The Jamaican banana fritters recipe is perfect for summertime. Let’s discover how to make this awesome crispy snack and share it with your loved ones.
Table of Contents
- What are Jamaican Banana Fritters
- Key Ingredients
- How to Make Jamaican Banana Fritters
- How to Serve
- Tips and Praise
- Authentic Crispy Jamaican Banana Fritters Recipe
What are Jamaican Banana Fritters
Jamaican banana fritters are delicious sweet treats from the Caribbean region. They are made from fried bananas coated with flour, sugar, and several other ingredients.
The classic Jamaican banana fritters have a very nice golden brown color. They are crispy on the outside but soft and a bit gooey on the inside. The naturally sweet flavor comes from ripe bananas, and the aromatic scent of caramelized sugar makes this dish so irresistible.
Crispy banana fritters are usually served as a yummy snack or an indulging dessert. However, many people also choose to have them for breakfast.
Authentic Jamaican Banana Fritters Ingredients
If you’re looking to make an authentic Jamaican banana fritters recipe, here are the key ingredients:
Ripe Bananas
The main ingredient for the Jamaican banana fritters recipe is bananas. Choose ones that are fully ripe because they are softer and much sweeter.
You can replace bananas with plantains if you live in tropical countries and have access to this kind of fruit.
All-Purpose Flour
You must prepare all-purpose flour to make a crispy batter for the banana fritters recipe. It’s the base to create a nice texture.
Baking Powder
Some people believe that using only all-purpose flour can make the banana fritters dense and doughy. And yes, adding some baking powder helps the batter rise and become fluffier.
However, in my recipe here, I prefer crispy banana fritters, and I find out it will be crispier when you leave out baking powder. Another benefit is that you will need much less oil while frying the fritters. Trust me!
Sugar
Since Jamaican banana fritters are supposed to be sweet, you should add some extra sugar to enhance the flavor. Using only ripe bananas can be a little plain. The sugar is also essential to create a nice golden brown color for the batter.
Salt
Add just a pinch of salt to the batter to make the flavor profile more profound and complex. That’s enough to help balance the sweetness but not too intense to make you taste the saltiness.
Vanilla Extract
Vanilla extract goes very well with bananas. It brings such a delightful aroma and flavor to the banana fritters. I recommend you add a few splashes to the batter, as they will make a big difference.
Ground Cinnamon
Ground cinnamon is super popular in Jamaican cuisine. It gives a hint of warmth and complexity to your fritters. It’s optional, but this is a must if you go for an authentic banana fritters recipe.
In case you’re not a fan of cinnamon, add some nutmeg instead. It has a pleasant aroma and a nutty flavor.
Cooking Oil
Last but not least, you’ll need some cooking oil to deep fry the banana fritters. Choose vegetable or canola oil because they have a milder taste and a high smoke point.
How to Make Jamaican Banana Fritters
The Jamaican banana fritters recipe is so quick and easy to make. You do not need any fancy kitchen equipment. Just follow the steps, and enjoy the process.
1. Mash the Bananas
Use a fork to mash the ripe bananas to a smooth and creamy consistency in a bowl. Make sure to check for large chunks of bananas and break them up as much as possible.
2. Prepare the Batter
Gather all the ingredients, such as flour, spices, nutmeg, ground cinnamon, sugar, salt, and water or milk. Gently whisk them together with the mashed banana until combined. Let it rest for a few minutes.
3. Deep Fry the Banana Fritters
Heat oil over medium heat. Wait until the oil is boiling. You can use drop a little bit of the batter to test, if you see it bubbles up, it means the oil is ready.
Scoop out each spoon of banana batter and deep fry in the oil for about 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown.
4. Serve and Enjoy
After frying, place the freshly fried banana fitters on a rack or paper towel. Let them cool a bit before serving.
Why are my banana fritters rubbery?
When your Jamaican banana fritters are chewy and rubbery, it’s possibly because you over-mix the batter for too long, causing the gluten to develop too much.
Make sure to gently whisk the batter only until everything is combined and smooth. Let it rest for 5 minutes before frying.
How to make banana fritters crispy?
Do not add baking powder or baking soda to the batter if you want crispy banana fritters. And yes, you can add baking powder if you want your banana fritters a bit more fluffy.
Consider replacing all-purpose flour with cornstarch because the texture will be lighter and crunchier.
Avoid adding eggs or too much water or milk because the batter will become too wet and heavy, resulting in soggy banana fritters.
How to keep banana fritters crispy?
Let them cool on a rack or paper towel to drain all excess oil and let the batter crisp up.
Keep them in a warm oven or under a heated lamp to keep the banana fritters hot and crispy before serving.
Check out more amazing fried recipes on the website here:
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- Authentic Mexican Chili Rellenos Recipes That Will Leave You Speechless!
- How to Make Old Fashioned Onion Rings – 3 Excellent Recipes
- Healthy Classic Waffles: Enjoy 2 Breakfast Treats Guilt-Free
How to Serve Jamaican Banana Fritters
As a super indulging sweet treat, you can serve Jamaican banana fritters in so many different ways.
- It’s perfect to enjoy banana fritters by themselves in the simplest way. When you have a bite, you can feel the crispiness of the batter coating the steaming hot and sweet mashed banana on the inside. Everything is so perfect and balanced.
- If you have a sweet tooth, sprinkle powdered sugar over the banana fritters or drizzle on some syrup, chocolate sauce, Nutella, or jam.
- My top favorite option is serving warm, crispy banana fritters with vanilla ice cream. It just tastes so heavenly.
How to Store Jamaican Banana Fritters
If you happen to have extra banana fritters that you want to save for later, make sure to let them cool before storing.
If you keep them in an airtight container, Jamaican banana fritters can be good in the fridge for up to 2 days.
When you’re ready to eat them, pop them in the oven or an air fryer at 350ºF and heat up for 5-10 minutes until the batter is crispy again. Make sure the internal part also gets hot and soft.
Tips and Praise
@queenfaith379, “I did some night ago but I use ripe plantains instead it came out so perfect I love cooking and trying different things or ingredients that’s why I love your videos as well I learned something new every time 🇻🇨🇻🇨🇻🇨”
@bevillenicholas5513, “I made these this morning, love em! I like that they didn’t come out overly sweet!”
@tamieliademming135, “I use evaporated milk instead of water. Yummmmmm. Yummmmmmm. Yummmmmm!!!!”
@islandgirl3330, “When the bananas are so ripe, I don’t use sugar because they tastes too sweet. Thanks for the recipe. I tried using baking powder and they absorbed too much oil. I am used to making them without baking powder and I never saw the oil disappearing from the pan before. I am sure it was the baking powder.”
Authentic Crispy Jamaican Banana Fritters Recipe
Crispy Jamaican Banana Fritters Recipe
This Jamaican banana fritters recipe is truly amazing! Honey adds such a unique and delicious flavor. I believe using pure honey for both taste and health benefits in this recipe is important.
Ingredients
- 3 overripe bananas
- 1/2 tsp mixed spices or salt
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 cup plain flour (or cornstarch for lighter batter)
- 2 tbsp water or milk
- 1.5 cups oil
Instructions
- Mash bananas in a large mixing bowl using a fork.
- Add mixed spices, nutmeg, cinnamon, sugar, flour, and vanilla extract. Whisk well until smooth.
- Add water or milk if needed if the batter is too thick.
- Pour oil into half of a frying pan, turn the heat to medium, and wait until the oil is boiling hot.
- Add each spoonful of banana batter into the oil and deep fry for 3-5 minutes on each side.
- Remove banana fritters from the pan and place them on some paper towels to absorb excess oil.
- Let them cool for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
- If your Jamaican banana fritters turn out chewy and rubbery, it could be because you mixed the batter for too long. That causes the gluten to develop too much. Just whisk the batter gently until everything is combined and smooth. Let it chill for 5 minutes before frying.
- If you want your baked banana to be crispy, do not add baking powder or baking soda to your batter.
- If you like your banana fritters to be light and fluffy, baking soda or baking powder is a good option.
- Don't go overboard with water or milk. Otherwise, your batter will end up too soggy and heavy, making your banana fritters a bit of a letdown.
- When the bananas are so ripe, don't add sugar to the batter because they will taste too sweet.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1013Total Fat: 86gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 75gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 176mgCarbohydrates: 57gFiber: 3gSugar: 24gProtein: 6g