Air Fryer Banana Chips: A Quick and Crispy Snack
Today I'm sharing a super simple snack! You can make banana chips that are comparable to popular snacks on the Internet with just an air fryer! Zero additives, a must-have for satisfying your cravings!
Ingredients Needed
Bananas: Choose bananas with moderate ripeness and avoid overly ripe or underripe bananas. Overly ripe bananas are prone to becoming overly soft and mushy during baking, while underripe bananas may have an inferior taste.
Lemon and white vinegar: Helps prevent banana slices from oxidizing and turning dark.
Butter: Can enhance the aroma and crispness of banana chips.
Banana chips air fryer time
The baking time is about 20-40 minutes. However, the specific time should be adjusted according to factors such as the thickness of the banana chips and the power of the air fryer.
During the baking process, you can open the air fryer every few minutes to check the status of the banana chips, and gently flip the banana chips to ensure that both sides are evenly heated.
The baking temperature is generally set between 120-150℃.
If the temperature is too high, the surface of the banana chips will be burnt while the inside will not be dried out; if the temperature is too low, the baking time will be too long, and the banana chips may become dry and hard and lose their flavor.
Air fried banana chips calories
Each 100 grams of bananas has about 93 kcal, and two bananas (assuming each is 100-120 grams) have a calorie content of 186-223 kcal.
Each 100 grams of butter has about 717 kcal, and if 5-10 grams of butter are used, the calories are 36-72 kcal.
Such a portion of air fryer banana chips has a calorie content of about 222-295 kcal.
However, this is only a rough estimate, and the specific calories will vary depending on factors such as the size of the bananas and the specific amount of additives.
Compared with traditional fried banana chips, banana chips made in an air fryer do not require a large amount of cooking oil, so the calories will be reduced. The traditional frying process will absorb more oil and greatly increase the calories.
Successful tips
Slice thickness
The thickness of banana chips has a great influence on baking time and taste. Generally speaking, it is more appropriate to cut into 2~3 mm thin slices.
Banana chips that are too thick will take longer to bake, and the taste may not be crispy enough; while banana chips that are too thin will easily burn.
Remove mucus
Bananas have more mucus, which may affect the baking effect and taste.
You can rinse the banana slices in warm water after slicing to remove some of the mucus.
Preheat the air fryer
Before putting in the banana slices, it is recommended to preheat the air fryer.
The preheating temperature can be adjusted according to personal preference and the model of the air fryer, but it is generally recommended to be between 100 and 150 degrees. The preheating time is generally about 5 minutes.
Apply butter
If you want to add fragrance and taste, you can apply a thin layer of butter on the banana slices.
Use wax paper or tin foil
To prevent the banana slices from sticking to the frying basket, you can lay a layer of wax paper or tin foil on the bottom of the frying basket. This also makes it easier to clean the air fryer.
Place banana slices properly
Be careful not to stack them too thick, try to spread the banana slices flat, and ensure that each banana slice has enough space to contact the hot air.
If the banana slices are placed too many and too dense, the hot air cannot circulate between them fully, which will affect the baking effect.
Observe the baking conditions
During the baking process, always pay attention to the baking conditions of the banana chips. If you find that the banana chips start to burn or the color is too dark, you should stop baking and take them out immediately. Avoid burning or over-baking, which will cause a bad taste.
Cool in time
After the banana chips are baked, take them out of the air fryer immediately and cool them on the drying rack. This will keep the banana chips crispy.
If the banana chips are left in the air fryer or sealed container for a long time, the heat will not be dissipated, which will make the banana chips soft.
INGREDIENTS
Main Ingredients
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·2 bananas
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·3 lemon slices
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·Appropriate amount of white vinegar
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·Appropriate amount of butter
COOKING STEP
Step 1
Peel the bananas and cut them into thin slices.
Step 2
In a bowl, add water, a few drops of white vinegar and a few slices of lemon. Put the sliced bananas in the bowl and soak for 5 minutes.
Step 3
Take out the soaked banana slices, wipe them dry and put them in the air fryer.
Step 4
Soften the butter at room temperature and apply it evenly on the banana slices with a brush.
Step 5
Fry in the air fryer at 140 degrees for 30 minutes. Remember to turn over in the middle.
Step 6
After baking, take out the banana slices and let them cool for a while.
The banana slices will taste crispier after cooling.
To what extent are banana chips considered done?
Observe the color:
The edges of the baked banana chips should be golden or light brown.
Crispness
You can gently break the banana chips with your hands. If they break easily, rather than being soft or sticky, this is also a sign that the banana chips are done.
If the banana chips feel relatively soft and tough and are not easily broken, then they may need to be baked for a while longer to allow further evaporation of moisture.
Observe the shape
The baked banana chips will shrink slightly and become thinner than when they were first put into the air fryer.
If the banana chips still maintain their original size and thickness, it is likely that the inside is still relatively moist and has not reached the ideal crisp state.
Why are my baked banana chips not crispy?
Your banana chips may not be crispy for the following reasons:
1.The banana slices are too thick or have residual moisture:
The moisture inside the banana slices is difficult to evaporate if they are too thick, or if they are baked without being wiped dry, this will affect their crispness.
2. Baking problems:
Too low temperature (below 120℃), too short baking time (less than 10-15 minutes), not turning the banana slices to make both sides evenly heated, or placing the banana slices too close together to prevent air circulation, which may cause the banana slices to not be crispy.
3. No auxiliary ingredients added:
Ingredients such as butter can help banana slices become crispy, but not adding them may also be one of the reasons.
How to store baked banana chips
Store banana chips in an airtight container after they have cooled completely.
You can place a paper towel on the bottom of the container to absorb excess moisture and extend the shelf life of the banana chips.
If stored properly, they can be kept at room temperature for about 3-5 days.
I do not recommend freezing these banana chips because they do not thaw well.
Recipe Variations
Flavor Variations
1. Savory flavor:
Basic version: Sprinkle with fine salt to enhance the natural sweetness of bananas.
Black pepper version: Add a small amount of black pepper to add a hint of spiciness to banana chips.
Spiced version: Mix chili powder, turmeric powder, curry powder or cumin powder to create a unique exotic flavor.
2. Sweet and spicy flavor:
Cinnamon sugar version: Sprinkle cinnamon powder and sugar to combine sweet and spicy.
Nutmeg version: Add nutmeg powder and honey to create a rich oriental flavor.
Ingredients changes
1. Fruit mix:
Bake with orange, pineapple or apple slices to create a colorful fruit platter. Each fruit can add a touch of color to the overall flavor.
2. Nut garnish:
Sprinkle almond slices, crushed walnuts or cashews on banana chips. This not only increases the texture but also enhances the nutritional value.
FAQs:
If there is no oil paper or tin foil, you can also lightly brush a thin layer of oil on the fryer basket to prevent sticking.
At the same time, check whether the hot air circulation system of the air fryer is normal to ensure that the hot air can blow evenly to each banana chip.
Banana chips contain a certain amount of sugar and are easy to scorch at high temperatures. If the temperature is set too high, the moisture on the surface of the banana chips evaporates quickly, which will cause scorching. In addition, if the banana chips are not evenly heated in the fryer basket of the air fryer, they will also scorch.
The temperature and time should be set appropriately according to the size and quantity of the banana slices, and the banana slices should be turned over in time to ensure even heating.
In addition, the oxidation process of banana slices will also be accelerated at high temperatures. You can drop a few drops of lemon juice or white vinegar on the banana slices to inhibit the oxidation reaction and reduce the blackening.
