Dehydrate Apples Without a Dehydrator

Lately, I’ve been dehydrating them, as we like to take them with us when we travel. I have a food dehydrator built into our Breville Smart Oven, but it is quicker to do a large batch in the oven when I have large quantities. Whether you don’t have a dehydrator or if you have a lot of apples to dry, you’ll be glad to know that it is very easy to dehydrate apples without a dehydrator.

And I’d be remiss to not mention that our forefathers dried apples for hundreds of years without ovens or dehydrators, using just the sun. That is certainly an option, but you need a stretch of sunny, low humidity days, you need to bring them in at night to avoid dew, and you need to shield them from critters that may want to eat them. But, if you are feeling all Ma Ingalls, then go for it!

It is so easy to make dehydrated apple chips. A few minutes with a mandoline, and then the oven does all the work. Sprinkle a little cinnamon, and your kitchen will smell delightful during the process! It really couldn’t be easier.

What Type of Apple is Good For Dehydrating?

I buy a lot of Pink Lady apples, so I dry a lot of Pink Lady apples, and I can attest that they dehydrate very well! They generally hold their shape without shrinking.

That being said, all apples can be dehydrated. Bear in mind that the tartness or sweetness of an apple will be concentrated during dehydration, though surprisingly, I find Granny Smith apples seem a little sweeter after dehydrating. A sweet apple will dehydrate and taste like candy without any added sugar! And an apple with high moisture content, think Cortland, Empire, McIntosh, and Red Delicious, will probably shrivel more than a crisper apple.

I don’t think there is one apple variety that can claim to be the best apple for dehydrating; it is truly a personal preference. Just use your favorite apples, as they are the ones you most likely purchase most frequently!

And don’t hesitate to use slightly wrinkled, less than fresh apples for dehydrating. That’s what I primarily use, and they turn out fine. It’s a great way to use them instead of tossing them.

How to Prevent Apples from Browning

Simply tossing your apple rings in a bowl of water with added lemon juice or citric acid before laying them on the drying sheets will prevent them from browning during the dehydration process.

How Long do Dehydrated Apples Last?

Assuming they don’t get eaten in the first week if stored in an airtight container, your dehydrated apple slices will last about six months. But can be stored longer in the freezer. Please put them in an airtight container in the freezer for longer storage. Don’t hesitate to pop them back in your 150° oven to crisp them up again.

How Crisp do Dehydrated Apples Get?

Whether you dehydrate apples without a dehydrator or with a dehydrator, you can get your apple slices as crisp as you want them. I like them potato chip crisp, but you may like them a little chewier. The secrets for the crispest apple slices are simple; slice them no thicker than 1/8″ and keep them in the oven for at least four hours. I use my low-tech mandoline for my thin slices.

After four hours, take one out and let it come to room temperature before you bite it or break it. If it still bends rather than breaks, pop it back in for another 30 minutes or so. The good news is that you really can’t ‘overcook’ your apple slices.

How to Use Dried Apples

We primarily use them for snacks. They make an easy snack when traveling; we will be taking them on the plane with us this weekend.

But, they are also good chopped up in granola, on yogurt, and in bread.

Make homemade applesauce using a 1:4 ratio of dried apples(in small pieces) to water.