Looking for a crispy, crunchy healthy snack? Try these dried apples! These irresistibly tasty slices are crisp and cinnamon-spiced: and mighty hard to stop eating. You don’t need a dehydrator for this easy snack: just pop the apples in a low oven and bake for a few hours. Side bonus: it makes your kitchen smell so cozy, you’ll want to make these every day. The lingering sweetness of the apple and cinnamon is enough to make you feel like you’re enveloped in a constant hug. Here’s how to make this tasty snack!
What type of apples are best for dried apples (apple chips)?
You’ll want a crisp tart variety of apple for making dried apples. Avoid varieties like Red Delicious which can be mealy and soft. The best apples for apple chips are:
Honey CrispJonathon or JonagoldGranny SmithGolden DeliciousPink LadyFuji
How to make dried apples…in the oven!
There’s no dehydrator needed for these dried apples. You can make them in your oven! It takes a few hours to bake them at low temperature, but it’s completely hands off. Here’s the main method you’ll use (or jump to the recipe below):
Thinly slice the apples. It’s easiest to use a mandoline; see below. Place on a baking sheet. Dust with cinnamon for best results. Don’t let any apples overlap: keep them all in an even layer. Bake ½ to 2 hours until dry. Bake until curled and light brown. Taste test an apple chip — wait a few minutes until it is cool before testing. Cool the chips. They’ll crisp up even more after they’re cool!
Use a mandoline for even slices
Here’s our best tip for making next level dried apples: use a mandoline. No, not the stringed instrument (that’s a mandolin). A mandoline is a flat kitchen slicer with a sharp blade. You run the food over the blade and it makes uniform cuts. This is the easiest way to get perfectly even slices because you don’t have to position your knife every time. If you don’t have a mandoline, we’d highly recommend getting one for making dried apples! You can use a knife for the job, but it’s so much easier with the right tool. Here’s a link to buy the mandoline we use: we have had several through the years and this one is far superior. Note: Make sure to wear the safety glove when you use a mandoline! Read all the safety instructions around this tool because of the open blade.
Note: the serving size is small!
Most ovens can only fit 2 baking sheets in the oven at once. This means the largest quantity of dried apples you can make at once are about 3 medium apples. Once you pile all your dried apples into a storage jar, it might not seem like a ton of apples. In fact, we could eat all of these in one sitting! So, you might have to have some portion control on your dried apples to make sure they last for a while.
How to store dried apples
Because the serving size is small, it’s possible you might eat all your dried apples day of. And that’s ok! But if you’re able to keep some around, place them in a covered jar or container. They’ll store in a pantry for 1 week or longer. If you bake them long enough to remove all the moisture, they should stay crisp while stored.
Other seasonings for dried apples
You can add any spices you like to dried apples! While we love this healthy snack with plain old cinnamon, here are a few more ideas for interesting spices:
Pumpkin spices: Why not use this classic mixture of cozy spices? Try our Pumpkin Pie Spice.Chai spices: Bring the flair of a Chai Latte into your apple chips. Try these Chai Spices.Cinnamon and ginger: Add a little ginger to the cinnamon for a spicy flair.
Nutrition in dried apples
Why eat dried apples instead of traditional chips? Well, apples are full of lots of great nutrients. Here’s what you can expect from crunching on these chips: (Source: Healthline)
Apples are a good source of vitamin C: 1 apple contains 14% of your daily needsApples are full of fiber: 1 apple has 4 grams fiber or about 15% of your daily needsMost of the nutrients in apples are in the skin, so you should eat the skin as much as possible.They have a whole host of other benefits: read more here.
This dried apples recipe is…
Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.
More apples recipes
Love eating apples? Us too. Here are some of our top apple recipes to enjoy: 5 from 2 reviews
Classic Apple Crisp or Apple Crumble The best classic way to enjoy the season! (Or try it gluten free.)Sauteed Apples (a la Mode!) The perfect easy dessert! They take just minutes to make: serve topped with melty vanilla ice cream.Cinnamon Apple Smoothie Creamy and irresistibly tasty! It’s full of natural sweetness and packed with protein.Apple Cinnamon Pancakes They’re deliciously wholesome, made with oats and maple syrup.Baked Apple Oatmeal This irresistible breakfast recipe pairs the sweet fruit with cinnamon, allspice and maple.
