOVED these fritters! I’d never had them before but thought I’d give them a go. So glad I did! We ate them all in record time!
I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Heidi!