How to Make Dehydrated Apples

The perfect fall snack, these Dehydrated Apples are easy to make at home and result in healthy chips with the perfect snap. Eat them plain or add cinnamon and sugar to turn them into a sweet treat!

Why You’ll Love Dehydrated Apple Chips

• Easy to make: With a mostly hands-off process, these apple chips dehydrate on their own over several hours and require very little prep!
• Good for you: Only one main ingredient is needed–apples! That means these satisfying chips are healthy and full of nutrients.
• Great way to preserve apples: If you’re looking for a great way to take fresh fall apples and make them last for weeks and weeks, dehydrating is the way to go.

If you’re looking for the perfect snack this fall, try making a batch of dehydrated apple chips! Made from just fruit and some lemon juice, these satisfying dried apples will take fresh apples and make them last much longer.

Great on their own or with your favorite blend of fall spices! This is a light and satisfying treat with the perfect amount of natural sweetness. All you need is a dehydrator to turn a bushel of fresh fruit into delicious snacks!

Ingredients for Apple Chips

• Apples – A wide variety of apples work for this recipe, so experiment with your favorite kinds to see what you like best!
• Lemon juice – Prevents the apples from browning as they dehydrate and gives them a subtle citrus flavor.
• Water

Equipment

Dehydrator – I use an Excalibur 9 tray dehydrator; more on that below.

 

How to Make Dehydrated Apples

1. Wash, peel and core apples.
2. Prepare a bowl of water and lemon juice mixture. Set aside.

   

3. Slice apples into rings 1/4” to 3/8” wide. Discard any bruises. Uniform slicing can make a big difference in how evenly the fruit dries.
4.  Dip apple slices in bowl of water and lemon juice. Place on tray in a single layer without touching.

   

5. A cinnamon and sugar mixture can be sprinkled on the apples at this step to create a sweeter treat.
6. Dry at 135° F until pliable, 6-8 hours. This may take longer depending on humidity in your area. Allow to cool on rack.

 

Tips for Dehydrated Apples

• Store in sealed jars, Ziploc bags (if eating soon), or in mylar sealable bags for long term storage.
• Dried apples are wonderful for use in a variety of baked good. ½ cup dried fruit is equivalent to 1 cup fresh.
• To re-hydrate fruit, let apples stand in just enough boiling water to cover for approximately 7 minutes. Refrigerate to avoid spoiling.
• Be sure to slice the apples as evenly as possible so they dry at the same rate.
• For best results, avoid overlap on the dehydrator tray while your dehydrated apples process.
• The process can take anywhere from 6 hours to 12 depending on the strength of your dehydrator and how humid the weather is.

 

Variations for Dried Apple Chips

• Before dehydrating the apples, sprinkle with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar for a sweeter end result.
• Another great option is to sprinkle them with a bit of apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice for even more flavor.
• Serve your dehydrated or baked apples with a drizzle of caramel sauce or use as a topping for ice cream, cake, or other desserts.
• For a fun pattern in the center of every chip, skip the coring step. You’ll want to get rid of any seeds you can find.

 

FAQs

Can I make dehydrated apples in the oven?

If you don’t have a dehydrator, your oven is a great secondary option! Follow the same process and bake the apple slices at the lowest temperature your oven will go (it’s anywhere from 170 degrees to 200 degrees for most modern ovens) and bake until they’re dried and crispy or leathery.

What apples are best for apple chips?

I used Cosmic Crisp apples for this recipe and that turned out great, but some other potential options include Granny Smith apples (especially if you like them more sour), Jonathan, Pippin, Rome Beauty, McIntosh Red, and Baldwin apples.

Why aren’t my apple chips crunchy?

If you find they aren’t crisp or crunchy enough, they may need more time in the dehydrator. You’ll also want to make sure you give them plenty of time to cool after they’re finished dehydrating, as this is an important part of the process. Don’t overbake or dehydrate them because they’ll continue to crisp up afterward.

Best Dehydrator I Have Used

Over the years, I have used several different dehydrators, I found the Salton was a good dehydrator especially for small amounts of food.

But, years ago, I splurged and got an Excalibur 9 tray dehydrator – and have never regretted it. Except the price has come down a lot over the years! They are much less expensive now, especially if you can find them on sale (sometimes on Amazon).

This one comes either without a timer or with a timer; I opted for the automatic shut off timer so it didn’t matter if I was inside or not when the time was up. Very handy, at least for me!

More Apple Recipes You’ll Love

• Slow Cooker Apple Butter – This sweet spread is perfect to serve with breakfasts and desserts and is so easy to make in your slow cooker!
• Pork Chops stuffed with cornbread and apples – a delicious dinner recipe.
• Apple Walnut Muffins – Great as an afternoon snack or brunch option, these muffins come with a fantastic streusel topping.
• Old Fashioned Apple Crisp – A classic dessert, this is another great way to turn apples into a decadent and nostalgic treat.
• Homemade Apple Pie Spice – Learn how to make a simple blend of spices that are perfect to sprinkle on top of dried apple chips and other desserts!

 

Easy Dehydrated Apple Chips