These air fryer banana chips are crispy, lightly sweet, and so easy to make at home. If you have been buying packaged banana chips from the store, you are going to love how simple it is to make your own.
All you really need are a few firm bananas and a couple of pantry staples. No deep frying, no complicated steps.
The air fryer does most of the work here. You slice the bananas thin, give them a quick toss in a simple coating, and let the hot air do its thing.
They come out golden and crunchy with just the right amount of sweetness. Perfect for snacking on their own or adding to trail mix, yogurt, or oatmeal.
Let me walk you through how I make them so they turn out perfectly crispy every time.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Perfectly Crunchy – These banana chips get incredibly crispy in the air fryer and stay that way for days.
Only 5 Ingredients – You just need bananas and a few pantry staples to make this delicious snack.
Sweet and Salty Flavor – The natural banana sweetness paired with sea salt and cinnamon is absolutely addictive.
Way Healthier Than Store-Bought – Unlike packaged banana chips that are deep fried in oil these use just a tiny bit of coconut oil.
Ingredients
- 3 Large Firm Bananas (slightly underripe)
- 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
- 1 tbsp Coconut Oil, melted
- 1/4 tsp Fine Sea Salt
- 1/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon (optional)
How To Make
Step 1
Choose bananas that are still slightly green or just barely yellow – they should feel firm when squeezed. Overripe bananas will be too soft and will not crisp properly. Peel the bananas and slice them into thin rounds about 1/8 inch thick, keeping the slices as uniform as possible.
Step 2
Place the banana slices in a bowl. Add the lemon juice and melted coconut oil and toss gently until every slice is lightly coated. The lemon juice helps prevent browning and adds a subtle tang.
Step 3
Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees F for 2 minutes.
Step 4
Arrange the banana slices in a single layer in the air fryer basket, making sure they do not overlap. You will need to work in several batches.
Step 5
Air fry at 350 degrees F for 8 to 10 minutes, flipping the chips halfway through. Keep a close eye on them during the last 2 minutes as they can go from golden to burned quickly.
Step 6
Remove the chips and immediately sprinkle them with the sea salt and cinnamon, if using. The chips will continue to crisp as they cool.
Let them cool completely on a wire rack for maximum crunch. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Tips
Use a Mandoline for Even Slices
Getting every slice to exactly 1/8 inch thick with a knife is really hard. If some slices are thicker than others, the thin ones will burn while the thick ones stay chewy.
A mandoline slicer set to 1/8 inch gives you perfectly uniform slices every single time. It takes about 30 seconds to slice all three bananas.
If you don’t have a mandoline, press down gently and evenly with your knife and go slow. It’s worth the extra time to get them as close to the same thickness as possible.
They Won’t Feel Crispy When You Take Them Out
This trips up a lot of people. When you pull the chips out of the air fryer, they’ll still feel a little soft and flexible. That’s completely normal.
As they cool down, they firm up and get that satisfying crunch. If you wait until they feel crispy inside the air fryer, they’re already overcooked and will taste bitter once they cool.
Pull them out when they’re golden with just a hint of light brown on the edges. Then let them cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes and you’ll see the crunch develop.
Don’t Skip the Coconut Oil
The coconut oil isn’t just for flavor. It helps the outside of the banana slices dehydrate and crisp up in the air fryer. Without it, the chips tend to come out dry and tough instead of light and crunchy.
Make sure the coconut oil is fully melted before you toss it with the banana slices. If it’s still solid or lumpy, it won’t coat the slices evenly and you’ll get inconsistent results.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why are my banana chips not getting crispy in the air fryer?
The most common reason is that the bananas were too ripe. You really need firm, slightly underripe bananas for this recipe – the ones that are still a little green or just barely turning yellow. Ripe bananas have too much moisture and sugar, which makes them go soft and chewy instead of crispy.
Another thing to check is the thickness of your slices. If they’re thicker than 1/8 inch, they won’t dry out enough to get that satisfying crunch. Also make sure you’re not overlapping them in the basket, because that traps steam and prevents crisping.
Air Fryer Banana Chips
- air fryer
- wire rack
- 3 Large Firm Bananas (slightly underripe)
- 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
- 1 tbsp Coconut Oil, melted
- 1/4 tsp Fine Sea Salt
- 1/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon (optional)
- Choose bananas that are still slightly green or just barely yellow - they should feel firm when squeezed. Overripe bananas will be too soft and will not crisp properly. Peel the bananas and slice them into thin rounds about 1/8 inch thick, keeping the slices as uniform as possible.
- Place the banana slices in a bowl. Add the lemon juice and melted coconut oil and toss gently until every slice is lightly coated. The lemon juice helps prevent browning and adds a subtle tang.
- Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees F for 2 minutes.
- Arrange the banana slices in a single layer in the air fryer basket, making sure they do not overlap. You will need to work in several batches.
- Air fry at 350 degrees F for 8 to 10 minutes, flipping the chips halfway through. Keep a close eye on them during the last 2 minutes as they can go from golden to burned quickly.
- Remove the chips and immediately sprinkle them with the sea salt and cinnamon, if using. The chips will continue to crisp as they cool. Let them cool completely on a wire rack for maximum crunch. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.