Apple Chips
For years I used to shell out (too many) dollars for overpriced store bought apple chips – and annoyingly half the bag was filled with air! Homemade apple chips still get that perfect crunch, with a lower price tag. Not to mention, they’re actually super easy to make with only 4 simple ingredients. Many homemade apple chips turn out chewy or soggy, but this recipe comes out light & crunchy with just the right snap. I’ll teach you two methods: baked and air fried. Personally, I recommend air frying (if you have this available): it’s quicker and creates a crunchier apple chip! After lots of recipe testing, I also found that drying your apple slices with a little paper towel will create an even crispier chip!
Every fall (when I’ve got more apples than I know what to do with!) these apple chips are one of my go-to apple recipes. I love to sprinkle them with some cinnamon sugar for a fall-ish flavor and pack them for a healthy snack at work.
After taste testing this recipe with what seemed like 15+ apples, I can honestly say the better cooking method is air frying. It takes less than 20 minutes and these chips are *chef’s kiss* super crunchy. Top tip – slice your apples as thin as you can get them. If you cut some that are a little thicker, those chips are going to need quite a bit longer to cook to obtain the crisp texture!
Apple Chip Ingredients
*See below for more information.
See recipe card for full ingredient list and quantities.
What apples are best for apple chips?
Any apple you enjoy will work for apple chips! I personally like a super crisp apple like a Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, or Fuji.
How to Make Baked Apple Chips
1. Slice Apples
Preheat oven to 250°F or 121°C. Prep a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper. (You should be able to fit all the apples on one sheet, depending on how thick your apples are).
Wash and dry your apples. Using a sharp knife, slice your apple as thinly as possible. You can also use a mandolin. No need to remove the core (unless desired) – I personally love the beautiful star shape from the core! Remove any seeds.
2. Place on a lined baking sheet
Evenly place your apple slices on the lined baking sheet.
3. Pat dry
With a paper towel, pat your apple slices to remove excess liquid. This helps them become crispier in the oven! Don’t worry, your cinnamon sugar mixture will still stick.
4. Sprinkle on cinnamon sugar
Mix up your brown sugar, white sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Sprinkle your apple slices with the cinnamon sugar mixture (as much as you’d like). You may not end up using all the cinnamon sugar.
5. Bake
Bake your apple slices for 1.5-2 hours. Check at the 1 hour and 1.5 hour mark. You know they are done when the edges are curling and the apple chip is light and stiffer. Apple chips will crisp up slightly as they cool.
6. Cool
Let them cool for 10-15 minutes before enjoying!
How to Make Air Fryer Apple Chips
1. Follow the same prepping steps as above
The preparation for the air fryer is the same as the oven. The only difference is you are placing your apple slices in an airtight basket, and likely there will be some overlap. My air fryer basket is not big enough to fit both apples, so I cook in two batches.
2. Air Fry
Air fry at 275°F or 135°C for 15-20 minutes, checking at 5 minute intervals and giving the chips a little shake.
You know they are done when the edges are curling and the apple chip is lightweight and stiffer. Air fryer apple chips seem to get crispier compared to baked chips.
*Note: Notice in my air fried apple chips photo that the thinner the slice, the more curled and crisp they become. My slightly thicker slices didn’t get quite there, so I removed the cooked chips and continued to cook the thicker ones until they got to a similar texture.
Variations of Apple Chip Flavors
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Apple Chips
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Equipment
- Baking Sheet + Parchment Paper (for baked option)
- Air Fryer with Rack (for air fryer option)
Ingredients
- 2 medium/large apples of choice (I like Honeycrisp or Pink Lady)
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp white sugar
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Baked Apple Chips: First, preheat your oven to 250°F. Prepare 1 large baking sheet. Place down a layer of parchment paper.
- Wash and dry your apples. Using a sharp knife, slice your apple as thinly as possible. You can also use a mandolin. No need to remove the core (unless desired). I personally love the pretty star shape from the core! Remove any seeds.2 medium/large apples of choice
- In a small dish, combine your sugars & cinnamon.1 tsp brown sugar, 1 tsp white sugar, 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- Briefly pat each apple slice on each side with a paper towel to soak up extra liquid. This will help the chips crisp up more. Baked Apple Chips: Lay out your apple chips evenly on the baking sheet with no overlap. Air Fryer Apple Chips: spread apple slices out with as minimal overlap. Use a few racks if your air fryer has this. If not, you may have to do 2 batches.
- Sprinkle your apple chips with the cinnamon sugar mixture. (You may not need all of it.)
- Bake: Bake your apple chips for 90-120 minutes. I recommend checking at the 1 hour and 1.5 hour mark. Air Fry: Air fry for 15-20 minutes at 275°F. Shake your chips every 5 minutes.You know your chips are done when the edges start to curl and the chips are lightweight and fairly stiff. Thinner sliced chips will cook faster. If you have some thicker ones that need longer, consider removing the cooked chips so they don't burn. *The chips will crisp up slightly more once they are set out to cool. If they are still very soft after that, consider baking or air frying for longer.
- Enjoy your apple chips either alone or with a dip (like my cheesecake dip!) The chips are definitely better the day of, but can be stored in an airtight container or plastic bag for a few days.If your chips become soft within a day, consider throwing them back into the oven or air fryer to crisp them back up!
