A homemade apple chips recipe tastes more fresh than store-bought ones, it’s more cost effective, and you can customize the sweetness and seasonings. Learning how to make apple chips is very similar to making zucchini chips, but this time for a sweet fall snack. It’s so easy, too!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for homemade apple chips, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
Apples – You can use any variety you like! Some great ones are Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Fuji, pink lady, gala, or my personal favorite, jazz apples. Make sure they are firm, so that they are easy to slice thinly. Sweetener – This is optional, and not required if your apples are already sweet! Regular sugar works fine, but I prefer Besti, which is a natural sweetener that has no aftertaste, sugar, or calories. Cinnamon – For a warm fall flavor. See other seasoning ideas below!
How To Make Apple Chips
This section shows how to make baked apple chips, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card. This is not required, but squeezing some lemon juice over the slices before baking will reduce browning and your apple chips will keep for longer. I don’t usually add it because they go so fast, anyway!
Seasoning Variations
Cinnamon apple chips are the most popular flavor, but you can customize them with other autumn spices: It’s not required, but the chips come out more crispy (and finish a little faster) if you bake them on racks fitted over the baking sheets. I have and love this set!
For air fryer apple chips: Arrange in the basket in a single layer and air fry for 8-12 minutes at 320 degrees F, flipping halfway through. (You’ll need to cook them in batches.) Just like the oven version, cool completely to crisp up. For dehydrator apple chips: Arrange in a single layer on the racks and dehydrate for 6-12 hours, until crispy.
Citrus – Add some dried lemon zest powder or dried orange zest powder. Fresh or coarser dried zest might work, but the texture won’t be as nice. Fall Spiced – Add a sprinkle of ground nutmeg, cloves, or cardamom in addition to cinnamon. Apple Spice – Use apple pie spice instead of cinnamon. Pumpkin Spice – Use pumpkin pie spice instead of cinnamon.
Remember that the apples will shrink while baking, so go easy on the seasonings.
Storage Instructions
Keep apple chips in an airtight container in the pantry for up to 1 week. They will soften after 24 hours, but you can get them crispy again! Return them to the oven at 200 degrees F to dry out for 10 minutes, then cool on the counter to crisp up.
Ways To Use Apple Chips
The best way to eat apple chips is all on their own! But you can also repurpose them for other recipes:
Breakfast – Crush and sprinkle them over coconut yogurt or oatmeal. Salads – Break into smaller pieces and use them as a crunchy topping for salads. They work particularly well with fall flavors in butternut squash salad, or in place of fresh apples in a Thanksgiving or winter salad. Granola – Add them to homemade granola or even granola bars for fruity flavor and extra crunch. Charcuterie – Use them in place of crackers on a board with deli meats, cheeses, air fryer kale chips and Halloween deviled eggs for a fall-themed board.
More Crunchy Snack Recipes
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