As someone who grew up eating this, I’ll show you exactly how to get bananacue right at home. This is the ultimate Filipino street snack: crispy, caramelized bananas skewered on a stick, and it only needs 2 ingredients!

Table of Contents

Ingredients

*The Recipe Card below includes all the full measurements for these ingredients!

Brown sugar: Dark or light brown sugar can work. Muscovado sugar is also fine to use.

Saba Bananas: These Filipino bananas are firmer than the standard bananas we use for eating, allowing it to hold up and not become mushy when frying. You can go for fresh or frozen, which you can find in most Asian or Filipino groceries. You could also use plantains as quick substitutes.

Instructions

*The Recipe Card below includes all the full detailed instructions!

Fry the bananas for about just until they just become golden in color.

Sprinkle in the brown sugar and let it caramelize and coat the bananas. Once coated, transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Thread the cooled bananacues into skewers. Enjoy!

Cooking Tips

Control the heat: You’ll want your heat on high when initially frying the bananas to get them to a light golden color (frying on too low a heat will cause your bananas to absorb too much oil, making them greasy). As soon as you add in the brown sugar, lower the heat to medium to avoid the sugar from burning and becoming bitter.

Cool on wire racks: Do not use paper towels since the sugars will stick to the paper! Wire racks will also let any excess oil drip down, reducing greasiness.

Let them cool: Not only will this prevent you from burning your mouth, but it also gives the sugar enough time to harden, giving the bananacue its signature crunch!

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

Can I store leftovers?

Storing leftovers aren’t ideal. This is because the sugars have a tendency to melt and become gooey the longer it sits, altering the ideal texture and making the bananas soggy. I’d suggest enjoying these immediately after letting them cool.

Can I use other bananas?

You definitely can. While traditional bananacue uses saba (and is preferred), you could also use ripe plantains, Thai, burro, or standard bananas as quick substitutes.

Can I use less oil?

You can use less oil. Traditionally, bananacue is meant to be deep fried, though I have experimented with shallow-frying and simply pan-frying these, and they still tasted delicious. The sugars may not caramelize or melt as well when using the other methods, but this recipe would still work if you wanted to lessen the oil for health or personal reasons!

If you loved this recipe, here are some other desserts and snacks you might enjoy: