Snack-lovers, listen up: I’ve got a HEALTHY, 1-ingredient snack recipe that’s not only crispy and satisfying, but easy, gluten-free, inexpensive, and perfect for little hands, too. ‘Tis the season for Baked Apple Chips!
Apple Chips = Perfect Healthy Snack
We are a house of snackers. There’s no way around it. My husband eats a salad almost every day for lunch so he comes home from work starving (say it with me, honey: CARBS) I’m currently 35 weeks pregnant and am always hungry, and my oldest is 3. ‘Nuf said. That said, I’m always on the hunt for easy healthy snacks and Baked Apple Chips are IT. Like I said, simple, inexpensive, delicious, and CRISPY. Because, no matter your age, doesn’t a pile of crunchy apple chips sound like a better snack than a soft cup of applesauce?
Kids Love Apple Chips!
One of our favorite fall activities is going apple picking and between those fun weekend trips, and the mountains of inexpensive apples taking over the produce department at the grocery store, we have a constant stream of fresh, mostly-local apples in the refrigerator from August through November. It’s hard to argue that a more perfect snack than a raw apple exists, but Baked Apple Chips are giving them a run for their money. It’s all about that chip appearance and texture, which tricks your brain into thinking it’s getting something way more decadent than a piece of fruit. If you don’t believe me, the proof is in the pudding – aka this sweet face! My kiddo goes nuts for Baked Apple Chips and I have zero problem giving him as many as he wants!
No Dehydrator Needed
Ok, so how do you make these things? Good news – no dehydrator necessary. Just a mandoline or sharp knife, half sheet pan, and an oven are all it takes to get a pile of Baked Apple Chips on your table. These chips are so good I had to make SIX BATCHES in order to get enough to style for these photographs – we were eating them faster than I could bake them! Seeing as how I’ve made nearly a dozen batches of Baked Apple Chips within the past two weeks, I’ve picked up a trick or two, including which apples work best for these chips, how long they’ll last (hot tip: not long!) and an explanation of their final color and shape, down in the recipe card below. Let’s do this!
How to Make Baked Apple Chips
Start by slicing fresh apples 1/8″ thick. I recommend a mandoline slicer or an extremely sharp knife and steady grip. You can fit roughly 1-1/2 medium-sized apples to a half sheet pan so plan on having at least 3 apples on hand if you want to make two half sheet pan’s worth. Next, use a round cookie cutter to cut out the hard centers or use an icing/piping bag tip. You CAN bake the apple chips with the centers still intact but they get kind of sharp and can irritate your mouth.
Line your half sheet pans with parchment paper or silpats then line the apples up – they can touch but don’t let them overlap. Bake for 2 hours at 200 degrees, rotating the pans halfway through, or until an apple chip crisps up 2-3 minutes after taking one off the pan to test. The final baking time really depends on the moisture level of the apples, so don’t be discouraged if they’re still a little soft after two hours. Just keep baking – they’ll get there!
Note: the apple chips will curl slightly when baked on parchment paper and stay flat when baked on a silpat. I also learned that crispier apples like Honeycrisp stay lighter throughout the baking process vs softer apples like Priscillas, but the taste was unaffected.
Let the apple slices cool completely before packing into an airtight container or Ziplock bag, or, you know, devouring immediately!
More Apple Treats You’ll Love
Easy Gluten Free Apple Crisp Stovetop Apple Crisp for Two Gluten Free Apple Cinnamon Muffins Caramel Apple Cheesecake Dip Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Bars
Like this recipe? Share it with friends!
