Air Fryer Apple Chips Recipe
How to Make Apple Chips in the Air Fryer
Now you can whip up a batch of homemade cinnamon apple chips using your air fryer! Naturally sweet and perfectly crispy—these air fryer apple chips make for a quick and easy snack that’s sure to satisfy. Just thinly slice your apples, sprinkle with cinnamon, and then cook, flipping every 5 minutes or so. I’ll show you how to make apple chips in the air fryer in under an hour!
If you’ve ever tried store-bought apple chips or dehydrated apples, this air fryer recipe is worth giving a whirl. Yes, it requires a bit of patience while cooking and flipping the apple slices to get them to cook evenly on all sides. But, the result is totally worth it. Rather than chewy or spongy, these air fryer apple chips turn out so satisfyingly crispy, you’ll hear them when you take a bite!
Plus, making your cinnamon apple chips in the air fryer lets you cook at a bit of a higher temperature and for a shorter amount of time, relative to cooking in the oven. The key is to slice them very thinly—I recommend using a mandoline if you have one—and being diligent with your flipping while they cook. A fun, tasty way to enjoy more fresh fruit, with no added sugar necessary, and a great snack for kids!
Can I dehydrate apples in an air fryer?
Yes, absolutely! In general, dehydrating fruit just involves heating at a fairly low temperature for a long time to remove the moisture. For example, you can make dehydrated strawberries in the oven at 200°F by baking them for 4 hours or so. But, in the air fryer, you can speed up the process a bit—and get a crispier, crunchier result! Though these air fryer cinnamon apple chips do taste similar to dehydrated apple rings, they’re less chewy and more deliciously crisp.
What’s the best way to slice apples for apple chips?
When it comes to making apple chips (or any homemade fruit or vegetable chips), it’s important to slice them very thinly and as evenly as possible. For me, a mandoline is my go-to tool for a recipe like this, so I can slice my apples consistently ~⅛-inch thick. Of course, you can also cut them by hand with a knife, it’ll just require some patience and a steady hand!
How long does it take to dehydrate apples in an air fryer?
Altogether, dehydrating apple chips in the air fryer will take around 25-30 minutes total. First, you’ll need to air fry the apple slices at 300°F (150°C) for 15 minutes, stopping to flip them every 5 minutes. At this point, you’ll notice they’re relatively dried out. Then, turn the temperature up to 330°F (165°C) for another 8-12 minutes, flipping halfway.
Of course, if you prefer a chewier, softer texture like dehydrated apple rings, stop when your apples get to the texture you like! Personally, I wanted mine to be nice and crisp so I continued air frying them until they started to brown crisp around the edges.
Do I need to flip my air fryer apple chips while they cook?
Yes! This is one recipe where I do feel it’s necessary to flip when cooking in the air fryer. And, rather than just flipping once, you’ll need to flip the apple slices multiple times—every 5 minutes at first. This exposes them to the heat on all sides so they cook evenly, which is crucial to drying out all of the moisture and getting them crisp.
Also, I recommend placing a metal rack/trivet on top of your apples in the air fryer to hold them down, so they don’t fly around while cooking. When you go in to flip them, just carefully lift up that metal trivet with an oven mitt, flip the apple slices with tongs, and then return the trivet on top of the apples before continuing with cooking.
How do you know when apple chips are done?
Your air fryer apple chips are done when they reach the texture you enjoy! For a softer, chewier texture, you may only need to cook for 15-20 minutes. For a genuine crispy texture, keep cooking until you can feel the apple slices crisping at the edges. When you go to flip them, as you notice apple chips that are already significantly browned, simply remove those and continue cooking the rest.
Cinnamon Air Fryer Apple Chips
Ingredients
Air Fryer Apple Chips
- 2 large apples, thinly sliced (I used red and green)
- sprinkle of cinnamon, optional
Instructions
- Wash apples and cut into thin slices, either using a mandoline or carefully with a knife. Be careful! Thinner will yield a crispier chip. (Aim for ~⅛-inch thick.)
- Preheat air fryer to 300°F (150°C).
- Lay apple slices on a flat surface and sprinkle with cinnamon.
- Arrange apple slices in air fryer, covering with a metal rack/trivet to keep the apples from flying around while cooking. Cook for 15 minutes, stopping to flip the apples every 5 minutes.
- Once apple slices are drying out, turn temperature up to 330°F (165°C) and cook for another 8-12 minutes to crisp, flipping them halfway. (Remove browner chips as needed and continue cooking until all are crisped to your liking.)
- Transfer to a bowl or plate to cool. (They’ll crisp up more as they cool!)
- Serve and enjoy!
- Store in an airtight container or sealed bag for 1 week at room temperature.
What else can I make in the air fryer?
The air fryer is so versatile and great for recipes of all kinds, if you’re into it. Try classic ideas like air fryer tortilla chips or air fryer chicken tenders, or jazz up your weeknight meals with recipes like air fryer salmon, air fryer pork chops, air fryer fish tacos or even air fryer meatloaf! The world is your (air-fried) oyster.
8 Comments on “Air Fryer Apple Chips Recipe”
You made it look easy! I’m going to give it a try. I’m 85 & have not to much to do. Thanks Bob
Hi Bob, so glad you’re liking our air fryer apple chips recipe! I’d love to know how they turned out if you gave them a try 🙂 We appreciate you being here!
Good but I don’t have a meatl thing
Hi Olly, we’re glad you like our recipe for apple chips in the air fryer! If you don’t have a metal rack or trivet, that’s okay – you can still make this recipe without one. Simply follow the same instructions but skip the metal trivet, and it should work just fine. Your homemade apple chips may just turn out a bit more curled at the edges. I hope this helps 🙂
If I wanted to send these in a care package to someone what can I store them in to preserve them the longest? (Since shipping times are so unreliable right now…)
Hi Amber, great question! These air fryer apple chips are best stored in an airtight container with minimal empty/air-filled space. We’d recommend a heavy duty zip-top bag that’s sealed with most of the air removed. (Leave the bag open a tad, then press to remove any excess air before sealing shut.) Or, you could use a small mason jar that your apple chips fill up with minimal space leftover for air.
Really, the very best method for long-term storage would be a vacuum sealer if you have one! We don’t own a vacuum sealer, so we’d go with the zip-top bag 🙂 I hope these ideas can be helpful!
Such a good holiday snack
Great idea Joseph! These air fryer apple chips would make such a fun, chewy snack during the holidays 🙂