Dehydrated Bananas

5 from 2 votes

Dehydrating bananas is easy when you know the secret to making crisp, crunchy, dry bananas at home! Time! A well-sliced banana plus time will get you something that is a treat! No more chewy, gummy home-dried bananas!

Prep Time10

Drying Time1

Total Time1 5

Course: Preserved Food

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 105kcal

Author: Darcy Baldwin

Equipment

Knife
Cutting Board
Dehydrator
Silicone mesh sheets Parchment paper or fruit leather can be used instead.

Ingredients

Bananas

Instructions

Peel bananas - set aside for composting or placing under plantings in the garden if you wish.
Slice bananas into thin slices - less than 1/4". If using a mandoline, set it to 3/16" if that's an option. This is the second secret!
Coins - straight slices that look like circles;
Planks - long segments that look like jerky;
Diagonal - an oblong coin with more surface area
Dip in an acidic solution to stop oxidation - lemon juice or 1/2 lemon juice to 1/2 water. This is an optional step.
Place onto dehydrator racks with silicone mesh sheets. Packing in tightly is fine, but don't overlap.
Sprinkle with any seasonings you might like or leave plain.
Dry at 140°F/60°C until crisp when cooled. This may take anywhere from 15-24 hours. This is the third secret!
Condition if putting into storage.
Store in an airtight container for up to a year.

Notes

Break apart and place it into oatmeal. It will soften fairly quickly in the hot liquid or can be a crunchy topping.

Powder in a coffee grinder and use as a sugar booster or flavor booster in muffins;

Put into a trail mix with pretzels, nuts, other dried fruit, and small bits of jerky.

Use to add to banana bread or other muffins. You can rehydrate small pieces for inclusion as texture, or mash and use as part of the recipe.

Create a fun trailmix with all of your favorite nuts, seeds, dried fruits, and more! Check out my Banana Split Trail Mix recipe.

Conditioning:
Place into jar with lid, shake once a day for 5-7 days. Look for clumping or food sticking to jar that doesn't easily shake apart. If so, put it back into the dehydrator to dry more. If it's fine, store for up to a year.

Nutrition