Dehydrating Apples: How to Make Apple Chips in a Dehydrator, Oven or Air Fryer

Looking for a new and delicious way to preserve fresh apples? Come learn how to make dehydrated apple chips or rings in this simple step-by-step guide. They’re easy to customize to your liking: make them thin and crispy, thick and chewy, with cinnamon and more!

It’s easy to dry apple slices in the oven or using a food dehydrator. You can also dry apples in an air fryer, though they won’t last as long in storage. I’ll cover simple tips for all three methods.

Aside from homemade apple cider vinegar, this is one of my favorite ways to preserve our homegrown apples. Yet even before we had our own apple trees, I loved to go apple picking in fall and make apple chips as a healthy seasonal snack. Once done, dried apples last for many months in the pantry.

Note: this post was originally published in July 2019.

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Tips and Frequently Asked Questions

• Dehydrated apples do not need added sugar. They’re plenty sweet on their own. Enjoy nature’s candy!  
• No matter how you make them, homemade apple chips will never stay crunchy for as long as store-bought ones. Likewise, your dried apples probably won’t be quite as pillowy and chewy as commercially-made apple rings. That is because we aren’t adding preservatives and chemicals, which is a good thing! I am simply trying to temper your expectations. 

Best Apples for Dehydrating

When dried, the sugars and flavors in apples become highly concentrated. And, the flavor will mirror the variety used. So, use what you like! For the sweetest dehydrated apples, stick with Gala, Fuji, or Golden Delicious. Pink Lady and Honeycrisp offer a nice balance of sweet and tart. If you enjoy extra tart apples, choose Granny Smith, Jonagold, or Macintosh.

Here on our homestead, we love to dehydrate homegrown apples that aren’t as great for eating fresh, including ones that are more mealy or past their prime.

Supplies Needed

• Ripe apples
• A food dehydrator, air fryer, or oven 
• For the oven: a wire baking rack and baking sheets, or parchment paper-lined baking sheets
• A vegetable peeler or specialized apple peeler, if you wish to peel yours (optional)
• Air tight storage containers
• Optional: cinnamon for sprinkling on top

Oven vs Dehydrator vs Air Fryer

It’s best to make dehydrated apples using a food dehydrator or oven if you want to preserve them long-term.

You can also make quick and easy apple chips in an air fryer, but it doesn’t remove all of the moisture from the apples the same way a dehydrator or oven does. That means air fryer dried apples are best consumed within a few weeks, though they may last a couple months if you dry them long enough and store them in the fridge.

I personally like using a food dehydrator over the oven because it requires less oversight and is impossible to accidentally burn them. We use our favorite Excalibur food dehydrator. Between its timer, precise temperature settings, and fan in the back of the machine (rather than top or bottom), we just set it and forget it! I don’t even have to rotate the trays.

Instructions

1) Wash and Cut Apples

First, wash the apples with warm water. If you want to peel and core them, do so
now.

Next, cut the apples into thin even slices – about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. The thinner you cut them, the faster and easier they’ll dry. Thinner slices may result in more crisp apple chips. Slightly thicker slices will take longer to dry, but will be more reminiscent of soft chewy fruit leather.

You can cut your apples into bite-size slices or across their equator to create larger apple rings. Either way, try to keep all the slices about the same thickness (and avoid wedges) so they dry evenly. Cut out and discard any badly bruised or otherwise damaged areas.

If you’re using an air fryer, skip to step 3.

2) Spread on Trays

Next, spread the cut apple slices in a single layer on food dehydrator trays, OR on oven-safe wire baking racks set on top of baking sheets. Avoid overlapping the pieces.

Using raised wire racks helps apples dry best in the oven, allowing airflow around the entire slice. If you don’t have wire baking racks, you can put them directly on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper instead. However, you’ll need to turn and flip the slices every hour this way, and it will take a little longer to dry.

3) Season With Cinnamon (optional)

Once the trays are filled with apple slices, dust them with a sprinkle of cinnamon. Add a few shakes over each tray until you’ve reached your desired level of cinnamon-y-ness. I sometimes add a small pinch of nutmeg too (but far less than the cinnamon). Or, try homemade apple chips with pumpkin spice seasoning!

If you’re not a cinnamon fan, feel free to skip it. Yet cinnamon is always a welcome addition in my book. Did you know that cinnamon helps to stabilize and reduce blood sugar spikes? Being Type 1 diabetic, it makes these already healthy snacks that much better for me.

4) Dehydrate Apples

In a food dehydrator: dry apple slices on 135°F (medium heat or fruit setting) for approximately 6 to 12 hours – until the apples are leathery or crispy in texture, depending on your preference*.

In the oven: use the lowest temperature setting possible (150-175°F) and bake the apples for 2 to 6 hours or longer. If you aren’t using a wire rack, flip the fruit over every hour. If you’re drying more than one tray, rotate the trays on occasion too. It may help to keep the oven door ajar just a couple inches to release humidity and speed up drying.

To dry apples in an air fryer: preheat it to 150°F. Place a layer of apple slices in the bottom of the air fryer without overcrowding them. (Dry several small batches if needed). Dry for 15 to 20 minutes, tossing and turning them every 5 minutes or so, until the apples are dry and moderately crisp.

*See more notes about assessing doneness below.*

When are apples done drying?

The exact time it takes to dehydrate apples varies depending on the method you use, your dehydrator or oven settings, the thickness of the apples, and just how “done” you want them. For instance, they’ll dry faster on a hotter setting, and thinner apple slices will dry faster than thicker ones.

Drying for a shorter time will result in more soft, chewy, supple dehydrated apples. Longer drying times will create crisp and crunchy apple chips. However, keep in mind that the more moisture that remains, the shorter their shelf life will be. Drier apple chips are less likely to mold and will last longer in storage.

Therefore, if you like your dried apples soft and plump, plan to eat them within a couple months of drying. If you make them extra-dry, they can last up to a year or longer in storage. See more storage tips below.

How to Store Dried Apples

Once the dried apple chips have cooled completely, transfer them to an airtight storage container such as zip lock bags or a large glass container with tight-fitting lid. Store in a cool, dark, dry location such as a cupboard or pantry.

If properly dried, apples should stay good in dry storage for several months or longer. Though not required, storing them in the refrigerator will help prevent mold and extend their lifespan even further – up to a year. As long as they don’t grow mold, they’re still good!

Air fryer apple chips are best consumed within a couple weeks. Store in the refrigerator to help them last up to a couple months.

Ways to Use Dehydrated Apples

Homemade dried apples are delicious to eat on their own. My personal favorite way to enjoy our apple chips is mixed with a handful of almonds or pecans like homemade trail mix. It makes the perfect healthy, energy-packed snack. They’re also awesome chopped on top of cereal, yogurt, salads, dipped in peanut butter, or as part of a cheese platter.

I also love to chop up dried apples to add to our sourdough granola recipe. You can also throw a handful of dehydrated apples into the pot or bowl while making oatmeal; they’ll reconstitute and soften as it heats. Get creative and add dehydrated apples to homemade sourdough bread or other baked goods.

If you dry them out completely (until brittle), dehydrated apples can be ground into apple powder using a blender or food processor. A friend of mine adds apple powder to granola, plain yogurt, oatmeal, or other fitting dishes. Yum!

That’s all folks!

I hope you enjoy making (and eating) homemade apple chips as much as we do. Please let us know if you have any questions or leave a review below! If you’re interested in growing you own apples, don’t miss these helpful articles about fruit tree chills hours or thinning fruit trees to get the best harvest possible.

Love dehydrating food? You may like these articles:

• How to Make Homemade Garlic Powder
• How to Dry Apricots Two Ways (Food Dehydrator or Oven)
• Preserving Onions: How to Make Onion Powder in 6 Easy Steps
• How to Make Dried Persimmons
• Homemade Tomato Powder (Fresh Tomatoes or Saved Skins)

Dehydrating Apples (Dried Apple Chips) in an Oven, Dehydrator, or Air Fryer

Learn how to preserve and dry apples in a food dehydrator, oven, or air fryer to create crispy apple chips – or soft chewy apple rings!

4.38 from 8 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 35 minutes mins

Cook Time 8 hours hrs

Course Appetizer, Breakfast, Preserved Food, Snack

Equipment

• Food Dehydrator, Oven or Air Fryer
• Wire baking rack or parchment-lined baking sheets (oven method)
• Apple peeler (optional)
• Air tight storage containers

Ingredients

  

• Apples
• Cinnamon (optional)
• Nutmeg (Optional)

Instructions

 

Prep

• Wash and slice the apples into even 1/8 to 1/4-inch thick rings or slices. Peeling is optional.
• Thinner slices will result in more crisp apple chips. Slightly thicker slices will take longer to dry, but will be more reminiscent of soft chewy fruit leather.
• Lightly season the apple slices with cinnamon and nutmeg (optional) once they're on the baking or dehydrator trays. Sprinkle over to taste.

Dehydrator

• Fill the dehydrator trays full of sliced apples. Keep them in a single layer, not overlapping.
• In a food dehydrator, dry apple slices on 135°F (medium heat or fruit setting) for approximately 6 to 12 hours – until the apples are leathery or crispy in texture, depending on your preference.

Oven

• Spread the apple slices in a single layer on oven-safe wire baking racks set on top of baking sheets. If you don’t have wire baking racks, you can put them directly on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper instead.
• In the oven, use the lowest temperature setting possible (150-175°F) and bake the apples for 2 to 6 hours or longer. If you aren’t using a wire rack, flip the fruit over every hour. If you’re drying more than one tray, rotate the trays on occasion too.

Air Fryer

• To dry apples in an air fryer, preheat it to 150°F. Place a layer of apple slices in the bottom of the air fryer without overcrowding them. (Dry several small batches if needed).
• Dry for 15 to 20 minutes, tossing and turning them every 5 minutes or so, until the apples are dry and moderately crisp.

Checking Doneness

• Drying for a shorter time will result in more soft, chewy, supple dehydrated apples. Longer drying times will create crisp and crunchy apple chips. However, keep in mind that the more moisture that remains, the shorter their shelf life will be. Drier apple chips are less likely to mold and will last longer in storage.

Storage

• Store dried apples in an airtight storage container such as zip lock bags or a large glass container with tight-fitting lid. Store in a cool, dark, dry location.
• If properly dried, apples should stay good in dry storage for several months or longer. Though not required, storing them in the refrigerator will help prevent mold and extend their lifespan even further – up to a year. As long as they don’t grow mold, they’re still good!
• Air fryer apple chips are best consumed within a couple weeks. Store in the refrigerator to help them last up to a couple months.

Keyword Apple Chips, Dried Apple Rings

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