How to Make Dehydrated Apple Chips at Home

Dehydrated apple chips are a perfect, crispy treat that you can munch on with no guilt! Making them yourself is simple and cost-effective—and you can do it without any special tools. Instead of picking up this tasty treat from the store, there’s no reason why you can’t learn how to make dehydrated apple chips at home.

What are apple chips?

Dehydrated apple chips are apple slices that have had the moisture removed by a dehydrator, oven, or through air-drying. They’re perfect to make in the fall when apples are abundant, but you can make dried apple chips any time of year.

Apple chips are perfect as an after-lunch sweet treat or an evening snack. We eat this crispy and delicious treat at our house almost every single day!

Are apple chips healthy?

Since apple chips are mainly just apples, they make a super healthy snack, in addition to being absolutely delicious. We add lemon juice and cinnamon to our apple chips, making them hard to stop eating. If you’re trying to transition from potato chips or other, less healthy snack habits, apple chips are a perfect distraction.

Is it cheaper to make your own apple chips or buy them?

The first time I looked at a bag of apple chips at the grocery store, my jaw dropped. I had been making our own chips for months, and was used to spending about $1.50 per week for Garrett to have them with his lunch every single day. (This cost was with purchasing the apples from the store. During the fall when apples are abundant, they generally cost us even less.)

At our grocery store, a 6oz bag of apple chips costs $12.99. I can make that same amount with one bag of apples, which costs around $3.25.

Making our own is a great way to have a fun treat on hand that we would otherwise probably never buy!

What kind of apples do you need to make apple chips?

The beauty of apple chips is that, unlike applesauce, almost any kind of apple works well. I actually haven’t found a single kind of apple that didn’t turn out to be delicious. However, I do prefer the firmer, sweeter varieties for best results. McIntosh, Pink Lady, and Fuji are some of our favorites.

If you’ve had apples sitting on your counter for awhile and they’re starting to get soft, turning them into apple chips is a great way to use them up.  Even with less-than-perfect fruit, this snack is honestly hard to mess up.

Do you need to peel apples before dehydrating them?

Whether or not you peel your apples before drying them is completely up to you. I almost always leave the peels on. It saves time and tastes great.

Why use a dehydrator the make apple chips?

While there are multiple methods for making apple chips, dehydrating them is my method of choice. Unlike using the oven, a dehydrator doesn’t heat up your house, and you don’t have to babysit it. You can leave the apples in for most of the day, you don’t have to be home while it’s running, and you don’t have to be super specific about the timing.

Our Nesco dehydrator is old and has given us batch upon batch of dried apples, dried bananas, venison jerky, dried tomatoes, and more. I don’t know what I’d do without it!

How long do you dehydrate apple chips?

If you’re using a dehydrator to make your apple chips, the length of time will depend on a few factors, such as the type of apples, space between the slices, and the number of trays you use. I usually stack 6 trays and rotate them once during the process. This generally takes about 6-10 hours.

How to make dehydrated apple chips at home in a dehydrator

You’ll only need a few basic tools in addition to your dehydrator to make apples using this method.

What you’ll need:

• Cutting board
• Knife
• Apple Corer/Slicer/Peeler (Or a knife)

How to make apple chips in a dehydrator

1. Wash the apples (I find that it takes about 8 apples to fill 6 trays).
2. Cut the apples using the corer/slicer/peeler. Alternatively, you can use a knife to cut thin slices, as if you were cutting the apple for eating (except thinner).
   
3. Throw sliced apples into a big bowl.
   
4. Drizzle lemon juice over all of the slices, then sprinkle with cinnamon. You may have to mix the slices a bit to make sure they’re all covered. (Side note: I’ve noticed that if I soak the apples overnight, the flavor is stronger and sweeter. This is not necessary, though.)
5. Spread apples out on your dehydrator trays. Make sure that none are overlapping.
   
6. Turn dehydrator to 135 degrees.
7. Check after 5 hours or so, rotating trays if needed.
   
8. Store in Tupperware, Mason jars, or plastic bags.

How to make dehydrated apple chips at home in the oven

If you don’t have a dehydrator, you can also make your apples in the oven! Here’s how:

1. Wash the apples
2. Cut the apples into thin slices.
3. Throw sliced apples into a big bowl.
4. Drizzle lemon juice over all of the slices, then sprinkle with cinnamon.
5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, then spread the apples on the sheet without overlapping.
   
6. Bake at 225 degrees for 2-3 hours.
   

How to air-dry apples for apple chips

1. Wash the apples
2. Cut the apples into thin slices.
3. Throw sliced apples into a big bowl.
4. Drizzle lemon juice over all of the slices, then sprinkle with cinnamon.
5. String apples on a secure string or dowel, making sure that they are not touching
   
6. Hang in a warm place for 2-3 days or until apples are completely dry

I honestly have not had great success with this method, but it will work in a pinch! My best tips are to make sure that the apples are secure and won’t fall, and to be very patient.

How to use dehydrated apple chips

Our favorite way to munch on dried apple chips is just plain! They’re the perfect snack for both adults and children. You could also use them as a topping, such as on oatmeal or salad, or in a homemade trail mix.

How do you store dehydrated apple chips?

There are plenty of ways to store apple chips. For long-term storage, you can put them in glass jars for about 6 months or in the freezer for up to a year. They will also keep in plastic bags for 2+ months. Store in a cool, dark location.

Make sure that your apples are fully dried before storing. Check on them a few times within the first week to ensure that there’s no residual moisture in the bag or jar. If so, you’ll need to dry them a bit longer.