With only 4 ingredients, this is an easy and unique apple snack. Simply slice apples, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and bake until crisp. It can also be made in an air fryer, and I give you both options.
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Easy apple snack
Besides the fact that they are delicious, the aroma in your kitchen will make you bake these chips often. And I don't know about you, but I always have leftover apples (I always overstock, just in case) when baking desserts like apple crumble or apple pie bars.
I don't know how long they've been around, but I remember them from the '80s. Nobody made them at home, though. We bought bags of them like you would regular potato chips.
So, the idea of homemade apple chips is wonderful. You can adjust the level of spice and sweetness or even make them slightly salty or spicy with a pinch of cayenne or paprika.
Eat them on their own as a plain snack, with a sweet dip or as part of a cheese board alongside cocktail nuts or with a spicy chili jam.
FAQ
Firm, slightly tart apples like Granny Smith, Honeycrisp or Fuji work best. If you like other baking apples (like Gala, pink lady, red delicious), try them out and see how it goes. You might find a new favorite.
It's not necessary, and I don't. The skin adds texture and flavor. But you can peel them.
Yes, of course. Whatever combination of spices you like with apples works well. Cinnamon is a classic, but nutmeg, allspice or an apple pie spice mix, they all work well. Some people add cardamom or pumpkin pie spice. I find them a tad strong, but that's me.
Yes, you can, and it's faster than in a regular oven. It's the same procedure. There are instructions and images below.
Yes! Simply sprinkle them with salt instead of cinnamon sugar. Other spices you can add are black pepper, smoked paprika, chili salt and other similar seasonings.
Ingredient list
- Baking apples:
- Ground cinnamon.
- Brown sugar.
- Powdered sugar: also known as confectioners' sugar or icing sugar.
Quantities are listed on the recipe card towards the end of this post. The Ingredients page has more details and lists the brands we use.
How to make baked apple chips
- How thin should you slice the apples? Quite thin, about ⅛ inch thick, for even baking. A regular mandoline or hand-held mandoline (my choice) is the perfect tool for getting even, thin slices.
- Do you need to flip the apple slices during baking? Yes, you do. Flip them once with a spatula, so they dry evenly.
- How can you tell when the apple chips are done? They should be golden and dry to the touch. They will crisp up further as they cool, so give them time. They need more time in the oven if they're soggy or chewy after cooling down.
Apples
Slice unpeeled apples and take out the seeds. Place them in rows on parchment paper and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar.
Don't overlap them. Make it one batch at a time or use several baking sheets.
Bake
The oven dries them up, so they look shriveled. As they cool down, they will continue to crisp.
Air fryer
Follow the same process, and place the cinnamon sugar slices in the pan. They might overlap.
Kitchen Notes
- Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, utensils and equipment needed, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
- Baking time: consider that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as possible, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer(like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend keeping track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
- You can re-crisp apple chips that have become soft by baking them further in a low oven (200°F/95°C).
- If your apples are unevenly baked it's probably because the slices are uneven; a mandoline will prevent this.
- If they brown too quickly, lower the temperature and rotate the baking sheet as home ovens don't always bake evenly.
How to store apple chips
They will last about a week. It depends on how dry they were to begin with.
- Cool completely, as any residual warmth could create moisture, leading to sogginess.
- Use an airtight container: I like airtight glass jars (like mason jars), but you can use a plastic container with a good lid. The idea is to prevent exposure to air and moisture.
- Keep the container in a cool, dry place, such as a pantry or cupboard. Avoid areas with high humidity or fluctuating temperatures.
- Place a silica gel packet inside the container. This will absorb any excess moisture and keep the chips crispy. You can buy food grade silica gel packets online.
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Cinnamon Apple Chips
If using the air fryer, they take 20 minutes to bake.
Ingredients
- 4 apples
- 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar, light or dark
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
For the oven:
- Preheat the oven to 200°F (95°C).
- Wash and dry 4 apples with skin. Slice very thinly with a mandoline. Remove seeds.
- Combine 1 tablespoon cinnamon with 3 tablespoons powdered sugar and 3 tablespoons brown sugar in a bowl.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the apple slices in a single layer. Using a fine-mesh sieve, sprinkle them with the cinnamon sugar mixture.
- Flip the slices over and sprinkle cinnamon sugar on both sides.
- Bake for about 1 hour. Flip the apples over with a spatula, and dry them out for another 40-60 minutes.
- Remove the sheet and let the apple chips cool on the counter. They will become crisper.
For the air fryer:
- Place apple slices in 1-2 layers in the air fryer basket.
- Sprinkle it with sugar and cinnamon mixture; no need to turn them over and sprinkle both sides.
- Air fry at 300°-320°F for 15-20 minutes. check every 5 minutes, turning the chips and shaking the basket. If the chips are browning too quickly, lower the temperature.
- Remove from the basket and let them cool until crisp.
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