Spiced Dried Apple Chips are crunchy, spicy, and easy to make using your dehydrator! This is a perfect little healthy snack recipe for when you're craving something flavorful AND nutritious.
Spiced Dried Apple Chips
Spicy snack alert! Get ready for your new favorite spicy snack - apple chips. Crazy, right? Who would think something so simple and good for you could be so incredibly tasty? And satisfying?
Oh, and it's definitely worth noting that this recipe is two of my favorite things - cheap and incredibly easy.
You can make your own crunchy, snack-y apple chips at home anytime you'd like. and you can spice them up with all of your favorite ingredients. This is a recipe that's great year-round, since apples are pretty much always readily available at the grocery store.
Which is perfect, because we're almost always craving these chips!
Ingredients in this Apple Chips Recipe
- Apples
- Lime juice
- Chili powder
- Dried ginger
- Dried mint
- Dried nutmeg
- Fresh basil
How to Make Spiced Dried Apple Chips
Slice the apples. Slice the apples into ¼ inch slices. I like to use a mandoline for the most precise cuts.
Toss all of the ingredients in a bowl. Give everything a good toss to make sure all of the apple slices are fully coated with your seasonings.
Dehydrate the apples. Set the slices onto dehydrator trays and dehydrate at 135°F for 10-12 hours, or until the apples are dried through.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Get creative with the spices. For me, I love the combination of apples with ginger and nutmeg - such CLASSIC combinations - but I also love the fresh pop of mint and basil, and the zesty heat of chili peppers (obvi).
- Adjust your spice level. I used a ghost powder mix from peppers I dried using my dehydrator (see how awesome a dehydrator can be?), but feel free to use whatever heat level you prefer.
- Use the instructions for your dehydrator. Pop them into your dehydrator at 135°F and let them dry for 10-12 hours or so. Your dehydrator will probably have a "fruit" setting, so be sure to follow the instructions for your particular dehydrator model.
What dehydrator should I buy?
If you do not yet own a dehydrator, I urge you to order one up. I LOVE my dehydrators (yes, I own two) and use them all the time. They're essential for making leathers, jerky, spice blends, preserving in general and more. Here are links to the two that I personally own (Affiliate Links, my friends! FYI):
- The Nesco is a smaller dehydrator that is perfect for general home use: Nesco FD-75A Snackmaster Pro Food Dehydrator, White
- The Excalibur is a larger 9-tray dehydrator that is ideal for larger batches: Excalibur 3926TB Food Dehydrator, Black
Cookbook Recommendation
My cookbook includes close to 100 recipes you can make with your dehydrator, including a number of sweet and spicy fruit leather recipes. I hope you will check it out! Here's a link where you can order it:
Storing
In an airtight container at room temperature, apple chips will stay fresh for about 1 week. I don't recommend freezing apple chips!
Try More of Our Favorite Recipes Featuring Dried Ingredients
If you try this recipe, please let us know! Leave a comment, rate it and tag a photo #ChiliPepperMadness on Instagram so we can take a look. I always love to see all of your spicy inspirations. Thanks! -- Mike H.
Spiced Dried Apple Chips – Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 apples
- Juice from 1 lime
- 1 teaspoon chili powder – I used a ghost powder mix but any of your choice will do
- 1 teaspoon dried ginger
- 1 teaspoon dried mint
- ½ teaspoon dried nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon fresh minced basil
Instructions
- Slice the apples into ¼” slices. It is best to use a mandoline to achieve even slices.
- Toss all the ingredients in a bowl. Ensure that each apple slice is evenly coated with the herb blend.
- Set onto dehydrator trays and dehydrate at 135 degrees F for 10-12 hours, or until the apples are dried through.
Nutrition Information
Enjoy! These are great snacks!
Patti Seaney says
I just made these using some smoked cranberry vanilla sugar in addition to your spices. They turned out fantastic!! A perfect blend of heat and spices! This is another favorite Chilipeppermadness recipe!!
Mike Hultquist says
Excellent! Glad you enjoyed it, Patti! Thanks for sharing! I appreciate it.
valerio says
i did this but took the chilli out and added cinnamon. was really nice. you can also pour boiling water over them and make spiced apple tea.
Mike Hultquist says
Great tip, Valerio! I love it!
Nick says
I've tried it several times to make apple chips in my oven. But it never worked. I also set the oven at the lowest temperature and I also kept the door cracked. Now I've a dehydrator with a horizontal drying system, stainless steel trays and a tranparent door. Like this one and now I got perfect apple chips. I would highly recommend a dehydrator to make apple chips.
Keven Youngblood says
For the oven I sliced mine to 1/16” on a mandolin slicer, covered trays with parchment paper, sprinkled with cinnamon and baked at 220 for an hour. Trick is have a rack at top and a rack at the bottom.
Test one chip at an hour (won’t be ready but will confirm they are getting there). Swap tray places and check in 45min, will be about done. If about done turn off oven and leave trays in to cool.
Came here to looking for spicy recipe.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks for the advice, Keven.
Rita says
You don't really need a dehydrator to do apple chips. I've done them several times in my oven set as low as it will go, around 170 degrees. They turned out great. Thanks for the seasoning suggestions!
REPLY: Rita, yes, you can use your oven, though it's best to keep the door cracked because 170 degrees is a bit too hot for drying most foods. Air flow is pretty important, too. I've found a dehydrator is much more consistent and controlled, and uses less energy. But ovens work, too! -- Mike from Chili Pepper Madness.