Dandelion Fritters

Got dandelions? Lucky you! The dandelion never ceases to amaze me with how versatile of a plant it is, both as medicine and food.

One of our Spring rituals is making dandelion fritters, a dish that was passed on to me from one of my herby friends. I have played around with the recipe, settling (for now) on this one. They are uniquely delicious and best eaten right away.

Dandelion Fritters

Several freshly picked dandelion flowers (you can leave the green bottoms on)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup whole milk (you can also use coconut, almond or soy milk)
1 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoons water
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons melted butter (optional for our vegan friends)
Additional butter or oil (safflower or coconut)
Powdered sugar
Maple syrup

1. Gently wash dandelion flowers in cool water and pat dry.
2. Mix dry ingredients together in a medium sized bowl.
3. Add milk, oil, water and vanilla extract. Mix with a whisk until just combined. It will still be a little lumpy. Let it sit for a few minutes.
4. Add melted butter (if using) to the batter.
5. Heat a skillet on the stove over medium-high heat. Add either butter or oil to the pan, enough to coat each fritter.
6. Dip individual dandelion flowers in the batter and coat well.
7. Immediately place coated flowers in the pan and cook on each side until brown.
8. Remove fritters from pan with a slotted spoon and allow to drain on paper towel for a moment.
9. Serve with powdered sugar and/or warm maple syrup. You can use any leftover batter to make pancakes.

These fritters bring out the natural sweetness of the dandelion flower and taste unlike anything I've ever eaten. They really bring me closer to the earth. They are also loaded with nutrients, which hopefully balances out that I like to fry them up in butter!!!

Try them out and let me know what you think! Also, anyone have any ideas for doing a more savory version of these fritters?