If I had my own cooking show, it would be called In Pursuit of Tasty Desserts That Don’t Require You to Break a Sweat. It’s a lengthy title but one that’s fitting because all I ever want to do is satisfy my sweet tooth at a moment’s notice. When my dessert cravings strike, I usually either snack on a piece of ripe fruit, or take the time to make a tasty treat. But, I recently found a recipe for air fryer roasted bananas that gives me the best of both worlds! The recipe uses just four ingredients and is ready to enjoy in 10 minutes. Here’s how to make this speedy and scrumptious dessert.
Why you should roast bananas in the air fryer
While air frying bananas is an unexpected way to cook them, it actually yields delicious results. The machine’s circulating heat function distributes hot air around the front, causing the natural sugars to come out and caramelize. This makes the bananas taste sweeter and softens them without making the fruit too mushy. Air fryer roasted bananas are perfect to enjoy with ice cream, yogurt or whipped cream. Other toppings such as chopped nuts and caramel sauce add an extra layer of flavor and texture.
Key step to make cleanup for this dessert a breeze
While this treat comes together without hassle, one thing to do before air frying is line the basket with parchment paper. This holds in the caramelized fruits juices so they don’t stick to the air fryer’s surface, which can be hard to clean. Make sure the paper is the right size to allow for plenty of room for the fruit and prevent it from lifting during the cooking process. (Read a similar story on if you can put foil in an air fryer.)
An easy and yummy air fryer roasted bananas recipe
Below, you can find an air fryer roasted bananas recipe from the 30Seconds website. It’s a great way to use up spare bananas so they don’t spoil. Plus, the measurements for this recipe are fine to double or triple to yield more servings. (Learn what happens if you eat a banana every day.)
Air Fryer Roasted Bananas
Ingredients:
- 2 ripe bananas, cut diagonally into large pieces
- 1 Tbs. butter, melted
- ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp. sugar
- Optional toppings: Ice cream, yogurt, nuts and/or caramel sauce
Directions:
- Active: 2 minutes
- Total time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings
- Preheat air fryer to 370°F.
- In medium bowl, gently toss bananas, melted butter, cinnamon and sugar until fruit is coated.
- Line air fryer basket with parchment paper and add bananas to basket in single layer.
- Cook about 5 minutes, flip and cook about 3 minutes more. Remove from air fryer and cool a few minutes in basket before transferring to bowls.
- Serve wam with your desired toppings. Enjoy!
My taste test
When I made this recipe at home, I served the roasted bananas in a bowl with plain Greek yogurt, a drizzle of agave and a sprinkle of chia seeds. Taking the first bite, I immediately tasted the natural sweetness of the bananas. The tiny bit of sugar along with the agave really brought out the banana’s tropical flavor. Cinnamon also added a warming kick that balanced well with the sweetness of this dish. My sweet tooth was satisfied—and I’ll definitely be adding these air fryer roasted bananas to the lineup for my imaginary cooking show!
