I’m sure this happens to you. You buy too many bananas, they get one too many spots on them, and nobody in the house will eat them. Unless you’re really inventive, that leaves you with two options: freeze them for smoothies or banana bread. Well, here’s another way to put those over-ripened bananas to use. A tried and true crowd pleaser—banana fritters!
These tasty little treats are so easy to make, they can be whipped up in less than 20 minutes. In the islands and throughout Latin America, ripe plantains make a regular appearance on the dinner table, but when there aren’t any plantains around, banana fritters are a great substitute! My husband and kids love these and are pretty excited whenever they see them on the table; so with that in mind, I buy more bananas than we need, on purpose!
Steps in Making Banana Fritters
Start by mashing four very ripe bananas.
Then add one teaspoon of vanilla and one teaspoon of baking powder.
Add salt and one cup of flour a bit at a time and mix well.
Heat a skillet over high heat with an inch to an inch-and-a-half of oil. Using a tablespoon, scoop a bit of the batter and add to the pan, making a rounded mound to form the fritter. Keep adding scoops of the batter to fill the pan, leaving enough room around each one, to turn them over in the next step.
Cook for one-and-a-half to two minutes on one side, until you see the edges become golden and crispy.
Then flip them over and cook for about a minute longer on the other side.
Remove them from the oil and place them on a paper-lined plate.
And there you have it: quick and easy banana fritters. And, one more way to use your overly ripe bananas!
I’ve never tried it before, but I’ve also seen these as a dessert, served warm and topped with vanilla ice-cream! A take on “Bananas Foster” sans the rum.
Watch the Banana Fritters Recipe Video

Banana Fritters
Ingredients
- 4 Ripe Bananas
- 1 Cup Flour
- 1 tsp. Vanilla
- 1 tsp. Baking Powder
- 1/2 tsp. Salt
Instructions
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Mash bananas.
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Add vanilla and baking powder.
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Mix in flour, a bit at a time.
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Add salt.
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Fry in batches of 3 to 5 at a time.
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Cook for 1.5 to 2 minutes on the first side until the edges become golden and crispy.
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Then flip them over and cook for about a minute longer on the other side.
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Remove them from the oil and place them on a paper-lined plate.
Family loved it! Flavor and texture were exactly what I remembered as a child. Will try baking next time.
That’s great! Happy you enjoyed them.