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Apple Chips are a simple to make, healthy and all-natural snack. Like potato chips, they are portable, making them easy to snack on at home or on the go.
An average medium size apple weighs about 7 oz. Peeled and cored, the same apple weighs 5 oz. After dehydrating, you're left with about 3/4 oz. of apple chips.
Please read the entire recipe before proceeding.
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Step One - Select Your Apples
Find apples that are ripe and sweet, without bruises. When apples are dried - any bruises will show a lot. You can use any type of apples. Keep in mind - apples taste sweeter when you dry them. |
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Step Two - Prepare the Pre-treating Solution
To prevent apples from turning brown, you will need to dip them into the pre-treating solution. It is simply the mixture of water and lemon juice (or a crushed Vitamin C tablet if that's handier). Lemon juice contains Ascorbic Acid, which will prevent the apples from turning brown when exposed to oxygen. Use 2 Tbsp. of lemon juice or 1 crushed Vitamin C tablet in about 1 Qt. of water.
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Step Three - Core and Pare Your Apples
Core and pare the apple. (You can dry the peel separately, then grind or crush to make apple powder.) The core can be used for compost. Coring and paring may be done by hand. At Hazelman Farms, we use an apple/potato peeler/corer. It pares slices and cores the apples in less than a minute. You can find it in your local domestic goods store, like Bed Bath & Beyond or similar for about $30. |
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Step Four - Slice the Apple
Slice the apple how you would like the chips to come out. Hazelman Farms suggest you slice them in a circle. Keep each slice about 1/4" thick, otherwise it may not dry all the way through. |
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Step Five - Pretreat the Apple Slices
Immediately after slicing, place apples in your pretreating solution. Make sure all sides are dipped. |
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 Step Six - Prepare the Apple Slices for Drying
Space out the apples on the drying tray. Leave room so the fruit doesn't overlap. Better airflow will speed the drying.
Step Seven (optional)
Put cinnamon or cinnamon sugar on apples. |
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Step Eight
Set up dehydrator and run for 8-12 hours at 135°F. Check frequently after 6 hours to see their consistency. Longer drying results in a dryer, crunchier, long-lasting apple chip. Shorter drying results in a leathery texture. |
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Step Nine
Remove from dehydrator, let cool to room temperature and enjoy. Do not put warm chips into a container or they will end up soggy from condensation. |
