homemade apple chips

Apples are in abundance this time of the year.  I love autumn for all the delicious fruit and vegetables that leave the farmers’ fields and are readily available in food shops and markets.  One fruit I eagerly await their arrival is the humble apple.  It’s hard to imagine there are over 7,000 varieties! With so much choice, however, I am a creature of habit and really only use about 6 or so different types of apples.  When I’m making an apple pie, I like to mix the apples usually with granny smith, cortland, and honeycrisp.  The skin of an apple contains fiber, antioxidants, helps to detox your liver, boost your immune system and more.  The best way to enjoy an apple is on its own.  Biting into a juicy, crisp apple sends me back to my childhood when I would pick them fresh from the trees.  At our local farmers’ markets dried apple chips are always available.  I always buy a small bag and is gobbled up in minutes.  It got me thinking that I should make some of my own.  They’re so easy to make and a perfect healthy snack for the whole family to enjoy.

Ingredients:
apples, washed and cored

Preheat oven to 225f.

Use a mandoline to slice the apples. You can use a knife but the mandoline is guaranteed an even slice every time which means even cooking. Place slices on parchment lined baking tray or silpat lined. Place in oven and bake for one hour. Turn slices over and bake for another 60 minutes. Turn oven off and let the apple slices cool down in the oven. When oven is cool, remove apple slices. They will be crispy for a bit. Place in a container.

The Culinary Chase’s Note: The apple chips will soften slightly depending on humidity.  The natural sugars are drawn out during the cooking process and each bite seems as though sugar was sprinkled over the chips.  A delicious snack and one I am sure your children will like.  Enjoy!