How to Dehydrate Bananas
Slice bananas 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick, optionally dip in lemon water, and dry at 135F (57C) for 6 to 12 hours. Thin slices dried longer give crisp chips; thicker, shorter drying stays chewy.
Home-dried bananas are naturally sweet and portable, but they are not the crunchy fried chips from a bag. Dehydrating gives you chewy slices, or, sliced thin and dried long, a lighter crisp.
Pick the right bananas
Use ripe but still firm bananas with a few brown speckles. Green bananas taste starchy; very soft, blackened ones are hard to slice and can turn to mush. Firm-ripe fruit slices cleanly and has the best flavour once dried.
Slice and treat
Peel and slice into even rounds, thin for chips, a touch thicker for chewy snacks. Bananas brown quickly, so if colour matters to you, dip the slices in water with a little lemon juice, then drain well. The dip also adds a mild tang some people like. Skipping it is fine; the slices just darken.
Dry with space
Bananas are sticky, so lay slices in a single layer with gaps and, if you have them, use non-stick sheets or mesh so they do not glue to the tray. Dry at 135F (57C):
| Slice | Approx time | Texture |
|---|---|---|
| 1/4 inch | 6–8 hours | Chewy, bendy |
| 3/16 inch | 8–10 hours | Leathery |
| 1/8 inch | 10–12+ hours | Crisp when fully dry |
The right sheets and trays make sticky fruit far easier to remove.
Test and store
Cool a slice before judging it, warm banana always feels softer. Chewy slices should be leathery with no wet centre; chips should snap. Crisp chips soften fast if they meet humidity, so cool fully and seal airtight straight away. For the longest keeping, a vacuum sealer helps; see how long dehydrated food lasts. New to this? Compare picks in best dehydrator for fruit.
Frequently asked questions
Why are my banana chips chewy, not crunchy?
Store-bought crunchy chips are usually fried. Dehydrated bananas turn leathery-chewy unless sliced very thin and dried until fully brittle, then stored airtight so they do not soften.
Do I need to use lemon juice?
It is optional. A lemon-water dip keeps slices lighter in colour and adds a slight tang; without it they simply brown more, which is safe.
Can I dry banana slices touching?
Leave small gaps. Bananas are sticky and can fuse; space helps airflow and stops slices bonding into clumps.