A sweet and healthy snack, these homemade dehydrated bananas are perfect for family snacking, hiking trips, or a guilt-free dessert! And they taste so much better than the store bought version!!
Bananas are one of those foods that everyone loves in one form or another. I use them in my homemade banana bread recipe, my pumpkin banana loaf, and my healthy quinoa bread. I even use bananas in smoothies, like my cherry banana smoothie and this raspberry smoothie. But when I learned I could make dehydrated bananas, I immediately got out my dehydrator and put it to work!
I dehydrate a lot of different types of foods and I love to teach others how to correctly dehydrate foods so they don't have to pay super high store prices for the packaged version. Similar to my dehydrated strawberries and my other dehydrated food recipes, I'll take you step-by-step through the process so you can dehydrate bananas and enjoy them for weeks to come!
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Why This Recipe Works
- It's incredibly simple to dehydrate bananas.
- Dehydrating your own bananas at home will save you money at the grocery store. And, there are no artificial additives or preservative being added to your food.
- Enjoy them as a healthy snack or add them on top of cereal, yogurt, oatmeal, or in trail mix!
🛒 Ingredients You'll Need
- Bananas - use firm ripe bananas. Firm, ripe bananas work best because they have fully developed sweetness and flavor without being overly soft, and that helps them hold their shape better during dehydration.
- Lemon Juice - use fresh lemon juice instead of the bottled version. This will prevent the bananas from browning.
- Water - mixed with the lemon juice and used in a spray bottle to prevent the bananas from browning.
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients list & instructions!
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What To Look For in a Food Dehydrator
I have a Cosori Food Dehydrator and I love it! It’s very user-friendly, with 6 trays that are dishwasher-safe and easy to load and unload. The dehydrator also features a built-in timer with 30-minute increments and an automatic shutoff when finished.
When choosing a food dehydrator, here are key features to consider:
- Auto Shutoff: This feature is essential for convenience, especially if you’re dehydrating overnight. It ensures the unit turns off automatically, making the process hassle-free.
- Stackable Trays: With stackable trays, you can dry more food at once. The center channel allows for even air circulation without needing to rotate trays.
- Price: Quality dehydrators typically range from $150 to $250, though you can find options from $50 to $300.
- Thermostat: Different foods dry best at specific temperatures, so a digital adjustable thermostat is ideal.
- Timer: Since dehydration can take hours, look for a built-in timer so you can set it and walk away.
🍌 Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions
- Step 1: Peel the bananas and cut them into ¼ inch thick slices.
- Step 2: Add the freshly squeezed lemon juice and water into a spray bottle.
- Step 3: Put the banana slices on the dehydrator tray and spray them with the lemon water.
- Step 4: Put the trays into the dehydrator.
- Step 5: Dehydrate at 125°F for about 10 hours or until the banana chips are brittle and feel dry to the touch.
- Step 6: When done, allow the dehydrated bananas to cool for at least 30 minutes before enjoying.
Semi-crunchy and oh so delicious, these dehydrated bananas are super healthy and are the perfect snack for quick energy!
🙋🏼♀️ Recipe FAQs
When you're making dehydrated banana chips, it’s best to use bananas that are ripe but still firm, with a yellow peel and a few brown spots. Firm, ripe bananas will give you the perfect balance of sweetness and texture for chewy, flavorful chips. Overripe bananas can become too mushy when you dehydrate them, while underripe bananas can be less sweet and a bit starchy.
They should feel dry to the touch, yet soft and chewy when you bend them. To check if the bananas are fully dried, take out a slice and let it cool for about 15-20 minutes. It may still have some flexibility, but when you tear it in half, no moisture should appear. If there’s any sign of moisture, put the slices back in the dehydrator to dry a bit longer.
Dehydrated bananas can last up to 5-7 days if you plan to eat them soon, but when stored properly, they can stay fresh for as long as 6 months.
If you plan to consume them within 5-7 days, keep them in a sealed container or zip-top bag. For longer-term storage, they’ll stay fresh for up to 6 months when properly stored.
Use a clean, airtight container to store the dried bananas. Also consider vacuum sealing for extended shelf life. To vacuum seal, you can use vacuum bags or jar sealing attachments for glass Mason jars.
Expert Tips
- You can make as little or as many dehydrated banana chips as you want! Just use more bananas. It's that simple!
- To ensure you are cutting the bananas consistently at the right thickness, use a mandoline. They have adjustable blades, allowing you to slice at the exact thickness you need.
- Use parchment paper or a silicone mat on the dehydrator trays to prevent the bananas from sticking.
- To make long banana slices (also called banana leather), cut the banana lengthwise and ¼ inch thick. Spray with lemon water and dehydrate for 12 hours.
- When storing for a long period of time, adding a moisture-absorbing desiccant packet is helpful, as each time the container is opened, moisture can enter.
- Make sure to store the dehydrated bananas in a cool, dark place, like a pantry.
- For an extra-special treat, dip your dehydrated banana chips in warm, melted chocolate!
- If you like to hike, dehydrated bananas are an excellent snack to keep your energy up. They pair extremely well with granola bars.
⏲️ More Dehydrated Recipes You'll Love!
If you tried these dehydrated bananas or any other recipes on my website, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below. I love hearing from you! And, please leave a 🌟 rating while you're there!
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Dehydrated Bananas Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Dehydrator
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- ½ cup water
- 6 bananas, sliced
Instructions
- Add the lemon juice and water into a spray bottle. Set aside.
- Peel the bananas and cut them into ¼ inch thick slices.
- Put the banana slices on the dehydrator tray and spray them with the lemon water.
- Put the trays into the dehydrator and dehydrate at 125°F for about 10 hours or until the banana chips are brittle and feel dry to the touch.
- When done, allow the dehydrated bananas to cool for at least 30 minutes before enjoying.
Notes
- You can make as little or as many dehydrated banana chips as you want! Just use more bananas. It's that simple!
- To ensure you are cutting the bananas consistently at the right thickness, use a Mandoline. They have adjustable blades, allowing you to slice at the exact thickness you need.
- Use parchment paper or a silicone mat on the dehydrator trays to prevent the bananas from sticking.
- To make long banana slices (also called banana leather), cut the banana lengthwise and ¼ inch thick. Spray with lemon water and dehydrate for 12 hours.
- When storing for a long period of time, adding a moisture-absorbing desiccant packet is helpful, as each time the container is opened, moisture can enter.
- Make sure to store the dehydrated bananas in a cool, dark place, like a pantry.
- For an extra-special treat, dip your dehydrated banana chips in warm, melted chocolate!
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