Easy Air Fryer Banana Recipe
Craving something sweet? This easy Air Fryer Banana recipe makes a delicious caramelized banana in 10 minutes or less! Finish with your favorite toppings like creamy yogurt and crunchy walnuts and enjoy for breakfast, dessert, or snacks.
If you have ripe bananas, bake them in your air fryer! These easy-to-follow instructions will show you how to caramelize a whole banana in the peel to golden brown perfection in your air fryer (or Ninja Foodi) with only 3 ingredients and toppings galore.
All you need to do is dress the banana up with melted butter and sugar and pop it into the air fryer. In less than 10 minutes, you’ll return to a decadent caramelized, glazed banana. Make yours with coconut sugar and nutritious toppings and these bananas are a healthy tasty treat!
Enjoy your air-fried banana straight from the peel, or spoon the hot cooked fruit into a dessert bowl and top with your favorite toppings. It’s also delightful as a topping for oatmeal, pancakes, sundaes, and much more. So amazing spread on peanut butter toast!
If you’re looking for ways to use ripe bananas, check out oat flour banana bread, banana Nutella muffins, and gluten-free banana chocolate chip muffins – but first let’s make air fryer bananas.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- A healthy and easy way to use ripe bananas with only a few simple ingredients.
- Super quick and easy. Prep time is 1 minute of hands-on work and your air fryer takes care of the rest.
- Make a delicious gluten-free and grain-free dessert in under 10 minutes.
- The topping options are endless!
- Perfect healthy easy snack or dessert for kids the whole family will love!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Banana: A ripe to almost overripe banana is best; ripe banana with a dark yellow peel just beginning to brown will make a soft, but cohesive cooked banana. If it’s past that point, when cooked it will be very soft and pudding-like.
- Melted Butter: Butter + sugar become a delicious caramelized glaze, very similar to the taste and texture of bananas foster. I love caramelized bananas!
- Coconut Sugar: I used coconut sugar, but you can use light or dark brown sugar also.
How To Make An Air Fryer Caramelized Banana
Step 1: Preheat the air fryer. First, set your air fryer to 400 degrees F and let it preheat while you prep the banana.
Step 2: Prep banana. On a cutting board, slice the banana in half, lengthwise.
Drizzle with melted butter and sprinkle with coconut sugar. You’ll cook the flesh right in the banana peel.
Step 3: Air fry bananas. Carefully place the banana in the preheated air fryer basket or air fryer tray, with the cut side facing up, and cook for 6-7 minutes. You may need additional cook time and/or a slight temperature adjustment depending on your type of air fryer.
Step 4: Add toppings and serve. Remove the banana from the air fryer (it will be hot!), and load up your favorite toppings (Greek yogurt and chopped walnuts are my go-to). Grab a spoon and enjoy right out of the peel, or spoon the cooked banana into a dessert dish and then add your toppings.
Recipe Tips
- You can use any ripe yellow banana. The riper it is, the softer the fruit will be once cooked. It’s a great way to use up ripe bananas!
- Use a sharp knife to cut through the peel and down the middle.
- For best results, preheat the air fryer. Preheating the air fryer gets the sugars caramelizing right away, so don’t skip it! My Cosori Air Fryer has a preheat setting for added convenience.
- Use tongs to place the banana in the basket of the air fryer and when you remove it -the basket will be hot.
- Use a large cookie scoop to freeze a scoop of Greek yogurt for topping. So good!!
Variations
Sugar – You can use any dark granulated sugar like coconut sugar, date sugar, and brown sugar, or a natural liquid sweetener like maple syrup, date syrup, or honey. You can also eliminate added sugar altogether.
Butter – To make these bananas paleo, swap the butter for coconut oil or ghee. To make them dairy-free, use your favorite vegan butter that melts well.
Warming spice – Sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice.
Serving
Enjoy your soft and sweet air fryer banana as is straight from the peel, enhance it with toppings, or utilize the cooked fruit as a topping. Best enjoyed immediately, while warm, or room temperature.
Toppings Ideas
- Cacao nibs
- Dark chocolate chips
- Chopped walnuts
- Nut butter (like peanut butter or almond butter)
- Nutella
- Shredded coconut
- Melted chocolate
- Regular or sugar-free caramel syrup
- Granola
Ways to Use these Bananas
- Serve with regular or frozen Greek yogurt, vanilla ice cream or almond joy ice cream
- Spoon over pancakes and crepes
- Topping for waffles and french toast
- Added to oatmeal
- Mixed with cottage cheese for a sweet high-protein snack
Storing & Freezing
Storing: Air-fried bananas are best enjoyed right after cooking. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 1 to 2 days. Enjoy cold or reheated in the microwave.
Freezing: I do not recommend freezing this one.
Recipe FAQ
The best bananas are firm, deep yellow, and just beginning to brown. Obviously, don’t use a rotting banana, but if yours is a bit overripe, that’s ok -it’ll just be softer after it’s cooked.
This recipe has built-in easy clean-up since the banana is cooked directly in the peel, but yes – you can place a square of aluminum foil or parchment paper under the banana to catch any spillage.
No, but I recommend it. The sugar and butter begin to caramelize immediately creating a glaze and delicately crisped edges.
More Air Fryer Recipes
Air Fryer Zucchini Fries with Yogurt Sauce
Easy Air Fryer Sweet Potato Wedges
Delicious Air Fryer Twice Baked Potatoes
Supreme Air Fryer English Muffin Pizzas
If you love this easy recipe I would be so grateful if you could leave a 5-star 🌟rating in the recipe card below. I love reading your comments and feedback!
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Easy Air Fryer Banana
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 1 banana ripe, but not overly soft
- 1 tsp butter melted
- 1 tsp coconut sugar or brown sugar
- Optional toppings: Greek yogurt, walnuts, sugar-free caramel syrup or real maple syrup
Instructions
- First, preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees F while you prep the banana
- On a cutting board, slice the banana in half lengthwise. Leave on the peel. Drizzle with melted butter and sprinkle with coconut (or brown) sugar.
- Carefully place the banana in the air fryer basket, cut side up, and cook for 6-7 minutes. You may need additional cook time or a slight temperature adjustment depending on your type of air fryer.
- Remove the banana from the air fryer and load with your favorite toppings. Best served immediately right out of the peel.
Notes
- You can use any ripe yellow banana. The riper it is, the softer the fruit will be once cooked. It’s a great way to use up ripe bananas!
- Use a sharp knife to cut through the peel and down the middle.
- For best results, preheat the air fryer. Preheating the air fryer gets the sugars caramelizing right away, so don’t skip it!
- Use tongs to place the banana in the basket of the air fryer and when you remove it -the basket will be hot.
- Use a large cookie scoop to freeze a scoop of Greek yogurt for topping. So good!!
Nutrition
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These bananas are so good that its bananas! As a girl trying to make better diet choices, I was looking for a healthier, sweet treat to curve my cravings. I tried making these and it was so easy, and they came out great. These were so good that I made another one the next morning to use as a topping for some plain greek yogurt, and it was delish!
So glad that you enjoyed it Marianna!