Southern-Style Banana Fritters

Course: Appetizer, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American, Soul Food

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 16

Total Time: 21

Servings: fritters

Calories: 50kcal

Author: Jazzmine Woodard

Simple spiced banana fritters made from scratch and fried to golden perfection

Print Recipe

Equipment

1 fork
1 whisk
2 mixing bowls
1 large cast iron skillet or frying pan
1 food thermometer optional
1 slotted spoon or kitchen tongs
paper towels

Ingredients

frying oil
3 bananas
¼ cup brown sugar packed
1 ½ teaspoon bourbon whiskey or vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
powdered sugar optional

Instructions

Prep: Fill skillet with one to two inches of oil over medium-high heat to warm up. Line a plate with a few layers of paper towel and set aside.
frying oil
Make the Fritter Batter: Use fork to mash bananas into a chunky puree or baby food consistency. Mix in bourbon or vanilla extract and brown sugar.
3 bananas, ¼ cup brown sugar, 1 ½ teaspoon bourbon whiskey
In another bowl, whisk together the flour, sea salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Stir the flour mixture into the banana mash until uniform.
1 cup all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
Fry the Fritters: Once cooking oil reaches 375 degrees Fahrenheit, drop batter by rounded table spoonfuls into pan and cook for about two minutes or until the edges are browned and the tops of the fritters just start to turn golden. The fritters may stick to the bottom of the pan. Just use your cooking utensil to carefully scoop underneath them to remove them and they should start to float in the oil.
Use slotted spoon or tongs to flip fritters then cook another two minutes or until golden all over. (If you flip the fritters too soon and find that the underside is still pale, no worries! You can just flip them back over and check in another minute.) Transfer to paper towel-lined plate.
Finish and Serve: Repeat the frying process until all batter is used. Note that the temperature of the oil will decrease over time because we’re introducing cooler elements to it over and over, so your first batch will probably cook more quickly than your last. Sift powdered sugar over fritters, if desired, and serve warm.
powdered sugar

Notes

Preparation

If you're using green bananas or bananas that are very hard, you may need to add a splash or two of water or milk to soften and thin the batter. You might also want to use more sweetener. Since this is an eggless recipe, you can taste test the batter and adjust as necessary.

You can make banana fritters up to two days ahead of time. I recommend reheating them in the air fryer or oven for the most mouthwatering results but you can also microwave.

Modifications

Instead of bourbon, you can use rum or cognac with a similar flavor effect. Or to omit alcohol altogether, use a splash of vanilla extract or vanilla paste.

Storage

Store cooked banana fritters in the refrigerator in an airtight container. They'll keep for up to three days this way.

To freeze, wrap them in plastic wrap and foil or place in an airtight freezer-safe container before transferring into the freezer. Keeps for up to one month.

Nutrition