Banana Fritters From The Deep South

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Banana Fritters History

Banana fritters aren’t just a Jamaican recipe. They are also in China! And America! This recipe will focus on the American style, since that’s what my great-grandma used to make back in Alabama in the early 1900s.

I never got the chance to try her banana fritters, so I had to do a little sleuthing. I asked my mom every question I could think of. What was the consistency? Were they sweet? Was it more like a pancake with bananas or bananas with flour around them?

Turns out, the consistency is somewhere in between. The outside has a light crispiness to it, but the inside is gooey banana. I can’t be certain that it’s the exact same, but I think I’ve gotten as close as I can without more info. Plus, they taste fantastic and are incredibly easy to make. I highly encourage y’all to give them a try and report back in the comments below!

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Fritters Tips & Tricks

This is a fantastic beginner recipe. If you are unsure of your cooking skills, this takes less than 30 minutes to make. Plus, you won’t need to keep glancing at the instructions. I think it’s very intuitive!

Can You Make A Gluten Free Option?

I haven’t tried it, but I think glutinous rice flour would make a good substitute for regular flour. You want something to bind the mixture together, which other flours may or may not do well. Don’t worry about the name. There is no gluten in glutinous rice flour, weirdly enough.

Can I Blend The Bananas?

I would recommend just using a big wooden spoon and mashing them. They didn’t have blenders in 1920 Alabama, so neither should you. But for real, I think the bits of chunky banana are more desirable than a completely homogeneous mixture. Also, make sure you use ripe bananas. They will mash easier and give the fritters a better flavor.

When To Flip The Fritters

Just like pancakes, wait to see some bubbles appearing on the top of the banana fritters. You can also check the bottoms before flipping if you are really nervous. Don’t worry if they look a little black at the end. It will taste more like caramelized banana than burnt pancake.

Powdered Sugar or Maple Syrup on Top?

I went with powdered sugar, just because that’s what was in my cupboard. Some real maple syrup with this would be divine though. These aren’t like regular pancakes. There is enough flavor in the fritters themselves that you could skip the sugar altogether if you are diabetic or just want to watch sugar intake.

How Thick Should The Fritter Batter Be?

The batter should be about the same as a pancake, a little thicker. If you pick up some on a spoon and turn it sideways, it should fall off in a second or 2. I would also add the banana fritter batter in a circle on the skillet, so it isn’t too thick for it to cook all the way through.

Dairy Free Options

Instead of the milk, you could substitute cashew milk, almond milk, probably anything. I would add a little sugar to compensate, since I think the whole milk brings some extra flavor with that fat.

For the butter, you could do bacon greases instead. Although, if your goal is to make the fritters vegan, that’s a step in the wrong direction. Vegetable or canola oil would work fine as well.

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For another banana breakfast recipe, try my bananas foster! Or, if you haven’t seen my biggest undertaking yet, check out the ultimate curry guide!

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