Air Fryer Apple Chips are a two-ingredient snack you can make while dinner cooks. The air fryer pulls moisture out of thin apple rounds and leaves them crisp at the edges, so you get chips without a deep fryer or a dehydrator.
The method matters more than the recipe. Slice evenly, dry the rounds, and bake in two stages: a higher temperature to set the surface, then a lower one to dry the center. Skip either stage and you get chewy discs.
This batch serves six as a light snack. Weigh the slices if you can; a mandoline set to 2 mm gives the most even result.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
About the Ingredients
600 g (about 2 large) crisp apples, such as Honeycrisp or Pink Lady
Firm, tart-sweet apples slice cleanly and brown slowly. Granny Smith works if you want a sharper chip; avoid soft varieties like McIntosh, which turn mealy.
1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
Lemon slows browning on the cut faces. Bottled lemon juice works in a pinch, but fresh tastes cleaner on a plain chip.
240 ml (1 cup) cold water
Cold water keeps the slices firm before drying. Use filtered water if your tap water tastes strongly of chlorine.
1/2 tsp (1.5 g) ground cinnamon
Cinnamon adds warmth without sugar. Swap in pumpkin pie spice or a pinch of cardamom for a different profile.
1/8 tsp (0.8 g) fine sea salt
Salt balances the apple's acidity. Omit it if you plan to dip the chips in caramel or yogurt.
1 tsp (5 ml) neutral oil, optional
A thin coat of oil improves browning in the air fryer. Avocado or canola oil both handle high heat; skip it for oil-free chips and expect a paler color.
Tips & Tricks
Slice to an even 2 mm
Uneven slices finish at different times, so thin ones scorch before thick ones dry. A mandoline removes the guesswork.
Dry the slices completely
Surface water steams the chips instead of crisping them. Pat both sides with a clean towel until no shine remains.
Do not crowd the basket
Overlapping slices trap moisture. Work in two or three batches and keep finished chips in a single layer on a rack.
Pro Tips
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Heat the air fryer
Set the air fryer to 150 C (300 F) and let it preheat for 5 minutes. A hot basket starts drying immediately instead of slowly warming the slices.
2. Core and slice the apples
Core the apples and slice them crosswise into 2 mm rounds with a mandoline. Even thickness is the single biggest factor in whether the batch crisps evenly.
3. Soak in lemon water
Drop the slices into the lemon water and leave them for 5 minutes. The acid stops the cut surfaces from turning brown before they hit the heat.
4. Dry and season
Drain the slices and pat both sides dry with a towel, then toss with oil if using, cinnamon, and salt. The slices should feel tacky, not wet, when they go in.
5. Air fry the first batch
Arrange slices in a single layer in the basket and cook at 150 C (300 F) for 12 minutes. Edges will look dry and slightly curled at this point.
6. Flip and finish
Flip each slice and cook 8 to 10 more minutes at 150 C (300 F). Chips are done when the centers feel firm and the edges are light amber; they will crisp fully as they cool.
7. Raise the heat for the last minute
If the chips still feel soft, cook 1 to 2 minutes at 175 C (350 F). Watch closely: the color shifts from pale gold to dark brown in under a minute.
8. Cool on a rack
Transfer chips to a wire rack in a single layer and cool for 10 minutes. They reach final crunch at room temperature, not in the basket.
Delicious Variations
Cinnamon Sugar
Toss cooled chips in 2 tbsp (25 g) sugar mixed with 1/2 tsp cinnamon for a sweeter version.
Apple Pie Spice
Replace cinnamon with 1/2 tsp apple pie spice and add a pinch of nutmeg before the first bake.
Salt and Vinegar
Brush slices with 1 tbsp (15 ml) cider vinegar before air frying and finish with flaky salt.
How to Store Air Fryer Apple Chips
Refrigerator
Keep in an airtight jar at room temperature for up to 5 days; refrigeration softens them, so only chill if humidity is high, then re-crisp.
Freezer
Freeze cooled chips in a zip bag for up to 2 months; they lose some crunch but work well crumbled over yogurt.
Reheating
Re-crisp at 150 C (300 F) for 3 to 4 minutes in a single layer; do not microwave, which steams them soft.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why are my air fryer apple chips chewy instead of crispy?
Chewy chips are under-dried in the center, usually because the slices were too thick or the basket was crowded. Slice to 2 mm, dry the surfaces, and cook in single layers until the centers feel firm.
Q: Can I make apple chips in an air fryer oven instead of a basket model?
Yes, use the same temperatures and times on a perforated tray or wire rack. Air fryer ovens circulate air more gently, so add 2 to 3 minutes to each stage and check at the halfway point.
Q: Do I need to peel the apples for apple chips?
No, leave the skin on for better structure and color. Peeled slices tend to collapse and stick to the basket, and the skin carries most of the apple's fiber.
Q: How long do homemade apple chips last?
About 5 days in an airtight jar at room temperature. Add a silica packet if your kitchen is humid, and discard any chips that feel soft or smell fermented.
Q: Can I use this method for other fruit?
Yes, pears and firm peaches work with the same two-stage method. Reduce the time by 3 to 4 minutes for thinner or juicier fruit and check early.
Slice a batch tonight and see how fast 600 g of apples disappears. Weigh your slices, watch the color, and keep the finished chips on a rack. Weigh, watch, repeat.
Air Fryer Apple Chips
Air Fryer Apple Chips turn two apples into a crisp, naturally sweet snack with no added sugar, ready in about 40 minutes for lunchboxes or movie night.
🧂 Ingredients
- 600 g (about 2 large) crisp apples, such as Honeycrisp or Pink Lady
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
- 240 ml (1 cup) cold water
- 1/2 tsp (1.5 g) ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp (0.8 g) fine sea salt
- 1 tsp (5 ml) neutral oil, optional
📋 Instructions
- 1Heat the air fryer — Set the air fryer to 150 C (300 F) and let it preheat for 5 minutes. A hot basket starts drying immediately instead of slowly warming the slices.
- 2Core and slice the apples — Core the apples and slice them crosswise into 2 mm rounds with a mandoline. Even thickness is the single biggest factor in whether the batch crisps evenly.
- 3Soak in lemon water — Drop the slices into the lemon water and leave them for 5 minutes. The acid stops the cut surfaces from turning brown before they hit the heat.
- 4Dry and season — Drain the slices and pat both sides dry with a towel, then toss with oil if using, cinnamon, and salt. The slices should feel tacky, not wet, when they go in.
- 5Air fry the first batch — Arrange slices in a single layer in the basket and cook at 150 C (300 F) for 12 minutes. Edges will look dry and slightly curled at this point.
- 6Flip and finish — Flip each slice and cook 8 to 10 more minutes at 150 C (300 F). Chips are done when the centers feel firm and the edges are light amber; they will crisp fully as they cool.
- 7Raise the heat for the last minute — If the chips still feel soft, cook 1 to 2 minutes at 175 C (350 F). Watch closely: the color shifts from pale gold to dark brown in under a minute.
- 8Cool on a rack — Transfer chips to a wire rack in a single layer and cool for 10 minutes. They reach final crunch at room temperature, not in the basket.
Tomasz writes precise, method-first recipes for breads, ferments, and slow braises, drawing on Polish and Central European home cooking. He cares about weights, temperatures, and timing, and explains the reason behind each step so cooks can repeat results. His angle is turning fussy techniques into clear, checkable instructions.
