Apple chips are the snack that makes an air fryer feel like magic: two ordinary apples, a dusting of cinnamon, and twenty minutes later you have a bowl of golden, crackly slices that taste like the best part of apple pie filling, with none of the pastry. They are sweet without added sugar if you want them that way, crunchy enough to satisfy a chip craving, and they keep for days — which is more than can be said for most homemade snacks in this house.
The trick is patience at a low temperature. Apple chips do not crisp in a blast of high heat; they dry out gently at 300°F (149°C), and they finish crisping as they cool on the rack. Pull them when they look dry and feel papery at the edges, even if a few still feel slightly soft in the centre — five minutes out of the basket, they will snap. The photograph shows a pile of golden dried apple slices, a little thicker than the thinnest chips; cut yours on the thicker side if you like a chewier centre, or slice them paper-thin for maximum crunch.
They belong to our Air Fryer collection, where they make a lighter companion to our air fryer apple fritters and our sweet potato fries — one bowl for the sweet tooth, one for the salty. Pack them for lunchboxes, crumble them over yogurt, or just eat them standing at the counter, which is where most batches seem to disappear.
Slice thin, and slice evenly
A mandoline is the honest secret here: set it to about 1/16 inch (1.5 mm) and every slice dries at the same rate, so you do not end up with half the batch burnt and half still leathery. Without a mandoline, use your sharpest knife, cut slowly, and sort the slices by thickness before cooking — the thin ones go in one batch, the thicker ones in the next, with a few extra minutes. Keep the cores out but leave the peel on: it holds the slices together, adds colour, and saves you a peeling job nobody enjoys.
Low heat, then let them cool
The most common mistake is cranking the heat to hurry things along. Above about 325°F (163°C) the sugars in the apple scorch before the moisture leaves, and you get brown, bitter edges with soft middles. At 300°F (149°C) the slices dry evenly and turn a deep, even gold. And do not judge the crunch straight out of the basket — hot apple slices always feel soft. Judge them after five minutes on the rack. If they are still bendy, they simply needed two or three more minutes, and the next batch will tell you exactly how many.
Ingredients
- 2 large apples (340 g total), any firm sweet-tart variety
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (15 ml)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (3 g)
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (12 g), optional
- 1 pinch fine salt (0.5 g)
- 1 light spray cooking spray, for the basket
Amounts are for the yield below. US customary measures first, grams in brackets for scale users.
Step-by-step instructions
- Slice the apples. Core the apples and slice them as thinly and evenly as you can — about 1/16 inch (1.5 mm) thick on a mandoline, or as thin as a sharp knife allows. Leave the peel on. Toss the slices gently with the lemon juice so they do not brown while you work; the lemon also brightens the finished flavour.
- Season the slices. Mix the cinnamon, sugar if using, and salt in a small bowl. Sprinkle it evenly over the apple slices and toss with your hands until every slice carries a light, even dusting. A heavy hand here makes the chips sticky rather than crisp, so err on the light side — you can always dust a little more over the finished chips.
- Arrange in a single layer. Lightly spray the air fryer basket and lay the slices in a single layer, edges just touching at most. Overlapping slices steam instead of drying, so work in batches — two apples usually take two to three batches. Do not stack, even if the basket looks half empty.
- Air fry low and slow. Air fry at 300°F (149°C) for 15 to 20 minutes, flipping the slices halfway through, until they look dry and feel papery at the edges and a deep golden colour. Thicker slices need the full time and sometimes a few minutes more; thinner ones may be done at 15. Watch the last few minutes closely — they go from golden to brown quickly.
- Cool until crisp. Transfer the chips to a wire rack in a single layer and leave them for at least 5 minutes. They will crisp noticeably as they cool — do not return soft-feeling chips to the basket until you have judged them cool. Repeat with the remaining slices, letting the basket come back to temperature between batches.
- Store airtight. Once completely cool, store the chips in an airtight container at room temperature. Any trace of warmth trapped in the container will soften them, so wait until they are truly room temperature before sealing the lid.
Nutrition estimate
| Nutrient | Per serving |
|---|---|
| Calories | 95 kcal |
| Protein | 1 g |
| Carbohydrates | 25 g |
| Fat | 0 g |
| Saturated fat | 0 g |
| Sodium | 30 mg |
| Fiber | 4 g |
| Sugar | 19 g |
Nutrition figures are estimates calculated from standard ingredient data for the yield stated. Your actual values will vary with brands, substitutions and portion sizes — treat them as a guide, not a guarantee.
Storage & reheating
Store the cooled chips in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days; a small packet of dry rice in the container helps absorb stray moisture on humid days. If they soften, re-crisp them in the air fryer at 300°F (149°C) for 2 to 3 minutes and cool again. Do not refrigerate — the fridge makes them leathery. Nutrition figures are estimates per serving and vary with apple variety and sugar; estimates vary.
Crispy Air Fryer Apple Chips
Cinnamon-sweet, crunchy, two apples
Ingredients
Tick ingredients off as you prep, and tap a step below to mark it done as you cook. Scaling adjusts the listed amounts - seasoning to taste stays your call.
Instructions
- Slice the apples. Core the apples and slice them as thinly and evenly as you can — about 1/16 inch (1.5 mm) thick on a mandoline, or as thin as a sharp knife allows. Leave the peel on. Toss the slices gently with the lemon juice so they do not brown while you work; the lemon also brightens the finished flavour.
- Season the slices. Mix the cinnamon, sugar if using, and salt in a small bowl. Sprinkle it evenly over the apple slices and toss with your hands until every slice carries a light, even dusting. A heavy hand here makes the chips sticky rather than crisp, so err on the light side — you can always dust a little more over the finished chips.
- Arrange in a single layer. Lightly spray the air fryer basket and lay the slices in a single layer, edges just touching at most. Overlapping slices steam instead of drying, so work in batches — two apples usually take two to three batches. Do not stack, even if the basket looks half empty.
- Air fry low and slow. Air fry at 300°F (149°C) for 15 to 20 minutes, flipping the slices halfway through, until they look dry and feel papery at the edges and a deep golden colour. Thicker slices need the full time and sometimes a few minutes more; thinner ones may be done at 15. Watch the last few minutes closely — they go from golden to brown quickly.
- Cool until crisp. Transfer the chips to a wire rack in a single layer and leave them for at least 5 minutes. They will crisp noticeably as they cool — do not return soft-feeling chips to the basket until you have judged them cool. Repeat with the remaining slices, letting the basket come back to temperature between batches.
- Store airtight. Once completely cool, store the chips in an airtight container at room temperature. Any trace of warmth trapped in the container will soften them, so wait until they are truly room temperature before sealing the lid.
Recipe by Ahsan ul Haq · FryDaily. Printing? This card is designed to print cleanly on its own.
