Avocado fritters are crisp, golden bites packed with creamy avocado, sweet corn, and a little kick of jalapeno. Think of them as a fritter and hush puppy rolled into one, served warm with a cool avocado cilantro cream. They are a fun, crowd pleasing way to put avocados front and center.
What Makes These Avocado Fritters Special
- Crisp cornmeal shell with a soft, creamy center
- Studded with roasted corn, cheddar, and peppers
- Served with a smooth avocado cilantro dipping sauce
- Perfect for Cinco de Mayo or any party spread
The batter comes together fast, and frying is quick once your oil is hot. This is finger food that disappears the moment it hits the table.
Fold the avocado in last and gently, so the cubes stay whole instead of turning to mush.
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Why You’ll Love These Avocado Fritters
- These avocado fritters fry up crackly on the outside and tender within
- Corn, pepper, and cheese give every bite a different pop of flavor
- The avocado cilantro cream is cool and herby, a perfect match for the crunch
Ingredient Notes
A few notes on the key players here; the full exact measurements in the recipe card are below. The lineup looks long, but most of it is chopping and mixing.
- Avocados: ripe but firm so the cubes hold their shape in the batter
- Cornmeal and self-rising flour: the base that gives that hush puppy crunch
- Roasted corn: grilling it first adds a sweet, smoky note
- Jalapeno: seeded and diced, add more or less to set the heat
- Cilantro and sour cream: the heart of the cool dipping sauce
You will want a deep fryer or a heavy skillet for frying, plus a thermometer to hold the oil steady. A blender or food processor helps if you like a smooth dipping sauce.
How to Make Avocado Fritters
Making avocado fritters is mostly about getting your oil right and folding the batter gently. Here is the quick overview before you dive into the recipe card.
- Heat about 2 inches of oil to 350 degrees in a fryer or heavy skillet
- Stir together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt
- Mix in the eggs, milk, cheese, corn, onion, peppers, and cilantro
- Gently fold in the diced avocado so the pieces stay whole
- Drop heaping teaspoons of batter into the oil and fry until golden
- Drain on paper towels and hold warm in a 200 degree oven
- Blend the sauce ingredients for 2 minutes if you want it smooth
This batch makes about 10 servings, and you can fry in batches so you never crowd the pan. To get ahead, mix the dry ingredients and prep the sauce up to 1 day in advance. For another fried party favorite, my arancini with pancetta and basil bring the same crispy charm.
Storage Options
These avocado fritters are best fresh and hot, but leftovers still have a place. Store the fritters and the avocado dipping sauce separately to keep things at their best.
- Fritters in the fridge, sealed, for up to 2 days
- Dipping sauce in the fridge, covered, for up to 1 day before it darkens
- Reheat fritters in a 375 degree oven for about 8 minutes to crisp them back up
Variations & Substitutions
These avocado fritters are easy to tweak based on what you like and what is in the kitchen. The batter is sturdy enough to handle swaps.
- Use pepper jack instead of cheddar for extra heat
- Swap the jalapeno for a poblano if you want milder flavor
- Add a squeeze of lime to the dipping sauce for brightness
- Trade roasted corn for thawed frozen corn when you are short on time
What to Serve with Avocado Fritters
Avocado fritters shine as an appetizer, and they fit right into a bigger spread. Round them out with bright, fresh sides to balance the richness.
- A bowl of fresh red salsa or pico de gallo
- A crisp green salad with lime vinaigrette
- Mexican rice or black beans for a fuller plate
- A frosty margarita to keep the party going
Before you heat the oil, here are answers to the questions that come up most.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I keep my avocado fritters from getting greasy?
Keep the oil close to 350 degrees and fry in small batches. Crowding the pan drops the temperature and makes them soak up oil.
Can I bake these instead of frying?
Frying gives the best crunch, but you can try baking spoonfuls on an oiled sheet at 425 degrees, flipping once, until golden.
How spicy are they?
That is up to you. Seed the jalapeno and use less for a mild batch, or leave more in for a real kick.
Can I make the dipping sauce ahead?
Yes, up to a day ahead. Press plastic wrap onto the surface and chill it so the avocado stays green.
Crispy, creamy, and a little spicy, these fritters are a great reason to keep a few avocados on the counter. Make a double batch for your next gathering and watch them go. If you love party finger food, my buffalo chicken pull apart bread is another easy crowd pleaser.
Avocado Fritters with Avocado-Cilantro Cream Dipping Sauce
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Ingredients
- 2 cups self-rising flour
- 1¾ cup cornmeal
- 2 Tbsp baking powder
- 2 tsp salt
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 6 oz cheddar cheese diced
- 1 cup roasted corn kernels I just grilled mine
- ½ cup red bell pepper diced
- ½ cup sweet onion diced
- 2 jalapeno peppers seeded and diced (more or less to taste)
- 4 Tbsp cilantro chopped (more or less to taste)
- 2 avocados diced
- 2 avocados mashed
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 Tbsp cilantro chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Pour 2″ of vegetable oil into a deep fryer or a heavy skillet and heat to 350º.
- In a large bowl combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. Stir to combine. Add eggs, milk, cheese, corn, onion, peppers and cilantro. Stir to incorporate. Gently fold in avocados.
- Scoop batter into heaping teaspoons and gently drop into oil. They are done cooking when golden brown. Drain on paper towels and keep warm in a 200º oven.
- Prepare dipping sauce by mixing all ingredients in a bowl. If you want a smooth consistency, give it a whirl for two minutes in a blender or food processor.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I love fresh, table side prepared gaucamole Melanie! But I have to admit your ‘Fiesta Balls’ are marvelous!! The colors of all the ingredients really come through and your presentation with the avocado cilantro cream dipping sauce and the margarita (of course!) is wonderful. Feliz Cinco De Mayo!!
Thank you! I just loved the colors in this recipe. So much fun to photograph and even more fun to eat.
I have to try making these little dollops of deliciosness! I agree with Claudia that the presentation is stunning. I love the bright colors, and the margarita in that festive glass is just the right finishing touch.
Thank you so much Lorna! Mexican cuisine is so colorful and so very easy to take pictures of. I really enjoyed this shoot.
Since I have to be gluten free, is there a particular GF flour you would suggest as a substitute in this recipe? It looks so wonderful I don’t want to have to miss out due to the flour!
You know, that is a really good question. One that I don’t have an answer for. BUT I know someone who does. Go to glutenfreegirl.com. Shauna is an expert when it comes to gluten free flours. I’m sure she has an equivalent in her archives. Her site is an amazing resource for the gluten free lifestyle.
they sell gluten free flour and Trader Joes if you have on near you….I have used it in several recipes and its good
This looks beyond delicious! I LOVE avocado. However, I’m not a huge cheddar fan… do you think that pepper jack or asadero would be an appropriate substitute?
Absolutely! Just about any cheese will work. Pepper Jack would be a fine substitute!
Instead of frying, how long would you bake these delicious little bites? temp?
You know what Debbie? I’m not sure how these would be baked as I believe they would spread out too much. BUT, I bet if you baked it in a baker, it would be the most killer cornbread!!
I was thinking when I first saw the Avocado Fritters picture, how colorful & delicious looking; then I wondered if I could bake those in one of my Cake Pop molds pan. The molds generally have 12 small cups. If fritters can be successfully baked, it would be a great way to cut back the fat. You might try that if you have a Cake Pop tin available. They are often on sale at craft stores. I have many fritter recipes and am going to be trying some of them this way. Although, I did think Melanie’s suggestion of just baking it off as a cornbread was great… or maybe muffins?!?!
Hi I would love to make some of these for my daughters 21st next month do you think i could make them let them cool and freeze them to heat in the oven on the night or would i have to make them the day of the party?
If I need to do this Gluten Free, would I just use a cup for cup blend with GF Baking Powder added?
Becky, I’m sorry but I don’t know a thing about gluten free. But if I were to take a guess, I would think that your substitution makes sense.
oh my heavens these look amazing. I’ve seen so many recipes for fried avocados lately but haven’t seen a recipe for fritters until now. I can’t wait to try these!
Just made these last night and everyone loved them!! Can I freeze the leftover batter? I have scooped them out on freezer paper.
Just saw this recipe on Tasty Kitchen and wow it looks amazing!
This recipe has me drooling at 9:30 in the morning. I am addicted to your blog. Wonderful dishes and beautiful photos.
Thank you Denise! Your sweet comment came at a time when I needed some encouragement.
Think I will try this as a small/medium/flat/fritter…not into balls…should work out just right…will have to be more careful about the “frying” of them…will let you know how they turn out…
Just saw this through Pinterest! They look awesome! Pinned!
We made these for our Super Bowl party and they are a huge hit. Delicious.
I am so glad you enjoyed them. Thanks for letting me know!
Oh. My. Gahhhhhhh. These look heavenly!! And that Avocado-Cilantro Cream Dipping Sauce? Hold me.
These are soooo good! I am making them today, this is the second time. I cut the recipe in half though as there are just three of us. Makes a ton of fritters. But if you are just looking, stop looking and make them, they are well worth the effort!
Thank you so much for the feedback Sandi! I appreciate the time it takes for you to stop what you are doing to share your experience!
YES PLEASE.
What would you suggest for baking?