Snack-lovers, listen up: Iโve got a HEALTHY, in-season snack recipe for you thatโs not only crispy and satisfying, but easy, gluten-free, inexpensive, and perfect for little hands, too.
โTis the season for Baked Apple Chips!
The Perfect Healthy Snack
We are a house of snackers. Thereโs no way around it. Ben eats a salad almost every day for lunch so he comes home from work starving (say it with me, Ben: CARBS) Iโm 35 weeks pregnant and am always hungry, and Lincolnโs 3.
โNuf said.
That said, Iโm always on the hunt for easy healthy snacks and Baked Apple Chips are SLAYING. Like I said, simple, inexpensive, delicious, and CRISPY. Because, no matter your age, doesnโt 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 early September through November.
Itโs 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. Itโs all about that chip appearance and texture, which tricks your brain into thinking itโs getting something way more decadent than a piece of fruit. If you donโt believe me, the proof is in the pudding โ aka this sweet face. Lincoln goes nuts for Baked Apple Chips and I have zero problem giving him as many as he wants (within reason, of course.)
I would 1000x prefer to give him fresh Baked Apple Chips than some cracker or pretzel with no nutritional value.
No Dehydrator Needed
Ok, so how do you make these things? Good news โ 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 โ Lincoln and I were eating them faster than I could make them!
Seeing as how Iโve made nearly a dozen batches of Baked Apple Chips within the past two weeks, Iโve picked up a trick or two, including which apples work best for these chips, how long theyโll last (hot tip: not long!) and an explanation of their final color and shape, down in the recipe card below.
Letโs bake!
How to Make Baked Apple Chips
Start by slicing fresh apples 1/8โณ 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 panโs worth.
Next, use a round cookie cutter to cut out the hard centers or do what I did and use an icing tip (#kitchenhack!) You CAN bake the apple chips with the centers still intact but they get kind of sharp and can irritate your mouth. Totally your call though.
Line your half sheet pans with parchment paper or silpats then line the apples up โ they can touch but donโt 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 donโt be discouraged if theyโre still a little soft after two hours. Just keep baking โ theyโll get there!
Note: the apple chips will curl slightly when baked on parchment paper and stay flat when baked on silpats. I also noticed that crispier apples like Honeycrisp stay lighter throughout the baking process than 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 Youโll Love
- Caramel Apple Crisp with Easy Caramel Sauce
- Stovetop Apple Crisp for Two
- Gluten Free Apple Cinnamon Muffins
- Caramel Apple Cheesecake Dip
- Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Bars
free email bonus
Dinner Made EASY
5 days of simple yet flavorful recipes that take the stress out of dinnertime!
Baked Apple Chips
Description
Baked Apple Chips are a healthy snack recipe that will satisfy your craving for something sweet and crunchy. Just slice, bake, and eat!
Ingredients
- fresh apples (see Notes for varieties recommended,) sliced 1/8" thick
Directions
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees then line a half sheet pan with a silpat or parchment paper. Line with apple slices (they can touch but not overlap,) then bake for 2 hours, rotating the pan halfway through, or until an apple chip crisps up after sitting out and cooling for 2-3 minutes. Keep sheet pan in oven while testing the apple chip for doneness.
- If you're baking more than one pan at a time, plan on adding an extra 20-30 minutes of baking time.
Notes
- I use an OXO Good Grips Mandoline Slicer to uniformly slice my apples. Use a cookie cutter, icing tip, or other round cutter to remove hard centers from the slices.
- Crispy apples like Honeycrisp, Fuji, and Pink Ladies will hold up better through the slicing process.
- The color of the final apple chip depends on the variety of apple you're using. I found crispier apples like Honeycrisp stayed lighter throughout the baking process than softer apples like Priscilla. Both tasted delicious.
- Chips tend to curl a little more when baked on parchment paper vs a silpat.
- The time it takes for the apple slices to fully crisp up depends on the individual apple - just keep baking even if it takes longer than 2 hours - they'll get there eventually!
- Store leftover Baked Apple Chips in a Ziplock bag or airtight container for up to 3 days.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
nlpiano 09.22.2019
Hope these are like or better than the โbareโ brand than I can only find occasionally at Costco.
Kristin 10.14.2021
100%
3 Picky Eater Solutions for Toddlers 09.06.2018
[โฆ] Baked Apple Chips [Iowa Girl Eats] โ We like eating these as is, but you can also toss apples with a pinch of cinnamon before baking to add a little extra flavor. [โฆ]
33 Homemade Vegan Snacks: Some Unique n Unheard Recipes 03.15.2018
[โฆ] Baked apple chips [โฆ]
judy 10.01.2017
Do you see any reason to soak the apples in lemon juice or something to prevent browning? Other dehydrating recipes add this step, but your photos show nicely colored rings. Did you do something special?
Kristin 10.02.2017
Nope, nothing special! Just slice and bake. :)
Maureen 09.29.2017
Could you put a bit of cinnamon sugar on these or would the sugar burn due to the long baking time?
Kristin 10.02.2017
I think cinnamon could for sure work but I think the sugar would burn, as you mentioned.
Dori Johns 05.12.2017
Thanks so much for this easy recipe. My granddaughter will be thrilled!
40+ Healthy Halloween Treats - Food Faith Fitness 10.04.2016
[โฆ] Baked Apple Chips โ Iowa Girl Eats [โฆ]
Marian 09.28.2016
Hi! I donโt have parchment or silpatsโฆcan I just spray with cooking spray?
Kristin 09.28.2016
I actually wouldnโt spray the pan โ or maybe spray half just so you can compare what happens?
David van Dellen 09.26.2016
This is great, our granddaughter just found out she must be Gluten free immediately, we are looking for any help with this. Thank you. She is 22, & lives in S.C.
Kristin 09.28.2016
I know sheโll love these, David! If she needs any help with the transition, I have an ebook that can help her! https://iowagirleats.com/gluten-free-for-beginners/
Tracy 09.19.2016
Iโve been a long-time reader, but not commenter and I love your recipes (favorites are the maple granola, smoothies, ribs, special steak with amazing butter/wine sauceโฆ.and I could go on)! These look yummy! My parents have an apple tree and keep bringing me apples which I usually make muffins/cake/bread with but I may have to try this. Iโm also expecting baby #2 this October, Iโm curious if you plan to do any stock-up freezer/crockpot meals and if you would like to share I think that would make an an awesome (and timely for me) blog post!
Kristin 09.19.2016
Congratulations, Tracy, that is so exciting!! YES, I actually have a freezer meals post on the calendar for this Friday, so stay tuned. :) And if you have any apples leftover, I HIGHLY recommend this Apple Cake recipe! https://iowagirleats.com/2012/10/02/fresh-apple-cake/
Fiona @ Get Fit Fiona 09.18.2016
These look delicious! And a perfect portable fall snack.
haley @Cupcakes and Sunshine 09.17.2016
uhhh YUM!!! So excited it is apple season. Canโt wait to make these~~
Alex 09.16.2016
I love apple chips, and now Iโll have to try making some myself. Try dipping them in almond butter. I recommend the salted kind from Trader Joeโs. Salty, sweet, crunchy, and creamy all in one bite. And you can tell yourself it was healthy when youโve eaten the whole batch yourself without even noticing. If your feeling indulgent, spread some with almond butter and sprinkle with some toasted coconut or mini chocolate chipsโฆor both. Just sayinโโฆ
Stella @ Stellicious Life 09.16.2016
I LOVE Baked Apple Chips, it was a staple in our house when me and my sisters were growing up, and we could demolish huge quantities in no time. Canโt wait for chillier fall weather to make these :-)
ps. Lincoln is SO adorable!! :-D Have you picked a name for Baby#2?
Kristin 09.16.2016
We did, thank goodness!! Still need a middle name but got the important one picked out. ;)
Hil 09.16.2016
If I wanted to add cinnamon, when would I sprinkle that on? Before baking?
Kristin 09.16.2016
Yep, I would do it before baking!
Sarah C 09.16.2016
Icing tip! Brilliant kitchen hack!
Julie 09.16.2016
I loaded up on the $1.99 Honeycrisps at Hy-Vee last week, too. :) Couldnโt believe it when I saw that price! I regret not going back later in the week for another load.
Kristin 09.16.2016
Me too โ we went through our stash in like three daysโฆ
Holly K 09.16.2016
Making these this weekend, and letโs be honest probably some kind of caramel or butterscotch dip to dunk them in because every chip needs a dip amiright? :) Thanks for another great (and simple) recipe! P.S. Made the sweet potato zoodles with broccoli and sausage the other night and was BLOWN AWAY. Iโd had it on my menu plan since you posted it but kept bumping it down the list because I wasnโt sure how weโd like it. Finally, bit the bullet and had a frozen pizza on reserve and made it on Wednesday,. Girl, why did I ever doubt you? It was AWESOME, and I loved how filling it was and how good it felt eating it, meaning I didnโt feel disgusting and bloated like if theyโd been real noodles. Everyone in my party of 5 enjoyed it and we just kept saying โI canโt believe how good this is!โ You nailed it with that one!
Kristin 09.16.2016
YES โ these chips + caramel = divine. Iโm so, so glad you liked the sweet potato noodle dish too. Sweet potato noodles make it easy to get the family to eat healthier (and like it!)
sarah 09.16.2016
Canโt wait to try these! Making them this weekend! I am curious how you clean your Silpat thoughโฆ I hate using mine because itโs so flimsy when Iโm trying to clean it I feel like it never gets a thorough cleaning. thanks!
Kristin 09.16.2016
I fold it over a couple rows in the bottom of the dishwasher (donโt know if youโre supposed to but thatโs what Iโve always done!) ?
Erica 09.16.2016
Hi there! If we can only go to one orchard for apple picking with our 3 yo, which one do you suggest?? Thx!
Kristin 09.16.2016
I would go to Berry Patch โ they have a ton of variety and always have PYO. At Wills you need to call ahead to see if theyโre doing it. Have fun!!