Air Fryer Banana Fritters

If you haven’t tried air fryer banana fritters, now is the time! Air fried banana fritters are a bite-size breaded treat that is crunchy on the outside but sweet and soft on the inside. This easy banana fritters recipe elevates this simple fruit by adding a delicious egg-wash batter.

Pair them with chocolate or honey and you have yourself an amazing dish you’ll wish you tried sooner! Today is the day to learn how to make banana fritters, drizzled with honey, chocolate sauce and more.

Banana Fritters Recipe

Banana fritters are delicious and they are so easy to air fry. If you want to know how to make banana fritters, air frying is the best way to dip your toes in. Because bananas have a short shelf life, no matter how many I eat there are always some left that need to be dealt with before they become too ripe to use.

There are plenty of recipes for using overripe bananas, but I prefer enjoying them at peak ripeness, or even a little bit before. If you are using bananas while they are still firm and just achieving that desirable golden hue, one of the best ways to enjoy them is to make delicious banana fritters.

Air fried banana fritters are a bite-size breaded treat that is crunchy on the outside and sweet and soft on the inside. And this banana fritters recipe is an easy way to utilize bananas properly.

The combination of textures and the enhanced flavor of the breading over the sweet banana is the perfect way to indulge in a snack that is both decadent and moderately healthy.

How Ripe Should Bananas Be for Banana Fritters?

Bananas can be eaten at varying degrees of ripeness. The flavor and consistency differ greatly depending on when you decide to enjoy a banana.

A ripe banana's peel is darker yellow with brown flecks. The meat of the banana is soft and easy to mash, but still somewhat firm. This is the ideal state for making banana fritters.

This banana fritters recipe requires you to cut up the banana into chunks, so the banana must not be too soft. The sweetness of a ripened banana is also significantly higher than under-ripe green bananas, which makes it a better fit for the flavor of fritters.

Overripe bananas are very soft and often bruised. They may seem unappealing, but can still be used in some recipes like banana pancakes, banana bread or banana cake.

Although you may want to make banana fritters using overripe bananas, they tend to be slimy and harder to work with. Firmer bananas tend to keep their shape as well, which is a bonus when you’re making air fryer banana fritters.

When Are Bananas Best For You?

Bananas go through many changes, in both structure and appearance, as they ripen. Banana eaters all have their preferred time in the ripening cycle when they feel a banana tastes best.

Not all people prefer a ripened banana the way most fruits are commonly enjoyed. And interestingly, during a banana's various stages of ripeness, the chemical composition of the banana changes, which affects the flavor and more.

Although bananas are a rich source of vitamins A, B6 and C, and minerals such as potassium and magnesium, these properties get lost during the ripening process.

Overripe Bananas Health Benefits

Riper bananas are sweeter and contain more sugar and antioxidants. The more brown on the peel, the higher the level of antioxidants.

Under Ripe Bananas Health Benefits

Green bananas have less sugar and more fiber. They are better for digestion and give a greater sense of fullness.

If you are looking to tip the scale between antioxidants and digestion health benefits, greener bananas will have more micronutrients than browner ones.

Are Overripe Bananas Good For You?

Overripe bananas have the most antioxidants and are the easiest to digest. They have diminished micronutrients, but vitamins and minerals are still present in the overripe fruit.

They are not as good as green bananas at helping your body absorb beneficial nutrients such as calcium, but as long as you don't have to watch your blood sugar levels, overripe bananas are still perfectly healthy to eat.

Since overripe bananas have a less desirable appearance, they make a good resource for foods where the look of the banana is irrelevant. foods like banana muffins are an excellent way to mask the over ripeness of the banana while also benefiting from this sweeter stage in the banana's development.

How to Use Nutmeg to Enhance a Recipe

Certain spices pair nicely with certain foods and one of the best pairings is a ripe banana with nutmeg. Nutmeg is not a commonly used ingredient compared with some other more popular spices, but it has its purpose especially when it comes to enhancing certain fruits.

We typically experience nutmeg alongside a number of other spices, most notably cinnamon, but nutmeg can shine on its own too.

Nutmeg, a seed from a tropical tree, has a nutty flavor with a hint of spice. It makes a tasty addition to cheesy and creamy foods and a good component to fruit dishes such as this easy banana fritter recipe.

Nutmeg's flavor adds nuance to the flavor profile of the fritters, but the ingredient also has health benefits.

Don't Get Sticky Fingers

Here’s a tip for getting the best outcome for your air fryer banana fritters.

Any time you fry with batter or breading, it's important to establish a consistent procedure that you can stick with throughout the process. Decide what you will do with your right hand and what you will do with your left.

If you don't put this into practice early on, you will always wind up with a sticky mess and have to wash your hands constantly to avoid setbacks with the recipe.

This banana fritters recipe has three coating stations that can get very messy if you are not judicious and deliberate with your actions.

First, you cover the bananas which are moist, in dry corn starch.

Then you dip them in a wet egg mixture.

When your bananas are covered in the mixture you again cover them with the dry breading. Keep one hand dry and use the other hand for dealing with wet ingredients in order to limit cross-contamination between these stations and keep your hands as clean as possible.

Jamaican Banana Fritters

You may be wondering what the difference is between traditional Jamaican banana fritters and air fryer banana fritters. While the ingredients are more or less the same, the big difference is the cooking method.

Frying in deep oil is the main cooking technique in traditional Jamaican banana fritters

The Benefits of Air Frying Banana Fritters

If you have not switched to air frying foods, now is the time. It's easier, quicker, safer, and healthier than deep frying. These air fried banana fritters do not need to be turned in the pan or submerged in hot oil.

There is no crackling or popping to contend with, so you minimize the risk of burns. You also avoid saturating the fritters in unhealthy oil. The result is crisp fried food without the grease (or the potential trip to the emergency room).

Air Fryer Banana Fritters Recipe

Ingredients

• bananas
• flour
• egg
• milk
• panko bread crumbs
• nutmeg or cinnamon

How to Make Banana Fritters

1. Slice each banana into approximately 5 or 6 chunks.
2. Beat together egg and milk until well combined, set aside.
3. On a large plate, combine crumbs, sugar and cinnamon or nutmeg. Spread the mixture around until full blended. Set aside.
4. Cover each banana chunk with flour.
5. Dip each chunk into the egg mix mixture. Bananas should be fully covered but not dripping.
6. Coat in breadcrumb mixture until fully covered.
7. Place each fritter in an air fryer. Make sure they do not touch. Cook.
8. When cooking time is complete, remove from the air fryer and serve immediately.

Recipe Notes

These banana fritters pair great with chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, maple syrup, ice cream, honey, whipped cream and/or cool whip.