Cinnamon Apple Chips with Salted Caramel Dip - Sweet and crispy, these apple chips pair perfectly with a salted caramel dip for an amazing fall snack!
This past weekend we enjoyed perfect early fall weather, with cooler temperatures, low humidity, a nice breeze, and warm, bright sunshine. I loved it! It really got me in the mood for all things fall, like mums, pumpkins, and of course caramel apples!
Then I started thinking about the Salted Caramel Mocha I had from Starbucks yesterday (what a wonderful treat!) and the idea hit me. Salted caramel apples! My mouth started watering just thinking about it.
I decided to do apple chips because they are so simple and are also easy to store at room temperature. A quick Google search revealed about a gazillion apple chip recipes out there! They are mostly similar, using apples (duh!) and a cinnamon-sugar mixture, and directions to bake at a low temperature for a couple of hours.
I took that basic model, eliminated the sugar (apples already have a lot of natural sugar), and then added my own easy salted caramel dipping sauce. (FYI, the recipe I referenced the most for the apple chips came from WeDoFunHere, so I am citing that recipe as the one I adapted.)
These are addictive, so beware! However, you can completely skip the dip if you want to keep things as healthy as possible. Even Thing 2 liked the cinnamon apple chips all by themselves! Speaking of Thing 2, can you guess what he rated these? Not surprisingly, he gave them 4.5 biscuits out of 5!
A couple of notes/tips:
- These are super-easy to make, but they take a lot of time in the oven! So don't start unless you can hang around the house for a few hours while they bake.
- Use a mandolin slicer if you have one. You need the apple slices to be pretty thin, and it is difficult to do that with a knife. If you don't have a mandolin slicer, make sure your knife is super-sharp and be really careful!
- Line your baking sheets with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
- The apple slices shrink as they bake, so if you want to feed a crowd or have extra on hand, you should slice more apples than the three listed in the recipe.
- You do not need to core the apples first, unless you want to. Most of the time, the seeds fell out naturally as I was slicing, leaving behind the pretty pattern in the middle of the apple slice. I removed the few seeds that were still stuck in the apple slices before baking.
- You can make your own caramel syrup if you are feeling ambitious, but in the name of simplicity I used some store-bought syrup that I had on hand and added salt to it. Yum!
I had so much fun taking the photos for this post. I liked how many of them turned out, so I made this little collage!
📋 Recipe Card
Dried Apple Chips With Cinnamon
Ingredients
For the apple chips:
- 2-3 sweet apples (Gala or Fuji work well)
- cinnamon
For the optional salted caramel dip:
- ¼ cup caramel syrup
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
For the apple chips:
- Preheat oven to 225 degrees F (105 degrees C) (see NOTES section for air fryer directions).
- Carefully slice the apples very thin and place on baking sheets.2-3 sweet apples
- Sprinkle both sides of the apple slices with cinnamon. Gently rub the cinnamon over the surface of the slices to help it stick.cinnamon
- Bake for 1 hour, then flip the slices and bake for an additional hour. You may need to bake for additional time if the slices are not crispy after 2 hours.
- Optional step: While the apple slices are cooking, combine the caramel syrup and salt in a small bowl, and mix well.¼ cup caramel syrup, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Once the slices are crispy, turn off the oven, but leave the apple slices in the oven for another ½ hour to 1 hour while it cools.
- Remove the apple slices from the oven and allow to finish cooling, if needed.
Notes
- While gala and fuji apples are sweet and work well, try tart varieties like granny smith for a tangier chip. You can also mix different apple varieties for a diverse flavor experience.
- For best results, use a mandoline slicer. This ensures the apple slices are the same thickness and will bake evenly.
- If you prefer, you can core the apples before slicing. However, leaving the core in can create a beautiful star-shaped design in the center of each chip.
- To do some prep ahead of time, slice the apples and then store the slices in a water and lemon juice mixture (to prevent browning) in the refrigerator for up to a day.
- The number of baking sheets you'll need will depend on the number and sizes of the apples you use and the size of your baking sheets. I have large baking sheets and I needed 3 because my apples were pretty large.
- If you have more than one baking sheet and need to use multiple racks in your oven, it's a good idea to rotate the sheets halfway through baking for even cooking.
- You can use different spices if desired. A mix of cinnamon and nutmeg or cinnamon and ginger can add a unique flavor twist.
- Another delicious idea is to sprinkle the apple slices with a little sea salt in addition to the cinnamon.
Air Fryer Directions:
- Preheat the air fryer to 300 degrees F. Air fry the apple slices for 15 minutes, flipping them halfway through the cooking time.
- After 15 minutes, check the apple slices for crispness. If they need more time, continue air frying in 2-3 minute increments until they are crisp. Be careful because they can quickly go from crisp to burnt.
- Once done, let the apple chips cool on a wire rack. They will continue to crisp up as they cool.
Additional Serving Suggestions:
- Serve the apple chips with the optional salted caramel dip for a decadent treat. Other dipping options include peanut butter, yogurt, or a chocolate sauce.
- These apple chips make a great standalone snack. Pack them in small bags for an easy, healthy snack on the go. Great for kids' lunch boxes!
- Use the apple chips as a topping for desserts like apple pie, ice cream, or cakes. They add a delicious crunch and sweetness.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate. The nutritional values for your final dish may vary based on measuring differences and products used.
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Happy cooking!
Ragnhild SN
Small question. 😉
225 degrees, do you mean Fahrenheit or Celcius?
Kristin King
I mean Fahrenheit. I updated the recipe to indicate that, and also added the equivalent in Celsius. Thanks for pointing it out!
Linda
Pinned. Come share if you like:
http://www.craftsalamode.com/2013/10/what-to-do-weekends-43.html
Kristin King
Hi Linda! I am a little behind on responding to comments but I will head over now and see if your party is still going on. Thanks for the invitation!
Mary Ellen
Boy these look great, I made some this week also. Pairing them with the caramel sounds wonderful!