These Apple Chips are light, crispy, sweet and packed with cinnamon flavor. Made with just 2 ingredients and no sugar, oven baked apple crisps are perfect as a healthy snack or as a crunchy topping for Fall salads.
As fall settles in, my cravings for apples start to kick in. After a summer filled with blueberries, strawberries, and juicy peaches, I find myself reaching for crisp, sweet apples. I love them as a quick snack with roasted cashews and Greek yogurt, as a topping for oatmeal, or as an addition to autumnal salads to for extra crunchiness.
My love for apples traces back to childhood, when my mom would tuck a bag of Costco or Bare apple chips into my school lunch. As a picky eater, dried apples were one of the few fruits I enjoyed. Things have changed since then—I now fill my breakfast bowls and snacks with fresh fruit. Yet, there are times when I crave something different, something sweet, crunchy, but still healthy. The solution? Homemade banana chips and baked apple chips.
Healthy apple chips
You will love making dried apples at home. They pack all the sweet, cinnamon-y flavors of fall in a crisp munch that you won't be able to resist. The best part? They’re incredibly simple to prepare, whether you use your oven or air fryer—no dehydrator or special equipment needed. Just bake thin apple slices for about 2 hours, and you'll end up with deliciously crispy fruit chips. Perfect for you, or for your kids.
Unlike store-bought options, this budget-friendly apple chips recipe is sugar-free, oil-free, and incredibly healthy. Apples are packed with fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants, making fruit chips a nutritious snack. Last but not least, adding cinnamon boosts the flavor and offers anti-inflammatory benefits.
Which are the best apples for chips?
There are over 7,500 varieties of apples out there, and not all are great for making chips. While some are sweet and crisp, others taste tart and sour. For the best apple chips, opt for firm, crisp, and naturally sweet varieties like Honeycrisp, Fuji, Gala, or Golden Delicious, as they hold up well during baking and develop a satisfying crunch. Avoid using softer apples like Red Delicious, McIntosh, or Cortland, as they tend to become mushy rather than crisp when dehydrated.
Chef's Tip - Adjust to your likings. For sweeter, healthier chips, I recommend using Golden Delicious or Honeycrisp apples. However, if you prefer a tart flavor, try Granny Smith or Pink Lady instead.
How to make apple chips
This dried apple chips recipe is incredibly easy to make, requiring just two ingredients and no dehydrator. You can dry the apples in the oven or use an air fryer for a quicker option. For detailed instructions, check out the recipe card at the end.
- Preheat oven - Preheat oven to 200°F (90°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Slice apples - Wash and core the apples, then slice them thinly using a mandoline or a sharp knife. Aim for slices that are approximately ⅛ inch thick, the thinner they are the crispier the chips.
- Arrange chips - Arrange the sliced apples over the prepared baking sheet, spacing them apart. Make sure that the apple slices do not overlap, as they won't get crisp. If it is necessary, bake in multiple slices or in two separate baking sheets.
- Sprinkle cinnamon - Sprinkle both sides of the apple slices with ground cinnamon.
- Oven bake - Bake in hot oven at 200°F for 1 hour, then flip and bake on the other side for 1 hour more. Let cool for at least 30 minutes in the oven before serving.
Air fryer apple chips
Arrange the apple slices in the air fryer basket, without overlapping. Sprinkle with cinnamon on both sides and air fry at 300°F (150°C) for 15 minutes, flipping every 5 minutes. Let cool for 15 -30 minutes in the air fryer before serving.
Recipe tips
- Slice the apples into thin, even slices, no more than ⅛ inch thick. The thinner the slices, the crispier your chips will be. A mandoline slicer works best for this, but a sharp knife can also do the job.
- Do not attempt to speed up baking time, slow and steady wins the race. You'll need to bake apple chips in oven at 200° degrees Fahrenheit for 2 hours, or they will not crisp up as desired. If you are in a rush, consider using the air fryer instead.
- Re-bake the apple chips in 10-minute intervals if they aren't crispy after cooling. The precise cooking time can vary depending on the moisture content of the apples, so adjust baking time as needed.
- Serve baked apple chips as a crunchy addition to your snacks and meals. I enjoy them sprinkled on top of my salads for an extra layer of texture, crumbled over egg white oatmeal in the morning, or straight from the container.
How to store apple chips?
This recipe is perfect for meal prep — make it on Sunday and enjoy crunchy, healthy snacks throughout the week. Once the apple chips have cooled, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. For longer storage, you can also freeze them. Just place cooled apple crisps in a freezer-safe bag or container, and they’ll stay fresh for up to 3 months. To serve, thaw at room temperature and re-crisp in the oven for a few minutes.
More easy healthy snacks
- Banana chips
- Air fryer potato chips
- Air fryer zucchini chips
- Roasted almonds
- Carrot fries
- Air fryer chickpeas
- Protein balls
Apple Chips
Equipment
- mandoline slicer or sharp knife
Ingredients
- 3 large apples cored, I recommend Gala, Honeycrisp, Golden Delicious
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200°F (90°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Wash and core the apples, then slice them thinly using a mandoline or a sharp knife. Aim for slices that are approximately ⅛ inch thick, the thinner they are the crispier the chips.
Bake apple chips
- Arrange the sliced apples over the prepared baking sheet, spacing them apart. Make sure that the apple slices do not overlap, as they won't get crisp. If it is necessary, bake in multiple slices or in two separate baking sheets.
- Sprinkle both sides of the apple slices with ground cinnamon.
- Bake in hot oven at 200°F for 1 hour, then flip and bake on the other side for 1 hour more. Let cool for at least 30 minutes in the oven before serving.
Air fry apple chips
- Arrange the apple slices in the air fryer basket, without overlapping. Sprinkle with cinnamon on both sides and air fry at 300°F (150°C) for 15 minutes, flipping every 5 minutes. Let cool for 15 -30 minutes in the air fryer before serving.
Notes
Recipe Tips
- Choose the Right Apples: Opt for crisp varieties like Gala, Honeycrisp, or Golden Delicious. Avoid softer types like Fuji or Red Delicious, as they don't crisp up as well.
- Slice Thinly and Evenly: For the best results, slice apples as thin as possible, about ⅛ inch thick. The thinner the slices, the crispier your chips will be. A mandoline slicer works great for this, but a sharp knife can also do the trick if you don't have one.
- Ensure Crispiness: If your apple chips aren't crispy after cooling, simply return them to the oven for 10-minute intervals until they reach the perfect texture.
- Proper Storage: Store baked apple chips in an airtight container at room temperature. They’ll stay fresh and crunchy for up to a week.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are based on third-party calculations and should be considered approximations. Actual nutritional content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more. We do not overtake any responsibility.
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Liza Ho de Lee
Just simply delicious for snacks apple chips!
Matteo
Hey dear Liza,
thanks a lot for your feedback! So glad that you enjoyed this simple apple chips recipe 😉
I wish you a great day,
Matteo
Constantino Lee
Good recipe Matt, cinnamon is antiinflammatory and help me lower the symptoms of gastritis.
Matteo
Hey dear Constantino,
thanks a lot for your comment, and thanks for sharing the nutritional benefits of cinnamon. Perfect for this easy healthy apple chips recipe.
Have a great day,
Matteo