You can save money and always have a supply of wholesome fruit snacks on hand by dehydrating bananas with a dehydrator or oven.
If stored in an airtight container, dehydrated banana chips can last for months. The banana chips will last for at least a year if you can vacuum seal them.
Table of Contents
What Amount Of Bananas Are Required?
7 to 9 medium to large ripe bananas will make about 1 ½ quart of dehydrated banana chips.
Recipe Prep
- In a secure location, set up your dehydrator.
- Each dehydrator tray as well as the plastic mesh lining should be cleaned and dried before use. I arranged sliced bananas on six trays.
- Each dehydrator tray should have a plastic liner placed on it. The remaining trays should be stacked nearby and ready to receive the banana slices.
- As directed on the container, combine the Fruit Fresh with the water in a medium mixing bowl.
- Or, if using that, add 3 tablespoons of lemon juice and 3 tablespoons of water to the bowl.
- Depending on how many bananas you plan to dehydrate, you will need to keep replenishing the Fruit Fresh or lemon juice as you go.
- In close proximity to your work area, set the bowl aside.
Steps To Dehydrate Bananas
Step 1: With a sharp paring knife, carefully peel and cut each ripe banana into thin slices that are ¼ of an inch thick.
Drop the banana slices into the bowl of the pretreatment technique you are using right away, then swish them around until they are completely submerged in the liquid.
Step 2: As soon as the tray is full, add more pretreated banana slices to it.
Until you run out of bananas, continue to slice one banana at a time, dunk it in the pretreatment solution, and then arrange the slices on the dehydrator tray. Avoid touching the banana pieces to prevent them from sticking together.
Step 3: Place the dehydrator’s lid on top once all of the trays have been filled, then turn it on.
Set the temperature to 135 degrees Fahrenheit if using a dehydrator with a temperature control dial. degrees.
Step 4: Banana chips are dehydrated for 6 to 12 hours at 135 F. Degrees.
Rotate the dehydrator trays every 3 to 4 hours, moving the bottom trays to the top. To determine how dry they are, inspect the banana chips.
A number of factors will affect how long something will take to dehydrate.
Fruit dehydration times depend on a variety of factors, including the type of dehydrator you’re using, the temperature of your home, the fruit you’re drying, and the air humidity.
Recipe Expert Tips
- Bananas: To achieve the best flavor, use firm but ripe bananas.
- Slicing the bananas: Slice the bananas ¼ of an inch thick.
- Preventing browning: While you are cutting and loading the trays, use a pretreatment technique to stop the bananas from browning.
- How to keep the banana chips from sticking: Use a tray with a plastic liner. The banana slices will still have some sticking, but they won’t rip or shatter when you remove them from the flexible liner tray.
- When are they finished, exactly? The texture of chewy dried banana slices will be slightly sticky but not mushy.
- Chewy or crunchy banana chips: You can produce crunchy or chewy dried banana chips.
- Conditioning dehydrated fruit: To prevent mold, it is advised to condition dehydrated fruit before long-term storage.
- Dehydrators: Dehydrators without a temperature control that have a preset temperature operate at a higher temperature than dehydrators that do. If you’re using a dehydrator without a temperature control dial, you’ll need to keep a closer eye on the banana chips as they dry.
How To Tell When Bananas Are Done
When dried completely, bananas should have a leathery texture. Take a slice out and allow it to cool to test. Even if you split one in half and squeeze it, there shouldn’t be any moisture dripping out. It might have some bend. Put them back into the dehydrator or oven to dry for an extended period of time if there are any indications of moisture left.
How To Store Banana Chips
If you’re dehydrating bananas for snacking and plan on eating them within a week or two, you can store them in a sealed container or zip-top bag on the counter or in your pantry. Put them in a container that is tightly sealed after they have cooled. We enjoy using these reusable ReZip bags.
However, when properly dried and stored, dehydrated bananas can last up to six months. Here are our tips for long-term storage:
- The bananas should be completely cooled before being transferred.
- Condition: In a clear, airtight container, loosely pack the bananas. Check it every day for a week for moisture or condensation, and shake it to help keep the slices from sticking to one another. As long as there are no signs of mold, place the batch back into the dehydrator if moisture is detected. You can package them for long-term storage after a week if there are no indications of moisture or mold.
- Maintain in a spotless, airtight container. Vacuum sealing will extend shelf life.
- If you plan to open the container frequently or if you live in a humid climate, use a moisture-absorbing desiccant packet.
- Label the container with the date and any other important details
- The interior of a pantry cabinet works well. Place the container in a cool, dark, and dry location.
How To Use Dehydrated Bananas
Here are a few ways to use your bananas:
- Include them in a DIY trail mix, or enjoy them on their own as a hiking snack
- Use them to scoop peanut butter or yogurt for a more substantial snack
- Add them (whole or chopped up) to oatmeal or breakfast porridge or to top yogurt
- Add them to baked granola
How To Dehydrate Bananas In The Oven
Bananas should be thinly sliced (¼ inch thickness or less is ideal), then placed on the lightly oiled baking sheets in a single layer. Grease the baking sheets with cooking spray, coconut oil, avocado oil, or olive oil. A hint of the tropics will be added by the coconut oil.
The bananas should be baked for about three hours, or until dehydrated but still pliable. They need to be flat and slim.
With a metal spatula, you might be able to lift the dehydrated banana chips off the baking sheets, but I find that peeling them off by hand is simpler. They should be moved to a cooling rack to finish cooling completely before being stored.
Frequently Asked Questions
How are bananas prepared for homemade banana chips?
Cutting fresh bananas into uniformly thin slices is the secret to producing a good batch of dehydrated banana chips. I aim for ¼ inch thickness at most, but if you cut them a little thicker, that’ll work, too. Simply put, their dehydration will take a little longer.
Banana chips dehydration time in hours?
Bananas dehydrate at 175 degrees in the oven for about 3 hours. Dehydrating bananas for chewy banana chips takes about 8 hours.
Will dried bananas become brittle?
Depending on how long they are dehydrated, banana chips can be either chewy or crispy. If some of the moisture is left in the chips during cooking, a shorter cook time will result in chewier chips, and vice versa. When the bananas have reached the desired level of crispness, take them out of the oven or dehydrator.
How are dried banana chips stored?
I suggest storing them for up to two weeks at room temperature in an airtight container in a cool, dry location. They can be frozen as well, and they will keep for a while.
