Trinidad Banana Fritters Recipe

These easy Trinidad banana fritters are made with ripe bananas, flour, and warm spices, then fried until golden brown. They’re a quick way to use up ripe or overripe bananas and make a delicious breakfast or snack.

We use ripe bananas for everything from smoothies to banana bread and muffins, but banana fritters are another easy favorite.

My family makes them as fluffy little balls, fried until golden brown on the outside and soft inside. They’re simple, delicious, and ready in less than 20 minutes.

These are just as easy and delicious as my pumpkin fritters.

So the next time you have bananas sitting on the counter turning black, DO NOT THROW THEM OUT. Make banana fritters!

What are fried banana fritters?

Banana fritters are made by combining mashed ripe bananas with flour, sugar, and spices, then frying the batter until golden brown.

You’ll find different versions across the Caribbean. Some of my Jamaican friends make their banana fritters flatter, almost like small pancakes. My family in Trinidad and Tobago makes ours as fluffy little balls.

Either way, in less than 20 minutes you have warm banana fritters ready to eat. Sprinkle them with powdered sugar and a little extra cinnamon if you like.

Best bananas to use to make fritters

Regular ripe bananas, like the Cavendish bananas commonly sold in grocery stores, work perfectly for these fritters. For the best texture, use bananas that are yellow with plenty of brown spots. They should be sweet and soft but not completely mushy.

You can also use the shorter bananas we call buck buck or buck bananas in Trinidad and Tobago.

Very overripe bananas will still work, but they contain more moisture and can make the batter softer. You may need to add a little extra flour to get the right consistency.

Ripe plantains can also be used, although the flavor and texture of the fritters will be different.

How to make banana fritters

Ingredients for fried banana fritters

You only need a few basic pantry ingredients to make these banana fritters.

• Bananas – Use ripe bananas with plenty of brown spots for the best flavor and texture.
• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder – Helps the fritters puff up as they fry.
• Sugar – Granulated sugar works best here. You can use brown sugar, but it will make the batter darker.
• Ground cinnamon
• Vanilla essence – Adds extra flavor to the batter.
• Salt
• Cooking oil – Use a neutral oil suitable for frying, such as vegetable or canola oil.

Instructions

1. Peel the bananas and add them to a medium bowl. Mash until mostly smooth.

2. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and cinnamon.

3. Add the dry ingredients to the mashed bananas and mix until well combined. The batter should be thick enough to scoop and hold its shape.

4. Add the vanilla essence and mix until combined.

5. Heat the oil in a deep pot over medium heat to about 360°F.

6. Using a spoon or cookie scoop, carefully drop portions of the batter into the hot oil. Fry 5 to 6 fritters at a time for about 3 to 5 minutes, turning them as needed, so they cook evenly and become golden brown on all sides.

7. Remove the fritters from the oil and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Remove any loose pieces of batter from the oil before frying the next batch.

8. Repeat until all the batter has been fried.

9. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and additional cinnamon, if desired, and serve hot.

Tips

• Adjust sugar based on sweetness. Overripe bananas are sweeter, so you might need less sugar. Taste the mash before adding!
• Choose the right bananas. Ripe bananas with plenty of brown spots give you the best balance of sweetness and texture. Very overripe bananas will still work, but they contain more moisture, which can make the batter softer and the fritters take a little longer to cook.
• Check your batter. If your batter feels too runny (especially with overripe bananas), sprinkle in a bit more flour until it thickens up. You want a scoopable—not soupy—mix.
• Mind the oil temp. Hot oil is key. Too cold, and your fritters soak up oil. Too hot, and they burn on the outside. Aim for around 360°F and check between batches.
• Use neutral oil. Go for oils with high smoke points like vegetable, canola, or peanut oil. No coconut oil here—save that for your skin!
• Don’t overcrowd the pot. Fry in batches—5 to 6 at a time depending on your pan. It keeps the oil hot and the fritters crispy. Also, scoop out any stray batter bits so they don’t burn and spoil the oil.

Storage

Banana fritters are best eaten hot and fresh. As they sit, they soften and lose that freshly fried texture, so I recommend serving them as soon as possible.

If you’re making a large batch for a party or gathering, place the cooked fritters in a 200°F oven to keep them warm while you finish frying the remaining batches.

I don’t recommend making these too far ahead. They’re at their best straight out of the pot.

What to eat with banana fritters?

Not a thing. I usually just eat a bunch of these on their own, nice and hot.

If you’re serving them for breakfast, pair them with some cocoa tea or a good herbal tea.

For a snack or treat, fresh lime juice or guava juice would also be great. I’ve even had someone suggest serving banana fritters with ice cream. Banana fritters and mango ice cream, anyone?

Love fried foods

Check out some of the other recipes

• Conch fritters
• Saltfish accra
• Banana chips
• Chicken balls

Recipe

Renee Robley

Trinidad Banana Fritters

5 from 1 vote

Easy Trinidad banana fritters made with ripe bananas and warm spices, then fried until golden brown. A quick breakfast or snack that's ready in less than 20 minutes.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Servings: 6

Course: Snack

Cuisine: Caribbean

Calories: 182

Ingredients Method Nutrition

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x?

• 3 ripe bananas
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Oil for frying
• Powdered sugar optional, for serving
• Ground cinnamon optional, for serving

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Method

 

1. Peel the bananas and add them to a medium bowl. Mash until mostly smooth.
2. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon.
3. Add the dry ingredients to the mashed bananas and mix until well combined. The batter should be thick enough to scoop and hold its shape.
4. Add the vanilla extract and mix until combined.
5. Heat the oil in a deep pot over medium heat to about 360°F.
6. Using a spoon or cookie scoop, carefully drop portions of the batter into the hot oil. Fry 5 to 6 fritters at a time for about 3 to 5 minutes, turning as needed, until golden brown and cooked through.
7. Remove the fritters from the oil and place them on a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Repeat with the remaining batter.
8. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and additional cinnamon, if desired. Serve hot.

Nutrition

Calories: 182kcal

Recipe Printed From ThisBagoGirl.com

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