Apple chips are a versatile sweet that can be used as a garnish for a dessert, a topping on a salad, or snacked on right from the pan. A delicious and crunchy treat.–Emily Mainquist
LC Not Too Thick, Not Too Thin, Just Right Note
The swell thing about making your own apple chips, aside from finally finding a use for the glut of autumn apples you lugged home from the market thinking you’d take the time to make applesauce and apple cake and apple bread, is that not only is it simple as can be, but you can regulate the relative sweetness as well as the chewiness or crispiness of the chips. It may take a little finagling as you try one thickness and then another, gauging the amount of time in the oven accordingly, but how bad can it be when you get to nosh on your oopses? And if you’re still seeking uses for an abundance of apples even after making these chips, look no further.
Apple Chips Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 medium Granny Smith apples
- 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
Directions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 250°F (121°C). Line a baking sheet with Silpat. (You can instead line it with parchment paper if that’s all you happen to have on hand, but be aware that some chips will stick to the parchment.)
- 2. If desired, core the apples. Thinly slice each apple. (A mandoline or hand-held slicer works well for slicing them as thinly as possible. Think between 1/16 and 1/8 inch thick.)
- 3. Dip the apples in the sugar, turning to coat each side. Place on the prepared baking sheet and bake until the apples are golden brown, 45 to 90 minutes, depending on the thickness. Let cool. If some of the apple chips stick to the parchment, return the whole shebang to the oven for literally just a few minutes then peel the apples off while still warm. (You can store them in an airtight container for up to several days.)
Hungry for more? Chow down on these:
- Apricot Lavender Fruit Leather from Roost
- Sun-dried Apricots & Garlic Stuffed Morels from Flanboyant Eats
- Dried Figs and Apricots in Vanilla Wine Syrup from Leite's Culinaria
- Chocolate Dipped Candied Citrus Peel from Leite's Culinaria
Apple Chips Recipe © 2011 Emily Mainquist. Photo © 2011 Penny De Los Santos. All rights reserved.


[Brenda Carleton] This two-ingredient “recipe” is a snap to make, but I found that the apples (which I sliced 1/8″ thick with my mandoline) took 35 minutes in the oven before they even hinted at turning brown. They should be removed from the aluminum foil (or parchment) quickly while they are still pliable — I found a few had hardened and stuck to the foil and were difficult to peel off. The slices themselves taste great and look pretty. I ate nearly half as-is, without waiting for dessert. I’m going to use this idea for pears, too. A simple, inexpensive, yet elegant way to add textural interest to a dish.
[Linda B.] This is a great method for making your own dried fruit. I sliced my apples on a mandoline, on the thinnest setting, then put them on parchment paper. They stuck to the paper and I had a hard time getting them off. I might try using silpat next time, but I expect they might take a little longer to dry.
[Jessica DeStefano] When I made this recipe, I envisioned packing these apple chips in my picky daughter’s lunchbox. She nixed the idea after one bite, leaving me to happily eat the remainder. As I suspected, the apples took more like 40 to 45 minutes, but watch them — they go from crispy to incinerated very quickly (I cut the slices an eighth of an inch thick). Also, they were a bit too sweet, more like apple candy. I will try dipping only one side of the apple slices in sugar next time.
Wow and here I figured I’d need a dehydrater to make these. They sound simple to make and we know they’re delicious. Thanks for sharing.
You’re very welcome, Vicki. As we note above the recipe, it may take just a little jiggering with your oven temperature and timing to get the apple chips just the way you like, but it’s not hard. And do use a Silpat or other baking mat, as the chips peel off them really quite easily whereas they stick like the dickens to parchment paper!
I made these with Golden Delicious and no added sugar. Turned out great! I sliced mine 1/8″ thick and they took one hour. Next time, I’ll place the slices on a cooling rack and put that on a baking sheet. That way, the heat can circulate.
Lovely to hear, Judy. And brilliant baking rack trick for next time. Do let us know how that goes! I’m guessing slightly crisper, less chewier…?