Easy Apple Chips Recipe | Downshiftology (2024)

Apple chips are light, crispy, easy to make, and surprisingly full of flavor! Turn them into a sweet snack with a dash of cinnamon, or crumble them into bits as a topping for a delicious fall salad.

As the seasons change, so do my cravings for a new snack. Summer was filled with sweet berries and juicy peaches. And now it’s time to dive into autumn’s fruity harvest. Fall fruits like cranberries and figs can be found in my cranberry almond biscotti or blueberry chia pudding with figs.

But today, we’re transforming fresh fall apples into delicious baked apple chips. Although this recipe has to be slow cooked for 2 hours, it only takes 10 minutes to prep and doesn’t require a dehydrator. Trust me, the wait will be worth it when you take the first crunchy bite.

What Are The Best Types of Apples To Dry?

With the large variety of apples out there, it can be difficult to figure out which ones provide the best taste and texture. But it all really comes down to if you like more of a sweet or tart flavor.

If you’re looking for more of a sweet flavor, gala, fuji, and honeycrisp apples are great. If you’re more of a tart person, then you’ll want to go for gavenstein, pink lady, cortland, or empire apples.

Are Apple Chips Healthy?

I will admit these apple chips are addictive. But are they bad for you? Not necessarily. Unlike store-bought alternatives, this recipe uses no additional sugar, and the chips are baked instead of deep fried. Not to mention, apples are a great source of fiber and promotes a healthy digestive system.

Tips on How to Make Your Apple Chips Crispy

When it comes to chips, it’s all about the crunch. So how do you make your apple chips extra crispy? Take a look at a few tips I have below.

• Cut the apples as thinly and evenly as possible. I recommend using a mandoline to slice the apples. But, you can also use a spiralizer with the flat blade or simply with a knife.
• Do not speed up the baking process or turn up the temperature. Your goal is to slowly reduce the moisture in these apples. If you turn up the heat and bake it in a shorter amount of time, your apples will most likely be soft and even a bit mushy. Trust the slow process and you will have crispy bits in no time.
• After it’s done baking, let your apples cool in the oven for about 30 minutes. This will be sure to take out the last bit of moisture left in your apples and maximize the crispiness.

How Long do Baked Apple Chips Last

While apple chips are best eaten straight out of the oven, you might want to save some for the week. Leftovers should be sealed in a an airtight container right away and can be stored for up to one week. Just make sure to keep your chips out of humidity to maintain the freshness and crispiness.

How To Make Baked Apple Chips

1. Slice the apples 1/8 inches thick using a mandoline on the thinnest setting. Make sure to slice from the bottom of the apple.
2. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a silpat mat and arrange the apple slices in a single layer on top. Feel free to place the apples close to each other as they will get smaller while baking.
3. Sprinkle cinnamon on both sides of the apple and bake for one hour. The cinnamon or additional sugar is optional, but I recommend giving your apples a little cinnamon love for extra flavor.
4. Flip the apple slices while they are still warm and bake for 1 more hour, or until the pieces are fully dry and crispy.
5. Let them cool in the oven for 30 minutes to finish off the dehydration process.
6. Test the apple chips by letting them sit on the sheet pan for about 5 minutes. If they taste crispy enough, they are ready. If not, place them back in the oven for 15 more minutes.

Looking for More Apple Recipes?

If you have an abundance of apples, make sure to check out these other delicious apple recipes…

• Apple Crisp
• Apple Cider Vinaigrette
• Paleo Apple Cinnamon Pancakes
• Kale Salad with Apples and Chicken
• Rosemary Grilled Lamb Chops with Mint Apple Sauce
• Salted Caramel Apple Pie Ice Cream (vegan)