Many of us are starting to prepare (or thinking about starting to prepare) for the holidays, in all the good and bad ways this implies. The following recipe fits in well with this preparation since it combines so many flavors associated with this time of year, especially apples and cinnamon. The other advantage of this snack is that these apple chips are BAKED. Here’s to saving our calories for apple pie!
Do you go apple picking in the fall? When I was a kid, my parents would always take my brothers and me to the apple orchard for hayrides, all the caramel apples we could eat and (of course!) apple picking. We’d fill a giant bushel full of apples for ourselves, plus a small bushel for my grandparents. Those first few days after apple picking, I could never get enough apples. But then we’d all get tired of them and they’d sit and sit and sit. If this sounds familiar, well, this is what you can do with those last few apples:
Make your own apple chips!
Oh sure, you could make apple pies or crumbles, but apple chips are much healthier! Yes, chips can be healthy! You really only need one ingredient (apples!), although if you opt to season your chips, you’ll need two. B
ut still: two ingredients! You can’t beat that! I’ve seen lots of apple chip recipes that call for heaps of sugar or even soaking the apple slices in simple syrup, but unless you’re starting with a very tart apple, there’s no need for any of that.
Here’s what you do:
Start with good quality apples. I like using Braeburn, Pink Lady, or Fuji. Wash them well, especially if they’re not organic.
Thinly slice your apples. I use a mandoline slicer, but you could also cut your apples in half and use a food processor instead. (And if you have a steady hand, you can use a good sharp knife too!) I set the thickness between 1/8 and 1/4 of an inch. You can core the apples before slicing or slice them and remove the seeds afterwards. (But be sure to remove the seeds–they’re not good to ingest.)
Lay the apple slices on a baking sheet that’s been lined with parchment paper.
Season the slices if desired. I like cinnamon and apple pie spice the best, but a dusting of flavored sugar (not a lot!) is good too. I’ve also used Chinese 5 Spice Powder, which was surprisingly good!
Bake in a 225 degree oven until chips reach desired crispness—about two and a half hours, depending on how thick your slices are.
Apple chips are a great fall snack and are perfect for lunch boxes. They’re so sweet and crispy, your kids will never guess that they’re healthy! Homemade apple chips are best eaten the day they’re made, but you can store them in an airtight container for up to a week.
Cinnamon Ginger Baked Apple Chips
Ingredients needed
Makes 4 to 5 servings
- 4 apples
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 2 cups cold water
- sprinkle of cinnamon
- sprinkle of ground ginger
Set your oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit while preparing your apples. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add lemon juice to a bowl of cold water and set to the side. Wash and slice your apples as thin as you can, core and all. Add apple slices in the cold water and lemon juice mixture for a few seconds as this will prevent browning. Remove apple slices from the water, and place in a single layer on your lined baking sheet. Sprinkle the chips with cinnamon and ginger powder.
Bake the apple slices for 1 hour, then flip to the other side. Bake for another hour. If the slices are not dry enough, you can bake for another 10 to 15 minutes. Once the apple slices are done to your liking, remove from heat and set to the side to cool. Once the apple slices are cool, place them in a air-tight container for storage.
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