Merry Christmas, everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday complete with family, laughter, gifts (both giving and receiving), and food. I had all of the above in abundance this year, and my heart and belly are full.
I’m pumped to show off my new toy: this dehydrator. Ever since a Recipe Redux theme involving dehydrators earlier this year got me inspired to try drying anything and everything, I’ve been wanting a nifty gadget like this one that makes dehydrating fruits, vegetables, and more a breeze.
These apple chips are a very basic recipe, but they’re easy and make a great snack. AND! This is a great use for mealy apples – once dehydrated, you can’t tell at all that the texture was off. Wins all around.
Cinnamon is the star ingredient in so many fall and winter recipes. Warm, sweet, and fragrant: precisely what we want when the weather is chilly and we’re craving the homey scents of the holidays. And it’s great on these apple chips.
Can’t you smell it?
- 4 sweet, crisp apples (fuji or gala work well)
- 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- Slice the apples in half lengthwise and cut out the cores. Thinly slice the cored apples crosswise with a mandolin, knife, or food processor.
- Transfer the sliced apples to a gallon ziploc bag, sprinkling with cinnamon as you go in order to coat the slices evenly. Close the ziploc bag and give the bag a good shake to distribute the cinnamon.
- For drying in a dehydrator: Arrange the apple slices on dehydrator trays and dry according to manufacturer instructions (mine took around 3 hours) until desired texture is reached. For softer apple slices, remove from the dehydrated when dried but pliable, and for crunchy apple slices, wait for a firmer texture.
- For drying in an oven: Preheat oven to lowest setting, usually 180F. Arrange the apple slices on baking sheets lined with parchment paper and dry in the oven for 1 hour. Flip the apple slices and return to the oven for 1 hour more for soft apples and 2 hours more for crunchy apples.
- Allow the dried apple slices to sit at room temperature for an hour before packing into airtight containers.
- SR Clients: 1 cup = Level 1 (50%) snack, Level 3 appetizer or dessert, or 1 add-on.
