by 
These Banana Blueberry Fritters, made with overripe bananas, flour, and juicy blueberries, are a simple and sweet alternative to pancakes-perfect for a quick snack, or dessert.
This recipe has been a top 10 favorite on Healthy Little Foodies for years, often earning 5-star ratings. Recently, though, some mixed feedback has come in. After digging into it, I discovered that much of the search traffic is from 'banana blueberry pancakes.'
With no baking powder and lots of mashed banana, these fritters are never going to be light and fluffy like pancakes-they're more like baked bananas: sweet, gooey, and delicious.
If you're after something lighter and fluffier, be sure to check out my blueberry banana pancakes, which might be more what you're looking for.
This banana blueberry fritter recipe also differs from more traditional banana fritters, which often include added sugar and are fried in lots of oil. My aim was to create a healthier version, ideal for babies and young kids.
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Reasons to Love This Recipe
- Simple Ingredients - The perfect way to use up overripe bananas.
- Quick and Easy - Just mash, mix, and fry.
- Texture Variety - Introducing different textures early on is important, and these fritters offer a unique, chewy bite with busts of blueberry.
- Naturally Sweetened - Sweetened naturally by the ripe bananas, no added sugar needed.
Ingredient Information (With Alternative Suggestion)
- Bananas - skip the firm bananas - ripe bananas are key for sweetness, texture and the delicious banana flavor.
- Blueberries - add a burst of flavor and texture. Feel free to skip them or swap with small pieces of other berries, or even chocolate chips for older kids/adults.
- Flour - all-purpose flour (plain flour) or a mix of whole wheat and all-purpose. Buckwheat flour works well as a gluten-free option.
- Cinnamon - for flavor, can skip or replace with othere spices such as cardamom or vanilla extract.
- Coconut Oil - for frying, can replace it with your preferred cooking oil.
See the recipe card below for quantities.
Step-by-Step Instructions (With Images)
- Mash the Bananas - Use a fork to mash the bananas, leaving some lumps for added texture. You can also use a potato masher for speed or blend if you prefer a super smooth consistency.
- Banana Mixture - In a medium mixing bowl, mix the mashed bananas with the flour, cinnamon, and blueberries. The batter should be quite thick-thicker than pancake batter. Adjust the amount of flour if needed, depending on the size of your bananas.
- Cook - Heat a medium/large non-stick skillet / frying pan over medium-high heat and add oil. Reduce to medium heat and drop 1 spoonfuls of the batter to the pan. Fry until golden brown on the first side, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Flip - Flip and fry for a further 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining batter.
Cooking Tips
- Use a Non-Stick Pan: Since this recipe uses minimal oil, a non-stick frying pan is essential. If you prefer not to use non-stick, or if you find the fritters sticking, make sure to add enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan for shallow frying.
- Adjust Ingredients Based on Personal Preference: There's no exact ratio of bananas to flour, nor is there an "ideal" batter consistency. The amount of flour needed depends on the size and ripeness of the bananas (extra ripe bananas are more liquidy and may require more flour). Generally, ¼ to ½ cup of flour works well with 2 medium bananas, but feel free to adjust to your preference.
- Ensure Hot Oil: Make sure the oil is hot before adding the fritters. If the oil isn't hot enough, the batter will absorb the oil.
- Monitor Cooking Temperature: Keep an eye on your fritters and adjust the temperature as needed to prevent burning.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, these fritters can be served to babies from 6 months onward, provided they are developmentally ready, have transitioned from purees, or are following a baby-led weaning approach. However, keep these considerations in mind:
Allergies: This recipe contains wheat, a common allergen. If wheat hasn't been introduced before, start with small amounts and monitor for any allergic reactions.
Choking Hazards: The blueberries should be soft and squishy after cooking, but to be extra cautious, chop them before adding them to the batter.
Always create a safe eating environment and closely supervise your baby during meals.
This guidance is general and for info purposes only-each baby develops at their own pace. Make informed decisions for your child and consult a healthcare professional for personalized advice.
Yes, this recipe has been tested with buckwheat flour and worked great.
The fritters are best enjoyed immediately while still warm. However, you can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a couple of days. Keep in mind that the texture does change-becoming more dense.
More Banana Recipes
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Banana and Blueberry Fritters
Equipment
- 1 Non-stick frying pan / skillet
Ingredients
- 2 medium small ripe bananas
- ¼ cup - ½ cup all-purpose flour (plain flour) *buckwheat flour works as a gluten-free alternative.
- ¼ cup blueberries
- ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon ,optional
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil ,for frying
Instructions
- Mash bananas and then stir in the flour and cinnamon. Half the blueberries and stir through.
- Heat a medium/large non-stick frying pan over medium/high and add the coconut oil.
- Reduce to a medium heat and add tablespoon spoonfuls of the batter into the frying pan and flatten slightly.
- Fry until golden brown on the first side, about 1 to 2 minutes. Flip and fry for a further 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining batter.
Randi
Update! I went ahead a made them with chopped blackberries and they came out great! There were some mishaps. The first 4 were perfect and then the second batch burned. I just peeled off the burnt parts, added more oil to the pan, turned down the heat and tried again. It worked out well! My 2 year old and I devoured them in minutes.
Amy
Ah great, I'm so happy both you and your little one enjoyed them! Sorry for the delay in getting back to you but I'm glad you went ahead and it worked for you. I find every pan is different, you def want a non-stick or make sure you have your pan well oiled.
Jaritza
Super easy and yummy recipe! Made it for my 9 month old using oat flour, yet my 4 year old and I were the ones to eat it. Needed a lot more flour than what the recipe called for, but super yummy. Love the taste the coconut oil adds. Will definitely make again!
Amy
Glad you liked them, Jaritza! Thanks for taking the time to leave your feedback 🙂
BrittanyO
Awesome recipe!! My almost 1 year old daughter and I both loved these! I printed off the recipe to keep in our family recipe box too! This is one I definitely don’t want to forget.
I also felt like 1/2 cup flour worked better and I also added more cinnamon (but we really like cinnamon).
Thanks for this great recipe! I know this one will become a staple for us!
Amy
Brilliant! Thank you so much for taking the time to rate and leave such a lovely comment, Brittany 🙂
Sarah
Love the recipe! First time I did it I didn’t have blueberries so I added peanut butter and my 8 months old loved it! Thank you for this easy recipe 🙂
Amy
Thanks Sarah, peanut butter sounds delicious 🙂
BrittanyO
Great idea to use with peanut butter! I’ll have to give that a try too!
Rachel
My 1 year old can't have raw banana, and for the most part hates breakfast. However she is luckily at least able to eat cooked banana and loves this recipe. The amount of flour needed seems to change each time I make these, I'm sure that has to do with the size/ripeness of the bananas using at the time. I start with the 1/4cup then add 1/8 of cup as needed. I also added some unsweetened shredded coconut to the batter, as I don't have coconut oil, to still get a little coconut flavor. And instead of using oil, I used a little unsalted butter in the pan (very little as my pan is a great non stick pan). Thank you so much for this recipe!!
Amy
Thank yo, Rachel. So happy your little one can have and enjoy this recipe 🙂
Dawn
I wanted a gluten free recipe for breakfast. One little liked it, the other is still shy about foods that look like it's made with flour.(I enjoyed it too)
Amy
Glad you enjoyed them, Dawn 🙂
Seo Lee
I tried this recipe with whatever ingredients I had in pantry - all purpose whole grain flour and coconut flour mixed, frozen blueberries, ripe bananas, and coconut oil.
The result was very flavorful, and my 4 YO really liked it. My 15 MO could not wait and a few spoonfuls of the batter... haha.
I use a gas stove, and heat control seems quite important. The fritters easily burn.
Michele
Can you freeze these? I'm thinking to make them ahead for daycare so he can have them at lunch
Amy
Hi Michele, I'm so sorry for the late response, yes you can freeze them 🙂
Brittany
I really like the portion size for this recipe. There’s enough pancakes without having a ton left over. Super tasty and very easy! Two thumbs up
Amy
Thanks Brittany! So happy you enjoyed the recipe 🙂
Faith Newnham
Can you use regular sunflower oil instead of coconut oil to fry? Or does the coconut oil add to the flavour and can’t be substituted?
Amy
Hi Faith, yes you can use sunflower oil. I like the flavour coconut oil gives but they will still work with other oils.
Sarah T
Hi, I just wanted to check if these are suitable to eat the following day?
Amy
Hi Sarah, yes you can eat them the next 🙂
Katie
These were great I have an 8 month old and a 3 year old and they both loved these! The first batch I made went wrong as I don’t think I used enough coconut oil to fry.. second batch was perfect!
Amy
Thanks Katie. So glad you got the second batch to work and your little ones enjoyed them 🙂
Megan B
I love the flavor of this recipe, but I had a bit of trouble in the execution... If my fritters won't hold shape, is that from not enough flour?
Amy
Hi Megan, I'd try a little more flour. It may be the pan too, is your pan non stick?
Clare
Can’t wait to try. How long will these be good for in the fridge? Can you heat up in the toaster oven for a good result?
Amy
Hi Clare, I've never tried re-heating these so can't say how it would work, sorry. I'd freeze them or keep in the fridge for 1-2 days.
Millie
I tried substituting coconut flour and a bit of almond milk but the pancakes are falling apart! Any idea why?
Amy
Hi Millie, if using coconut flour I'd say you would need a lot more liquid. I'd try adding an egg and a little more milk. However, without trying I can't give a guarantee of how it would work. Is it for allergy reasons you wanted to use coconut flour? Buckwheat flour is gluten-free and works well.
Anne
Thank you for the recipe! My baby (10 month) and husband loved them! I used spelt flour.
Amy
Thanks Anne! Great to know they worked well with spelt flour too. Thanks for taking the time to let me know 🙂
Silviana
My kids loves it!
Amy
Great! Thanks Silviana 🙂
Marie
Can I use oat flour?
Amy
Hi Marie, I've not actually tried the recipe with oat flour so can't guarantee how they would turn out. Worth a try though, let me know if you try it!
Kristen
These were a hit! My 14 month old loved them! I used 1/4 cup whole wheat flour, frozen blueberries and 1 1/2 bananas and they turned out great.... thank you!
Amy
Thanks Kristen 🙂