In this article, I will teach you how to dehydrate apples in an oven.
A while ago, I figured that if I enjoyed apples so much, why should I try to enjoy apples in more than one way? Sure, biting into a fresh, juicy fruit is great, but why not add another layer to that? This is when I found out how to dehydrate apples in an oven to taste apple chips!
To add on, dehydrating apples are a healthy and nutritious snack. You can feel good about eating regularly and giving it to your kids if you have any.
Making these apple chips using my recipe is a lot easier than you think, and it makes for the perfect snack when you get hungry. This is truly the perfect way to transform all those delicious apples.
With this guide on how to dehydrate apples in an oven, you don’t need a dehydrator. I will show you exactly how to easily make dehydrated apples at home with an oven.
Let’s dive right in.
FAQs
1. What are apple chips?
Apple chips are basically just dehydrated apple slices, commonly with cinnamon and a little extra sugar to make it seem like candy.
2. Are apple chips healthy?
Yes, they are! I personally measured the nutrition and apple chips are extremely healthy for you, providing a nutrition blast. Many people add a little extra sugar and cinnamon, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t healthy. That means it is sweet and healthy. I’m all about healthy snacks, and this is a healthy snack.
3. What kind of apple do you need?
Whichever you prefer! All of them have the same outcome. It is easy to find varieties such as Gala, Fuji, Gravenstein, and Honeycrisp, which are all great. My favorite apple farm sells one called Burgandy, which is my favorite.
4. How to use apple chips?
The favorite way I use apple chips is just for snacking. They are delicious snacks. However, sometimes I’ll eat them in my breakfast because they are so nutritious.
5. How long does it take to dehydrate apples?
The length of time they will need to dry varies by how many trays you are doing at one time and how thick your apple slices are. For me, it takes about 5-12 hours for up to nine trays of apples.
6. How long can they be stored?
If properly stored, dehydrated apples can last up to six whole months according to Grow a Good Life.
Ingredients
- An apple or apples, unpeeled if you prefer for the core flavor and nutrition.
- This is completely optional, but just in case you like it a little extra flavor, 1/2 a cup of cinnamon sprinkles per apple for a warm, comforting spice that adds just the right amount of sweetness.
- 1/4 a cup of lemon juice per apple.
- Two cups of water per apple.
Tools
- One sharp knife for slicing and peeling the skin if preferred. A swivel is also great and the proper way to peel the skin.
- A cutting board for cleanliness.
- An oven to bake the apple chips.
- A baking sheet for baking the apple chips
- Parchment paper that will help you bake
How to Dehydrate Apples in an Oven
Dehydrating apples is really quite simple. It is basically just slicing and baking – that’s it to it!
Position racks in the upper third of the oven and preheat it to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Next, combine the recommended water and lemon juice in a medium-sized bowl. The lemon juice helps prevent browning.
Using a sharp knife, cut out the cob and slice the apples as thin as possible, about 1/8 inch thick if you can do it. I personally do peeling and coring because I’m not too fond of the dried skin look. Soak the slices in the recommended lemon water for roughly 30 minutes.
Drain and pat the slices as dry as possible with paper towels or clean kitchen towels. Then, place on the prepared baking sheets in a single layer.
Bake the slices on the upper and lower racks for one hour total. Remove from the oven and turn each slice over; return the pans to the oven—Bake one more hour for soft dried apples or about two more hours for crispy apple chips.
The timing depends on your oven, the type of apple, and the slices’ thickness. You should check every 15 minutes and reduce or increase the total time needed for your desired outcome. Turn off the oven, crack the door and leave the apples in the oven until the oven cools completely one to two hours.
- Step 5(optional)
Now that you’re done with the main part, you can add sprinkles to the top of the apple slices with a little cinnamon. If you love the flavors associated with pumpkin spice, that is also a great alternative!
Some recipes will also add some sugar to the apple slices, something I think unnecessary, as the apples already carry so much natural sweetness.
Tips on How to Dehydrate Apples
Tip 1:
To properly store these dehydrating apples, you should seal them in an airtight container stored in a cool, dry place. I would also recommend you to also freeze for longer storage, up to a year!
Tip 2:
Eat the apples as soon as possible or seal them as soon as possible because they can go soggy fast.
Tip 3:
Dehydrating apples can sharpen the taste – sometimes a little too much. I personally don’t like my snacks too sweet, so instead of adding sugar and cinnamon, try getting an extra sweet apple first!
Tip 4:
I recommend you cut off the skin because, after baking, it can become extra hard.
Nutrition
I took the liberty of personally measuring the nutrition in one serving of apple chips.
In one serving size of six apple chip slices, there are roughly 29 calories, 0.2g of protein, 7.8g of carbohydrates, 1.3g of dietary 5% daily value of fiber, 5.8g of sugars, 0.1g of fat, 0 saturated fats, and 0 cholesterol.
Vitamins include 4.3mg of vitamin c, which is 7% daily value intake, 2 mcg of folate, which is 1% daily value, 3.5mg of calcium, 0.1mg of iron, which is 1% daily value, 2.9mg of magnesium, which is 1% daily value, 61.6mg of potassium which is 2% daily value, and 0.6mg of sodium.
Final Thoughts
I hope you enjoyed this article on how to dehydrate apples in ovens! I have enjoyed eating vegetables and fruit chips my whole life, from apples to strawberries to sweet potatoes.
When I first discovered this nutritious, healthy snack, I got hooked instantly, and I hope you enjoy this snack too! Apples are indeed the perfect snack for any occasion. Enjoy, and if you liked this article, maybe you’ll like 11 common wild plants.
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