Sweet Cinnamon Banana Chips

I stumbled on this banana chip recipe totally by chance last year during a desperate attempt to use up bananas that were turning ripe way too fast. They weren't soft enough for banana bread but too spotty for my choosy kid to eat fresh. I glanced at my air fryer just sitting there unused. What began as just trying to save food from the trash has now become our family's favorite snack. These days, my daughter actually tells me to grab "extra bananas for those crunchy chips," and I've caught my husband snatching them right off the cooling rack before I can pack them away. They're just that tasty.

A few weeks back, I shared these at a playdate and got a text from another mom at bedtime asking how to make them because her little boy talked about those "banana cookies" all night long. They're basic but somehow memorable enough to make kids ask for them again and again.

Smart Banana Selection

• Bananas - This matters tons: pick ones that are yellow with just a couple brown spots – sweet but still fairly firm. Those super mushy, dark brown ones perfect for baking bread will just turn into goo in your air fryer.
• Cinnamon - If your spice jar has been hanging around forever, grab a fresh one. You won't believe how much better new cinnamon smells and tastes, especially in something simple like this.
• Sugar - Plain white works fine, but lately I've switched to coconut sugar for its richer, almost caramel taste. Both taste great, so use whatever's in your pantry.
• Oil - You just need a tiny bit of spray. I like olive oil in a spray bottle, but any cooking oil spray does the job. It helps the sweet coating stick and makes everything crisp up nicely.

Pin it

Easy Cooking Steps

Cut Them Right

First, cut your bananas into coins about ⅛-inch thick. Making sure they're all the same thickness really matters for even cooking. If you cut them too thick, they'll stay mushy inside; too thin, and they might burn before they get crispy. I find that tilting my knife slightly gives me cleaner cuts.

Add The Good Stuff

Spray the banana slices lightly with oil – just enough to coat them, not so much they get soggy. Mix cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl (I typically use about 1 teaspoon cinnamon mixed with 2 tablespoons sugar for every 2 bananas, but you can change it to suit your taste). Dust this mixture over your slices, turn them over, and dust the other side too.

Let The Fryer Work

Put the slices in your air fryer basket without overlapping them. This part's crucial – if they touch too much, they'll steam instead of getting crispy. You might need to cook several batches depending on your air fryer size. Cook them at 350°F for about 8-10 minutes, flipping them halfway. Watch them carefully near the end – they can go from perfectly golden to burnt really quickly.

Wait A Bit

Now comes the toughest part: you need to let them cool completely on a wire rack. The chips actually get crispier as they cool, changing from bendy to snappy. If you eat them too early (which I do almost every time), you won't get that perfect crunch.

Keeping Them Fresh

If you somehow don't finish them all right away (which is rare), store them in a container that seals tight. They stay crunchy for around 2 days at room temp. After that, they tend to get softer, but a quick minute back in the air fryer at 300°F brings the crunch back nicely.

Once my little boy brought these for snack time at his kindergarten class. His teacher later mentioned that several kids asked if I could "show their moms how to make banana cookies." There's something pretty cool about getting kids excited about eating fruit!

Tasty Serving Suggestions

Make these chips into a special treat for kids after school by serving them with a small dish of peanut butter or chocolate spread for dipping. The mix of crunchy, sweet chips with smooth nut butter makes a snack that seems like a treat but isn't too unhealthy. My daughter calls it her "special dipping snack" and gets so happy whenever I make it.

Throw together a quick banana chip parfait by putting vanilla Greek yogurt in layers with these chips and a little drizzle of honey. The way the cool, thick yogurt contrasts with the crunchy chips is so good. This looks like a fancy breakfast or dessert but takes almost no time to put together.

For a simple but impressive dessert, put these chips next to a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The warm cinnamon flavor against the cold, creamy ice cream, plus that banana chip crunch, makes a dessert that seems restaurant-quality but uses just basic ingredients.

Tasty Twists

More Flavor Kicks

Try adding a tiny bit of nutmeg, cardamom, or ginger to your cinnamon-sugar mix for more interesting flavors. During Christmas season, I use a blend with all three plus just a hint of cloves for a holiday version that makes the whole house smell wonderful.

Add Some Chocolate

After your chips have fully cooled, try drizzling a bit of melted dark chocolate over them for an extra fancy snack. Let the chocolate harden before you store them. I made these fancy ones for my book club and they vanished within minutes.

Go Savory Instead

Skip the sweet stuff completely and try sprinkling your banana slices with a little sea salt and some chili powder before air frying. These savory versions taste surprisingly good with guacamole for a totally different take on chips and dip.

Keeping Them Fresh

Counter Storage

Put completely cooled chips in an airtight container and keep them at room temperature. They'll stay crunchy for about 2 days. Mason jars with tight lids work really well for keeping them crisp.

If your chips start getting soft after storing them, don't worry! Just pop them back in the air fryer for 1-2 minutes at 300°F to make them crunchy again. Just keep an eye on them so they don't get too brown.

For gifts or special occasions, put portions of chips in small clear cellophane bags tied with ribbon. They make cute little presents for bake sales, care packages, or thank-you gifts. My daughter's teacher got these as an end-of-year present and texted me that same night asking how to make them.

Dealing With Dampness

If you live somewhere really humid, try putting a small food-safe silica gel packet in your storage container (like the ones that come in vitamin bottles). This helps your chips stay crispy longer.

Pin it

Smart Cooking Tricks

Sweeter Options

For chips with more natural sweetness, pick bananas that have more brown spots. You can use less sugar when you make them this way.

Save Some Energy

If you're already using your air fryer for something else, make banana chips right afterward while it's still warm. They'll cook even quicker.

Easy Cleanup

To stop sticking and make cleanup simpler, use air fryer parchment paper with holes in it. Just make sure it fits properly so it doesn't fly up and touch the heating part.

Just last weekend, my neighbor's kids were over playing when I made a fresh batch of these chips. This super picky 7-year-old who "hates bananas" ate tons of them, then asked to take some home. His mom called me later asking what "magic banana cookies" I'd given her son who suddenly claimed bananas were his favorite fruit. Sometimes the simplest treats leave the biggest impression!

Frequently Asked Questions

→ Why won’t my banana chips crisp up?

Your chips might be too thick—slice them to about 1/8 inch. The air fryer’s temperature might also be too low, or they need more time. Riper bananas can stay softer too. They’ll firm up as they cool, so be patient!

→ Is it possible to make these without sugar?

Of course! Skip the sugar for a natural taste, or swap it with something like monk fruit, stevia, or erythritol. Keep the cinnamon for extra flavor if you’d like.

→ How should I store these, and how long do they keep?

Let them cool fully, then store in an airtight jar at room temperature for up to 3 days. Extend their shelf life by refrigerating for up to a week. If they soften, pop them back in the air fryer for a minute or two.

→ Can I use an oven instead of an air fryer?

Sure! Lay the banana slices on a baking sheet with parchment paper. Bake at 225°F for 2-3 hours, flipping once, until crisp. It takes longer, but works great.

→ Any other flavors I can try?

Play around with flavors! Add nutmeg, pumpkin spice, or cardamom, or make a chocolate version with cocoa powder and sugar. For a savory kick, use sea salt or chili powder.