Created by experts, Kids Eat in Color is the leading resource for families seeking evidence-based information and strategies on child nutrition and feeding.
As an Amazon Associate, Kids Eat in Color® earns from qualifying purchases made through affiliate links.
Share
+
Our take on the classic Latin American dessert bunuelos (buñuelos) offers parents a healthy, balanced snack to feed their toddlers and kids. This version is stuffed with bananas and uses a shortcut method of pita bread in place of dough.
Bunuelos are a type of fried doughnut eaten throughout the world, particularly in Spain and Latin America. Though they are often enjoyed during the Christmas holidays, they are eaten as a breakfast, snack or sweet treat year-round. This take on the classic dessert offers busy families a shortcut by using pita bread and makes preparing a balanced snack for toddlers and kids easy!
Some bunuelos come as small, round balls. Other versions, like Mexican bunuelos, are traditionally made into thin discs of dough, fried until crispy and golden brown. They’re immediately dunked into cinnamon sugar for a warm and sweet crunch with every bite.
This variation on bunuelos is a twist in a couple of ways: pita bread is used as a shortcut and they’re also stuffed with mashed bananas and nut butter.
Substitute the nut butter with coconut flakes to add more texture and tropical flavor. If allergies are a concern or if you need to avoid nuts, swap the nut butter with sunflower seed butter or your favorite spread.
Mash banana in a small bowl and mix with vanilla and nut butter or coconut flakes. Set aside.
Combine cinnamon and sugar together on a plate. Set aside.
Quarter pita bread. Heat 1 cup of oil on medium-low heat, and fry each quarter of pita bread for about 1 minute on each side. Immediately after frying, dip the pita in the cinnamon sugar mixture.
Stuff the pita with the mashed banana mixture. Serve.
Stuffed pita bunuelos are the perfect sweet and crunchy dish for breakfast or snack. It is common to eat bunuelos as breakfast food with hot chocolate or coffee. Who needs cereal when you have a fresh, warm pita bunuelo waiting for you on the table? Many people enjoy fruit with their breakfast, so these banana-stuffed pita bunuelos hit all the checkmarks in one bite! This version also makes a good snack with some fresh fruit like strawberries, blueberries or oranges.
To balance out the sweetness even more, try serving them with some plain Greek yogurt.
They’ll take no convincing for your family to chow down. You likely won’t be able to make them fast enough for everyone before they start indulging!
One thing that makes these stuffed bunuelos perfect for kids is that they’re not fried with the filling already in place. The bananas (and other fillings of choice) are added after the pita is fried and dunked in the cinnamon sugar which means it won’t be too hot for younger kids to indulge in shortly after they’ve been removed from the cinnamon sugar.
These bunuelos are perfect for kids who love texture in their foods. They have crunch from the fried pita, and creaminess from the mashed bananas.
Is your child a picky eater? Learn the top picky eating tips from our experts.
Banana-Stuffed Pita Bunuelos
Katie Moser
This easy bunuelos recipe makes a balanced snack for toddlers and kids. Our buñuelos are stuffed with bananas and use pita bread as a shortcut.
2tsp.any nut butter or coconut flakes(W, if peanut butter)
1cupfrying oil
1pita breadquartered
Instructions
In a small bowl, combine cinnamon and sugar and mix well. Transfer to a flat plate and set aside.
In a separate medium bowl, mash banana with a fork. Add vanilla extract and mix thoroughly. If you’re using nut butter or coconut flakes, thoroughly mix in with the mashed banana. Set aside.
In a frying pan on medium low heat, heat oil. Fry the pita bread, about 1 minute on each side. Quickly dip the fried pita in the cinnamon sugar mix.
Stuff the pita with the mashed banana and serve.
Notes
Ingredients with a “W” next to them are WIC-eligible items. WIC is the supplemental nutrition program for women, infants and children in the United States. It provides food to families with pregnant or postpartum women and young children. WIC-eligible items will vary based on location.
Did you make this recipe?Tag us with your recipe @kids.eat.in.color and follow for the best positive help for feeding babies, picky eaters, and all kids
About Kids Eat in Color
Created by experts, Kids Eat in Color is the leading resource for families seeking evidence-based information and strategies on child nutrition and feeding.
I’m Katie, and I’m from the beautiful city of Whittier in Southern California. I’m a professional chef who has recently taken time off from fine dining so that I can raise my beautiful daughter, Penny. Best decision ever! There’s nothing in this world I love more than being a mother to such an amazing little girl - besides cooking of course! I hope you enjoy my recipes as much as I enjoyed creating them.
This free veggie exposure shopping list and menu planner will give you ideas for bringing more veggies into your home (AND help you get your little one closer to eating them!).
Our take on the classic Latin American dessert bunuelos (buñuelos) offers parents a healthy, balanced snack to feed their toddlers and kids. This version is stuffed with bananas and uses a shortcut method of pita bread in place of dough.
Easy bunuelos recipe
Bunuelos are a type of fried doughnut eaten throughout the world, particularly in Spain and Latin America. Though they are often enjoyed during the Christmas holidays, they are eaten as a breakfast, snack or sweet treat year-round. This take on the classic dessert offers busy families a shortcut by using pita bread and makes preparing a balanced snack for toddlers and kids easy!
Some bunuelos come as small, round balls. Other versions, like Mexican bunuelos, are traditionally made into thin discs of dough, fried until crispy and golden brown. They’re immediately dunked into cinnamon sugar for a warm and sweet crunch with every bite.
This variation on bunuelos is a twist in a couple of ways: pita bread is used as a shortcut and they’re also stuffed with mashed bananas and nut butter.
If your child is still learning to eat bananas, read our guide.
Bunuelos ingredients
This quick and easy bunuelos recipe uses only a handful of common items. Here are the ingredients you need to make bunuelos the easy way:
Next up, try our go-to green smoothie for kids with bananas and mango.
Substitutions
Substitute the nut butter with coconut flakes to add more texture and tropical flavor. If allergies are a concern or if you need to avoid nuts, swap the nut butter with sunflower seed butter or your favorite spread.
Still learning to like sunflower seed butter? Try it out in our orange whole wheat muffins recipe.
How to make bunuelos with pita bread
Here’s the easy way to make bunuelos.
Check out these no-bake carrot cake pops for another sweet snack.
What to eat with bunuelos and how to serve them
Stuffed pita bunuelos are the perfect sweet and crunchy dish for breakfast or snack. It is common to eat bunuelos as breakfast food with hot chocolate or coffee. Who needs cereal when you have a fresh, warm pita bunuelo waiting for you on the table? Many people enjoy fruit with their breakfast, so these banana-stuffed pita bunuelos hit all the checkmarks in one bite! This version also makes a good snack with some fresh fruit like strawberries, blueberries or oranges.
To balance out the sweetness even more, try serving them with some plain Greek yogurt.
They’ll take no convincing for your family to chow down. You likely won’t be able to make them fast enough for everyone before they start indulging!
For another easy breakfast for kids, make this mango chia pudding.
Easy bunuelos for kids
One thing that makes these stuffed bunuelos perfect for kids is that they’re not fried with the filling already in place. The bananas (and other fillings of choice) are added after the pita is fried and dunked in the cinnamon sugar which means it won’t be too hot for younger kids to indulge in shortly after they’ve been removed from the cinnamon sugar.
These bunuelos are perfect for kids who love texture in their foods. They have crunch from the fried pita, and creaminess from the mashed bananas.
Is your child a picky eater? Learn the top picky eating tips from our experts.
Banana-Stuffed Pita Bunuelos
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
Nutrition