Baked Cinnamon Apple Chips: Easy 3-Ingredient Crispy Snack
Baked cinnamon apple chips are what happens when a bag of slightly soft apples meets a low oven and a little patience. You slice them thin, dust them with cinnamon, and let the oven slowly turn them into crisp, sweet chips that crackle when you bite them.
They cost a fraction of the store-bought bags, there’s no frying, and you can skip the sugar completely. This is my go-to fall snack for lunchboxes, road trips, and those 3 p.m. moments when I want something crunchy that isn’t a potato chip.
Prep: 15 minutes | Bake: 2 hours, plus 30 minutes in the cooling oven | Makes: about 3 cups | Diet: vegan, gluten-free, no added oil
Why You’ll Love These Baked Cinnamon Apple Chips
- Three ingredients. Apples, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Sugar is optional.
- A smart way to save apples. Apples that are a little past their best for eating raw still make great chips, as long as they aren’t bruised or mushy.
- Mostly hands-off. The oven does the work. You flip the slices once and that’s it.
- Kid-friendly and allergy-friendly. No nuts, no gluten, no dairy, and they pack well.
- Your house will smell incredible. Honestly, that might be the best part.
What You’ll Need
For two baking sheets of baked cinnamon apple chips:
- 3 medium firm apples (about 1 1/2 pounds), such as Honeycrisp, Gala, Fuji, or Pink Lady
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 to 2 teaspoons granulated or coconut sugar, optional
- 1 small pinch fine salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, optional (helps keep the color light)
Equipment: 2 rimmed baking sheets, parchment paper, and a mandoline slicer or a very sharp chef’s knife.
Choosing the Best Apples
Sweet, firm apples make the crispiest baked cinnamon apple chips. Honeycrisp and Fuji are my favorites because they bake up naturally sweet, so I rarely add sugar. Granny Smith works if you like a tart chip, but you’ll probably want that extra teaspoon of sugar. Softer apples like McIntosh tend to turn chewy rather than crisp, so save those for applesauce.
How to Make Baked Cinnamon Apple Chips
- Heat the oven. Set the oven to 200°F and place racks in the upper and lower thirds. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Wash and slice. Wash and dry the apples. Leave the peel on. Slice them crosswise into rounds about 1/8 inch thick. A mandoline makes this fast and even. Flick out the seeds with the tip of a knife. You can leave the core in; it bakes up thin and gives each chip that pretty star in the middle.
- Optional lemon toss. If you want pale, golden chips, toss the slices with the lemon juice. Skip it if you don’t mind a slightly darker color.
- Arrange in one layer. Lay the slices on the baking sheets so they don’t overlap. They shrink a lot, so you can place them close together.
- Season. Mix the cinnamon, sugar (if using), and salt in a small bowl. Sprinkle it evenly over the slices. A small mesh strainer gives you the most even dusting.
- Bake low and slow. Bake for 1 hour. Flip each slice, swap the pans top to bottom, and bake for another 45 minutes to 1 hour. The chips are ready when the edges curl and the centers look dry, not wet or shiny.
- Let them crisp in the oven. Turn off the oven and leave the chips inside with the door closed for 30 minutes to 1 hour. This is the secret step. They’ll still feel a little bendy when warm, and they crisp up as they cool.
- Cool completely. Move the chips to a wire rack or leave them on the pan until fully cool. If any are still soft in the middle once cool, pop them back into a 200°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes.
Tips for Crispy Baked Cinnamon Apple Chips
Thin and even is everything. Slices that are thicker on one side will be crisp on one edge and chewy on the other. If you’re using a knife, go slowly and aim for slices as thin as a coin stack of two.
Don’t crank the heat. It’s tempting to make baked cinnamon apple chips at 300°F to save time, but the sugar in the fruit will scorch before the slices dry out. Low heat is what gives you crunch without burnt edges.
Give them room. Overlapping slices steam each other and stay soft. Use a third pan if you need to.
Ovens run differently. Convection ovens dry the chips faster, so start checking after 1 hour 15 minutes total. If your oven runs hot, prop the door open a crack with a wooden spoon.
Judge them after they cool. Almost every first batch gets pulled too early because warm chips feel soft. Trust the cooling step.
Flavor Variations
- Apple pie spice: Use 1 teaspoon apple pie spice or add a pinch each of nutmeg and ginger to the cinnamon.
- Chai-spiced: Add 1/4 teaspoon cardamom and a pinch of ground cloves.
- Salted maple: Brush slices very lightly with maple syrup before seasoning and add an extra pinch of flaky salt.
- Pear chips: Firm, slightly underripe pears work the same way. Check them a bit earlier since they’re juicier.
- Sugar-free: Baked cinnamon apple chips don’t need sugar at all. Skip it and use a sweet apple. Kids rarely notice.
Want to snack smarter on a budget? These chips sit right beside our cheap healthy vegan snacks list, and they’re a great add-on to a morning tray of vegan pumpkin chocolate chip muffins.
How to Store Apple Chips
Room temperature: Store fully cooled baked cinnamon apple chips in an airtight jar or zip-top bag for up to 1 week. Moisture is the enemy, so make sure they’re completely cool before sealing them.
If they go soft: Spread them on a baking sheet and re-crisp them in a 200°F oven for 10 minutes. Let them cool again before storing.
Longer storage: For truly shelf-stable dried fruit, a dehydrator and proper drying guidelines matter. The National Center for Home Food Preservation has a reliable guide to drying fruit at home if you want to go deeper.
Ways to Enjoy Them
Eat your baked cinnamon apple chips straight from the jar, obviously. They’re also lovely crumbled over oatmeal or a bowl of dairy-free yogurt, tucked into a snack board with nuts and dried cranberries, or used as a crunchy topping on a slice of spiced pear crisp. Packed in small paper bags with a ribbon, they make a sweet, low-cost gift for teachers and neighbors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are my baked cinnamon apple chips chewy instead of crispy?
Usually the slices were too thick or they were pulled out before cooling. Slice them 1/8 inch thick, bake until the centers look dry, and let them cool in the turned-off oven. Humid weather can also soften them, so store them airtight right away.
Do I have to peel the apples?
No. The peel adds color and a little extra chew around the edge, and it saves you time. Just wash the apples well first.
Can I make apple chips in an air fryer?
Yes, in small batches. Air fry single layers at about 300°F for 12 to 16 minutes, flipping halfway, then let them cool to crisp. Watch them closely because they go from golden to dark quickly.
How many apples do I need for a big batch?
Each medium apple makes about 1 cup of baked cinnamon apple chips. Three apples fill two standard baking sheets, so plan on more pans or a second round for a bigger batch.
Can I make them without sugar?
Definitely. Sweet varieties like Fuji and Honeycrisp bake up naturally sweet, and the cinnamon does a lot of the work.
Give Them a Try This Weekend
Baked cinnamon apple chips are one of the easiest ways to turn a few ordinary apples into a snack people actually fight over. Slice thin, bake low, and let them cool in the oven, and you’ll get that satisfying crunch every time. Make a double batch while apples are cheap and plentiful this fall. If you try them, let me know in the comments which apples you used.
If these chips made your kitchen smell like fall, share the recipe with a fellow snacker and follow along on Pinterest for more cozy, low-cost snack ideas. Made a batch? Tap the stars in the recipe card below to rate it, and drop a comment telling me which apples you used. Happy baking!
