The best gluten free banana fritter is an air fried banana fritter! Enjoy these tasty snacks without the skillet of hot oil. Traditional stovetop frying method IS included.
recipe originally published March 21, 2011
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Why you'll love this recipe
These gluten free banana fritters are a delicious way to use up your over ripe bananas. You will love this quick and easy fritter as a dessert or snack, and here's why:
- Flavor: Banana fritters are just sweet enough on their own. Dip them into a rich caramel to take this dessert over the top.
- Texture: Crispy crunchy with a soft chewy interior, these warm fritters are pure comfort food.
- Method: Whether you pan fry or air fry, these take minutes to make.
The air fryer is our preferred method to make these, but when I originally made them in 2011, I didn't have an air fryer. We fried them in a skillet on the stovetop, so I have those instructions for you as well.
Read on to see our tips for the best fritter experience.
Tips for the best banana fritters
- Sweetener: Use very ripe bananas, the ones with black peels. Ripe bananas are sweeter, and this is the only sweetener you should need for this recipe, aside from the powdered sugar you finish with. If you test the first batch and they are not sweet enough, either make sure you have a sweet dipping sauce or add a small amount of maple syrup to the remaining batter.
- Size: I use a regular spoon to make the fritters, and as I am dropping the fritter onto the parchment for air frying or into the skillet, I sort of drag to flatten them a bit, so the insides cook evenly and thoroughly. They are odd shapes, but about 2 inches by half an inch thick.
- Frying: If frying in a skillet, wait until the oil is very hot before dropping the fritter batter into the skillet. This ensures the oil serves to crisp the fritter rather than be absorbed by it.
A savory banana fritter
For a savory version, you can adapt this recipe. Remove any sweetener, and replace the vanilla, cardamom, and cinnamon with savory spices like minced garlic, onion or shallot. You can also use garlic and onion powder, or lightly dust the fritters once cooked.
For a heartier fritter, try these tasty black bean plantain fritters.
How long do fritters last?
Banana fritters don't last long in our house, ha!
My rule for maximum flavor and freshness is to enjoy these banana fritters within three days.
To store, let fritters cool completely. Refrigerate in a glass container with a tightly fitting lid.
Reheating methods
- Oven: Arrange fritters on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 375° F until warmed through, turning after 5-7 minutes.
- Stovetop: Reheat on the stovetop in a skillet over medium heat.
- Air Fryer: Air fry fritters at 350 °F and check after 5 minutes. Carefully flip fritters and continue heating for another couple minutes as needed.
Did you make these gluten free banana fritters?
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Gluten Free Banana Fritters
A delicious way to use up your over ripe bananas. You will love this quick and easy fritter as a dessert or snack.
Ingredients
- 3 very ripe bananas, peeled
- ½ cup fine almond flour
- ¼ cup gluten free all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon cardamom
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- sesame seeds, as garnish
- powdered sugar, to coat
Instructions
- Line air fryer basket with parchment round. (See notes for instructions on skillet frying.)
- In a large mixing bowl, mash bananas.
- Add flours, vanilla, and spices to mashed bananas and combine, leaving small chunks of banana.
- Place spoonfuls of fritter batter on parchment lined air fryer basket.
- Air fry at 390 °F for 5 minutes. Remove and carefully turn with tongs or a spatula. Return basket to air fryer for another 3-5 minutes* at 390 °F.
- *All air fryers are different; test fritters for doneness, they should be light brown at edges and cooked through.
- Sprinkle with sesame seeds and powdered sugar and serve immediately.
Notes
Stovetop / skillet frying method
- Add just enough oil to coat the surface of a large skillet. Heat oil over medium high heat.
- Wait until oil is hot before adding spoonfuls of fritter batter with at least an inch of space between.
- Carefully flip fritters when they are golden crisp, and cook the other side.
- When finished cooking, place on paper towel to remove excess oil.
Tips for the best banana fritters
- Sweetener: Use very ripe bananas, the ones with black peels. Ripe bananas are sweeter, and this is the only sweetener you should need for this recipe, aside from the powdered sugar you finish with. If you test the first batch and they are not sweet enough, either make sure you have a sweet dipping sauce or add a small amount of maple syrup to the remaining batter.
- Size: I use a regular spoon to make the fritters, and as I am dropping the fritter onto the parchment for air frying or into the skillet, I sort of drag to flatten them a bit, so the insides cook evenly and thoroughly. They are odd shapes, but about 2 inches by half an inch thick.
- Frying: If frying in a skillet, wait until the oil is very hot before dropping the fritter batter into the skillet. This ensures the oil crisps the fritter rather than absorb it.
A savory banana fritter
For a savory version, you can adapt this recipe. Remove any sweetener, and replace the vanilla, cardamom, and cinnamon with savory spices like minced garlic, onion or shallot. You can also use garlic and onion powder, or lightly dust the fritters once cooked.
For a heartier fritter, try these tasty black bean plantain fritters.
How long do fritters last?
Banana fritters don't last long in our house, ha!
My rule for maximum flavor and freshness is to enjoy these banana fritters within three days.
To store, let fritters cool completely. Refrigerate in a glass container with a tightly fitting lid.Â
Reheating methods
- Oven: Arrange fritters on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 375° F until warmed through, turning after 5-7 minutes.
- Stovetop: Reheat on the stovetop in a skillet over medium heat.
- Air Fryer: Air fry fritters at 350 °F and check after 5 minutes. Carefully flip fritters and continue heating for another couple minutes as needed.Â
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
5Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 189Total Fat: 7gUnsaturated Fat: 4gSodium: 108mgCarbohydrates: 25gFiber: 4gSugar: 8gProtein: 5g
nutrition calculations results vary by calculator, are for informational purposes only, and are not intended to replace medical advice or treatment.
about Kristina:
Kristina is spabettie! She found cooking at an early age, and created spabettie in 2010 to share vegan recipes. Kristina turned her culinary training into sharing vibrant vegan food! Read more...
spabettie / Kristina Sloggett is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
christina says
ohhhh man. i never fry anything either, but this looks totally worth it. totally.
spabettie says
I fried in coconut oil, so I felt like it was even better! it was really easy!
Christy says
Yay, beautiful photo! This is actually recipe testing for my 2nd book. Blissful Bites is my first cookbook which is out in September. Everyone can pre-order it here http://amzn.to/eAtr04
And I hope you all with subscribe to my blog for more recipes and awesomeness! <3
spabettie says
oops! sorry Christy, I didn't know I also had recipes for the second book? I'll update my post to include the link to the book! 😀
Bonnie says
This looks amazing.
If I had any talent whatsoever, I would recreate this for myself.
http://glamkittenslitterbox.blogspot.com/
Twitter: @GlamKitten88
spabettie says
Bonnie, you should try! it was really very easy! 🙂
Aimee says
How yummy!! 🙂
spabettie says
Indeed!
Anna @ Newlywed, Newly Veg says
These look SO good! They almost look like scallops at first glance!
spabettie says
ha - I hadn't seen that, but now that you say, they kinda do!
Lisa says
These look yummy! I'd be a little iffy on the frying too---but I'm sure they're delish. They look similar to some fried plantains I made once upon a time 🙂
spabettie says
I bet they are similar. These were tasty - and I won't be frying a lot, but I don't have to be intimidated by it. it was a pan fry, I still don't think I'd (want to...) do a deep fry!
Holly @ couchpotatoathlete says
Kristina that is so exciting to be a tester! These look delicious (and what a surprise, they are super adorable too!)
spabettie says
it is!! I've been having so much fun, and I was REALLY excited to be asked! yep - I had no idea if they'd be photogenic at all, but they turned out well, I think!
Blog is the New Black says
This looks delicious!
spabettie says
thanks, Liz!!
Heather (Where's the Beach) says
Oh so jealous of your recipe-tasting gig. How cool. The cookbook sounds like it's going to be awesome!! I started shopping at an Asian market when I was on the hunt for kabocha. It's not exactly en route to anything for me so I don't get there often. I can't say I tried anything terribly exotic.
spabettie says
yes, I have an inside knowledge that it WILL be a great book! 🙂 we have a couple great Asian markets that are worth the trip for... and one of them has seen a lot of me lately!!
lindsay says
well done! those look really light too, for being fried. Just the perfect amount of crispiness!
spabettie says
thanks, Lindsay! they were great - and yes, very light and perfectly crispy - just a pan fry, and in coconut oil too!