What Is Turon? Turon, also known as Filipino caramelized fried bananas or banana lumpia, is a popular Filipino street food dessert made with sweet bananas, jackfruit, and brown sugar wrapped in crispy spring roll wrappers. The rolls are deep-fried until golden brown and beautifully crunchy, creating the perfect contrast between the crispy exterior and the soft, sweet banana filling. Traditional Filipino turon is usually made with saba bananas, a short, thick Filipino cooking banana, but plantains are a great alternative if you can’t find them at your local grocery store. What makes this homemade turon recipe extra delicious is the combination of caramelized brown sugar and sweet jackfruit. Each plantain is sliced lengthwise, coated in brown sugar, and paired with strips of canned jackfruit before being rolled tightly in a spring roll wrapper. As the turon fries, the banana softens, the brown sugar melts, and the wrapper becomes golden and crispy. The jackfruit adds a delicious tropical sweetness and slightly chewy texture that complements the bananas perfectly. While traditional turon is often fried with sugar that caramelizes directly onto the wrapper, I like to take mine a step further by making a simple homemade brown sugar caramel glaze. All you need is brown sugar and water cooked together in a pan until it transforms into a glossy, sticky caramel sauce. Once the turon is fried, I coat each roll in the caramel glaze for an extra crunchy, sweet finish. It’s an easy way to give this classic Filipino dessert an irresistible caramelized coating without needing any complicated ingredients. My favorite way to serve Filipino turon is warm with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream. The combination of hot, crispy caramelized bananas and cold, creamy ice cream is seriously unbeatable! It’s almost like a Filipino banana split, but with an extra crispy shell and gooey caramel coating. Whether you’re making turon for a family gathering, a dinner party, or simply satisfying a late-night sweet craving, this easy Filipino dessert recipe is guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser. You can even stack the turon into a tower and serve it with ice cream for a fun, shareable dessert centerpiece. Ingredients You’ll Need For the Turon For the Caramel Glaze Toppings Substitutions and Variations Oven vs. Air Fryer vs. Deep Frying Traditional Filipino turon is deep-fried, which gives it its signature crispy, golden-brown exterior. However, you can also make turon in the oven or air fryer if you prefer using less oil. The results will be slightly different, but all three methods can produce delicious turon. Deep Frying (Recommended) Deep frying produces the crispiest turon with a beautifully golden exterior. Heat neutral oil to approximately 350°F (175°C) and fry the wrapped bananas for 3–5 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and crispy. Remove from the oil, allow any excess oil to drain, and coat in the homemade caramel glaze. Air Fryer Turon Preheat your air fryer to 375°F (190°C). Lightly brush or spray the wrapped turon with neutral oil and arrange them in a single layer, leaving space between each roll. Air fry for approximately 8–12 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown and crispy. Cooking times may vary depending on your air fryer and wrapper thickness. Once cooked, coat the turon in the caramel glaze. Frequently Asked Questions What kind of bananas are best for Filipino turon? Traditional Filipino turon is made with saba bananas, a short and thick cooking banana commonly used in Filipino desserts. If you can’t find saba bananas, ripe plantains, Thai nam wah bananas, or burro bananas are excellent alternatives. Regular Cavendish bananas also work, but choose ones that are firm enough to hold their shape when fried. Can I use regular bananas instead of plantains? Yes! Regular bananas work well in turon, especially if they’re ripe but still firm. However, regular bananas are generally softer and sweeter than plantains, so they may become mushy if overcooked. You can also reduce the amount of brown sugar if your bananas are already very sweet. What is the difference between turon and banana lumpia? Turon and banana lumpia generally refer to the same Filipino dessert. Both consist of bananas wrapped in thin wrappers and fried until crispy. Turon commonly includes brown sugar and sometimes jackfruit, and it may be coated in caramelized sugar. Can I make turon without jackfruit? Absolutely! Jackfruit adds a delicious tropical sweetness, but it’s completely optional. You can make traditional-style banana turon using just bananas, brown sugar, and spring roll wrappers. Can I prepare turon ahead of time? Yes! You can assemble the turon a few hours ahead of time and keep the uncooked rolls covered in the refrigerator until you’re ready to fry. For longer storage, freeze the assembled rolls in a single layer before transferring them to a freezer-safe bag. Fry directly from frozen, adding a little extra cooking time. How do I keep turon crispy? For the crispiest turon, make sure your frying oil is hot enough before adding the rolls. Fry in small batches to prevent the oil temperature from dropping. Allow excess oil to drain on a wire rack rather than stacking the rolls on top of each other. Coat with the caramel glaze shortly before serving, since the glaze can become sticky as it sits. Can I reheat leftover turon? Yes! Reheat leftover turon in an air fryer at 350°F (175°C) for approximately 3–5 minutes or in an oven at 375°F (190°C) for 5–8 minutes until warmed through. The caramel coating may soften or become sticky during storage, so freshly fried turon will always have the best texture. Why is my turon soggy? Soggy turon can happen if the oil isn’t hot enough, the rolls are overcrowded while frying, or the bananas are overly ripe. Make sure your oil stays around 350°F and avoid adding too many rolls at once. Also, drain canned jackfruit thoroughly to prevent excess moisture inside the wrappers. Can I serve turon with ice cream? Definitely! Warm turon with vanilla ice cream is one of my favorite ways to enjoy this dessert. The cold ice cream melts slightly over the crispy, caramelized bananas, creating the perfect combination of textures. Ube, coconut, and pandan ice cream are also delicious options.
