I Could Live Off Apple Chips!

I’ve been going on a mad craze for apple chips lately, making multiple batches a day, for days at a time! In my defense, they are really cheap, easy and healthy (!) alternative to potato chips.

Since making the last post regarding apple chips, I have learned a few things to make the perfect apple chips. If you have ever tried them and they turn out leathery, soft and not chip-like at all, try some of these ideas!

TEMPERATURE
In the first recipe I put a general time and temperature which really doesn’t help if you’ve never made them or you have and you have exactly like every recipe says and they still don’t turn out right. At my old apartment, I could put the oven at 200 F and have no issues with leathery chips. I have since moved to a new place where the oven cooks at a lower temperature, so I’ll bake them at 215F – whereas 200F produced leathery chips. Obviously to know the right temperature, you need to know your oven. If anything, choose the higher temperature between two deciding ones. They should be baked between 200 – 220F.
*Side note: I normally turn the temperature down on the second half of cooking from 215 to 210. When I was taking the pictures for the post, I left it at 215 the entire time. They actually turned out better, or at least crispier. So definitely pick the higher temperature if you’re deciding between 2.

PREP
Slicing the apples is also pertinent in getting perfect apple chips. I don’t have a slicer or mandolin so I rely on a knife to get as thin of slices as possible. You want them to be thin enough that you can almost see through them. Thicker slices are okay too but may need to be baked longer or left to dry longer.

BAKE
Layer the apple slices as close as possible, even if they’re overlapping; they take up half as much room by the time they’re baked. I always bake mine for 1 hour and 10 minutes, flip and finish baking for 1 hour and 30 minutes. If you forget or leave them for an extra 10-15 minutes, no problem. Turn the oven off after the last hour and a half and leave in the oven for about fifteen minutes. Again, longer is alright as they’re now just drying out.

After this point, take them and place them on the stove or counter. Some chips will be crispy and ready at this point, but most will still feel soft. Wait another ten to fifteen minutes, or until they’re crispy and enjoy! At this point, if there are some that are still soft, place back in the oven for another 20 minutes and repeat the last couple steps.