Make your own apple and banana chips, no fancy equipment required

Before you splurge and buy a dehydrator that does all the work for you, you can take the delicious and healthy fruit chip craze for a test-drive. If you’ve got an oven and a little time on your hands, you’re already halfway there.

Yes, contrary to popular belief, healthy, homemade snacks are easy to come by. These recipes for homemade organic apple and banana chips are a snap to make, even without a dehydrator. The apple chips are sweet, sweet, sweet — and we recommend sprinkling them with a little cinnamon prior to baking for a great flavor combo. The banana chips are a terrific treat too and tend to be slightly chewier than crisp.

More: How to make your desserts healthier

And if you’re making homemade granola, these naturally sweet chips will be a perfect addition to the mix.

1. Homemade organic apple chips recipe

Serves 1 – 2

Ingredients:

• 2 organic apples
• Cinnamon, for added flavor (optional)
• Parchment paper

More: 17 healthy alternatives to potato chips that aren’t kale

Directions:

1. Heat your oven to 200 degrees F. Cover 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Slice washed apples very thin with a mandoline. We cored our apples first, but you don’t need to. Simply slice, then pick out any seeds.
3. Place the apple slices on the baking sheets in a single layer, without any touching.
4. If you’re adding cinnamon, sprinkle them lightly once on the baking sheets before baking.
5. Bake for about 2 hours, flipping them once during baking.
6. Remove from the oven, and let cool on a wire rack.

2. Homemade organic banana chips recipe

Serves 1 – 2

• 2 organic bananas, not too ripe
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• Nonstick cooking spray

Directions:

1. Heat your oven to 200 degrees F. Lightly spray 2 baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Peel the bananas, and slice them very thin, about 1/8 inch thick.
3. Dip each banana slice in the lemon juice.
4. Place slices on the baking sheets in a single layer, without any touching.
5. Carefully flip them once during baking. The banana slices are very soft and may release a bit of liquid while baking, so take care when you’re flipping them.
6. When finished, place them on a wire rack to cool.

More: In a pickle: What to do with overripe bananas

Fruit chips never tasted so good!

Updated by Bethany Ramos on 5/24/16