Dehydrating Bananas

Dehydrating bananas is a simple way to enjoy their natural sweetness whenever you catch a good deal on them at the grocery store! Once dried, bananas make a convenient snack, a tasty addition to granola or trail mix.

Quick Reference for Drying Bananas

• Temperature: 125°F
• Drying time: 6–12 hours
• Texture: Leathery or chewy
• Storage: Airtight container, conditioned, shelf life up to 12 months.

How to Dry Bananas

Bananas are a great first project if you have not done any dehydrating before. It is one of my favorites!

Best Bananas for Dehydrating

Explain:

• Yellow with a few brown spots = best flavor.
• Overripe bananas work but become softer and stickier.
• Green bananas lack sweetness.

I usually choose bananas with a few brown speckles because they’re sweet without being mushy.

Also consider moving:

Prep

The first thing to do is to peel the bananas and slice into ¼–½ inch thick pieces. Round slices are traditional and the way I always do mine. But lengthwise slices make chewy strips that are perfect for snacking too. Kind of like banana leather.

Thicker slices (½ inch) gives a more a more chewy texture, while thinner slices dry faster and can turn into crispy banana chips.

I like to use my egg or tomato slicer, since they make it easy to slice soft bananas into evenly sized pieces. But if all you have is a knife that works too.

Pretreat

A lemon juice soak is technically optional but I highly recommend it to prevent browning. Pineapple juice works well too and adds a sweet subtle tropical flavor. If your bananas get brown it is not dangerous, only unappealing.

To make your lemon juice soak . Just add  ¼ to 1 cup juice per quart of cool water. (I prefer a strong solution.) That’s it. Pretty simple.

Soak the slices for a few minutes before drying, then drain and pat dry. I find it easiest to use a strainer basket and pot. Add lemon juice water to the pot, slice the bananas right into the juice then use the strainer insert to lift them out and drain.

I’ve read that you can just put lemon juice in a spray bottle and spritz the bananas on your tray. But I tried it and it did not work for me at all. The bananas turned an ugly brown. Still edible! but not appealing. A full on dunk works much better at keeping the color of your dried bananas and lessening the browning.

How long does it take to dehydrate Bananas?

Arrange banana slices in a single layer on dehydrator trays with space between slices. Dry at 125°F for 6–12 hours, depending on slice thickness and desired texture. This is just an estimated time. It will vary so if it doesn’t seem done at 12 hours… keep drying.

Bananas have a lot natural sugars so they do get sticky and will tend to stick to your trays. It helps to turn the slices over about halfway through drying to prevent this. It is a pain to pick bananas off the trays!

Oven Drying Bananas

You can also dry in the oven on your lowest setting if desired, but this won’t work as well as a real dehydrator. Simply spread bananas out on a tray or cookie sheet. Turn the oven on it’s lowest setting and crack the door open to allow moisture to escape.

How Do you Know when bananas are dry.

Texture can vary from leathery to crispy, depending on slice thickness. Thinner slices will be crispier; thicker slices remain leathery and chewy. Personally, I like them a bit leathery. But sometimes we end up with banana chips… and that is just fine!

To clarify – Leathery does not mean wet. Look for moisture pockets where the skin may have dried over, but there is still wet banana underneath. This will not work. If the bananas are not fully dry they will mold in storage. Over drying a little is better than too moist.

Storage

To condition the bananas before storage. Place dried bananas in a tightly covered jar for 7–10 days, shaking gently each day to check for moisture. Watch for moisture on the jar sides or lid, or clumping that might indicate remaining moisture.

Then storing in airtight jars, or vacuum-sealed bags work best.

Properly dried bananas last up to 12 months in a cool, dry pantry.

My Tips / Uses for Dried Bananas

Around here they rarely make it into recipes. Most of the time they disappear straight from the jar before I ever get around to adding them to granola.

Having said that, you can add dried banana slices or banana chips into trail mixes and other snack mixes. For baking, you can also rehydrate and fold into muffins, breads, or oatmeal.

You can soak dehydrated banana slices in warm water for 10–15 minutes to rehydrate.

Want to Try Dehydrating Other Foods?

• Dehydrating Raspberries <–add link when we have it
• Dehydrating Pineapple (Fresh or Frozen)
• How to Make Your Own Homemade Fruit Leather