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Homemade Air Fryer Banana Chips
Recipe Snapshot
PREP + COOK TIME: 32 minutes (plus time to cool)
METHOD: Air fryer
OTHER TOOLS: wire cooling rack
TOTAL INGREDIENTS: 5
Homemade Air Fryer Banana Chips are a quick and easy snack made with just a few simple ingredients! Each crunchy bite has a light cinnamon-sugar coating that enhances the bananas’ natural sweetness, and the air fryer crisps them perfectly. Enjoy this homemade treat for healthy snacking anytime of day!
What’s To Love About This Recipe
- Crispy air fryer banana chips are a sweet, budget-friendly treat perfect for snacking at any time of day!
- This air fryer recipe uses simple ingredients to make a healthier homemade version of banana chips than store-bought ones. Make them fresh and skip the unhealthy oils and preservatives.
- This crunchy treat is lightly sweetened with cinnamon and sugar to enhance the natural flavor of just-ripe bananas.
- The air fryer is the best tool for drying out the slices and crisping them perfectly. Once you try it, you’ll be amazed at how easy it is to make a healthy treat at home.
- Banana chips are enjoyable for both kids and adults! Serve them alone, or add them to your favorite cereal, trail mix, granola, or yogurt bowls.
Ingredients Needed
- Bananas – Choose firm bananas that are slightly green or yellow with little to no brown spots. Overripe bananas will not crisp properly in the air fryer because of excess moisture.
- Lemon juice – This helps prevent the banana from discoloration, and it adds a bright flavor. The acidity also helps the slices dry out evenly in the air fryer.
- Ground cinnamon – A pinch of cinnamon adds a nutty, toasty flavor to the banana chips.
- Sugar – Sugar enhances the bananas’ natural sweetness and provides the classic banana chip flavor.
- Avocado oil spray – A spray oil helps prevent the banana slices from sticking to the air fryer and also allows them to crisp up and turn slightly golden during cooking.
How To Make Air Fryer Banana Chips
- Peel the bananas and slice them into very thin, even rounds (as thin as you can). Try to keep the slices as uniform as possible so they cook evenly.
- Place the banana slices in a bowl and gently toss with the lemon juice to prevent browning and help them dry evenly as they cook.
- Sprinkle the cinnamon and sugar over the banana slices, then toss gently to coat them lightly and evenly.
- Preheat the air fryer to 300℉ for 3–5 minutes and spray the basket lightly with avocado oil.
- Arrange the banana slices in a single layer in the air fryer basket, making sure they do not overlap. Work in batches if necessary. Add a light spray of oil across the banana slices.
- Air fry at 300℉ for 12 minutes. Flip the banana slices, then continue cooking for another 5-10 minutes until the slices look dry and lightly golden.
- Remove the banana chips from the air fryer, transfer them to a cooling rack, and let them cool completely. (They will continue to crisp as they cool.)
- Once fully cooled, serve or store.
Pro Tips
- Choose firm bananas that have just turned yellow or are slightly green. Bananas that are too soft will have too much moisture and be difficult to slice evenly.
- Bananas do not need to be soaked before air frying – the lemon juice will help them dry out evenly.
- A mandolin slicer is helpful for creating very thin, uniform slices. For the banana chips to crisp up, they need to be sliced as thinly as possible. (Thick slices will result in a chewy texture.)
- Preheating to a lower temperature (300℉) helps the chips dry out instead of cooking too quickly and burning
- Cook the banana chips in batches if necessary.
- Arrange the banana slices in a single layer without overlapping so the heat circulates and they crisp evenly.
- Flip the slices halfway through cooking to dry them evenly and achieve uniform browning.
- Remove the chips when they look dry and lightly golden, not dark brown.
- The banana chips will feel slightly soft when hot, but they will continue to crisp as they cool.
Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Instead of bananas, swap firm, slightly yellow or green plantains for a less sweet option. You can use the same cinnamon-sugar coating, or try savory seasonings such as lime-and-salt mixes or a bit of chili powder.
- The cinnamon-sugar mix enhances the natural sweetness, but if you prefer less, you can omit the cinnamon or sugar (or both).
- Try adding a little bit of coarse salt to the banana chips instead of cinnamon-sugar for a savory snack.
- Chili powder, chile-lime seasoning, or a pinch of cayenne pepper are all options for a sweet-and-spicy version.
- For a more decadent treat, make chocolate-dipped banana chips! Let the cooked banana chips cool completely, then dip each chip into melted chocolate (milk or dark) and let them harden on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Add a sprinkle of sea salt to each one for delicious flavor!
- If preferred, you can skip the spray oil for a lighter version of the banana chips. The chips may not be as crispy, but they will still dry out in the air fryer.
Oven-Baked Banana Chips
- Preheat the oven to 250℉ and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Peel, slice, and prepare the bananas as directed.
- Arrange the banana slices in a single layer on the baking sheet without overlapping.
- Bake for 1½-2 hours, flipping halfway through, until the slices look dry and lightly golden.
- Transfer the chips to a cooling rack and let them cool completely ( the chips will continue to crisp as they cool).
How To Serve Banana Chips
Crispy banana chips are a simple, healthy snack for any time of the day! They make a delicious addition to homemade trail mixes or as a topping for homemade yogurt and granola parfaits.
Serve banana chips with a small bowl of melted chocolate or vanilla yogurt for dipping or with a side of your favorite nut butter for a protein-rich snack.
Find other uses for the chips, such as sprinkling crushed chips over ice cream or using them as a dessert topping for a sweet crunch!
Storing and Reheating
How To Best Store Leftovers
Allow the banana chips to cool completely on a wire rack before storing to maintain their crunch. Store the chips in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-5 days.
If the banana chips soften, you can reheat them in the air fryer again at 300℉ for 2-3 minutes to restore crispness.
Homemade Air Fryer Banana Chips
Homemade Air Fryer Banana Chips are a quick and easy snack made with just a few simple ingredients! Each crunchy bite has a light cinnamon-sugar coating that enhances the bananas' natural sweetness, and the air fryer crisps them perfectly. Enjoy this homemade treat for healthy snacking anytime of day!
Equipment
- Cooling rack
Ingredients
- 3 firm bananas yellow with little to no brown spots
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- Spray avocado oil
Instructions
- Peel bananas and slice them into very thin, even rounds, keeping slices as uniform as possible so they cook evenly.
- Place banana slices in a bowl and gently toss with lemon juice to prevent browning and help them dry evenly as they cook.
- Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar over banana slices and toss gently to coat all slices lightly and evenly.
- Preheat air fryer to 300℉ for 3-5 minutes and spray basket lightly with avocado oil.
- Arrange banana slices in a single layer in air fryer basket, making sure they do not overlap. Add a light spray of oil across banana slices.
- Air fry at 300℉ for 12 minutes. Flip banana slices, then continue cooking for another 5-10 minutes until slices look dry and lightly golden.
- Remove banana chips from air fryer and transfer to a cooling rack, and let them cool completely.
- Once fully cooled, serve or store.
Notes
- Allow banana chips to cool completely before storing to maintain their crunch. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days.
- Choose firm bananas that are slightly green or light yellow.
- Slice the bananas very thinly and evenly with a mandolin slicer or by hand.
- Avoid thick slices, which will turn out chewy instead of crisp.
- Arrange the slices in a single layer with no overlapping so the heat can circulate evenly.
- Cook in batches if needed to prevent overcrowding,
- Remove the chips when they are dry and lightly golden, not dark brown.
- The chips may feel slightly soft after cooking, but will continue to crisp as they cool.
